really comes down to personal preference....some like the tang safety on the mossberg over the 870 safety. I prefer the 870 but presently own a police trade 500...both are great shotguns.
+ 1On a mossberg it's biggest asset is also it's biggest weakness. The safety is in a perfect spot, but it's plastic. It gets worn, and stuck in the safe position. It's a cheap fix, but it's cheap enough to wonder why Mossberg still hasn't fixed it themselves.