Moss 835 or Rem 870 Super mag?

[Tom.Tommerson]

Ok guys, help me decide...

Im in the market for another Shotgun for this season.  I have to choice to make of either an older style Mossberg 835 with 24" barrel non-ported or a Remington 870 Super Mag with 28" barrel.  Price is basically the same so thats a non-factor.  i know they are both great guns and will kill no question at 40 yards so my question is, which is "better"?  I need help making the final choice...

Thanks for any input

[Spurcollecta]

It all boils down to which one feels best to you. I like the 870 best because of the ability to upgrade the trigger and all the stock options available today but just because I like the 870 doesn't make it better. The 24" bbl of the 835 would probably handle a little better in the woods but I don't think the 28" would hinder me in any way either. Flip a coin, lol

[Tom.Tommerson]

i guess i should have also mentioned that i already have a Rem 870 Express that i currently use.  but i am considering the Super Mag for the OPTION to shoot 3.5" shells.  not that i necessarily will shoot them everytime but its nice to have that option.  I already have several choke tubes and camo stocks to put on the Super Mag if i went that route.  All my hunting buddies shoot 835's however and seem to love them so i dont know if i should keep what i know but somewhat upgrade or if i should jump ship completely and join their bandwagon..

[BrowningGuy88]

Shoot them both if you can and decide.

If not, I prefer shorter barrels in the turkey woods. I like both guns and they will both kill turkeys all day at 40 yards when set up right.

[gophert]

 

[haganbd1]

Im kinda in the same boat. I wonder if a 3.5 thru the 870 will be as good or better than 3.5 thru the 835. I know both will take a bird down just wondering if one may be better than the other. Pattern wise, is either one better or more consistent? Maybe this will help you too tomerson.

[allaboutshooting]

Ok guys, help me decide...

Im in the market for another Shotgun for this season.  I have to choice to make of either an older style Mossberg 835 with 24" barrel non-ported or a Remington 870 Super Mag with 28" barrel.  Price is basically the same so thats a non-factor.  i know they are both great guns and will kill no question at 40 yards so my question is, which is "better"?  I need help making the final choice...

Thanks for any input

I like 870s and shoot several of them in both 12 and 20 gauge. They are great guns, very reliable and very easily customized to meet whatever need you may have.

Having said that, I also believe that every hunter should try an 835. I've owned them since shortly after they were introduced as waterfowl guns and then adopted by us as turkey guns. They are very good guns. I much prefer to shoot 3" shells through them and get excellent patterns from those shells. I used to use 3.5" shells for waterfowl but with the improvements I've seen in those shells over the past few years, I only use 3" shells now.

I'm sure you've handled one. To me they have a very different feel from an 870 but I like the way both come to my shoulder and both seem to fit me.

With similar loads, I don't notice much difference in the kick of either gun.

I do have a bias to the longer barrels. It's not to say that the shorter barrels will not pattern well but it can sometimes be a "challenge" with them. Choked properly and with the correct shell, it's a hard gun to beat.

Thanks,
Clark

[coyotetrpr]

I give the 835 the nod.

[Thomas6689]

its a hard choice i think one will be as good as the other with with the right choke load combo

[ryanva88]

Go with your gut. Cant really go wrong

[captin_hook]

If I had it to do again, I never would've bought a turkey gun with a 3.5 inch chamber. A 3 inch shell will kill just as good as a 3.5. Save your money and stick with the 870 express. Shoot some hevi 13, 3 inch 2 oz #6 or #7 and put it through a decent choke and you have a turkey gun for life. If you're dead set on a 3.5 inch gun ...go with the remington.

[appalachianstruttstopper]

835 is a back-bored gun, in my experience, these do better with shells that have no shot cup so the shot column shortens before choking. The winchester xx 3.5-2.25-6 perform really well out of back-bored barrels such as the 835 with constrictions to about .675. Thick pedal type wads haven't performed for me as well as the shells with no wad, and the federal flight control wad is a night mare. Guess it's kinda like shooting a slug through these, they run side ways in the barrel. An 870 supermag in my experience has shot just about every shell with every type of wad really well, performing better with pedal type shot-cups and also well with flight control with lead #6's with constrictions down to .660.

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

The 835 with its overbored .775 barrel will give you better patterns than the .729 Rem barrel will.  The better shooter will be the Moss 835.  But the 870 super mag will shoot patterns with the right choke to its liking as good as anyone probably would ever need to easily kill a turkey at 40yds.  So that's your call.  The better quality gun will be the 870.  But I don't think your ever going to wear out a Moss 835 either.  The Moss 835 has the better warranty. 

[palongbeard]

Mossy 835 - Screw in a Rhino .695 choke and go with Nitro Co Ammo H517T #4x5x7 Hevi-Shot 3 1/2in loads.   Nitro Co Ammo is out of Mountain Grove, MO.

You will pay in both the wallet and shoulder with these loads, but hands down,  there is no other 12ga combo that will pattern better !   

[huntinhard]

Just like everyone above has said it's all about personal preference. Both guns are good and have the same basic functions, but they have subtle differences that effect their feel.

To me, the biggest difference in these two guns is the safety location. Mossberg's is on top while Remington's is on the trigger guard. I prefer it on top for my turkey gun as I can visually check the safety position easily, with little movement. That's not to say it isn't easy to check the safety with your finger tip on the 870, I just like being able to see it.

Good luck, you can't really go wrong with either gun.