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Posted: 1/13/2026 1:11:55 PM EDT
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I'm looking for recommendations on the best cheap reliable shotgun to SBS and chop. Looking $200ish Moss 500? Win 1200/1300? |
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Originally Posted By estwing223: Honestly, I would spend a little extra and just get a shockwave. Then you could sbs it. Not a bad idea. I also think that getting into a 1200/1300 for your budget may be challenging unless you find grandma dumping dead grandpa’s firearms. May be able to get a beat up 870 for that. Could look at the H&R for an 870 clone around $200, might be the Hawk (model??). |
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Mossberg 500 or Maverick 88 with the shorter magazine tube is about as cheap as I would go on a new gun. But you can only get the barrel down to about 15". Going with a Shockwave would get you 14" A used remington 870 will get you down to 12.5". A Stoger Coach Gun (I picked mine up for $300) will get you as short as you want. But 12" makes a nice package without too much velocity loss. Or just find a cheap single barrel if it's just a range toy. I just picked up a like new H&R Topper .410 for less than $75 after all the fees and taxes in an auction. |
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With a Shockwave you can easily convert it to use the short shotgun shells. look here Attached File |
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Originally Posted By dusty3030: Adding a stock to a shockwave is so dang easy. No smithing or parts other than a stock to buy. Used Mossberg take off stocks are cheap and plentiful. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/58525/IMG_0894-3495104.jpg yep, that's it. Shut er down. -not even my thing but that's cool AF |
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Mossberg Maverick is cheap with an 18" barrel All you need is a hacksaw and a tax stamp. I picked up a Slug Barreled Winchester 120 Ranger (Model 1200) For $115 Cut it down and re-attached the front sight You can find bargain guns like that as a host. Attached File |
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A used Moss.500 / Mav.88 may be your cheapest bet. Iirc, if it has the full length mag tube the shortest you’ll be able to cut the barrel will be about 15”. I remember it was an issue when I cobbled together my first “Shockwave” before they were offered as factory guns. Used Rem 870s can still be found for reasonable prices. Brownell’s recently offered Remington factory 14” barrels with the front bead installed for less than $100! You can likely sell your old full length barrel for more than that. The Winchester 1200/1300 were GREAT guns, but spare parts availability may be non-existent. Honestly, with $0 NFA stamps, I would be tempted to roll the dice on a new Turkish pump gun, run a couple hundred rounds shooting Trap to vet it, THEN form1/SBS the damn thing. I’ve already got too many shotguns and too many SBSs to justify buying any more but I have been tempted to go this route. |
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Originally Posted By cherenkov: Mossberg Maverick is cheap with an 18" barrel All you need is a hacksaw and a tax stamp. I picked up a Slug Barreled Winchester 120 Ranger (Model 1200) For $115 Cut it down and re-attached the front sight You can find bargain guns like that as a host. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/192012/IMG_1733_JPG-3694138.JPG I LOVE that Winchester SBS set-up. With the “speed pump” design, I’m guessing you can run that gun like you are playing a violin  The 1200/1300 series was highly under-appreciated. Great guns. Of course it didn’t help that Winchester’s entire marketing campaign revolved around the 1200 being almost as good as the model 12 
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Originally Posted By backbencher: Mav 88s are cheap, OP, and they take Mossy 500/590 parts. You can unscrew the mag tubes from the receivers, IIRC. I have a maverick 88 with 7 shot tube so if have to find barrel and mag tube |
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Originally Posted By estwing223: Honestly, I would spend a little extra and just get a shockwave. Then you could sbs it. That's my plan. I like the 590S which can cycle mini shells |
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Originally Posted By Migmaqman: ive seen several videos where the shockwave chews hands , the safety location on the mossberg 500 digs the web of the hand , and that frigging strap on the forestock thats suppose to help control it is a bit rough on that hand Get the 20 ga Shockwave or run mini-shells, in the S or w/ a replacement elevator. The Mossberg safety is a pain, the Maverick 88 solves that issue and the Maverick Cruiser is almost half the price of the Shockwave. Unscrew the forend strap on the Shockwave and screw it back together with the screws OUTSIDE the strap. |
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Originally Posted By Migmaqman: ive seen several videos where the shockwave chews hands , the safety location on the mossberg 500 digs the web of the hand , and that frigging strap on the forestock thats suppose to help control it is a bit rough on that hand Originally Posted By backbencher: Get the 20 ga Shockwave or run mini-shells, in the S or w/ a replacement elevator. The Mossberg safety is a pain, the Maverick 88 solves that issue and the Maverick Cruiser is almost half the price of the Shockwave. Unscrew the forend strap on the Shockwave and screw it back together with the screws OUTSIDE the strap. If you don't grab the grip or the stock like you mean it, maybe the gun will slide back far enough for the safety to dig into your hand. Try not having woman hands? Whatever shooter was in that video had the gun slide back far enough to hurt his hands needs to go do some work with his hands. The safety location for the Mossbergs is not a pain unless you were raised on Remington 870s, and that's all you're open to. Us lefties and guys that want to train both sides enjoy and appreciate the location of the safety. There's a reason it's there. It's not for you, cool. Your 1911 is not for me. Get a Shockwave if you want what's effectively an ambi safety on a shotgun, and your 80% you goal at buy in. Get a Maverick 88 Cruiser If you want the trigger guard button safety. By the time you pay for the Maverick 88 cruiser, and have the 3 in of barrel cut off that you can take before you get to the magazine tube, you're going to be at or over the cost of a Shockwave and still be longer than a Shockwave. In my local area, you can find a used like new Shockwaves for around $300. Guys bought them for the novelty of it, realized real quick they don't enjoy shooting it and they're dumping them. Through all the various social forums I am on, I see one solidly once a month for $300 bucks. If you start with a Shockwave and you get a Mossberg stock, it's three fasteners off - three fasteners on. With the registration now free, you're all in for the price of a $300 Shockwave. If you want to feed mini shells, the Opsol adapter is cheap. I'm pretty sure I have three or four Mossberg 500/590 stocks in storage. I'll send you one for the trade of a few AR mags. I cruise eBay and buy speed feed stocks whenever they pop up reasonably. |
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Cheap - ATI has a Chinese 18" Real Steel 870 Clone with a 4+1 mag tube length - can find them on Gunbroker from reputable vendors for $120. If you are in Atlanta area - Amchar Georgia has them for $119 at their store. They take real 870 replacement parts and stocks. |
I have a SBS and it is fun to shoot but I have picked up a Win 1300 and a Maverick 88 both with the long mag tubes. The Mav takes 10 mini shells with the minishell conversion, the Win takes 7 (I think). Hard to chop those any shorter or need to. 
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Originally Posted By Migmaqman: ive seen several videos where the shockwave chews hands , the safety location on the mossberg 500 digs the web of the hand , and that frigging strap on the forestock thats suppose to help control it is a bit rough on that hand I’ve owned a “Shockwave” in some configuration since you had to build them yourself from a factory PGO and a “Gator Grip” from KAK. They are easy to handle, even with full power loads, if you use the push/pull method to create static equilibrium (or nearly so) when firing. A traditional “cruiser” pistol grip acts as a lever and amplifies torque. The more linear shockwave grip allows energy to transfer in more of a straight line. Push out hard on the forend while pulling back on the grip. Don’t flinch, maintain that hold and follow through the shot. Do that and you can control the shockwave from an imaginary cheekweld, cheekweld on the receiver, from the hip, at an angle for door breaching or in a confined space. It does require a bit of practice to perfect your version of the technique. |
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Originally Posted By dogtired: I have a SBS and it is fun to shoot but I have picked up a Win 1300 and a Maverick 88 both with the long mag tubes. The Mav takes 10 mini shells with the minishell conversion, the Win takes 7 (I think). Hard to chop those any shorter or need to. https://i.postimg.cc/NMtRrwSW/IMG-1593.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/pXHgx6vw/IMG-3014.jpg Keep those with the long mag tubes - More likely to need more ammo than a shorter shotgun in reality. |
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Originally Posted By @cherenkov: Cheap - ATI has a Chinese 18" Real Steel 870 Clone with a 4+1 mag tube length - can find them on Gunbroker from reputable vendors for $120. If you are in Atlanta area - Amchar Georgia has them for $119 at their store. They take real 870 replacement parts and stocks. I'll plead the stupid amendment tonight. The only 2 at that price point are shown as "Broken/Parts/Repair". linkBut is shown in a new box. Is that how they're able to list it at that price point or are they warranty retreads? |
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Blueline Solutions aka Norinco aka Hawk is available for about $120. 870 clone all steel. https://www.dahlonegaarmory.com/product/blu-bl-18-pump-12m18.5cb-syn The only part not compatible with a real 870 is the barrel. And the barrel isn't threaded for chokes. The trigger group and furniture are direct bolt on/pin on from an 870. The WC plus one+ mag extension also fits. Likely more cross compatibility but not IME. I put FAB Defense furniture on mine (telescoping stock) and swapped out a few springs and extractor with oem Remy parts. Not sure that was even necessary after comparing them. Receiver is not drilled for a rail though. Not sure how reliable, and it's not cheapest, but I'd like to see more about Panzer Arm's PA37. In nickel, which is likely a silver powdercoat. Apparently cycles mini shells. A poorly cloned Ithica. No slam fire sadly. Includes a matching pistol grip and black wood stock/pump handle. Holds five rounds in the tube. |
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Originally Posted By slack_out: Blueline Solutions aka Norinco aka Hawk is available for about $120. 870 clone all steel. https://www.dahlonegaarmory.com/product/blu-bl-18-pump-12m18.5cb-syn The only part not compatible with a real 870 is the barrel. And the barrel isn't threaded for chokes. The trigger group and furniture are direct bolt on/pin on from an 870. The WC plus one+ mag extension also fits. Likely more cross compatibility but not IME. I put FAB Defense furniture on mine (telescoping stock) and swapped out a few springs and extractor with oem Remy parts. Not sure that was even necessary after comparing them. Receiver is not drilled for a rail though. Not sure how reliable, and it's not cheapest, but I'd like to see more about Panzer Arm's PA37. In nickel, which is likely a silver powdercoat. Apparently cycles mini shells. A poorly cloned Ithica. No slam fire sadly. Includes a matching pistol grip and black wood stock/pump handle. Holds five rounds in the tube. How much can you effectively shop off the barrel of the Norinco Hawk for an SBS? IIRC, the mag tube is longer than a Rem 870. |
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Originally Posted By slack_out: Blueline Solutions aka Norinco aka Hawk is available for about $120. 870 clone all steel. https://www.dahlonegaarmory.com/product/blu-bl-18-pump-12m18.5cb-syn The only part not compatible with a real 870 is the barrel. And the barrel isn't threaded for chokes. The trigger group and furniture are direct bolt on/pin on from an 870. The WC plus one+ mag extension also fits. Likely more cross compatibility but not IME. I put FAB Defense furniture on mine (telescoping stock) and swapped out a few springs and extractor with oem Remy parts. Not sure that was even necessary after comparing them. Receiver is not drilled for a rail though. Not sure how reliable, and it's not cheapest, but I'd like to see more about Panzer Arm's PA37. In nickel, which is likely a silver powdercoat. Apparently cycles mini shells. A poorly cloned Ithica. No slam fire sadly. Includes a matching pistol grip and black wood stock/pump handle. Holds five rounds in the tube. You can run Remington barrels on the Hawks if you use a PVC shim around the end of the mag tube to take up the difference. Be aware Hawks imported by different importers have different length mag tubes, so barrels imported by say, H&R, won't necessarily fit a Blueline import w/o a shim. |
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Originally Posted By Migmaqman: he wasnt exactly respectful to me , all i did was mention ive seen several videos where they were tearing peoples hands up and his reply was rude and provoking Buddy if you get provoked in Tech, don't go to GD. |
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