Im going against the grain too. Mossberg 500 is the way to go. You can also get just about any type of barrel (long, short, smooth, rifled even a black powder barrel) you want and they are cheap and reliable. They take both 2 3/4 and 3' shells if your looking for some magnum OO buck or even some of the higher end turkey loads. All and all i think Mossberg 500 is the best choice.