Hi all,
New guy from Michigan here! Looking to purchase my first shotgun soon!
I've been doing quite a bit of research and have my eyes set on a 12 gauge 870. The next step is deciding exactly what one, if anyone would like to chime in, feel free. I'm looking to shoot sporting clays with my buddies and hunt deer a few times a season. From what I've read, it's best to get a rifled barrel and shoot sabot slugs for deer hunting and a smooth barrel for sporting clays. However, since I'm new to the shotgun world, I don't want to drop a ton of money on a expensive combo package, so I've been leaning towards the 870 Express Synthetic. Looks like I can pick one up for $299 and just shoot rifled slugs for the time being and decide whether I want to invest in a rifled barrel and scope.
Long story short: What do you guys think about the 870 Express Synthetic for a first timer using it to hunt deer a couple times a season and sporting clays on the weekends?
Newbie from MI
-
Synchronizor
- Elite Shotgunner
- Posts: 3022
- Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:04 am
- Location: The Inland Northwest
- Contact:
Re: Newbie from MI
A rifled barrel & scope are nice if you want the longer effective range of spin-stabilized slugs, but you'll spend a good chunk of dough getting set up, and the slugs aren't exactly easy on the wallet either. I think you're on the right track looking for a sporting clays gun that can also shoot smoothbore slugs. I can personally vouch that Foster slugs are easily minute-of-game accurate even with a vent-rib bird/clay barrel, and you can get more precise sights that attach to the rib for pinpoint shooting. As long as you don't get one of the Express Tactical 870s with the nonstandard magazine tubes, you won't limit your options for extra barrels.
If you really get into slug hunting and decide it's worth it to spend the money on a rifled barrel, I would suggest looking at those with cantilever scope mounts. These combine your slug barrel & scope into a single unit that makes it far easier to reconfigure your gun for clays than receiver-mounted scopes, and the optic should maintain zero when you change barrels.
If you really get into slug hunting and decide it's worth it to spend the money on a rifled barrel, I would suggest looking at those with cantilever scope mounts. These combine your slug barrel & scope into a single unit that makes it far easier to reconfigure your gun for clays than receiver-mounted scopes, and the optic should maintain zero when you change barrels.
Re: Newbie from MI
Synchronizor is spot on. Good first choice, I have a feeling it will be your FIRST 870. The Tactical Express is a specialty shotgun and will limit your options.