old 870m I can find. personal predisposition, maybe...

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Of the Troops & For the Troops

Back in my ancient gunsmithing days, every shotgun that came in the door was an 870 or an 1100. Farmers and ranchers would bring them in every 5 years or so, just in case they needed cleaning. So I've seen them still running fine in the most incredibly crudded up condition you can imagine. I finally had to install an automotive parts washer system to handle the load in any sort of reasonable time. None of these guns were broken. The 1100s could be tough on o-rings, but that was just part of the cleaning. The 870s never broke, they just-never-broke, under the most abusive conditions. They break down sensibly, and easily, every part, and doo-dad in the world for them is easily available, and best of all, they can be had by the bushel for not much money. There simply is no other pump shotgun. Not that I'm all that opinionated.....

JLF

Unless you going for the low contractor bid on 20,000 units or so.

The 870 is a much better gun in my opinion. Very rugged and dependable. Simple to strip down to clean,tons of aftermarket accessories also. You can find good used guns for a good price if you look around. They made millions of them. As far as old and new I have a bunch of both,every gauge,hunting,defensive etc.and do not see any difference except the trigger groups are plastic compared to the aluminum one on the older guns. Both old and new are 100% reliable.

I'm probably the most anti mossberg guy around for several reason. But main one is the are not as durable and if you need customer service good luck. The worst I have ever dealt with in the gun industry. Remington is probably the best.

As for Ithaca 37's. I love them too and have a bunch being a lefty but 870 is still my choice for reasons I mentioned. Disassembly of a Ithaca is a little more difficult. They used to be really cheap and everywhere in upstate NY but they are drying up. My local gunsmith did helps out with a lifetime supply of lefty safties for Ithaca's when he closed.

Have hunted with guys using Mossbergs and they all had problems with them, including having an 835 literally fall apart in a duck blind. They may be okay guns, but I will not depend my life on one.

I have used 870s, Ithaca 37s, Winchester Model 12s and 97s, for competition, duck hunting and general field use. All have malfunctioned at one time or another, for various reasons, but none ever put me out of commission and with no more than a few minutes of putzing were right back in the game. Several of these were guns made up from various parts scrounged around and slapped together.

My 870s see the most hard use any more because parts are easier to get, have had one fail to feed when the magazine spring got bound up on the follower, but within two minutes it was fixed. The 37s see the least because they just don't feel right to me. Have shot Model 12s the longest and have put a couple through absolute torture tests in the field. Had a couple of them drop overboard while duck hunting and had to fish them out of the muck and sand and weeds, rinsed them out good and kept hunting without a hitch.

I have two 870s, a 37, a Winchester 1200, and a Stevens Model 67. Like them all for various reasons, but only an 870 would go with me if I had front-row tickets to a gunfight.