September 2005

Choosing A 12-Gauge Shotgun: Three Pump-Gun Winners

Though it was close, we narrowly preferred the Winchester 1300 Defender over the Remington 870 Express Magnum and Mossberg 590A1 Persuader slide actions.

From top to bottom, our test products were the Remington Model 870 Express Magnum Synthetic 12 gauge No. 25077, $345; the Winchester Defender Model 1300 Pistol Grip & Stock Combo, No. 512907308, $354; and the Mossberg Persuader Model 590A1 No. 51411, $443. All were matte-black synthetic-stock pumps with 3-inch chambers, 18- to 18.5-inch barrels, and weights around 7 pounds. The Remington holds six shells in the magazine and one in the chamber, and it measured 38.5 inches in overall length, as did the Mossberg Persuader. The Persuader held five in the magazine. The Winchester Defender had a 7+1 capacity and measured 39.5 inches in overall length.

We normally compare products on an A-B-C basis, covering all the functional aspects of Gun A completely before moving on to Guns B and C. However, there are instances when another method of comparison makes more sense, that is, a point-by-point evaluation. We normally reserve this kind of comparison when guns are closely matched, and only minor, or even picayune, differences separate them. Such is the case in this evaluation, a comparison of three affordable 12-gauge home-defense shotguns.

Our test products were the Remington Model 870 Express Magnum Synthetic 12 gauge No. 25077, $345; the Mossberg Persuader Model 590A1 No. 51411, $443; and the Winchester Defender Model 1300 Pistol Grip &…

 
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