I went through about 5 guns trying to get one that would pattern most any load, shoot to point of aim and that would cycle every shell I put in it. After getting sick of buying chokes, shells, sights and failures to eject I wound up with an older mossberg 835. It is built like a tank and weighs almost as much but it will kill with any shell / choke combo you try and it won't fail to shoot true or let me down when the moment comes. I knew 4 years ago that gun was the one I should buy because I'd seen it in action with other hunters and they were all getting amazing numbers with many different shell / choke combinations. I was just hard headed and kept trying different guns instead of one I knew would get the job done. The reason it isn't finicky and throws such good patterns is due to it having a 10 gauge diameter bore at the receiver that necks down to 12 gauge further down the barrel. It let's the shot expand and then constrict again and the results are excellent. The only two things I will say is that you will want a Sims recoil pad, especially with the newer, lighter 835's and I wouldn't shoot winchester longbeards. The mossberg and longbeards both pattern so tightly by themselves that shooting that combination is like trying to hit a turkey with a golf ball at 30 yards. After I put the Sims on mine I don't even mind patterning it with 3 1/2 shells. Btw, I sold a Benelli SBE in favor of the Mossberg . I might could have made the SBE shoot but after 3 chokes and 4 she'll combos I was fed up. I had a newer 870 and wasn't real impressed with it but I know the older 870's were really good with the right combination. Jughead is right that you can get 12 gauge range with a 20 if you reload. Heck you can even make 50 yard guns out of a lot of 20's with the right choke and some Federal HW 7's.

" I do view Jim Waltz as a really good Presidential candidate"
Bama_Earl