870 or 1300?

[Critias]

Allright. I'm looking at a few options, trying to get my household a little more protected than a .22 bolt action, and my GLOCK 19. Of the various long gun options, my wife is the most willing to consider a shotgun (I wear the pants in this family, but she picks 'em out for me ;)), and I'd be just fine with that. A carbine would be handy and convenient, an AK or AR would be a lot of fun, but for our apartment, I think a shotgun'd be hard to beat for practicality (it's not like we have acres and acres of land that needs protecting, or anything like that).

So I'm looking for an affordable, reliable, dirt-simple to maintain, 12 gauge. I've heard a lot of good things poking around GT about a few, and done my own looking at a few websites, etc, etc. Right now it's looking like it's a toss-up between a Remington 870, and some Winchester 1300 (I have yet to determine exactly which "flavor" of each I'm interested in, as I don't know enough about shotties just yet to really get too picky).

Anyone got strong preferences either way, and reasons for them? Good/bad experiences with either? Or even just general advice? I'd like to have a light on it, and maybe some sort of stock modification (if it would make it easier for her to shoot and practice with). Can either/both of them fire slugs as well as shot, etc? Mount a scope of any sort (if I can use deer slugs to extend my range, it could mean me not needing to buy a rifle for a little while longer)? Should I bother looking into a pistol grip as opposed to the general stock (I think Winchester has a deal where you can geta 1300 Defender with both the pistol and the stock, is that worth considering)? Is either one an obvious choice above the other, for what I'm looking for?

So, I'm asing the experts. 870, or 1300?

[liliysdad]

Personally, Id go for the 870. It is a more durable shotgun, in my experience, and it is still manufactured. The 1300 is a dead duck, since the US Winchester plant closed.

I have seen many beat LE 870s, and many beat LE 1300s, and the 870s just plain stand up to the use and abuse better. The aftermarket is much more abundant for the 870, for stocks, and such. As much as it pains me to say it, Id pick a Mossberg 500 over the 1300. It is a cheaper, tougher gun that has much more aftermarket support.

I would also council against any sort of optic on a shotgun used for home defense. Ghost rings or rifle sights at most, but a bead would be just fine for the uses you have in mind. Beads are very capable of good accuracy.

[lexmedic157]

Go for the 870. Many LEO's use them, you can't go wrong. It's almost (forgive the comparison) like a Glock, it's very durable, and simple in its form and function. You can find tons of aftermarket parts for it, but almost don't even need them. You can't go wrong with a nice parkerized 18" 870. Oh yeah, and you won't spend too much either!!

[Little Thomas]

I like my 870.I don't have any experience with the 1300. I have not seen a 1300 in a store for a long time. Availability may make your choice for you.

Choice between any of the big maker's( Remington, Mossberg,Winchester,Benelli)pump guns is really just a Ford/Chevy choice.

When I went to buy a Shotgun in 1992(Geez has it been that long?) , I just held all the shotguns they had in the store. I really did not know all that much about the different brands. The Remington felt more solid to me, so I paid for it. I have never been sorry in my choice.

[gruntmedik]

Another vote for the 870. Many more after market parts available, and dead reliable. I have not used a 1300, so I can't comment on them. I picked up my 870 police trade in from KY Imports in Louisville, you might check them out.

[lexmedic157]

I was also going to add how much are going to want to spend on mods. They can get rather expensive. I would suggest however, replacing the synthetic stock, as I felt that it was a little light and hollow feeling. Get a Speedfeed IV-s as it's little shorter for the girl, and makes it little easier getting your 870 around a corner. Also look into the fore-end lights from Surefire. One last thing, get a mag extension for an 18" barrel you'll need a +2. After that you'd be set. Just get the two of you out to the range and pepper some silhouettes.

[iuindy2l]

Get the gun that feels best to you. I like the location of the safety and the release on the 1300. Odds are you're not going to inflicted the abuse on your gun that law enforcement officers do, so get what you like and what feels best.

[MrMurphy]

If your wife will be shooting it unless she's about 5'7 or taller, I would suggest either 12ga with reduced recoil rounds, or a 20ga.

Either a 870, or Mossberg 500.

With reduced recoil 12ga (Hornady TAP, Federal Tactical etc) she can probably handle it fine, either of you can handle a 20 without problems.

Any smoothbore combat shotgun can fire slugs. With just the front bead you're good to about 25yards. With rifle or ghost ring sights, you can from the prone (laying down) easily do body shots at 100 yards, and even head shots if you're good ( i did it regularly).

You want a tight pattern and a mounted light, so you don't shoot your wife (or she doesn't shoot you) in the dark. Surefire makes the best fore-end replacement model, though there are other options for less.
The Remington 870 Express Magnum HD or Mossberg 500 or 590A1 would do nicely, and if the stock's a bit long, get a bantam (youth) stock or the Speedfeed Tac IV-S (shorter length of pull).

[Critias]

Somehow, despite cruising on Glocktalk for probably three or four hours a day (not all at once, but it's a part of my routine internet pass-the-time list), I'd managed to not hear about Winchester going under. Well, here's me, feeling stupid.

So, right. 870 it (probably) is. I hadn't even considered Mossberg, for some reason I'd always had the idea they were a little too expensive for me. Upon further research, though, it looks like they're exactly the same price ($357) as the other shotguns I was considering. So there's two contenders again, I guess. Mossberg and Remington (though I'll admit, just from the initial flurry of responses, I'm probably leaning towards Remington at this point). I'll have to get a paycheck or two back under my belt, and swing up to a few gun shops to see what they've got that I can get a feel for.

I'm definately leaning towards ghost rings for the moment, the "scope" idea is more of a "down the line" consideration, as I know even less about optics than I do shotguns at the moment. I was hoping/looking maybe for some pretty quickly attached/detached magnifier, for the occasional longer-ranged shot with a deer slug (I'm still getting used to my new glasses, and have yet to even try to shoot outside pistol range with them, so I have no idea how much I'll still feel like I need a scope for longer-ranged shots).

Anyways, thanks for all the input so far, everyone. I'll have to spend some time at work tonight perusing a few of those nasty evil gun websites (besides just GT, of course), to do some pricing and a little re-evaluation (looking into Mossberg instead of Winchester, for one).

[lexmedic157]

One thing to consider is the safety. On the Mossy it's a slide switch on the top of the receiver, whereas the Remington is more traditional button style behind the trigger. At times I wish I had gone with the Mossy as I'm a lefty, but like all the other loading features of the right handed Remington. If you or your wife is a lefty it may be a thing to consider. I think it may even be easier to engage/disengage even for a righty.

[Richard K]

Get an 870 Express Synthetic. The 18" barrel version can usually be found for around $249. You can get the Mossberg version at Wally World for $199 or so but the 870 will have far better resale value if you decide to go to something else later.

[M1Garand]

Remington 870 is cheaper and well designed, simple and reliable.

Winchester 1300 is more "elegant" in appearance, but it costs more with no additional practical benefit.

A lot of good recommendation on this forum. I would recommend a Remington 870 Police Magnum if you like reliability and durability since the Police Magnum is full metal parts.

Also make sure your wife knows the recoil of a 12G before you buy one. She may change her mind after shooting one.

[Leonard]

mark kitterman at www.summitgunbroker.com has mo state pen 870s for 195.and 215. great deal for the buck

[Critias]

Originally posted by Leonard
mark kitterman at www.summitgunbroker.com has mo state pen 870s for 195.and 215. great deal for the buck
Woah! Thanks! That just might be the deal-maker, right there. Getting one for about 1/3 off could cinch this one for me. Perfect!

[buckweet]

dang it !!!!
now i gotta buy one too !!!!!





weet

[Leonard]

Ok youse guys,now you gotta post pics of those great ole wingmasters.

[f1b32oPTic]

remington 870P Magnum $475

[Blackadder]

870 magnum with magazine extension and pistol-grip stock. Leave off the light rail - perfect aim is not going to improve a 6' diameter pattern at 15' and it will just make it easier for an intuder to locate you.

My brother has a Mossberg with a 10 rd. rotary magazine that is pretty sweet. I'm not a big Mossberg fan, but that would be a good HD option

[glockmeister71]

Hey Critias,I know we don't agree on everything,but we are still on the same team.

I've got an 870HD and I'm real happy with mine.It never misses a beat.I shoot Hornady TAP 00 buck and it patterns good all the way out to 25yds.You can buy almost any upgrade you want for an 870.The only thing I've done to mine is a Big Dot front from www.xssights.com .I really don't want anything else.The stock fits me very well and I've no desire to change it or to put a light or saddle on.If (7) rounds of 00 doesn't kill it,it ain't going to.

The deal at http://www.summitgunbroker.com/1223452.html sounds like a good deal.Oh yeah,your wife prolly won't be able to shoot it much.My wife tried mine one time with the TAP's and was over it,but my 15y/o shoots it.Just tell her all she has to remember is if she hits the BG the first time,she prolly won't have to shoot it anymore.

My brother had a 1300 and didn't have any problems with it.That's about all I can say for them.

[Leonard]

I actually bought the 870 shown in the top pic of summitgunbrokers ad.Internals are as new.Stock is very good as well.Well worth 195.00 IMHO.

[Critias]

Originally posted by glockmeister71
Hey Critias,I know we don't agree on everything,but we are still on the same team.
+1
Or, as I like to put it, "What happens in GNG, stays in GNG." Folks not getting along about one thing, can still agree on others. Religous and political debates in one corner of GT don't have to boil over into the nuts and bolts gun-stuff conversations elsewhere. :beer:

All -- the 870 looks like it's gonna be the way to go, and one of those used ones is just the most economically feasible options for me. If it was good enough for a prison guard to trust, it'll be good enough to keep my apartment safe. :) I'm hoping that with a pad of some sort, and some low-recoil ammo, my wife can at least shoot it often enough to get the basics down and get a feel for it. We've got a few more bills that need paying, but it'll be sometime in the next couple weeks that I put an order in.

Thanks for the solid advice!

[Romadoc]

Sat. June 10th, tried to get in on the Summit Gun Broker deal for the 870's riot guns. All Gone!!! Damn,Damn,Damn.

[10millyman]

Dont forget about the mossy 590 gets you 9 shots out the door:alien: