in625shooter
Master
- Mar 21, 2008
- 2,136
- 48
ive done some hevy shooting with my 500s i have one that's 40 years old and goes like a top, there far from junk, as for the ones from walmart i dont know i dont buy guns from there they might be different, mine see some heavy use my 12 i sent 100 rounds a week though it.
Walmart guns are the same as what you would get at Snuffy's guns contrary to gun shop lore and internet rumor. As far as your 40 year old Mossberg, Everything made back in the day probably does work better than some of their newer versions. There are more composites in about everything these days (look at a new ruger 10/22 trigger housing compared to one from the 1970's)
However I have been teaching firearms since the late 1980's on the military and now the civilian LE side and every Mossberg manufactured since then that I have seen (both department and privately owned by folks) have not held a candle to the 870's in durability when you factor in case's upon case's of slug, 00, and #4 buck usage.
So as to the Ops question, based on my experience I would recommend the Remington 870. With the only detractor mentioned across the board is the safety which the safety on the 870 is not that hard to learn.