The Remmy 870 is one of the crowd favorites. The other two favorites are the Mossberg 500 and the Winchester 1200/1300.
The main differences are discussed on
this page.
Whether you choose Remmy, Mossy, or Winny, for my money, a shotgun needs several things to be most effective in home defense. First is an 18.5 inch barrel. Then a sidesaddle for extra ammo. I want a forend that does not overlap the reciever. I like dual slidebars, and I insist on 100% reliability. My favorite is the Mossberg, then the Winchester. I have not felt the need to own a Remington.
At most pawnshops you can find Remington 870s in the $175 range. Mossberg 500s for $150, Winchester 1200/1300s for $120. This does not reflect the quality of the guns, but the desirability in the marketplace. The used Remington sells better for some reason, so it is priced higher. Often you can find shotguns for considerably less if you are willing to accept some ugliness. Just today I bought a Winchester 1300 for $89. I trying to decide whether to build it into my fourth HD Shotgun.
