I have never been a fan of Mossbergs, but those silver reserves look solid for their price, I have a chance to get a 20 ga. slightly used real reasonable, being I cannot get the Winchester 101- 20 gauge I have been wanting! Anyone reviews from hunters who have used them? I wanna try something besides my A5-12 ga.
Mossberg o/u ???
- Thread starter FieldKing
- Start date
I have two friends that bought Mossberg O/U's. My advice to them was to wait until they could afford a better quality O/U.They were OK, but both have since traded for higher-priced O/U's. If my budget only allowed the price of a Mossberg O/U, I would take that money and buy a Stoeger or Franchi auto instead.
smittyslabs
New member
I have a Mossberg over/under 20 I bought new 4 years ago. It certainly isn't a Citori, but it gets the job done. I have shot many grouse with it and my fife killed her first couple with it also. I added a fiber optic bead and it helped getting shots on target. It is dependable and looks great. It feels decent and fight OK. For the money, it is a good buy. Not my 1st choice of gun, but over all, it I give it B-. If you can get one for around $300-350 and is still in good shape, I would recommend it.
I picked one up off the shelf one time, not quite sure what model it was, but it was a Mossberg O/U. I was very disappointed with the fit and finish. I've seen cheaper guns with better looking wood, and better fitting wood. But I will refuse to buy a gun that I find ugly, even it it is the best engineered gun ever : /
Also, it looked like who ever it was at the store that put it together out of the box for the shelf didn't know how to assemble an O/U, and manged to scratch the sides of the receiver where the barrels come down to close. From a distance it looked like the scratches could have been an attempt at decorative engraving, but up close you could tell what had happened. Haven't bothered with a Mossberg O/U since. Save up and get a Browning or an SKB imo.
Also, it looked like who ever it was at the store that put it together out of the box for the shelf didn't know how to assemble an O/U, and manged to scratch the sides of the receiver where the barrels come down to close. From a distance it looked like the scratches could have been an attempt at decorative engraving, but up close you could tell what had happened. Haven't bothered with a Mossberg O/U since. Save up and get a Browning or an SKB imo.
only a pointer
Banned
JUNK crp nailed it save your money and buy a real gun i like the over under berettas sv10, silver pidgeon 1, 687 ultra light deluxe, or a beretta white onyx cant make up my mind ?? any suggestions out there ???
SDJIM
New member
Speak of junk--why stop there --save up 3 or 4 times as much money and buy a real gun--you know something you can go shoot at the best skeet range and have people there go WOW that's real nice, of course you might not hunt birds with it as any little scratch could make one cry.
Having a quality gun is real nice--but calling an gun that works for the field hunter at a resonable cost JUNK is not fair--the point being all those guns you like would be considered JUNK by someone else.
I would guess millions of game birds have met the end from someone shooting a Remmington 870 or Win Model 12 or any other make of shotgun and they are not even and O/U-- come on ligthen up.
If you desire a good O/U and that will take some doing and there is only ever gonna be one in your life--sure save up and get a better grade gun--but following the dogs and enjoying the outdoors is more important than the gun you carry or the number of birds you take. IMHO :cheers:
copheasanthunter
Member
SSJIM,
I believe you are right there, no I know you are, way to go.:thumbsup:
I believe you are right there, no I know you are, way to go.:thumbsup:
I don't think Only A Pointer meant to come off the way his post read. I still love my Remington 1100, which I hunted with for 20-odd years. I bring it on trips as my backup in the event my new beloved Benelli should somehow fail me.
I understand Pointer's point (forgive the expression) that once I handled that lightweight bird blaster, I wondered how I lived without it so long. For me, a good gun made for a better experience.
IF a good gun improves the experience the reverse can also be true: My first pheasant hunt was with a Winchester .410 single shot that had a hammer you needed both hands to cock. The last time I shot it the front bead rolled down the barrel at me and fell into some grass, never to be seen again. I would have quit hunting if that was my only option.
That said, it did take me 20 years to save up for that dream gun (and cost me a really sweet dual-suspension mountain bike to boot).
Shoot something a) reliable, b) accurate c) as light as possible, and finally d) pretty. That's my priority. Though ``fun'' should be in that list somewhere.
I understand Pointer's point (forgive the expression) that once I handled that lightweight bird blaster, I wondered how I lived without it so long. For me, a good gun made for a better experience.
IF a good gun improves the experience the reverse can also be true: My first pheasant hunt was with a Winchester .410 single shot that had a hammer you needed both hands to cock. The last time I shot it the front bead rolled down the barrel at me and fell into some grass, never to be seen again. I would have quit hunting if that was my only option.
That said, it did take me 20 years to save up for that dream gun (and cost me a really sweet dual-suspension mountain bike to boot).
Shoot something a) reliable, b) accurate c) as light as possible, and finally d) pretty. That's my priority. Though ``fun'' should be in that list somewhere.
One hears good and bad both...likely determined by application, amount of use it received and what satisfies.
Never shot one but not always necessary to form an opinion...I have shouldered some.
Would not be for me as I would question the trigger quality and I know the balance did not suit me.
Might work a treat for you.
My concern to a friend who might be considering buying one would be the two points I mentioned and....resale.
I do consider some guns junk, because some are, but would not so label the Silver Reserve.
It's price point simply opens the door to the potential for more problems...not that other and higher-priced scatterguns can't have issues as they can, just that price point can be an odds-on factor in performance/reliability issues.
The other idea to consider is that Mossberg is targeting a specific group with that scattergun...I believe mining the hunters was job #1 before designing the O/U. It would have beeen better the other way round with decisions made to reach a lower price point....better for the shooter, anyway.
My advice to that friend would be to save a bit longer and buy used.
Agreed Daisy, I love my 870 Express. The darn thing is like a chevy truck, no matter what you do it will keep going. And it was inexpensive, and in my opinion looked better than a mossberg o/u lol. But the o/u i got is an SKB 585 Gold with two sets of barrels, it's my "I love me gun" that I take out when I consider a particular hunt a special occasion. The 870 is for everything else. Nothing wrong with spending less dollars. However, just because you're not spending as many dollars, doesn't mean you should get something cheap.
only a pointer
Banned
i have had those cheap 5, 600 dolllat guns i bought a stevens goldwing i cant even get the safety off of that junky ass gun never again and i guarantee that ratty mossberg isnt any better you pay for what you get
only a pointer
Banned
with all that blah blah bs what was your review on the mossberg again?Speak of junk--why stop there --save up 3 or 4 times as much money and buy a real gun--you know something you can go shoot at the best skeet range and have people there go WOW that's real nice, of course you might not hunt birds with it as any little scratch could make one cry.
Having a quality gun is real nice--but calling an gun that works for the field hunter at a resonable cost JUNK is not fair--the point being all those guns you like would be considered JUNK by someone else.
I would guess millions of game birds have met the end from someone shooting a Remmington 870 or Win Model 12 or any other make of shotgun and they are not even and O/U-- come on ligthen up.
If you desire a good O/U and that will take some doing and there is only ever gonna be one in your life--sure save up and get a better grade gun--but following the dogs and enjoying the outdoors is more important than the gun you carry or the number of birds you take. IMHO :cheers:
SDJIM
New member
Strike a raw nerve?
Sorry no review on Mossbergs--just don't think that its necessary to buy a several thousand dollar or 5 thousand plus gun. Nice but not necessary.
I do have another of the hated O/U's--a Storger Condor--not pretty but kills birds just fine--no problems in 3 yrs.
Hope your upcoming bird season brings you much enjoyment--I'm sure mine will--have a nice day
only a pointer
Banned
no not at all field king just wanted reviews of the mossberg and if someone told me the truth about any of the three that i picked and am thinking about getting it would def change my mind but theres only a few on here that know guns really well on the forum. i think he pretty much knows that your basic montgomery wards shotguns have been killing birds for years jimbo who cares?what gets me is you dont even have a review of the shotgun he was asking about reminds me of another guy from south dakota when he would talk ()*t%$!@ would fall out of his mouth
Getting a little heated, gentlemen. There is no reason an honest question should elicit these kind of remarks. I think we just saw some tremendous examples of bragging and ribbing on the bird dog forum. Don't get your dander up. This is an honest question asked by a fellow member.
Some years ago a friend of mine went to ride his brand new mountain bike (which he had spent a considerable sum upon) and when he got there he found out that only ``certain types'' of bike were OK with the crowd. They threw his on the ground in front of a bonfire and rode their ``certain types'' of mountain bike over it, over and over, acting like he should be grateful they showed him the value of their bikes and the uselessness of his.
Do you think that guy, new to the sport, thought ``Hey, this is a group I want to be with. This is a thing I want to do?'' They thought they were hazing him or something, showing him the nature of that sport. He said he'd never forgive them. Since then, I think maybe I have less patience for ``you have crap, look at this sweet... (fill in the blank)....''
We're her to grow the sport and support each other with tips, tricks and advice (even condolences when only a bird-dog guy knows what it means to lose a buddy).
Gentlemen, I offer no reviews of said Mossberg firearm. I have not had the privilege of test-firing very many firearms. I have some experience with being civil. Dad always said ``it costs nothing to be clean and polite.'' Soap's getting expensive, though...
ALso, let us not speak the name of the banned one, lest he appear.
Some years ago a friend of mine went to ride his brand new mountain bike (which he had spent a considerable sum upon) and when he got there he found out that only ``certain types'' of bike were OK with the crowd. They threw his on the ground in front of a bonfire and rode their ``certain types'' of mountain bike over it, over and over, acting like he should be grateful they showed him the value of their bikes and the uselessness of his.
Do you think that guy, new to the sport, thought ``Hey, this is a group I want to be with. This is a thing I want to do?'' They thought they were hazing him or something, showing him the nature of that sport. He said he'd never forgive them. Since then, I think maybe I have less patience for ``you have crap, look at this sweet... (fill in the blank)....''
We're her to grow the sport and support each other with tips, tricks and advice (even condolences when only a bird-dog guy knows what it means to lose a buddy).
Gentlemen, I offer no reviews of said Mossberg firearm. I have not had the privilege of test-firing very many firearms. I have some experience with being civil. Dad always said ``it costs nothing to be clean and polite.'' Soap's getting expensive, though...
ALso, let us not speak the name of the banned one, lest he appear.
copheasanthunter
Member
Fieldking,
I have a mossberg silver reserve, you know I have never had any trouble with it, it is a little heavy but not bad.I have shot it at some pen raised birds last year when I worked my dog and have used it for a round or two of sporting clays. I bought it as a beater to have in the pick up truck as it is not an expensive gun and does not have pretty wood or a fancy finish but you know what, if I pull the trigger it goes bang and if I put the barrel where it is suppose to be something, either bird or clays, get hit.
I would say if it were me I would buy it so you have a gun to use, than save and buy a better one IF you want to. You may find it is alright, nothing else if you get a scratch on it , you won't land up crying over it.
And if your hunting buddies look down on you are kid you, I would look for better hunting friends. Just my 2 cents worth.:cheers:
I have a mossberg silver reserve, you know I have never had any trouble with it, it is a little heavy but not bad.I have shot it at some pen raised birds last year when I worked my dog and have used it for a round or two of sporting clays. I bought it as a beater to have in the pick up truck as it is not an expensive gun and does not have pretty wood or a fancy finish but you know what, if I pull the trigger it goes bang and if I put the barrel where it is suppose to be something, either bird or clays, get hit.
I would say if it were me I would buy it so you have a gun to use, than save and buy a better one IF you want to. You may find it is alright, nothing else if you get a scratch on it , you won't land up crying over it.
And if your hunting buddies look down on you are kid you, I would look for better hunting friends. Just my 2 cents worth.:cheers:
SDJIM
New member
Guess it's time to quit talking-----bye ya all--I'll just enjoy my farm and the hunting it gives me--sure don't need this crap
only a pointer
Banned
really lol thats a little extreme sure dish it out though as you jump right in the middle of my comment