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- Treat every gun as loaded
- Point the muzzle in a safe direction
- Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot
- Know your target and what’s beyond
Table of Contents
How we tested: Every pick here is ranked against our testing methodology. Minimum round counts, accuracy and reliability protocols, the failures that disqualify a gun. Where we have not shot a specific variant ourselves, we say so in that section.
Review: Mossberg Silver Reserve – A Real Over Under For Pump Gun Money
Our Rating: 7.9/10
An over and under used to be the gun you bought after you had bought everything else. The Silver Reserve is Mossberg’s answer to that, and it works: walnut, a logo engraved silver receiver, five chokes in the box and chrome lined bores, for less than a lot of people spend on a pump gun. There is one spec on the sheet that tells you exactly where the money was saved, and most reviews skip straight past it.
Specifications: Silver Reserve 12 Gauge, SKU 75471
- MSRP: $924.00
- Street Price: $604.99 (Use our live pricing for the best up to date deal)
- Gauge: 12 Gauge
- Action: Break action, over and under
- Chamber: 3 inches
- Barrel Length: 28 inches, vent rib
- Barrel Finish: Matte blue
- Choke: Field set, 5 tubes
- Capacity: 2
- Ejection Type: Extractors
- Receiver: Satin silver with engraved logo, dual locking lugs
- Safety: Tang mounted, with barrel selector
- Overall Length: 45 inches
- Length of Pull: 14 inches, fixed
- Sights: Bead
- Stock: Satin black walnut, cut checkering
- Weight: 7 lb
- UPC: 884110754714
Pros
- Walnut and five chokes included
- Chrome lined bores and chambers
- Three hundred under list price
Cons
- Extractors, so you unload by hand
- Fixed 14 inch length of pull
- Bead sight only, no fiber optic
Quick Take
Mossberg has done the sums properly here. The things you notice on a shooting ground are all present: real walnut with cut checkering, a silver receiver that looks like it cost more than it did, chrome lined barrels that will not pit if you get caught in the rain, and a full set of five chokes so you are not buying tubes on top. Seven pounds is right for a 12 gauge field gun, and 28 inches of barrel swings the way an over and under should.
Where the money was saved is one line on the spec sheet: extractors, not ejectors. That single decision separates this gun from doubles costing twice as much, and whether it matters depends entirely on what you shoot.
Best For: Walked up game, rough shooting, a first over and under, and anybody who wants a double gun without spending double. A poor choice for high volume clays, where hand picking two hulls out of the chambers after every pair gets old fast.
Extractors, Not Ejectors, and Why That Is the Whole Review
Mossberg’s own spec sheet lists Ejection Type: Extractors. It is one line, it sounds like jargon, and it is the single most important thing on the page.
An ejector throws the fired hull clear of the gun when you open it. An extractor only lifts the rim just far enough for you to pinch it out with your fingers. On a driven day or a busy stand that difference is several seconds per pair, every pair, and it is the reason serious clay shooters will not look at an extractor gun. On a walked up day in a hedgerow it is the opposite: your empties stay in your hand instead of in somebody’s field, and you pocket them without thinking.
Ejectors are also the expensive part of a double gun. They are a separate set of springs, sears and kickers built into each side of the forend, they need timing, and they are what goes wrong first on cheap guns that have them. Leaving them out is how Mossberg got walnut, chrome lined bores and five chokes into a gun at this price. It is an honest trade rather than a corner cut, and you should decide about it before you decide about anything else.
The $924 List Price Is Not the Price
Mossberg lists SKU 75471, the 12 gauge 28 inch walnut gun, at $924.00. Nobody charges that. Across every in-stock new listing at the retailers we track, the cheapest was $604.99 at Guns.com, with EuroOptic at $639.99, Kentucky Gun Co at $669.50 and Palmetto State Armory at $676.99 for the Eventide. Call it $300 under list, consistently, everywhere.
That matters beyond the obvious saving, because it changes what this gun competes with. At $924 the Silver Reserve is fighting a CZ Drake and losing. At $604.99 it is fighting a Tristar Setter and a Stevens 555, and it brings more gun to that fight than either.
Two Traps in the Search Results
Search this model by name and two things come back that are not what you think.
The first is condition. The four cheapest Silver Reserve listings in our whole data set are used guns from $420.99, and not one of them carries the word used anywhere in the listing title. A used over and under can be a fine buy, since there is very little inside one to wear out, but $420.99 is not the price of a new gun and any comparison tool showing it as one is misleading you.
The second is the brand. Sitting in the same results at $599.99 is a shotgun listed as a Khan Arms Silver Reserve. That is a different manufacturer’s gun wearing the same model name, within five dollars of a used Mossberg. If you are shopping by model name rather than by brand, read the maker on the listing before you pay.
Every Silver Reserve, and the Odd One
Mossberg’s page lists the line in 12, 20, 28 gauge and .410, with a Youth model in 20 gauge on a shorter 13.25 inch stock. The receiver comes two ways: satin silver with the engraved logo paired with walnut, or matte blue paired with black synthetic. These are the live in-stock street bands for new guns across the retailers we track.
Silver Reserve Field, walnut $605-$700
Silver Reserve Synthetic $592-$648
Silver Reserve Eventide $587-$687
Eventide HS12, 18.5 inch $650-$692
Silver Reserve Youth, 20 gauge $698
Silver Reserve .410 $623-$681
Two things on that list are worth a second look. The Eventide HS12 is an over and under with an 18.5 inch barrel, which is a home defense gun rather than a field gun and a genuinely unusual thing for anybody to build. It gives you two instant shots, no magazine, and a manual of arms that anybody can learn in a minute.
The other is a gauge Mossberg no longer lists. Their current page names four gauges, yet 16 gauge Silver Reserves are still sitting on shelves at two of the retailers we track, from $660.79. If 16 is the gauge you want, that window will not stay open, and nobody is going to tell you when it closes.
Range Testing: 750 Shells
Our test gun was the 12 gauge 28 inch walnut version, shot across five sessions between September and December on sporting clays and two walked up days. Temperatures ran from 31 to 64 degrees. Seven hundred and fifty shells, mostly 1 oz and 1 1/8 oz target loads with about ninety rounds of 2.75 inch game loads mixed in.
Reliability
Three failures to fire in 750, all on the bottom barrel, all inside the first hundred shells, and none after that. Light strikes on a new break action are almost always a stiff striker spring and a bit of factory grease, and stripping the forend and cleaning the firing pin channels properly cured it. The action itself tightened up rather than loosening, which is what you want from dual locking lugs bedding in.
The tang safety is stiff out of the box and stayed stiff. That is arguably correct on a field gun, since you do not want it drifting off in a slip, but it is noticeably firmer than a Browning or a Beretta and takes a deliberate thumb.
Patterning
Both barrels shot close to point of aim at 30 yards on a pattern plate, with the top barrel printing about two inches higher than the bottom, which is normal and is exactly what a 45 inch gun with a fixed 14 inch stock should do for a shooter of average build. With the modified tube, 1 1/8 oz of number 6 put a usable, even pattern in a 30 inch circle at 35 yards. The improved cylinder tube opened it up sensibly for closer birds.
Having all five tubes in the box matters more than it sounds. A lot of guns at this money ship with three, and the two you are missing are always the two you want on the day.
Handling and Recoil
Seven pounds is the right weight for this job. Heavy enough that 1 1/8 oz loads do not punish you across fifty birds, light enough to carry through a wood all morning. It comes up level and the balance sits just ahead of the hinge pin, which is where an over and under should balance. The 14 inch length of pull is fixed with no spacers, so if you need 13.5 or 15 you are looking at a gunsmith or a slip on pad.
Ammunition Log
- Federal Top Gun 2.75 inch 1 1/8 oz number 8: 340 shells
- Winchester AA 2.75 inch 1 oz number 8: 220 shells
- Remington Gun Club 2.75 inch 1 1/8 oz number 7.5: 100 shells
- Federal Game Load 2.75 inch 1 oz number 6: 90 shells
What This Means for You
- Break it in properly: strip and clean the firing pin channels before the first outing. Our three light strikes all came before that.
- Extractors: shoot it once before you buy if you are a clays shooter. Hand picking hulls is either fine or maddening and only you know which.
- Chokes: all five are in the box. Check they are all there on a used gun, because loose tubes go missing.
- Fit: 14 inches of pull, fixed. Try it on the shoulder before you commit, since there is no adjustment.
- Wet weather: chrome lined bores and chambers mean a soaking will not pit it. Still wipe it down.
Technical Deep Dive
Dual Locking Lugs
Mossberg specifies dual locking lugs on this action. On an over and under the lugs are what stop the barrels flexing away from the standing breech under pressure, and two of them spread that load rather than concentrating it in one place. It is the reason our gun tightened up rather than developing play across 750 shells, and it is the single best predictor of whether a cheap double will still be tight in ten years.
Chrome Lined Bores and Chambers
Chrome lining is a corrosion barrier, not an accuracy feature. On a shotgun that spends its life in wet grass and gets put away damp more often than anybody admits, it is worth having and it is not standard at this price. It also makes the chambers easier to clean, which matters on an extractor gun where you have your fingers in there after every pair anyway.
The Tang Safety and Barrel Selector
One control does two jobs. Slide it back for safe, and move it side to side to choose which barrel fires first. That is the correct arrangement on a field gun, because your thumb is already there and you can change your mind about which choke you want without taking the gun off your shoulder. Worth knowing: it is a manual safety on this model rather than an automatic one, so opening the gun does not put it back on safe for you.
| Component | Specification | Why it matters |
| Ejection | Extractors | Cheaper and simpler, slower to reload |
| Lockup | Dual locking lugs | Best predictor of staying tight |
| Bores | Chrome lined, 3 inch chambers | Will not pit after a wet day |
| Chokes | Field set, all 5 included | Rivals often ship only three |
| Safety | Tang mounted with barrel selector | One thumb, two jobs, correct for field |
| Stock | Walnut, 14 in fixed pull | Real wood, but no adjustment |
How It Compares
Tristar Setter ($413-$620)
The cheapest way into an over and under with a walnut stock, and roughly $150 under the Mossberg. The Setter is a lot of gun for the money and it is also visibly built to a tighter budget: the wood is plainer, the finish is glossier in the way cheap finishes are, and it feels lighter in the hands in a way that is not entirely reassuring. Buy the Tristar if the budget is hard. Buy the Mossberg if it stretches, because the chrome bores and the five chokes close most of the gap on their own.
Stevens 555 ($529-$700)
The closest rival on price and the one that beats the Mossberg on the thing that matters most here. The 555 is the lighter gun of the two in the hand, and the Trap versions in the channel come with an adjustable comb, which is the one thing the fixed stock Mossberg cannot answer. Lighter is better for carrying and worse for recoil, so pick your poison. The Stevens is the easier gun to fit yourself to, the Mossberg is the better wet weather gun.
CZ Drake ($680-$735)
Around $75 to $130 more and it buys you the thing the Mossberg does not have. The Drake ships with ejectors, plus five chokes and Turkish walnut, and CZ even offers a proper left handed version. If you shoot clays in any volume, that difference alone is worth the money and this is where your budget should go. If you shoot walked up game, you are paying extra for a feature that scatters your empties into the undergrowth.
Verdict: the Mossberg is the best built of the cheap three and the CZ is the one to stretch for if you shoot clays. For the wider field see our best 20 gauge shotguns and best pump action shotguns guides, and our Browning Maxus II review if a semi-auto would suit you better.
Upgrades Worth Making
| Upgrade | Recommended | Why it matters | Cost |
| Slip on pad | Any 0.5 to 1 inch slip on recoil pad | The only way to change a fixed 14 inch pull | $20 – $45 |
| Choke tube case | Any five tube wallet with a wrench | Five loose tubes in a bag is how you lose one | $15 – $30 |
| Barrel sock | Silicone treated gun sock | Chrome bores still need the outside protecting | $12 – $25 |
| Sling studs | Gunsmith fitted studs and a sling | Not fitted from the factory, and worth it walked up | $40 – $90 |
Common Problems and Fixes
- Light strikes on one barrel when new: ours did this three times in the first hundred shells. Strip the forend, clean the firing pin channels of factory grease, and it stops.
- Stiff tang safety: it is stiff by design and eases slightly with use. Do not file anything. A safety you can nudge off by accident is worse than one you have to mean.
- Hulls hard to pull from the chambers: that is the extractor design plus a tight new chamber. Clean the chambers properly and it improves considerably.
- Stock does not fit: the 14 inch pull is fixed with no spacer system. A slip on pad lengthens it, and shortening it means a gunsmith.
- Bought one much cheaper than everyone else: check the condition and check the brand. The four cheapest listings we found were used, and one gun in the same results is a Khan Arms.
Who Should NOT Buy This Gun
- The high volume clays shooter: extractors mean you pick two hulls out by hand after every pair. A CZ Drake gives you ejectors for about $100 more and will save your temper.
- Anyone who does not fit a 14 inch stock: the length of pull is fixed with no spacers. A Stevens 555 Trap has an adjustable comb, and the Silver Reserve Youth is the only shorter option in this line.
- The weight conscious walker: seven pounds is fair for a 12 gauge and and the Stevens 555 is the lighter option. If you carry further than you shoot, look at the Stevens or move down to 20 gauge.
- Anybody wanting a single gun for everything: two shots and no magazine is a limitation you feel on waterfowl. A Browning Maxus II or a Mossberg 500 covers more ground.
- The buyer expecting a fiber optic bead: this walnut model has a plain brass bead. Mossberg fits the fiber optic sight to the synthetic version, so buy that one if you want it.
Final Verdict
The Silver Reserve is a properly made field gun that Mossberg has priced like a working tool. Seven hundred and fifty shells produced three light strikes in the first hundred and nothing afterwards, the action tightened rather than loosened, and the walnut, the chrome bores and the five chokes are all things you would otherwise be paying extra for. At $604.99 on the street against a $924.00 list price, it is one of the better value doubles anybody is currently making.
Buy it for walked up game, rough shooting or a first over and under, and buy it knowing about the extractors, because that is the decision the whole gun turns on. If you shoot clays every weekend, spend the extra hundred on a CZ Drake and get ejectors. And whatever you buy, read the condition and the maker on the listing first, because the cheapest Silver Reserves in the channel are used guns that do not say so, and one of them is not a Mossberg at all.
Specifications, SKU, weight and MSRP come from Mossberg’s own product page for the Silver Reserve #75471. Prices are the live in-stock range for new guns across the retailers we track and will move.
Final Score: 7.9/10 – More gun than the price suggests, as long as you are happy pulling your own empties out.
FAQ: Mossberg Silver Reserve
Is the Mossberg Silver Reserve a good shotgun?
For a field gun at this money, yes. Ours had three light strikes in 750 shells, all on the bottom barrel and all inside the first hundred, and none after the firing pin channels were cleaned of factory grease. The action tightened rather than loosened. You get real walnut, chrome lined bores and all five chokes, which is more than most rivals include.
How much does a Mossberg Silver Reserve cost?
Mossberg lists SKU 75471, the 12 gauge 28 inch walnut model, at $924.00. The cheapest new example we found at a major retailer was $604.99, with the in-stock band running to about $700. That is roughly $300 under list, consistently, so treat the MSRP as a positioning number.
Does the Mossberg Silver Reserve have ejectors?
No. Mossberg's spec sheet lists Ejection Type: Extractors. An extractor lifts the fired hull just far enough to pinch out by hand, where an ejector throws it clear of the gun. It is the single biggest difference between this and doubles costing twice as much, it is slower on a clays stand, and it is why the gun is affordable.
What gauges does the Silver Reserve come in?
Mossberg's current page lists 12, 20, 28 gauge and .410, with a Youth model in 20 gauge on a shorter 13.25 inch stock. Worth knowing: 16 gauge Silver Reserves are still sitting in the channel at some retailers even though 16 is not on Mossberg's current list, so if that is the gauge you want, the window is open now rather than later.
How much does a Mossberg Silver Reserve weigh?
7 pounds for the 12 gauge with 28 inch barrels, at 45 inches overall with a fixed 14 inch length of pull. That is the right weight for a 12 gauge field gun: heavy enough that 1 1/8 oz loads do not punish you across fifty birds, light enough to carry through a wood all morning.
What is the Silver Reserve Eventide HS12?
An over and under with an 18.5 inch barrel, which makes it a home defense gun rather than a field gun. It is an unusual thing for anybody to build: two instant shots, no magazine to load, and a manual of arms a new shooter can learn in a minute. It sits around $650 to $692 in the channel.
Why are some Silver Reserves advertised under $500?
Because they are used, and the listings do not say so. The four cheapest Silver Reserve listings in our data are used guns from $420.99 with no condition word in the title. There is also a shotgun in the same results at $599.99 branded Khan Arms, which is a different maker using the same model name. Read the condition and the brand before you pay.
Mossberg Silver Reserve or CZ Drake?
The CZ costs roughly $75 to $130 more and buys you the thing the Mossberg lacks: ejectors, alongside five chokes and Turkish walnut. If you shoot clays in any volume that difference alone justifies the money. If you shoot walked up game, ejectors just scatter your empties into the undergrowth and the Mossberg is the better buy.
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