Best $500 shotugun?

[Jose]

No love for the Mossberg 930 (SPX?). You may have to pony up another $100-150 but my SPX runs everything.

I've been looking into one of those as well and found that quite a few had problems (more than likely earlier built ones) with the sights being skewed and other parts getting loose or broken. I've also heard of feeding issues but mostly it was due to needing to be cleaned out really well and/or breaking it in. But once that's been done I hear it feeds everything without a hiccup and isn't finicky like Benelli's.

Have you run a lot of rounds through it for reliability?

[YALE]

Benellis aren't finicky. People just don't like cleaning shotguns.

[KBScobravert]

I've been looking into one of those as well and found that quite a few had problems (more than likely earlier built ones) with the sights being skewed and other parts getting loose or broken. I've also heard of feeding issues but mostly it was due to needing to be cleaned out really well and/or breaking it in. But once that's been done I hear it feeds everything without a hiccup and isn't finicky like Benelli's.

Have you run a lot of rounds through it for reliability?

I put 100 or more light and heavy field load through it to break it in. Then another 50 Federal LEO reduced recoil buck shot and even 10+ magnum buckshots. Never had a feed issue yet.

I do have the earlier barrel with the slightly thinner wall and my front sight is canted just a bit. Easy fix, just need to get the barrel sent to Mossberg for the replacement. The last few days, even before this thread, I have been looking for a 28" VR barrel in matte black and a Nordic +5 shot extension to replace the factory barrel and Choate +3 from the factory.

[bird_dog0347]

OP: If you don't mind a pump, a Benelli SuperNova is the way to go. It will do everything you want and can shoot anything from 2 &3/4 up to 3 & 1/2 in shells with no modifications. You should be able to pick up one of those and a few hundred shells for $500.

I've been looking into one of those as well and found that quite a few had problems (more than likely earlier built ones) with the sights being skewed and other parts getting loose or broken. I've also heard of feeding issues but mostly it was due to needing to be cleaned out really well and/or breaking it in. But once that's been done I hear it feeds everything without a hiccup and isn't finicky like Benelli's.

Have you run a lot of rounds through it for reliability?

Benellis aren't finicky. People just don't like cleaning shotguns.

I have a Nova pump, a few over/unders, a pair of Browning Auto 5's, and a Bennelli Super Sport. The brownings are finicky about the shells, they only like brass and not the aluminum shells that are out now. The Benelli will eat anything I feed it and doesn't care when it gets cleaned. My brother has a Beretta AL391 that won't run at all if he doesn't clean the gas system regularly. My super sport is every bit as soft as his, shoots just as well, and has never failed me. The inertia system is far more reliable than a gas system when the round count between cleanings starts to creep up there.

[dee]

Benellis aren't finicky. People just don't like cleaning shotguns.

They are if you wanna run light loads and the 20ga guns are well known for cycling issues. That being said I played with an ultra light 28ga that was a dream to shoot and carry in the field just glad I didn't have to pay for it.

[Frank]

Being that they take your gun when used in a self-defense action and not necessarily guaranteed when or if you will get it back, I would use a separate cheaper, albeit reliable shotgun for home defense. I believe you can get a Mossberg Maverick around $150 new?

I'm no expert on the matter though.