Actually Moon as someone who has worn an 870 Wingmaster and a couple of Mossbergs SLAP OUT over the last 50+ years and currently has both Wingmaster and Express 870s, I can tell ya that given a choice between an 870 Express and a Mossberg or even a Wingmaster where price is the concern, I'll take the Express. I'm sure the new Mossbergs are decent guns. They sale a ton of them, but my Express is every bit the gun of my Wingmaster, just poorly appointed. No pretty walnut, crappy checkering, ugly black finish, but the dang thing works just as good as my Wingmaster. At least I ain't heard any of the game complaining. ;~)Moon Tree wrote:Lots of great information. Keep it coming guys. Most of my experience with Mossberg, via friends who have own them, were probably of the "economical" versions. To be honest, I never really gave it any thought that Mossberg made an economical version and a high end version of their shotguns. While I do know the Remington 870 Express is no where near the quality of an 870 Wingmaster.
Mr Surveyor, I think a .243 is a great deer gun. I love my Savage 243. It's a tack driver. I've taken 25 or so deer with it in the last 13 years. Where I hunt there's a 2 deer limit and plus bonus doe tag. And, I muzzleloader hunt and bow hunt. The recoil is light to moderate, about a little as one can get for a deer rifle. Except possibly a M92 in a .357. But, since I just got my Rossi in Feb. I have no practical field experience to offer you on it's effectiveness. But, through my 'redneck" testing of my hunting rounds, I'm betting if a deer ambles within 50 yards of me come Nov., there will be backstraps on the grill.
Of course, no more than she will likely be shooting it, price would be the determining factor in her case. If the Mossberg is cheaper than the Express, that would clinch it for me.
By the way, a single gun will do both. You can actually buy rifled barrels with a cantilevered scope mount built onto the barrel for both Remington and Mossbergs. Then she could sight in her scope and shoot slugs out to about 100 yards with the rifled barrel for deer or swap it out for the stock shot shell barrel choked for hunting turkey. One gun, two barrels and one easy to find ammo.
This is the one for the Express. Scope stays with the barrel and sighted in. IF you don't drop it. LOL
Oh, and the 243 is about the smallest round I'd hunt deer with. But to be honest, she could shoot a 357 or 44 magnum out of a Rossi 92 more comfortably than about any high power rifle and if she is hunting in brush country or woods, I rather have any big bore magnum handgun round than a high speed small bore.