What's the best one?

[Spanky]

I'm looking at pump guns. I don't know jack about pump guns.

Mossberg 500
Remington 870
Pardner pump

I'm looking at these three and all are reasonable priced.

Give me the rundown of what's what with these three and which one you'd buy.
I'd be adding a slug barrel too.
Help me out here.



Spanky

[Plainsman]

It's mostly a personal preference as far as the Mossberg vs. Remington from everything I've ever seen and heard, but I'm partial to the Remington's!   I've had two 870's and the 1100 tacticals catch my eye every once in a while!  My main shotgun currently is an 870.

Good luck!

[demented]

 Best is subjective, folks have their favorites, usually either Mossbergs and Remingtons.  I've owned both and had no problems with either.  Last year I purchased a Pardner 20 ga, six shot 22" barrel and with approx 500 rounds, slugs, buck, birdshot have had zero problems with it.  I'd have to say that for me, whichever I can get for the best price is where my money will go. 

[Spanky]

Sounds like apples to apples so far with 'em.
I can get the Mossy for 60 bucks less than the 870. 60 bucks buys alot of ammo.



Spanky

[Jghoat]

 I have never owned the Rem 870 or the Pardner pump but I have a Mossberg 500a that i got in the late 60s. It hangs on the wall on my wifes side of the bed (I should say I had a 500 because it looks like she thinks its hers now). Its a great shot gun. I have only shot slugs out of its 18" HD barrel never have used a slug barrel.
 My brother loves his 870. And he would rather go with out than own a Mossberg. He has never had a problem with Mossberg nor is he a snob. He is just a big fan of the 870.
To each his own. But, that $60 of ammo sounds good to me. 
 

[MEZJ96]

I am new to the form so here is my two cents.

I have a Mossberg 500 and have had great luck with it.  Breaks down quick and easy and has no problem shooting skeet all day long.  Each Thanksgiving and Christmas a couple buddy’s and I get together and shoot skeet all day, somewhere around 500 clays and alot more shells!  The gun has hung in there for years.  I don't have a slug barrel but am told you can do quite well with it out to 150yrds with a scope.

I have used and shoot against an 870 and as far as I could tell seeing broke down it is almost the 500's cousin.  Don't know anything about the pardner but from what I have read recently about the same.  Back to you for a decision. 

There are also alot of parts and accessories for the 500 throughout the web.  I am sure for the 870 but not so sure about the pardner.

Hope this helps.

[Swampman]

Remington 870 the others aren't even close.

[PHATINJUN]

Basicly they are all clones of each other...would not surprise me if ya tore all three down togeather and mixed the parts you could still put three back togeather Kurt

BTW don't mind Swampman he's got Green Remington Sludge in his eye's

[ruppster]

To me the difference is in the feel I have a 12ga 870. A 870 feels like it works better vs. Mossbergs I've handled. The slide isn't as flexy (1 bar vs. 2?), and the lockup feels tighter. Some of the guys I hunt/shoot with agree (they have Mossbergs). I really don't think you would wear either one out. I've been looking at 20ga Mossbergs, though. I agree $60 buys alot of ammo. Also, extra barrels seem to go for less $ than Remingtons. I don't know anything about Pardner pumps.

[Doublebass73]

Spanky,

My vote is the Mossberg 500. In my case I like them better because I shoot lefty. The tang safety on the Mossberg is easier for me. They've always been 100% reliable for me and they're cheaper than an 870.

[Dixie Dude]

I've had both.  Both are good and good shooters.  870 has more third party accessories for it.  Also, with the Remington you can get a magazine extension and spring if you want to load more rounds.  Mossburg you can't.  Mossburg is a little easier to dissemble for cleaning with one pin punch out for trigger assembly removal.  Remington has two.  Remington has steel receiver while Mossburg has aluminum.  If cost is a factor get the Mossburg.  If you have the money, get the Remington. 

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  I have both the Moss. and a bunch of 870's..When buying a smooth bore gun feel is important..Even in the same model one shotgun will point better than another for an individual person.. the ideal would be to shoot several guns of each model and see which fits you best...I am not familiar with the Pardner shotgun, but ease of mounting and point are very important with smooth bores..If I were picking I would go with the 870 only because I have shot it for about 30 years...Spanky one thing I would also check out is the used gun market..You can pick up a nice used gun for less $ than a new model, and if it not what you like, you can trade or sell with out a great loss...Last fall, I picked up a beautiful model 31 Rem. in perfect cond. for less than a new express 870...

[Jal5]

I would agree there is very little difference between Mossy and Rem pump guns, its a matter of preference. I have the Mossy 500 and have shot both slugs out of their smoothbore slug barrel and out of the screw in choke barrel everything else. The screw in system is great. One thing with the slug barrel: I never was satisfied with accuracy despite using different types of optics on it. I don't think the mount I used was adequate for the job. Maybe others here have had more success with that than I did but I just don't use it for slug hunting anymore. I found a Pardner 20 ga. that I like way more for slug hunting now- more accurate, and less recoil, what's not to like? 

Joe

[MSP Ret]

I carried an issued 870 for years and have my own and am partial to the Remingtons because of familararity. Many police departments and the military have been issuing Mossbergs over the past few years and they have a great following. They would be my choice depending solely on personal preferance and I think you would be well served be either....<><....

[Dixie Dude]

The Mossburg 500 is American made in Texas.  The Mossburg Maverick is Mexican made.  Don't know about the Pardner.  Remington is American made.  However Remington did make some parts like trigger assemblies and choke tubes at one time in China.  They had problems with them and I think they went back to making them here.  The longer choke tubes of Remington pattern better than the shorter Mossburg choke tube.  Like someone said, you can find both used at gun shows for less than new. 

[quickdtoo]

If you do some research for info on the Pardner Pump here on the forum, you'll see they're quite popular, they're an 870 clone imported from China, most all 870 aftermarket accessories will fit except barrels, they're service by Marlin in CT where accessory barrels can be ordered...when they have them in stock. As for products made in China, over 90% of PC and monitor components we're using to access this forum are made in China, same for most of the electronics in our homes. 

Tim

Here are just a few of the 5 pages of Pardner Pump threads from a search here.

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,186536.msg1098921979.html#msg1098921979

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,118310.msg1098387938.html#msg1098387938

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,188280.msg1098936017.html#msg1098936017

[Yak Angler]

I would spend the extra money and buy the 870. IMHO fit and finish is better then the mossbergs. I have owned a mossberg 500 combo gun with 28" barrel and 24" rifled barrel and mossberg 835 turkey model and while there was nothing wrong with them, the 870's have much smoother actions and i feel they are a better quality gun.

[Stuart C.]

A clean used older 870.

But what's the main purpose you'll be using it for?

[Markus]

I would buy an older 870 wingmaster. Smooth and durable action that has proven itself in the field and has been an U.S. made favorite for a long time. There's a reason it is the worlds most popular shotgun havin sold over 10 million units and counting.

[Swampman]

There is a huge difference in Mossberg & Remington pumps.  One is forged steel and the other is aluminum.  There is no better repeating shotgun than the 870.  The Pardner is a very nice looking shotgun but I wouldn't pay more than $100.00 for one because it's marked Made in China.  A like new 500 shold cost $150.00 tops.

Do yourself a favor buy a 870.

[PowPow]

Markus is absolutely right................870 period.
When I got my 870 Wingmaster 12 ga for Christmas in 1971, you would have thought I was "Ralphie".

[spruce]

Have owned 2 Mossbergs and several 870's over the years.  Always liked the tang safety, but on just about every other point I favor the 870.
Get a Vang safety from Brownell's for the 870 and it makes it much quicker/handier to operate (for me anyway) and takes about 5 minutes to change it out.

Not saying the Mossberg is a bad gun, just that I prefer the 870.  Never used a Pardner so can't comment on them.

[cwlongshot]

Spanky,
 I have owned and/or shot all of these. Mostly I shoot them for fun, some for hunting and in competition. Others defensively both as personal protection and as tactile weapons. All will serve the average person. As much as i like H&R's I dismiss the Chinese immediately as I prefer to buy American. I do not like the non steel receiver and plastic fire-control of the Mossberg. I choose the Remington 870. Defensively my first choice is my Remington 870. Defensively, I actually prefer it to my other favorite a Colt .45 Commander.
 Like Andy, (MSP ret) mine too is as much a familiarity with it, having trained with one and shot one so much its an extension of me.

I think you know, have been in the firearms industry in some fashion, for many many years. I see them all the time, mostly going out as new or used firearm purchases. But occasionally I also see them coming in for repairs. I see far more Mossbergs coming in for broken safeties and fire-controls than any other shotgun problem. One good thing was that even broken, the gun could easily be made to still work. When the military took the Mossberg, it required the 590 (Basically a tactile version of the 500) to have steel parts exchanged for the plastic junk on civilian models.

MANY years of experience out there for the Remington. This serves you because most gunsmiths will have worked on or with one. Many many manufacturers have or make aftermarket parts and accessories for the Remington.

Remington's have flatly proven themselves many times over. they are THE pump shotgun ALL others are judged by.

Back when the Benelli auto shotguns where gaining a foothold with police and sportsmen. I was at a police training event. A good friend and I where there as "ringers" shooting on police teams as civilians. the match when on and when finished we had a little competition. Now everyone was SUPPOSED to be shooting service weapons. Seems everyone had a supped up Benelli. I was shooting a Remington 870. We did VERY well finishing in the top few shooters. I finished top time in pepper poppers at 10 yards, by over a half second!!  I tried to beat my own time with a Benelli... I couldnt do it!!  I was shooting my 870 faster and more accurately than younger shooters shooting a so called "better" shotgun. In the hands of a experienced shooter, nothing is faster than a well tuned 870.

There is only a few things I will stake my life on, one is my Remington 870.

CW

[Spanky]

Looks like the Pardner is sucking hind titty on this one.
What is the issue with the safety on the Mossy? Is it an easy fix?



Spanky

[cwlongshot]

Looks like the Pardner is sucking hind titty on this one.
What is the issue with the safety on the Mossy? Is it an easy fix?



Spanky

Its a thumb safety, easy to manipulate.. being so easy to manipulate makes it out in the open where it gets hit or pushed off or on at inopportune times. Its also plastic and easy to break.  The fire control is held in with one pin and two "nipples" or protrusions at the front. A good smack here will break them off allowing the front of the control or pop out disabling the firearm.

CW

[c1skout]

 While I've never trained with any of them, I've shot both the 870 and the 500. I'd pick the 870 for even money, mabye even go a little higher for the 870. But if you throw a Winchester 1200 or 1300 into the mix that would be the one I'd go with. They just "feel" better to me. And I like the alloy receiver to save weight when I'm climbing up and down hills looking for turkeys.

[plumberroy]

As for products made in China, over 90% of PC and monitor components we're using to access this forum are made in China, same for most of the electronics in our homes. 

Tim

Being a lefty  If I was buying one of the shelf  it would be a mossburg. I did finally order me a lefty 870 a while back . It is a rock solid gun , but if I had it to do over again I would have got a mossberg I can use the safety on it and get barrels. Your barrel choices on a remington lefthanded 870 are 28"vent rib remchoke or a 28"vent rib remchoke
 Yes I use chinese electronics  Because nothing else is available  there are plenty of good guns made in the U.S.A.  or else where for that matter that ain't ripped off copies built with near slave labor. I don't mind imported stuff
I go no where without a swiss knife , I have several swedish camp stoves, auto pistols are from Croatia. I use cinese stuff only if nothing else is available.
Roy

[Foggy]

I Like my Ithaca.. I have a Mossberg in 12 and a 870 in 20 i hunt with. But My goto house gun is the Ithaca 37 18" Deerslayer. I've used one in defence of myself and I just like them.

[Markus]

I knew someone would eventually mention the Ithaca and lets not forget about the Browning BPS.

[zackyholdem]

i own 870 supermag for turkey and geese, but i do 75% of my hunting (deer, rabbit, squirrel, duck, etc.) with a pardner pump 12 gauge, I have put over 2000 rounds through it over the past 3 years and i have never had a problem with it, being made in china doesn't bother me because like Quick said, everything is made in china nowdays. but whatever you do, do not buy a mossberg, its like comparing a .223 H&R to a .223 Rossi, they look similar in appearence but thats about all. plus accessory barrels for the pardner are much cheaper for the pardner pump

18.5 Cycl  Nef $65   Rem $100
28" Vent Rib Nef $100 Rem $160
Rifled        nef $100   Rem $160

Plus all the nef are drilled and tapped directly from the factory, most 870 and 500's are not, and the pardner pump uses mossbers/winchester/weatherby choke tube so you have more options then the rem choke
plus almost all 870 accessories fit on the pardner pump


heres a link for a test and comparison of the pardner pump to the 870 apples to apples, its very good check it out

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-307967.html

Thanks Zack