Not all of us are enamored of the Mossberg line of rifles and shotguns. As a kid, every Mossberg .22 I saw was non-functioning...I learned to steer clear of them. As a policeman, I was put in a dangerous situation with a 12 ga. pump that would not feed the second round...and we had more than one, unfortunately.

Call me old-fashioned, but when I get burned, like Redfield not honoring their scopes, or a certain brand of tires failing---I simply avoid them and go to a competitor that does better--even if it costs a few bucks more. If Mossberg is doing well...a lot of us will listen.

Blue

You said it all Phil. As pump guns go I've always been an 870 fan. But... There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Mossberg. On a Turkey hunt a number of years ago in south Texas. The endless wind deposited a load of fine grit on all of our guns. The boys with the semi autos soon found themselves in a fix. My buddy's Mossberg along with my 870 kept on working just fine. Just slicked up our actions! One fellow hunting with our party who was equipped with a high priced import was pretty rough on us and our pump guns at the beginning of the trip. He had to eat crow at the end of the hunt though when he had to use my friend's Mossberg to collect his gobbler! Tried and true works every time...

Buckhunter -- Okay, so my scopes and red dots are a crutch and I'll admit it, but they make me confident in the field.
I worry about all those potential problems you mention, but not a one of them has cropped up in the woods yet.
My Aimpoint has a battery life of 5 years,even if I forget to turn it off. I put in a fresh battery this year and made a note to change to a new one during the 2012 Olympics. If you use low power scopes (1x-1.5x) you can keep both eyes open. I've shot running turkeys with scoped guns with no problem at all. However, if you're confident with no optics on your gun, that's the way for you to hunt.

Mossberg is one of those guns that you get a whole lot of gun for your money. You also get a lot of years out of if you maintain it and use it properly, contrary to belief. Yeh, it might not be the most comfortable, light, or "best" turkey gun out there, but it works. To me, hunting isn't about being comfortable or anything like that. I mean yeh it is a bonus and something nice to have but hunting is not all about that. That is just a bonus and the last thing on the list. And for the price, it is one hell of a turkey gun. Another added bonus is that it is made in AMERICA. It is one hell of a gun!

The first shotgun I ever held was my Pop's old Mossberg "Goosegun". I have no idea what the model was, but it was 12 ga., bolt-action, clip-fed, and from my young height, about 6 feet long and weighed 50 pounds.

I have had my father's 500AT for 25 years. I have no idea how long he had it. My son and his son will eventually own this "cheapie". I have a standard, a slug, riot, and a rib/choke barrel for it. It has never failed to chamber, fire, or eject. There is no higher praise I have for a gun.

I also have a Mossberg New Haven as a turkey gun. At first I thought it was a cheap piece of crap, and I'd take it out and if it got scratched up busting through brush, so what! But now I would feel naked without it, I'm confident at 50 yrds. Cheap wouldn't be a proper accessment of the gun, how about.... great product for the price.

I agree with Beekeeper that the 870 is a great gun, but now in these hard times an inexpensive gun that is also durable is a must have and this gun fits the bill.

Nate

If I wasn't able to purchase a used Mossberg 500 cheap I would not have gotten into Turkey Hunting. Still not any good at it and haven't gotten one yet but I would not disdain a gun because I didn't have the opportunity to spend a month's worth of paychecks on it. As long as the quality is there, the cheaper the better, helps people get over the intro-cost hurdles for the hunting and shooting sports.

I was in a sporting good's store last fall and saw a 500 Combo with a 28 inch barrel and a 20 inch rifled barrel, raised comb and cheap scope included, for $250. It's solid, reliable, easy to work on, inexpensive and best of all, made in the USA. We use to be able to buy lots of things in this country that fit that description, but not any more. If anything good comes out of this depression Obama has plunged us in to, maybe we will learn to make affordable, reliable stuff again. I am sick of the junk that comes out of China.

That should be "standing."

I've owned several Mossbergs. Two shotguns, an 835 and 500; and three rifles 22 mag and a couple 22 LR.

Both shotguns shot so far to the left you'd miss a turkey head at 25 yards and rattled like a baby toy. 2 of the three rifles shot patterns, not groups and the trigger design looked like a Rubegoldberg bad joke. Got rid of all those and never missded them since.

The one Mossberg I have now is a 46B bolt action 22, 22short, 22 long rifle built before they put serial numbers on them. It's a well designed good shooting rifle with a great trigger and a darn nice rifle by any standards. Too bad Mossberg doesn't make those any more.

I'm glad you guys like your Mossbergs but I'll never have another any thing that says Mossberg on it.

Phil you're right on here. I own a lot of guns, buy, sell, trade all that but I will tell you that I've never owned an 870 and the reason why is that there was always a Mossburg in the closet and I'd rather have the extra money for shells! I have shot mine side by side against Brownings and Remintons and come away smiling every time.
They are just good, cheap, and fun to shoot. People that own the 200 dollar guns don't mind only hitting 17 at the range. So there you go, By an 835, have fun, live longer! :)

I love the position of the Mossberg safety over the 870 safety. I owned a 500 once and loved it. Sorry I got rid of it.

Ditto! I use an 835 for everything. It's a do all gun, better ergonomics, less expensive and reliable.

My main shotgun is an 870 and I love it, but when I went to by another one to setup for deer hunting I saw a Mossberg 500 for a price I couldn't pass up. I was a little skeptical at first, but now I would not trade it for anything. It is reliable and accurate, and what else could you ask for in a gun.

I bought one (935), I hunt with it. It will never be my favorite shotgun, but it fires and it was cheap.

I have owned and used Winchester and Remington for over forty years. When I decided to give my son a shotgun we went to Gander and handled everything on the floor. A couple hundred dollars more or less was not an issue. What went under the Christmas tree was a Mossburg 500 that came with a shot barrel and a couple of chokes, a rifled slug barrel, a scope, that nifty Dual Comb stock, and QD swivels. What a set that was! I loved the tang safety and the "point" when you shoot that gun.

Never have bought one, but i have shot a m,sosberg and was amazed at how welll it swung and handled. Great guns for a small price.

I've never owned a Mossberg, but I do like the action release and the safety location over the 870. What always concerned me was the forend. It always seems a little looser than the 870, and for that reason I just picked up another 870. I think they're both great guns though.

Maybe folks just throw them away when they break since they are so cheap! (smirk)

I have a 835 and shot a nice buck at 50 yards in November. I can't wait to take it turkey hunting and eventually waterfowl hunting.

P.S.

I meant to conclude with:

One of those will be what a threat will face when it comes down to hammer time!

My turkey huntin' buddy has the Mossberg 835, and he simply loves it.
He says, "it may be inexpensive, but it ain't cheap!"
He won't part ways with it!

I liked the way you "overhauled" it ... I'm going to tell my turkey huntin' bud.

I had never bought a mossberg until recently because I always hated how loose the forearm feels. They just never felt right although everyone I knew that had them said it made no differance. So I bought an 870 in 3 1/2 inch and had problems with it. So recently I was standing in walmart and noticed a mossberg I could buy for less than 200 hundred bucks and I thought well why not give it a try. It is called a maverick and I could tell it was the cheapest made gun I had ever seen. I took this gun as a backup to goof around with it on a duckhunt and found that what birds I did hit were barely being hit. Well new gun maybe it was just me. So I took it to a trap range and started missing almost everything thrown and noticed my shot cups far too the left on straight aways. One of the guys who worked there came out and was watching me and asked me to come pattern it on the turkey board they have set up. I fired the gun three times and the guy cheered, clapped me on the shoulder and congratulated me for being the first guy he had ever seen that had a shotgun that could shoot around left hand corners! Oh well you get what you pay for. But that doesn't mean a more expensive mossberg would do the same. I think I just have too close of a relationship with Mr. Murphy. Phil, Dave any suggestions on a shotgun you think I could not mess up? I would be happy to buy it and then tell you what went wrong. I think I could mess up a London best but that would be a little out of my price range.

My brother had a Mossberg 20ga. It stopped working when his friend flipped the truck when it was sitting in the bed.

I gotta stick with my 870 that I love.