Originally Posted by gkeil961

Which one do you prefer ? Pros and cons of each?

I have two 500s. Both have 18.5" bbls for home defense and also various other bbl lengths for hunting. One has an after market stock and forearm. Better recoil pad and slimmer forearm as my wife uses this one. Love the reliability and low price. I've had one of them since 1981 with thousands of rounds through it. Parts and accessories are easy to find. 870 has a little smoother action, but in the "heat of the moment", not a big difference. The wife is left handed and the tang mounted safety is a huge plus. It is also very easy to verify if the safety is off or on, being in your line of sight. She and I can use either gun in a pinch and when doing weak side shooting drills.