Just trying to compare this to other Mossberg and Remington tactical models. Wanting to get a home defense shotgun that is reliable and that wont break the bank. Have a Stoeger P350 duck/turkey gun and have had problems with it so I don't want to get something cheaper and have problems again.
It's hard to go wrong with a Mossberg 500, but you could always step up to a Remington 870. It's not too much more. I saw a very nice Weatherby 12 ga pump, made in Turkey, the other day, too. I think there was an auto-loader to match. Both were priced about like the nice remington equivalents.
Remington all the way. I don't like personally r the safety. I like the safety by the trigger not on top.
I prefer the ergonomics of the Mossberg with a standard stock. You can access the slide release and safety without changing your firing hand grip. I have also shot a Remington which is also great. Before I bought I rented each to try them out and I recommend doing that to see what you want.
Mossberg vs Remington is the Chevy vs Ford pickup truck debate of guns. Millions, and I do mean millions, of happy owners of both. Hard to go wrong.
What makes the Mossberg attractive/appealing is the Flex system. You can change out the regular stock for a tactical stock, or even a pistol grip. You don't even need tools because you rotate the t handle to remove or install within seconds. This was the reason I went with a 500 for HD, and seriously thinking about adding the MVP Patrol to my arsenal. If you're still undecided there are YouTube videos about the Flex system. Check them out.
Thanks for all the replies, they are all very imformative. I am very attracted to the Flex system because it seems so easy to come back from a hunt or skeet shooting and transform the gun back into HD mode, and vise versa. My only hesitation is the longer term reliability of the interchanging parts. Common sense tells me that they wouldn't hold up very well after a while compared to the normal 500. To my knowledge there are no other shotguns like that and I sometimes wonder if there is a reason for that. It's ease and convenience vs tried and true.
You would be surprised how well the Flex is made. It is in no way flimsy. It is constructed very well. Watch some YouTube and you will see what I'm talking about. This is on reason that sold me on Mossberg. Matter of fact, I'm looking to purchase a MVP Patrol when they come out.
I have several Mossbergs and I've done a fair share of mixing and matching stocks, forends and barrels. However, I don't really see the point of the Flex system. It's not that hard to do on the standard models and in an HD gun it just introduces points of failure in a gun that cannot fail.
In regard to firearms I believe in fielding one gun for one purpose. I have a 590A1 and love it, it's strictly for HD although I have broken clays with it. I don't have a trap gun yet, but would like a Citori. Buy a HD boom stick and save up for a dedicated trap gun. IMHO, dedicated firearms always do better bc they are designed for their intended purpose.
