Remington 870/887 Or Mossberg 500/590

Gunnut17 · April 23, 2012, 02:13 PM

Both great shotguns, which is better? Keep in mind I am a civilian, so I'm looking at which civilian version of these guns is better, no 9-shot guns here. I'd also like to know which version of your gun of choice you prefer, I.E. 887 or 870.

Pictures are welcome and recommended.

Technosavant · April 23, 2012, 03:26 PM

Gotta say, while I have a 870 and a preference for Big Green, I'm not going to say one design is preferable to the other.

For regular defensive purposes, I'd probably go 870 over 887, but that or the Mossberg guns will work great. Get a shorter barrel variant (or just a shorter barrel for the thing), an extended magazine tube, the stock of your choice, and start putting ammo through it to make sure the thing works.

Hard to make a bad choice on that.

Dave McC · April 23, 2012, 06:58 PM

870.

Proven,over and over and over.

No other shotgun has gone so long,done so much, or made so many folks happy.

10 million and counting.

Ike was president when I got my first one. The finish on that is getting thin, but it's never glitched. Nor have the others I've owned.

Lifetime round count has to be over 50K, maybe twice that. I put 30K plus through one, a TB, in a few years and all that happened was it needed a new firing pin spring. Twice.

Frankenstein, my parts gun with a 1973 reciever, has maybe 20K through it and that's after a 10 year career at the MD Pen. Glitchless, slick as owl snot.

Cosmetically challenged, mechanically perfect. Frankenstein's taught a lot of folks to shoot.

There's no flies on the 500 either. Lots of happy owners.

The 887 is too new to have a track record.

I'd choose between the 500 and the 870....

Lee Lapin · April 24, 2012, 07:05 PM

Either the 870 or the 590, whichever you like better. Didn't vote in the poll since that choice wasn't an option...

Mrgunsngear · April 24, 2012, 08:32 PM

I agree with Lee. I have 870s since I grew up shooting with a cross bolt safety and I'm used to it but both the 870 and 590 are proven designs that I'd feel comfortable staking my life on.

ronto · April 25, 2012, 12:32 PM

(1) The physical position and operation of the safety for either right or left handed shooter....forward off, back on.
(2) The physical position of the slide release is easier to operate.
(3) 1 more round in the factory magazine.
(4) Shell elevator does not get in the way when loading, especially with gloves on.
(5) Duel shell ejectors.
(6) The 500 is usually less expensive and the quality is just as good as the 870.

stubbyone50 · April 25, 2012, 02:35 PM

I'd have to go 870 as well. Got mine for my 16th birthday, passed down from my dad. He had it "custom" made in the early 70's as he worked at Remington for many years. He picked out all the pieces and followed it thru the plant, having all the best guys work on it. It's a working man's gun, not all engraved up, but put together to his idea of what a shotgun should be. Ready for Southern Tier deer season, Spring turkey, and the occasional ruffed grouse or rabbit outing. He did tell me, however, that he searched through about 20 boxes of Model 3200 select wood blanks to have his stock and forend made out of, and it is super fancy. Oh well, I suppose I'm biased, but there's nothing like the feel of an 870, and that action is smooth as glass. My grandfather worked there also, and the only thing he and my dad ever agreed upon was that the 870 was the best gun they ever worked on at Remington.

PJR · April 25, 2012, 03:02 PM

I have owned all three. The Remington 870 is the one I kept. The Mossberg was a solid second place. I could not get rid of the 887 fast enough.

zippy13 · April 25, 2012, 03:05 PM

Remington because of the location of the safety.

xLPlushy · April 25, 2012, 03:05 PM

870 or 500. My step dad taught me to shoot on both of these. As a little kid I liked the 870 better because of the way the safety was. Shortly after I turned 18 I found a used 1996 500A1 with a 24" smoothbore slugster barrel and a davis speedfeed stock dirt cheap at a local shop and snatched it up. 'Ive been in love with the gun since. 0 hiccups, it eats any 2.75" or 3" shell that you feed it, and for the barrel length has minimal recoil. That is now my HD gun and occasional clay gun. I have since acquired a Benelli Nova and a newer Mossberg 835. I now primarily take either of those guns to the range as the shoot much tighter patterns so they're just more of a challenge to hit clays with.

I can't sway my vote to either a 500 or 870 so I gotta say BOTH!!!

Tapatalked via my highly abused iPhone

ojibweindian · April 25, 2012, 05:36 PM

I prefer the 870, mostly because every one that I've ever shouldered just seemed to fit.

.300 Weatherby Mag · April 25, 2012, 10:39 PM

I own a battery of 870s... I also have a 500 that I bought for $100... It goes bang every time.. Can't say that about the Remington 870s I've bought in the last five years.. A couple of them are hit and miss... I can't trust them enough to take them to the range without a backup... Really tragic when I have older 870s that have never given me any trouble at all..

887 is crap... Not worth your time..

kj4963 · April 25, 2012, 10:57 PM

Love my 870! Have shot but never owned a mossberg.

dannyb · April 26, 2012, 07:16 AM

I've had 870s and Mossberg 500s. I prefer the safety on the Mossberg, so I got rid of the 870s. I think it's purely a matter of preference, they're both excellent shotguns that will last if maintained well.

'88Scrat · April 26, 2012, 03:09 PM

Can't go wrong with either really.

Fishing_Cabin · April 26, 2012, 03:35 PM

My vote is for the Remington 870. They have always worked well, and its rare to have an issue with them. We have some that are around 25 years old at work and they do good. The 870's that I and my brother own also do well, but just arent quite as old and used.

The Mossberg shotguns I have shot owned by friends seem to hold up well without any issues. We still have some 500a shotguns at work, but they are not issued anymore. They seem to function well, but I guess after all the years of being in the trunk has taken its toll. The butstocks on them just will not stay tight. If you tighten them up and loctite them, after 5-10 shots they start to get loose. The new ones may be better though.

Uncle Ben · April 26, 2012, 03:37 PM

Both are indeniably very good guns, but I bought the mossberg 500 and here's why:

-tang safety is easier to use and see during operation
-slide release is much easier to access, with less finger manuvering/movement needed

For me, these two reasons are enough, but I certainly have nothing against the 870 or anyone who swears by them, cause they have more than proven themselves, but so has the mossberg 500, just not for quite as many years but more than enough to say that it has "stood the test of time"

pistol named Bertha · April 27, 2012, 07:11 AM

590a1 with speed feed stock and side saddle. With 3 inch shells I have 18 rounds to throw at the perp!

pistol named Bertha · April 27, 2012, 07:15 AM

And the parkeruzing is nice and the bayonet lug for when you run out ofshells.

droptrd · April 28, 2012, 04:51 PM

Im a mossberg guy. Mostly cause of the safety location and at this point in my life, its what i know and am used to. My cousin I go hunting with all the time is a die hard remington guy and uses an 870. He hasnt had a single issue with his 870 and I havent had one either with my 500. Both are solid. I think the action is smoother and faster on the mossberg. But the mossy has that "forend wiggle" that the remington doesnt have. This wiggle bothers some but not me. I prefer the mossbergs action and safety/action release location over the 870. Didnt like the 887 at all.

So, the tally for me is....

Mossberg
Chevy
Coke
PC

TheKlawMan · May 1, 2012, 12:38 PM

I prefer the 870 but it comes down to personal choice. One thing to keep in mind is that you definitely want an 870 if you are going to have a pistol grip tactical style stock. I don't like them, but again that is a matter of your choice.
The reason is if you have a pistol grip it is very difficult to use the Mossberg tang safety.

praetorian97 · May 1, 2012, 07:28 PM

Both are great shotguns. What put the 870 on top for me was the Mossberg Safety doesn't work well with a pistol grip and the loading mechanism on a 500 causes you to lose 2 vs 1 when combat reloading 2 slugs.

KevK. · May 1, 2012, 08:59 PM

Both the 870 and the 500/590 are great shotguns, and you wont go wrong with either one. Both have a huge number of bolt on options.

I bought a 500 over a 870 for 2 reasons.
1. I liked the position of the safety on the Mossberg.
2. It was a bit cheaper.

Otherwise if someone handed me a 870 I'd feel just as safe and confident with that as I would with my 500.

-K

badge851 · May 1, 2012, 09:43 PM

• Mossberg® has a ten 10 year warranty; Remington has a one (1) year warranty.
• Mossberg® has an ambidextrous safety; Remington® does not.
• Mossberg® comes with sling & swivels; Remington® does not.
• Mossberg comes with multiple (3) choke tubes, Remington only one (1).
• Mossberg® is the shotgun the US Military uses.
• Mossberg® is ¼-½lb lighter.
• Mossberg® is less expensive by $25-$40.

Gunnut17 · May 2, 2012, 12:00 AM

Quote:

And the parkeruzing is nice and the bayonet lug for when you run out ofshells.

Aren't bayonets illegal?

View Poll Results: Which is Better?
Remington 870	44	53.66%
Remington 887	0	0%
Mossberg 590/500	38	46.34%
Voters: 82. You may not vote on this poll

April 23, 2012, 02:13 PM	#1
Gunnut17 Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2012 Location: Kitsap County, WA, USA Posts: 445	Remington 870/887 Or Mossberg 500/590 Both great shotguns, which is better? Keep in mind I am a civilian, so I'm looking at which civilian version of these guns is better, no 9-shot guns here. I'd also like to know which version of your gun of choice you prefer, I.E. 887 or 870. Pictures are welcome and recommended.

April 24, 2012, 07:05 PM	#4
Lee Lapin Senior Member Join Date: September 7, 2004 Location: SE NC Posts: 1,239	Either the 870 or the 590, whichever you like better. Didn't vote in the poll since that choice wasn't an option... __________________ Mindset - Skillset - Toolset. In that order! Attitude and skill will get you through times of no gear, better than gear will get you through times of no attitude and no skill.

April 24, 2012, 08:32 PM	#5
Mrgunsngear Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2011 Location: Carolina Posts: 3,415	I agree with Lee. I have 870s since I grew up shooting with a cross bolt safety and I'm used to it but both the 870 and 590 are proven designs that I'd feel comfortable staking my life on. __________________ Mrgunsngear Youtube Channel

April 25, 2012, 12:32 PM	#6
ronto Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2007 Location: Smack Dab in the Middle of Nowhere. Posts: 505	500 over the 870 because... (1) The physical position and operation of the safety for either right or left handed shooter....forward off, back on. (2) The physical position of the slide release is easier to operate. (3) 1 more round in the factory magazine. (4) Shell elevator does not get in the way when loading, especially with gloves on. (5) Duel shell ejectors. (6) The 500 is usually less expensive and the quality is just as good as the 870. __________________ "We will do this: we will hang together, we will keep our organization, our arms, our discipline, our hatred of oppression, until one universal shout goes up from an admiring age that this Missouri Cavalry Division preferred exile to submission, death to dishonor". General Joseph O. Shelby, CSA (1830-1897) The only Confederate General who refused to surrender himself or his 1,000+ "Iron Brigade".

April 23, 2012, 03:26 PM	#2
Technosavant Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2007 Location: St. Louis, MO area Posts: 4,040	Gotta say, while I have a 870 and a preference for Big Green, I'm not going to say one design is preferable to the other. For regular defensive purposes, I'd probably go 870 over 887, but that or the Mossberg guns will work great. Get a shorter barrel variant (or just a shorter barrel for the thing), an extended magazine tube, the stock of your choice, and start putting ammo through it to make sure the thing works. Hard to make a bad choice on that.

April 23, 2012, 06:58 PM	#3
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	870. Proven,over and over and over. No other shotgun has gone so long,done so much, or made so many folks happy. 10 million and counting. Ike was president when I got my first one. The finish on that is getting thin, but it's never glitched. Nor have the others I've owned. Lifetime round count has to be over 50K, maybe twice that. I put 30K plus through one, a TB, in a few years and all that happened was it needed a new firing pin spring. Twice. Frankenstein, my parts gun with a 1973 reciever, has maybe 20K through it and that's after a 10 year career at the MD Pen. Glitchless, slick as owl snot. Cosmetically challenged, mechanically perfect. Frankenstein's taught a lot of folks to shoot. There's no flies on the 500 either. Lots of happy owners. The 887 is too new to have a track record. I'd choose between the 500 and the 870....

April 25, 2012, 02:35 PM	#7
stubbyone50 Junior Member Join Date: April 23, 2012 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 8	I'd have to go 870 as well. Got mine for my 16th birthday, passed down from my dad. He had it "custom" made in the early 70's as he worked at Remington for many years. He picked out all the pieces and followed it thru the plant, having all the best guys work on it. It's a working man's gun, not all engraved up, but put together to his idea of what a shotgun should be. Ready for Southern Tier deer season, Spring turkey, and the occasional ruffed grouse or rabbit outing. He did tell me, however, that he searched through about 20 boxes of Model 3200 select wood blanks to have his stock and forend made out of, and it is super fancy. Oh well, I suppose I'm biased, but there's nothing like the feel of an 870, and that action is smooth as glass. My grandfather worked there also, and the only thing he and my dad ever agreed upon was that the 870 was the best gun they ever worked on at Remington.

April 25, 2012, 03:02 PM	#8
PJR Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2000 Posts: 1,127	I have owned all three. The Remington 870 is the one I kept. The Mossberg was a solid second place. I could not get rid of the 887 fast enough.

April 25, 2012, 03:05 PM	#9
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	Remington because of the location of the safety.

April 25, 2012, 03:05 PM	#10
xLPlushy Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2012 Location: Eastern PA Posts: 160	870 or 500. My step dad taught me to shoot on both of these. As a little kid I liked the 870 better because of the way the safety was. Shortly after I turned 18 I found a used 1996 500A1 with a 24" smoothbore slugster barrel and a davis speedfeed stock dirt cheap at a local shop and snatched it up. 'Ive been in love with the gun since. 0 hiccups, it eats any 2.75" or 3" shell that you feed it, and for the barrel length has minimal recoil. That is now my HD gun and occasional clay gun. I have since acquired a Benelli Nova and a newer Mossberg 835. I now primarily take either of those guns to the range as the shoot much tighter patterns so they're just more of a challenge to hit clays with. I can't sway my vote to either a 500 or 870 so I gotta say BOTH!!! Tapatalked via my highly abused iPhone

April 25, 2012, 05:36 PM	#11
ojibweindian Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2000 Location: Huntsville, Alabama Posts: 1,198	I prefer the 870, mostly because every one that I've ever shouldered just seemed to fit.

April 25, 2012, 10:39 PM	#12
.300 Weatherby Mag Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2008 Posts: 1,777	I own a battery of 870s... I also have a 500 that I bought for $100... It goes bang every time.. Can't say that about the Remington 870s I've bought in the last five years.. A couple of them are hit and miss... I can't trust them enough to take them to the range without a backup... Really tragic when I have older 870s that have never given me any trouble at all.. 887 is crap... Not worth your time..

April 25, 2012, 10:57 PM	#13
kj4963 Member Join Date: October 4, 2011 Location: Denver,CO Posts: 16	Love my 870! Have shot but never owned a mossberg. __________________ Glocks: G19C, G21,G22, G23 gen4, G31 Springfield XDm-9 3.8 Remington 1911,870 Express tactical Bersa Thunder 380

April 26, 2012, 07:16 AM	#14
dannyb Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2008 Location: SE PA Posts: 336	I've had 870s and Mossberg 500s. I prefer the safety on the Mossberg, so I got rid of the 870s. I think it's purely a matter of preference, they're both excellent shotguns that will last if maintained well. __________________ Moron Lave (send a Congressman through the car wash)

April 26, 2012, 03:09 PM	#15
'88Scrat Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2011 Location: Kansas Posts: 549	Can't go wrong with either really. __________________ BOOM

April 26, 2012, 03:35 PM	#16
Fishing_Cabin Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2010 Posts: 720	My vote is for the Remington 870. They have always worked well, and its rare to have an issue with them. We have some that are around 25 years old at work and they do good. The 870's that I and my brother own also do well, but just arent quite as old and used. The Mossberg shotguns I have shot owned by friends seem to hold up well without any issues. We still have some 500a shotguns at work, but they are not issued anymore. They seem to function well, but I guess after all the years of being in the trunk has taken its toll. The butstocks on them just will not stay tight. If you tighten them up and loctite them, after 5-10 shots they start to get loose. The new ones may be better though.

April 26, 2012, 03:37 PM	#17
Uncle Ben Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2008 Location: Southern California Posts: 400	Both are indeniably very good guns, but I bought the mossberg 500 and here's why: -tang safety is easier to use and see during operation -slide release is much easier to access, with less finger manuvering/movement needed For me, these two reasons are enough, but I certainly have nothing against the 870 or anyone who swears by them, cause they have more than proven themselves, but so has the mossberg 500, just not for quite as many years but more than enough to say that it has "stood the test of time" __________________ Lazy + Complacent = DISARMED *FIGHT to keep your guns & join the NRA. Contact your representatives about 2A issues at www.capwiz.com/nra/dbq/officials and to be kept up to date on the current issues visit www.nraila.org

April 27, 2012, 07:11 AM	#18
pistol named Bertha Member Join Date: August 10, 2011 Posts: 39	590a1 with speed feed stock and side saddle. With 3 inch shells I have 18 rounds to throw at the perp!

April 27, 2012, 07:15 AM	#19
pistol named Bertha Member Join Date: August 10, 2011 Posts: 39	And the parkeruzing is nice and the bayonet lug for when you run out ofshells.

April 28, 2012, 04:51 PM	#20
droptrd Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 342	Im a mossberg guy. Mostly cause of the safety location and at this point in my life, its what i know and am used to. My cousin I go hunting with all the time is a die hard remington guy and uses an 870. He hasnt had a single issue with his 870 and I havent had one either with my 500. Both are solid. I think the action is smoother and faster on the mossberg. But the mossy has that "forend wiggle" that the remington doesnt have. This wiggle bothers some but not me. I prefer the mossbergs action and safety/action release location over the 870. Didnt like the 887 at all. So, the tally for me is.... Mossberg Chevy Coke PC

May 1, 2012, 12:38 PM	#21
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	I prefer the 870 but it comes down to personal choice. One thing to keep in mind is that you definitely want an 870 if you are going to have a pistol grip tactical style stock. I don't like them, but again that is a matter of your choice. The reason is if you have a pistol grip it is very difficult to use the Mossberg tang safety.

May 1, 2012, 07:28 PM	#22
praetorian97 Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 2011 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 455	Both are great shotguns. What put the 870 on top for me was the Mossberg Safety doesn't work well with a pistol grip and the loading mechanism on a 500 causes you to lose 2 vs 1 when combat reloading 2 slugs.

May 1, 2012, 08:59 PM	#23
KevK. Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2012 Posts: 137	Personal choice.. Both the 870 and the 500/590 are great shotguns, and you wont go wrong with either one. Both have a huge number of bolt on options. I bought a 500 over a 870 for 2 reasons. 1. I liked the position of the safety on the Mossberg. 2. It was a bit cheaper. Otherwise if someone handed me a 870 I'd feel just as safe and confident with that as I would with my 500. -K

May 1, 2012, 09:43 PM	#24
badge851 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2005 Location: Olympia, WA Posts: 326	• Mossberg® has a ten 10 year warranty; Remington has a one (1) year warranty. • Mossberg® has an ambidextrous safety; Remington® does not. • Mossberg® comes with sling & swivels; Remington® does not. • Mossberg comes with multiple (3) choke tubes, Remington only one (1). • Mossberg® is the shotgun the US Military uses. • Mossberg® is ¼-½lb lighter. • Mossberg® is less expensive by $25-$40. __________________ Only two defining forces have ever died for you: 1. Jesus Christ. 2. The American Soldier, Sailor, Airman, & Marine. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.