Remington 870 vs Mossberg 835

[fmf]

mossberg all day if for no other reason than the top tang safety.

[bbcoach]

835 for me as well.  Bought mine at Wally world 10 years ago and she has been a turkey killing machine.  The 835 shoots all shells well with the overbored barrel.  Plenty of chokes to choose from.  I shoot the Hevi 13 7's with a .670 Pure Gold and she hammers birds.  Good luck with your search.

[Gobble!]

Very happy with my 870 but I've never shot a 835.

[FXDWG]

I shoot an 870. I recently chose an 870 Supermag for my son over the 835 for the oppposite reason that everyone chooses the 835. I didn't want the overboared barrel because you can never shoot a slug out of the Mossy. I picked up a new camo 26" supermag from dicks just before Christmas for $375. It is drilled and tapped for optics, but I'm hoping it'll shoot POA. I have a plain old 870 express in 28" that has never failed me and never needed optics. I can swap chokes and shoot buck, slugs, ducks or game loads easily. I also have a turkey/ predator that is a dedicated rig. If I'm honest, aside from the maneuverability and "cool, badass turkey gun" look, it's not that much better than the old 3" 870 express. Shooting the older plain 870 has never cost me a bird, it's a killer for sure. My son is "graduating" from a mossberg 500 youth 20g that has killed a bird every year as well. It has never failed. I have two complaints about that gun. First it's noisy as hell (like carrying a coffee can full of pennies) second, there is a little ridge inside the receiver that makes it a little difficult to quickly load. I don't know if this is an issue with an 835 or strictly limited to the 500 20g. Other than that the Mossy is a fine gun. If you're fixed on mossberg and want 3.5" with the ability to shoot slugs , you'll need an extra barrel or a 535 which isn't overboared. Good luck with whichever you choose. They are all great guns. 

[Double B]

Good point on the over bored 835 barrel, says right on the barrel no slugs, its a single purpose turkey gun for me.   But they do shoot a great pattern. 

[Bigeclipse]

I shoot an 870. I recently chose an 870 Supermag for my son over the 835 for the oppposite reason that everyone chooses the 835. I didn't want the overboared barrel because you can never shoot a slug out of the Mossy. I picked up a new camo 26" supermag from dicks just before Christmas for $375. It is drilled and tapped for optics, but I'm hoping it'll shoot POA. I have a plain old 870 express in 28" that has never failed me and never needed optics. I can swap chokes and shoot buck, slugs, ducks or game loads easily. I also have a turkey/ predator that is a dedicated rig. If I'm honest, aside from the maneuverability and "cool, badass turkey gun" look, it's not that much better than the old 3" 870 express. Shooting the older plain 870 has never cost me a bird, it's a killer for sure. My son is "graduating" from a mossberg 500 youth 20g that has killed a bird every year as well. It has never failed. I have two complaints about that gun. First it's noisy as hell (like carrying a coffee can full of pennies) second, there is a little ridge inside the receiver that makes it a little difficult to quickly load. I don't know if this is an issue with an 835 or strictly limited to the 500 20g. Other than that the Mossy is a fine gun. If you're fixed on mossberg and want 3.5" with the ability to shoot slugs , you'll need an extra barrel or a 535 which isn't overboared. Good luck with whichever you choose. They are all great guns.

This will be a dedicated turkey gun so no need for slugs and my current shotgun can shoot slugs anyway. ThAnks for the info.

[bammerslammer 50]

mossberg all day if for no other reason than the top tang safety.

Actually the safety is what kept me away from Mossberg. I like pistol grip stocks on a dedicated turkey gun. Personally it was easier to manipulate the safety on the 870 with a pistol grip stock. In my opion both guns are very well made made and you can't go wrong with either, but that was the deciding factor for me.

[SFCSNOW]

I've owned several of both over the years.  In my experience, the 835s patterned better.  Neither ever let me down as far as feeding or overall function.  One of the 870s had POA/POI issues that was bad enough that I wouldn't hunt with it.  Recoil is brutal from both with 3.5" loads.

Currently own a 870 but in 20.  Great little gun.  My vote for a dedicated turkey gun in 12 is the SA-459.  Lot of gun for the money.

[Premier Turkey Calls]

Something to keep in mind is the safety location if you purchase a pistol grip. The thumb safety on Mossberg is a little awkward in this situation. I haven't used any of the old 870's to say that the quality has went downhill but my 870 is 7 years old and I am yet to have a single problem with it.

[BDeal]

870 without question. I know we aren't talking youth guns but I bought my son the Mossberg youth turkey gun initially and it was the biggest piece of shi*** I have ever bought and the slide mechanism was as chnisy and loud as you can imagine. I lost a bunch of money and traded it in to get a new 870. Far superior in my opinion.

[knightrider]

I have several of the mossbergs with pistol grip stock(4) I wouldn't have the safety any other way, I love it

[Tsawyer340]

Try them see what fits you best, they're both reliable guns.  870 with the shurshot stock and rifle sights is a great combo. But I'm partial to Remington's I have a couple 870's, a Versamax and a 11-87.

[Swampfoxforeman]

I have both, and for a turkey gun you can't beat a Mossy 835, and deer I use the 870. Now I love both and both patterns good, but I feel with the over bore the 835 Patterns better.

[Big Jeremy]

I've had both, and like both. The 835 that I had was a turkey only setup with a 20" barrel and thumbhole stock. It patterned very well, and killed every bird that I ever squeezed the trigger on with it. The safety was a little cantankerous to me on that gun with the thumbhole stock, but manageable. Not as convenient as the location on an 870, but manageable. The thing about that gun, though, is that it had so much more felt recoil than the 870 that I had prior to it. Maybe it was just me, but it was obvious to me. I ended up selling it for more than I gave for it, and now roll with a turkey specific 870 with a 23" barrel and shur-shot stock. I prefer it slightly more than the 835...but they are both great. The 835 does rattle like a baby toy, so what one poster said about some felt may be needed...I never felt it was so bad that it would run a turkey off, though.

After testing for myself (not simply going with what someone else said was a good choke/load combo...which CAN get expensive), I found a difference at 40 yards on average of about 6 pellets. I averaged 233 hits at 40 yards out of the 835, and 227 out of the 870 at 40 yards. For the small preferences I personally had for the 870, I'm good with giving up those 6 pellets...lol.

Between those two, you can't make a bad decision. You might even try looking the used route...people are always wanting to try something new, and you might be able to find a steal!

[gobbler74]

Years back it used to be aftermarket parts like stocks and chokes leaned 870. Nowadays it seems they run about even on options. Both are turkey killers. I have both. It feels to me 835 fits a longer arm better but then again the optional l.o.p butt stock can adjust that.