first gun
first gun
hey everyone, I'm new to hunting and am ready to buy my first gun. I've decided on the Remington 870. I can't decide between two options- a used 870 supermag with an 18 and a half inch barrel. It has some tactical accessories and is about 5 years old, for $300. or i could buy a new Remington 870 supermag for $360 with a 26 or 28 inch barrel. what do you guys think?
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Chief Brody
- Senior Shotgunner
- Posts: 223
- Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2012 4:19 am
- Location: Long Island, NY
Re: first gun
Given those two options, personally I'd be inclined to go New. You can always swap/buy/cut for the barrel length that you want (if you're going shorter, of course). I have nothing against used shotguns, but two years ago I bought my first gun and it was a new 870 Police Magnum. Never regretted it for a second. The very first trigger pull was all mine (aside from the factory), every ding or dent in the wood, mine. It just feels a lot more personal that way.
Let us speak courteously, deal fairly, and keep ourselves armed and ready. - T.R.
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Synchronizor
- Elite Shotgunner
- Posts: 3022
- Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:04 am
- Location: The Inland Northwest
- Contact:
Re: first gun
There's certainly something to be said for owning an 870 that's been yours from the factory, but there's nothing wrong with used 870s. These guns are tough, they don't wear out easily, and even really abused ones can have a lot of life left in them. That said, you can run into used guns that have serious issues, especially if they were owned by some moron who thought 10 minutes on the internet qualified them to perform major modifications. And since the 870 was never originally designed to handle 3.5" shells, the SuperMags are a little more complicated than standard 870s, and can have some added quirks and issues. But if the 870 in question has just seen honest use by someone who knew how to properly operate and care for a shotgun, it'll most likely be as good as new - possibly even better.
If you do want a dual-role HD/hunting gun, you can start with pretty much any standard 870, but it's often easiest to add the hunting parts to a HD/tactical gun than the other way around. If the used 870 you're looking at has everything you'd want for HD, and you just need a bird barrel and a couple small items like a lighter sear spring and a magazine plug, you'll probably spend less money starting with it instead of buying new.
But I'm making a lot of assumptions here, so I should probably get more details on what exactly you're trying to put together. What kind of hunting are you looking to do? Do you actually want your 870 to be a double-duty HD/hunting gun, or do you just want it for hunting? What accessories come with the used 870 you're looking at, and are they things you'd want to use yourself?
If you do want a dual-role HD/hunting gun, you can start with pretty much any standard 870, but it's often easiest to add the hunting parts to a HD/tactical gun than the other way around. If the used 870 you're looking at has everything you'd want for HD, and you just need a bird barrel and a couple small items like a lighter sear spring and a magazine plug, you'll probably spend less money starting with it instead of buying new.
But I'm making a lot of assumptions here, so I should probably get more details on what exactly you're trying to put together. What kind of hunting are you looking to do? Do you actually want your 870 to be a double-duty HD/hunting gun, or do you just want it for hunting? What accessories come with the used 870 you're looking at, and are they things you'd want to use yourself?