Ustwo: If you haven't purchased your shotgun yet I heartily suggest checking out the Benelli Nova Pump. A couple years ago I decided to replace my Mossberg defender with an 870 because I remembered how much more I liked it and didn't want a "tacticool" gun anymore for when the gun grabbers came.
I walk into The Gun Room (a great shop) here in Lakewood and say, "Hi, I want a Remington 870." The guy behind the counter says, "Heh, wait till you get a load of THIS! I haven't sold an 870 since I got them in!"
Holy Crap, I see why. Superior in every way, IMO. Chamber clear feature, 3.5in magnums (as opposed to 3in), apparently better sight rail (opinion) and it even came with chokes. Parkerized and nylon instead of blued and wood. All for the same price as a bare bones 870. The weapon is more balanced and points very well.
The only "minus" is that the receiver and rear stock are integrated so you can't put tacticool grips on them. Hey, that was a bonus for me.
You can get a mercury filled recoil reducer which I have demo'd and will probably purchase eventually. Highly recommended for 3.5in magnums! Spare barrels are very expensive but they are available in the wide range shotgun enthusiasts expect. Benelli quality at Remington pricing.
http://www.benelliusa.com/firearms/novaPump.tpl
An added benefit of owning a shotgun is that you can shoot clays with them... perhaps the most fun you can have with a firearm.
I'm not going to get into the politics of this debate any more than to say, "The second ensures the first!" I can see the framers sitting around saying, "Hrm, we need freedom of expression but someone will eventually try to take it away. I've got it! Weapons!"