Remington 870 express is the best all around value
Academy here sells them for $319 and you won't have a problem finding them around the same price online.
They'll feed and shoot anything from bird to buck to slugs with no issues whatsoever.
If you can, I would throw in 130 more and invest in the Remington 870 Tactical as the parts that come with it make it a better value. Buying an Express and then the parts that come with the Tactical would cost you alot more.
Here's a link to the Tactical, but if you look around you can find one for $430-$450
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/productinfo.php/productsid/56472/Remington+870+Express+Tactical+12ga+18+Ghost+Ring+SightsIf you're using it as home defense and keep it cheap, keep the synthetic stock and add a "Limb Saver Recoil Pad".
If you want to use it in tactical classes and do a little more, I would invest in the "Mesa Tactical Urbino Stock w/ LimbSaver Recoil Pad" or the "Mesa Tactical LEO Stock Adapter w/ Enidine Hydraulic Recoil Buffer". They both feel much better to me and both significantly reduce perceived recoil.
Keep in mind, you can deck out your firearm and put the best parts on it, but the gun will only perform as good as it's shooter.
Practice practice practice
Also, go 12 gauge not 20.
The 20 gauge has less variety of parts and ammo available and the 12ga does not kick that much more than 20ga. With the stocks I mentioned, the 12ga will recoil as much if not less than a stock 20ga.
This post was edited by itzpookiie on Aug 20 2013 09:34pm