The Wingmaster and the Express don't compare. One is a decent quality, rugged shotgun, the other is a rough, poorly-built, cheap knock off.

I can give you my argument for the Mossberg 500 so you can not talk to me any more either if you would like.

yes the M12 Winchester is amazing , and rather heavy , but I take it out of the running because it is no longer made and hasn't been for a long time.

The Ithaca M37 is also very nice but not really a player in the work horse pump gun any more either.


so 870 and 500

the down fall to the all steel receiver on the 870 is the ejector , it is rivetted in before the receiver is finished and it is the most major wear item on the gun and also holds the barrel index so the barrel wobbles and isn't safe to shoot with a broken ejector.

so this was a sort of problem but one that could be repaired with time and parts but it got very close to the value of the gun so then it made it for many a throw away gun and I hate throw away guns that when a part that should be able to be easily fixed causes the end of service for something that could keep going for a much longer time with how everything else is made

then , Remington went bankrupt and the part wasn't available

some years go by and there is apparently a aftermarket part that you drill out the rivets and the new ejector has threads and little screws so you don't have to scrap your gun for the wear part but it is more expensive than it should be and it is more work than it should be

the aftermarket part is 89 dollars and shipping
https://www.weaponsarmorer.com/product-p/sully870ejectorsystem.htm

the ejector on a 500 takes one screw , 5 minutes at home and you are back in business for 8.54 and shipping of a small padded envelope.


also a standard 500 holds 5 in the tube one in the chamber
the standard 870 was 4 and 1

I own both , I shoot both , I like both
but when functionality of working well for a right or left handed shooter (I have a couple in 20ga I used for teaching kids)
parts compatibility and availability.
a larger trigger guard for cold weather gloves
and a lighter gun to carry in the field
a Larger safety to get off easily (I use an oversized aftermarket safety) , the 500 is what I am carrying.

I shoot the same score with the 500 or the 870 in a round of trap. so these are the reasons I carry the 500 in the field.

The aluminum receiver dose not do well if put in the compartment the seats fold up in in the mini van when the jumper cables have a little battery acid on them. Bought 590a1 mariner to keep full time in the wife's van loded with 3" 00. the receiver has some pits in it now.

Lighter = more recoil and dit just seem sloppy on the pump with the rattle you don't get with an 870. They work but I prefer an 870. Never had an extractor issue but don't shoot shotguns like either used to when I was competing in NSTRA field trials. Never got into clays a lot. Maybe once or twice a year so will likely never weare one out. The mosburg safety is nice for left hand shooters

Over $2500 or over $10,000. Need to be more specific.

I like my 870's, a 20, a 16 and 2-12 gauge all wingmasters