Recommendations

[SoonersFan32064]

Remington 870 all the way. Great turkey gun. And a fun one to shoot as well.

 

[dennishoddy]

True "takedowns" are scarce, and the ones I know about are pretty old designs. Winchester Model 12 is maybe the best known. Remington Model 10 (I'll sell you one in a basket for $100) is another one that gets real short when broken down. Can't think of anything modern that really halves its length.

Mossberg and 870 both keep the magazine attached to the receiver, and are thus not real "takedown" guns, though they do shorten by whatever barrel length that goes past the end of the magazine tube. CB

Mod 12 Win is exactly what I was going to suggest. True take-down.

How come your not doing a restore with the Rem mod 10?

 

[madokie]

true take downs, are Win 12, Rem 10, 1897 Win,most of these original guns are worn out.Chinese made 1897 copy, dont know if they made it in takedown, or not,You'll have to spend some money to get a good one, in "real" takedown .find someone who really knows these 3 guns , and pay them finders fee to find you a good one, it will be worth the cost.

 

[criticalbass]

Mod 12 Win is exactly what I was going to suggest. True take-down.

How come your not doing a restore with the Rem mod 10?

Just lost interest in it. Its only issue is that you can make the slide work by pulling hard on it when it's supposed to be locked. Otherwise, it needs to be reblued, assembled, and the beautiful new stock final fitted and finished. Has an extra bolt and forend/action bar that I picked up someplace too.

I'll get around to advertising it again one of these days. It's like one I grew up with, but the older I get, the less nostalgic I seem to be. . . CB

 

[kpk]

870! Nough said

 

[criticalbass]

If your Mossy mag tube will unscrew, I think it needs to be looked at by a gunsmith. Unless I am mistaken, the mag tube controls headspace, and if it can work loose, headspace can increase. I know this is true for Remington pumps and autos, and the many Mossbergs I have owned all had mag tubes that were non removable by hand. Check it out, but I think it needs to be loctited. CB

 

[LightningCrash]

I'm just gonna quote a guy I know from Alabama who has been there, done that, and doesn't BS:

I hate the cross bolt safety on the remingtons. It makes noise and is impossible to actuate silently without completely breaking the hold and using both hands.

The 870 is slimmer and sleeker and feels better in the hand but......I was in on some really extensive military shotgun testing back in the dark ages (1980s) and we managed to break Every shotgun we tested (bennellis broke down more than once) except the 500. And that was the 500 civilian model from 25 years ago. They're even stronger now.

 

[liliysdad]

If your Mossy mag tube will unscrew, I think it needs to be looked at by a gunsmith. Unless I am mistaken, the mag tube controls headspace, and if it can work loose, headspace can increase. I know this is true for Remington pumps and autos, and the many Mossbergs I have owned all had mag tubes that were non removable by hand. Check it out, but I think it needs to be loctited. CB

Negative. The Mossberg tube is often loctited (not always) from the factory, but it is not necessary. It controls nothing, and it is easily removed. In fact, one must remove the tube to replace the spring and follower.

 

[liliysdad]

I'm just gonna quote a guy I know from Alabama who has been there, done that, and doesn't BS:

He may not BS, but he has has some oddball ideas. The "noise" issue is one of the most ridiculous arguments against the 870 I have ever seen. As for durability, I find this laughable. The 500, while a serviceable shotgun, is far from being as robust as the 870, or even the 590.

 

[LightningCrash]

He may not BS, but he has has some oddball ideas. The "noise" issue is one of the most ridiculous arguments against the 870 I have ever seen.

I can tell you don't hunt.

As for durability, I find this laughable. The 500, while a serviceable shotgun, is far from being as robust as the 870, or even the 590.

I personally like the part where there is no evidence for anybody's claim either way.