New Shotgun, wish I was getting one, hmmm my choice would be the Benelli M2 or Super Black Eagle. But OK lets get back to reality and what we can afford. The Remington 870 Express is bullet proof, I bought one about three years ago and am very pleased with it. I also like the interchangeable choke tubes. It came with Modified and I bought the Skeet and IC choke tubes. I start on opening day with the skeet in for those close shots and then switch er up to IC after that, as I'm told that steel patterns tighter than lead so as result it's best to go one choke tube size larger(opener) than you would for lead. In hind site I should have got the camo gun for only a hundred bucks more but I didn't and since then I bought the camo stocks for it and they sure look sweet, not convinced if it'll help kill any more birds though. The one thing that I would warn you about it the Super Magnum model that shoots 3.5 inch shells, I was advised by many folks at www.duckboats.net that they will jam on you on a regular basis. Then I spoke with a local fellow who had that problem with that same gun, and that was enough to convince me to just stick with the model that shoots 3 inch. So if I was buying another Rem 870 I would stay away from the one that fires 3.5 inch shells.
Bill G.