Never owned a gun before - Need advice on "do it all" shotgun!

[TexasRangerFan7]

Hey guys,

So I'm looking to buy my first gun. I'm in the market for a good, affordable 12 ga. pump shotgun. I'd like to hunt dove, sand hill cranes, turkey, and deer (using slugs) with it. So far, i've been looking into getting either a Mossberg or a Remington. One thing I keep reading about Remington is that ever since they were bought out, the quality of their 870 models has gone down...so if I'm going to get a Remington, I think I should look to get a good/old used one.

As on now, this is what I am leaning towards getting.

http://www.rkguns.com/mossberg-500-three-barrel-combo-12-gauge-shotgun-53341.html

It is a Mossberg 500, with a 24" fully rifled cantilever barrel, and a 24" & 28" smooth bore barrels. This gun seems like it be the best bang for my buck? One gun and three barrels, all for under $500. I'd have a dedicated slug barrel that I could mount a scope to, a turkey barrel, and a barrel for shooting birds and sporting clays...does this seem like a good deal to y'all?

Also, I've been looking at the Mossberg 535 & the 835...they have some field/deer combo guns that come with a 24" rifled cantilver barrel and a 28" smooth bore..These guns also have the ability to shoot 2.75 to 3.5 shells...but I'm not sure if I really need the ability to shoot a 3.5" shell? Could I get by with just having a slug barrel and then using the 28" smooth bore to hunt birds and turkey with?

If y'all got any suggestions for other shotguns I should look into, I am all ears. I'd appreciate any advice or words of wisdom that could be thrown my way, especially since this will be my first gun purchase.

[HillCoBowHunter]

Benelli nova

[Colorado87]

870's are still good starter guns. I also second the Benelli Nova, I love mine.

[WItoTX]

Stoeger M3500. Its semi auto, has 4 chokes, is essentially a Benelli, and mine has been through anything and everything, and never misfired. Its also under your $500 price tag. I imagine a slug barrel wouldn't be hard to come by. I personally shy away from Mossberg for anything other than home defense.

Have you held this gun yet? One thing I love about my Stoeger is the stock is longer than most. You would be better off going to a gander mountain or cabelas or any gun store really and start holding them and seeing what you like.

[hooligan]

Browning - BPS is around that price
Bengali Nova
Remington
Stoeger

There are a ton out that are good guns. I have never turkey hunted so I don’t know what the dedicated turkey barrel is on the mossberg

I’m sure that is a good shotgun too I just have not ever used it before and the ones listed above I have.

[Jaybo31]

870 is hard to beat.

[flatlander]

I'd still recommend an 870, hard to beat,...

[TexasRangerFan7]

Stoeger M3500. Its semi auto, has 4 chokes, is essentially a Benelli, and mine has been through anything and everything, and never misfired. Its also under your $500 price tag. I imagine a slug barrel wouldn't be hard to come by. I personally shy away from Mossberg for anything other than home defense.

Have you held this gun yet? One thing I love about my Stoeger is the stock is longer than most. You would be better off going to a gander mountain or cabelas or any gun store really and start holding them and seeing what you like.

I have, I've held a Mossberg 500 at Cabelas. The only thing I don't like is that the pump has that "Mossberg Rattle". Everything I've read up to this point about the gun though, says it can take a beating. Why do you shy away from them?

Thanks for the Stoeger suggestion, I haven't read up on that gun yet!

[talleywack97]

Try to find a older 870 wingmaster, get a rifled barrel later and you won't need another scattergun

[TexasRangerFan7]

Benelli nova

Looking like a lot of people recommend the nova..stupid question. Whats the difference between the SuperNova and just the Nova?

After doing some quick googling...Looks like I could get a Nova shotgun for under $500 and then come deer season (next year) get a slug barrel for it for around $200. This would definitely work. Gonna have to go and hold one of these guns and read up on them.

[Ronnie41]

I have owned Mossberg guns and for the money they are very dependable. With three barrels and as a first gun you cannot go wrong. If hunting turns out to be your new quest then later buy up in the gun field.

[HillCoBowHunter]

Supernova has a better pad/recoil system in the stock and a thicker plastic mold. Also has a slightly larger trigger guard to allow for thicker gloves. All of it's upgrades are that noticeable for the price IMO. I've cycled through too many Remington's' to ever go back, I have yet to have a problem with my Supernova, going on 8 years

[WItoTX]

I have, I've held a Mossberg 500 at Cabelas. The only thing I don't like is that the pump has that "Mossberg Rattle". Everything I've read up to this point about the gun though, says it can take a beating. Why do you shy away from them?

Thanks for the Stoeger suggestion, I haven't read up on that gun yet!

I get concerned that 2 or 3 years down the road I will want a higher quality gun, then I will feel like I wasted my money on the first one. Why not just get the nice one right away, and not have to purchase another?

[trash2]

870, no question. Benelli nova is junk.

[TexasRangerFan7]

I get concerned that 2 or 3 years down the road I will want a higher quality gun, then I will feel like I wasted my money on the first one. Why not just get the nice one right away, and not have to purchase another?

Yeah this is true...that was my mindset when I bought my first bow 2 years ago. I though about trying to save some cash by getting an affordable bow from a big box store, but I ended up going with one of Hoyt's top of the line bows. Haven't regretted it one bit.