Is there a good solid choice for an 18.5” bbl semi auto defensive shotgun that doesn’t need much added to it to function well, that is on a lesser tier than the 1301T? Something maybe in the $500 price point?
Or atvthat price am I looking at pumps? If so, what’s a solid new mfg pump? I’ve heard a heck of a lot of bad about new 870s but idk if it’s internet bs.
Rich
It's not, unfortunately.Originally Posted by newyork
There are still plenty of good quality Wingmaster and 870 police guns to be had used, though. So if you are going with a pump gun you should be able to spend the ~ $500 on a combination of a good quality used 870 from before the troubles and pimp it out.
As to semi-auto shotguns...it's really tough to have a recommendation for a semi-auto that comes in under $500. You might be able to find a used 1100 or 11-87 at that price if you have some gunbroker skill and luck. I can't think of a new semi-auto shotgun at that price point I would recommend. I've seen one Stoeger 3000 series shotgun in class and it worked most of the time...but given what I've seen of Stoeger products generally it's tough to recommend one.
Last edited by TCinVA; 10-04-2018 at 07:19 AM.
3/15/2016
At that pricepoint you need to go pump. Older used 870, Mossberg (if you dig, I do not) or Benelli Nova.
At this point in the game, my opinion is that 3gun is really the only real remaining outlet for wringing out shotguns to see what they will really do (or not do). Look at what those guys are doing, and then adapt it (sights, barrel length, etc) for your situation.
**I've seen some of the Versamax tacticals going for $600 in my area. If you could bump up, that might get you into an auto.
Food Court Apprentice
Semper Paratus certified AR15 armorer
I was just going to ask at what price point do the semis start being decent. I’ll check out Versamax.
Looks like the sportsman version is like $750 and the tactical is like $1400
newyork - on a practical note, a LOT of "decent" semiautomatic 12 ga shotguns are specifically prohibited by name or feature by the NY SAFE Act - so, in your shoes, I'd look for a pump. Personally, I really liked the Benelli Nova...
At least locally, it's pretty easy to find cosmetically rough Remington 11s and 11-48s in the 3-400 range. You could probably get one cut/crowned and add a bead for ~100.
Without getting kind of creative, though, you're probably looking at a pump at that price.
Nova is ugly but looks like it’d be a great buy. $400.
I've never taken a shotgun class to compare, but the Stoegers that I've seen run in games all work well. My buddy has a 3500 that's been reliable and he uses it for gaming, then reconfigures for duck hunting so it gets used.
I found the Remington auto offerings cycle real slow. Not sure how much that matters to you.
The only context I have is hunting, but with that being said I’ve seen all of them used in dirty harsh environments. In my opinion, decent starts at Beretta or Benelli, and if that doesn’t fit your budget then you need a Wingmaster.
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