[killerb]

This is coming from a die hard 870 fan. That Nova appears to be a very good buy. The tactical version comes with an 18" barrel equipped with either rifle sights or LPA ghost rings. The ghost rings don't add much to the cost and are well worth the price. You could save money by not buying the 870 marine magnum, unless you like that silver finish, which by the way is not stainless steel, just a corrosion resistant finsh. If you desire greater capacity in the Nova, there are 2 and 3 shot extensions available.

A Nova tactical with the factory ghost rings and a 3 shot extension is a very economical and practical way to go. If you don't like ghost rings, go with the rifle sights. And the Nova has a 3 1/2" chamber, I believe. So if you really feel like punishing yourself, you can shoot the heaviest 12ga. loads available!

 

[killerb]

I should have mentioned that the Nova, like an 870, is available in a marine version. They share a similar finish, electroless nickel, I think. The 870 is called a "Marine Magnum." It comes with the standard mag tube or with a factory 2 shot extension. The Nova is called the "H2O." As far as I can tell it is only available with rifle sights. Sadly, the LPA ghost rings from the tactical model are not offered on the H2O. A factory magazine extension is offerd by Benelli in a matching finish.

You won't go wrong with either gun. It just seems to me that the Benelli is cheaper and requires almost no modifications. I would save the money on either gun by not going for the marine versions, unless you are in a humid or salt water environment.