Shotgun dilemma

wicat3 · January 23, 2016, 03:57 PM

Hey everyone. I have an H&R pardner pump shotgun that I have been using for a year or so. I dont mind it, I loved the price but Im starting to wonder if I should upgrade. The delima that I have run into is I am unsure if I want to upgrade to a remington 870, a mossberg or maverick shotgun or just rebuild the H&R internals with 870 parts. I use the shotgun for home protection and don't want any issues if the need araises that I would need it. With that being said I have ran a lot of shells through this gun and only had it give me on issue when it was dry and some snowy ammo wouldn't fire.

Any suggestions that could lead me down the right road?

g.willikers · January 23, 2016, 07:06 PM

One failure shouldn't be anywhere near enough for you to abandon it.
All guns can fail.
Better to practice what to do when it happens.

amd6547 · January 23, 2016, 07:15 PM

From what I gather, the only upgrade would be to buy an older 870. Otherwise, your H&R is at least as good as current 870's. Some say better.

The best advice is to just run that shotgun. Run it hard. Any weaknesses will reveal themselves and can be dealt with.

Plus, the more you work it, the smoother it will get.

FITASC · January 23, 2016, 08:04 PM

Going to a Maverick or similar is NOT an upgrade. CLEAN and LUBE your gun and don't worry.

Eazyeach · January 23, 2016, 08:08 PM

I agree. No reason to "upgrade". Just keep practicing and if it breaks(and that's a big IF") then buy something else. Of all your ideas buying a 870 or 500 would be the only options I'd consider.

SARuger · January 23, 2016, 08:34 PM

Agreed, the Pardner pump isn't a bad gun at all and the Maverick would be a down grade. The 870 express/Mossburg 500 would be a lateral move.

wicat3 · January 23, 2016, 09:46 PM

So would stripping the receiver and adding 870 parts help it or just a waste of time?

SARuger · January 23, 2016, 10:21 PM

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

FITASC · January 24, 2016, 09:46 AM

Waste of time and money.
If you want an 870, buy a Wingmaster, NOT an Express.

mellow_c · January 26, 2016, 02:55 AM

Just wondering. Why a Wingmaster and not an Express? What's the difference?

To the OP: I'd say it's probably a waste of money to upgrade the internals, at that point just buy a new shotgun.

I've got a Maverick, and I think it's a hell of a gun!!! I don't suspect it will EVER give me any trouble. The 500 is a little nicer in some ways, but I don't know that it's necessarily going to be any more reliable. I also think the Maverick is pretty dang durable and I'm not sure how much more so the 500 would really be... The 590's... well, that's another story.

I like the 870's as well.

No experience with the Pardner though, but everyone here seems to like it.

Xfire68 · January 26, 2016, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Just wondering. Why a Wingmaster and not an Express? What's the difference?

There is a big difference in price and overall quality of the Wingmaster's build.

The Express is a budget model. Nothing wrong with it though. I personally like the Mossy 500.

wicat3 · January 27, 2016, 08:09 AM

So from what I have read and heard from some others the express model 870 is a budget model but it also has a lot of issues and is not as issue free as a wingmaster.

As an update i was going to pick up a new or used 870 but after hearing from some others I deceided to go with a defensive shotgun class and see how the H&R runs. I have also found a used mossberg 500 that I purchased as my main shotgun

January 23, 2016, 03:57 PM	#1
wicat3 Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Posts: 72	Shotgun dilemma Hey everyone. I have an H&R pardner pump shotgun that I have been using for a year or so. I dont mind it, I loved the price but Im starting to wonder if I should upgrade. The delima that I have run into is I am unsure if I want to upgrade to a remington 870, a mossberg or maverick shotgun or just rebuild the H&R internals with 870 parts. I use the shotgun for home protection and don't want any issues if the need araises that I would need it. With that being said I have ran a lot of shells through this gun and only had it give me on issue when it was dry and some snowy ammo wouldn't fire. Any suggestions that could lead me down the right road?

January 23, 2016, 07:15 PM	#3
amd6547 Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 2,320	From what I gather, the only upgrade would be to buy an older 870. Otherwise, your H&R is at least as good as current 870's. Some say better. The best advice is to just run that shotgun. Run it hard. Any weaknesses will reveal themselves and can be dealt with. Plus, the more you work it, the smoother it will get. __________________ The past is gone...the future may never happen. Be Here Now.

January 23, 2016, 08:04 PM	#4
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,654	Going to a Maverick or similar is NOT an upgrade. CLEAN and LUBE your gun and don't worry. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

January 24, 2016, 09:46 AM	#9
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,654	Waste of time and money. If you want an 870, buy a Wingmaster, NOT an Express. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

January 23, 2016, 07:06 PM	#2
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	One failure shouldn't be anywhere near enough for you to abandon it. All guns can fail. Better to practice what to do when it happens.

January 23, 2016, 08:08 PM	#5
Eazyeach Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2014 Posts: 706	I agree. No reason to "upgrade". Just keep practicing and if it breaks(and that's a big IF") then buy something else. Of all your ideas buying a 870 or 500 would be the only options I'd consider.

January 23, 2016, 08:34 PM	#6
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	Agreed, the Pardner pump isn't a bad gun at all and the Maverick would be a down grade. The 870 express/Mossburg 500 would be a lateral move.

January 23, 2016, 09:46 PM	#7
wicat3 Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Posts: 72	So would stripping the receiver and adding 870 parts help it or just a waste of time?

January 23, 2016, 10:21 PM	#8
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	If it ain't broke, don't fix it

January 26, 2016, 02:55 AM	#10
mellow_c Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,862	Just wondering. Why a Wingmaster and not an Express? What's the difference? To the OP: I'd say it's probably a waste of money to upgrade the internals, at that point just buy a new shotgun. I've got a Maverick, and I think it's a hell of a gun!!! I don't suspect it will EVER give me any trouble. The 500 is a little nicer in some ways, but I don't know that it's necessarily going to be any more reliable. I also think the Maverick is pretty dang durable and I'm not sure how much more so the 500 would really be... The 590's... well, that's another story. I like the 870's as well. No experience with the Pardner though, but everyone here seems to like it.

January 27, 2016, 08:09 AM	#12
wicat3 Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Posts: 72	So from what I have read and heard from some others the express model 870 is a budget model but it also has a lot of issues and is not as issue free as a wingmaster. As an update i was going to pick up a new or used 870 but after hearing from some others I deceided to go with a defensive shotgun class and see how the H&R runs. I have also found a used mossberg 500 that I purchased as my main shotgun