The best pump shotgun

[jaguarxk120]

Randy, if you send your trigger group in for mod's,
please make sure you will get your original parts back!

[Fishman]

The Ithaca 37's in the featherlights are good for the weights. They are the lightest pump actions I know of. Besides that, there are good reasons they are just about gone from memory. I'm a lefty, and the model 37 is one of the worst pump actions for left handers there is. The safety is in a horrible spot, and the slide release isn't that much better. It's a bottom eject, and port loading is not possible. I'd like a featherlight in 16 gauge, but other than that, they don't have a lot going for them.

The Remington 870 has a great track record, and a long one at that. There's upgrades to over come their deficiencies like the poor safety placement, and smaller magazines. Not much can be done about the shell lifter though, and if you ever have a shell get under there, you are SOL. I've seen it happen multiple times.

The Mossberg 500 also has a great track record, and fairly long. The safety is in a great place, the slide release is in a great place. There's really no way to jam one bad to where you need to take it apart like you do an 870. They are reasonably easy to load quickly, have a decent magazine capacity, especially for the 590 variant. You can use stock shims to adjust fit. You can't do that on an 870. There's really not a lot I can think of wrong with the 500's. A more streamlined loading port for quickly loading is about all I can imagine. Maybe a one-piece trigger group for tool-less disassembly.

The Benelli Nova has two things going for it. The first is that it is by far the easiest gun to disassemble that I have experienced. No tools at all, you use the mag cap to push two action pins out, and that's it. The trigger group is one-piece, the bolt another. The other thing the Nova has is that it is by far the easiest to load quickly. The 3 1/2" action is long, but this allows large loading and ejection ports. Also the trigger group, and shell lifter are designed to funnel shells right into the magazine. The guys who load quickly like 3-gun shooters all agree the Nova is the easiest pump action to load. The super nova is the same thing, but has a removable butt stock. I'm not really sure why they use a polymer coated frame. Everything else on the gun is steel, including the frame itself. I think the Nova could be improved by using an aluminum frame, not that the Nova is bulky, but it doesn't look all that great. It looks like burnt marshmallow. The safety position of the Nova isn't bad, not my first choice, but better than a Ithaca or Remington. The magazine capacity is pretty bad, only holding 4. Magazine extensions exist, although everything Benelli is expensive. The rotating bolt is unique for shotguns, but does nothing good or bad for the design.

The Winchester 12 I have little experience with. The slide release is in a great spot. The safety is in front of the trigger guard, which I normally don't mind, but the model 12 is tucked up so tight that you barely get any purchase. As a left hander, it is very bad. The shell lifter is the goofiest setup I've ever seen, a shell pops out of the magazine, and topping off is that much harder. It's basically a clays competition gun, I would never choose one for anything else. Even for hunting, the model 97 is superior. That all sounds bad, but that's only my experience, and the model 12 obviously has the trophies to show it is the sport shooting king.

The Winchester 1897 I think is vastly underappreciated. Everyone is always looking at the hammer, but that is such a non-issue. Maybe it's because I was raised on hammer guns. It's old school, half cock is your safety. I love an exposed hammer as much as I love a tang safety. Especially for new shooters, I can visually tell the state the gun is in. What the 1897 brings to the table is a super trim frame and a giant ejection port. This is one area the Mossberg 500 could improve is to have a giant ejection port like this. The shell lifter also doubles as the locking bolt, which is a unique design, but it works really well. The shell lifter is shaped to make loading very easy. The trigger guard is the only thing keeping it from being as good as the Benelli Nova. Port loading this is a dream come true. The capacity is decent, holding 6 in the magazine, which is good even by todays standards, but it can not be extended beyond that. Both the model 12 and model 97 share a similar barrel setup, which is very rugged, but is outdated today. Some complain about the weight, and I have no idea why. My Mossberg 500 with 30" barrel weighs 7 pounds 13 ounces. My Winchester 97 with 30" barrel weighs 7 pounds 15 ounces. Put different stocks on the Mossberg, and they would probably be the same. Unloading the 97 is kind of fun, you can push the two buttons, and the magazine empties. The biggest detriment to the 97 is the slide release. Fine for a right hander, a little harder left hand. I have big hands, and I've never even been close to being touched by the bolt coming back, but sometimes people say it happens. That's the price of a super trim and slim frame. The only real knock I can think of is that the action is stiffer than a modern design. That heavy shell lifter/bolt lock combined with the hammer cocking make it feel heavy at first, then silky smooth. It's a unique feel, but not something I'd prefer for fast shooting.

The Browning BPS is a little different. It's a hunting gun through and through, but not a cheap one. The safety is in a great spot. The slide release is ok, but not great. Fine for a hunting gun. It's a bottom eject, so port loading is impossible. The loading port is ok, about like a Mossberg 500. The magazine holds 5, which is average. I've shot both a 12 and 10 gauge version, and never witnessed an issue. The action is nice and smooth. The design seems to have changed slightly. Browning currently lists the 12 gauge at 7 pounds 12 ounces. This was not always the case. The 12 gauge I shot is likely from the 90's, and was the 10 gauge frame. It is about 10 1/2 pounds. This might sound dumb, but it isn't for a waterfowl gun. I'll argue the Browning BPS is the best pump waterfowl gun ever made due to the weight. Along with that the 10 gauge version is the same weight, which is quite trim as far as 10 gauges go. Lighter than any semi-auto, with the exception of the gold-10 light.

There's a whole bunch of different ones today, but mostly they are a clone of an 870 or 500. As far as I'm concerned, the Nova is the last pump to come to market that actually did something different, and that must have been 1996-98 somewhere in there.

I agree with everything you said about the Benelli Nova. It does handle like a 2x4, but it is a well engineered gun, and for whatever reason I shoot it well. The ease of disassembly is really nice. And it will shoot some ridiculously powerful ammo all the way down to the wimpiest loads.

[megasupermagnum]

I agree with everything you said about the Benelli Nova. It does handle like a 2x4, but it is a well engineered gun, and for whatever reason I shoot it well. The ease of disassembly is really nice. And it will shoot some ridiculously powerful ammo all the way down to the wimpiest loads.

I wouldn't quite describe the Nova handling like that. The Benelli Nova is the first shotgun I ever bought with my own money. It is one gun that will never leave me. I hunted with it exclusively for a long time. Today I would never buy one, the Super nova is better, and I have no idea why the Nova was ever made without a removable stock to begin with. I have never looked, but I would imagine you can buy shims like the Benelli SBE's to adjust fit. The overall feel of the gun is not much different from an 870 or 500. I have shot some ridiculously powerful ammo, too many 3 1/2"ers. One problem I found with the Nova design is that if you don't have a good hand on the pump, it will eject the round so fast under recoil that it will not send out the next round from the magazine. I believe all pump actions are capable of this, I've definitely had it happen with the Mossberg's, but the Nova in particular is the most prone to it. It is only a theory, but I believe what happens is the slide comes back so fast that it hits the shell stop, then the cartridge interrupter before the shell has even moved. The more recoil you have, the more this will become an issue, especially late season when you have gloves on. So in that sense, I don't think the Nova "handles" super strong loads all that well. No better than a Mossberg 535 anyway, and seemingly worse. The 3 1/2" 12 gauge is kind of ridiculous anyway. I just don't shoot them anymore.

[Fishman]

I've not experienced that but I generally shoot the heavies in the Nova I rigged up with a Benelli recoil reducer. It helps with the recoil, but not with the handling. I have another as a backup I like it so much. My first gun was a Mossberg 500, and it has accounted for all manner of animals, mostly ducks and geese.

Best handling pump gun I own is a Remington 870 special field. It has a shortened mag tube and a 21" barrel (as I recall). It's not much use in a duck blind though due to the muzzle blast. It is a fairy wand compared to the Nova.

I think with shotguns the one you shoot the best is the one you shoot the most.

[35 Rem]

I'd have to choose the Ithaca 37. That was my 1st shotgun. Got it new with my High School graduation money back in 1978. I looked at all the other pump guns at the time and the light weight slick action and short receiver won me over. I also own a Mossberg 500, Maverick 88 and Browning BPS. I want to like the BPS being that it's also a bottom eject gun like the Ithaca but the extra size and weight make the two guns nothing alike in actual hunting. My Mossbergs are purely home defense guns so they really aren't in the running for a "favorite". When my Ithaca was new it was amazingly slick and the only other pump gun I've ever felt that compared are some old Model 12's. Now my Ithaca 37 story isn't without a negative though. While I loved how the guns carry, shoot, look and feel I have had several issues with mine. For many years I kept every primer box I ever loaded so I knew exactly how many shells my Model 37 had fired. Somewhere around 12,000 or thereabout, the forend rod pin sheared off from the forend tube. I took it to the local gun shop and they barazed it back on for me rather than putting new pins in it. It never felt as slick again after that but still felt as good or better than most other brand pumps so i was happy. I ended up shooting that gun until somewhee around 16,000 or maybe 18,000 shells were fired through it. Along the way the extractor springs had to be swapped out which isn't unexpected for that much use. Also the pin in the slide that connects the forend rod to the slide broke and had to be replaced. The vent rib broke into through the pin hole on the rear post that holds it to the barrel. About 3/8" fel off the rear of the vent rib. Also the little red front sight fiber came out of the front site along the way. About the time I had reached this point I had a chance to buy a Model 37 T from a friend and I jumped at it. In spite of the gun being called a "Trap gun" it really wasn't much different than a standard model 37 except that it had nicer wood and a brass front bead rather than the "fiber optic" sight along with a middle bead. I pretty much switched over to shooting it from that time forward and so far have had zero breakages. But then I probably fired less than 10,000 shots in this gun since my shotgunning opportunities slowed way down over the years. I hear people say that you can't single load an Ithaca 37 but that's not true. I shot trap with mine every week for years and it's easy once you get used to it. All you have to do is pump the slide back, lift the shell up against the bottom of the follower and use the other hand to ease the slide forward. Remember the follower has to pass the bolt every shot anyhow so the shell doesn't have to be on top of it when loading. It's easy to do without even looking down once you get the feel.

AT one time I was wanting to buy a Model 12 for the durability but they were always so expensive and money was always short for me in those days so I never got around to it. Now I shoot so little that I see no point in trying to get something more durable than my Ithaca's. Nothing else feels right in my hands so what good is durability if you can't shoot it?

Funny story about pump shotguns in closing. Maybe 8 or 10 years ago I got an urge to get a side by side 12 gauge and got one of the CZ Ringnecks. I liked the look, single trigger and fact that it was an extractor only gun so I could keep up with my empties. Well, I had shot pump guns exclusively for so many years that I found it absolutely impossible to make that double gun fire twice in the dove field. When a 2nd shot was required I'd jerk back firecely on the forearm and say bad words every time. My mind couldn't accept that any shotgun could fire twice by simply pulling the trigger again. I'm getting the hand of it somewhat now but still don't feel natural.

[W.R.Buchanan]

35 Rem: With as many rounds thru those guns as you've shot, I wouldn't think any other Pump Guns would have much appeal.


Just sayin'

Randy

[tacofrank]

Remington 870 12 gauge, Ithaca 37 16 ga. , and Winchester model 12, and 97 in 12 ga. In this order.
TF

[RU shooter]

Little late to this post but I’ll throw my odd duck pick in the mix . It’s a Remington 17A , It’s an old family gun from my dads uncle . Only made them in 20 ga and she’s light and shoulders wonderfully . For those unaware it’s very similar to the Ithaca 37 in form and function . Just a sweet ole gun from the early 1900’s. My very close second pic is my 20 ga win model 12

[Jedman]

Remington M 17A’s are great guns. I had one back in the 70’s that was in really rough shape but it ran smooth as silk. I used to shoot skeet with it and it was sweet shooter. I don’t know why I ever sold it ?

Jedman

[Tripplebeards]

My favorite is a wing master 870 with a 30” barrel. Wish I still had one. Traded it off for a 10 gauge browning gold years ago. I am currently down to one pump. An Ithaca deer slayer smooth bore 12 gauge. Got it last year from a buddy. Had a cracked stock like most. I repaired and refinished it. It’s a hoot to shoot when you hold down the trigger and pump away! It has the same fancy scroll work as the old wingmasters and better wood. I’d like an updated barrel with screw in choke tubes for it so I can use it for turkey hunting. I’ve won and traded off browning and Winchester pumps never pulling the triggers on them. I won a benelli super nova back in 2000’. About when they first came out. I traded it off within 5 minutes to a co worker for a NIB Beretta silver mallard and $200 out of pocket. I would have liked the new 3.5” chambering in the Nova but the bolt face looked like a caveman machined it and was loose as a goose when locked in battery. My employer got them at a discount for $199 at them time and gave them to us for a bonus. Glad I traded because the silver mallard is my favorite shotgun to date. Picked up a NIB Beretta pintail from 1987 for $300 about 10 years ago so it would have a little brother. Lol.sorry, I know this is a pump thread. I got out of the pumps at the time WI started giving extra turkey tags for the same seasons. I got busted a few times cycling the loud, loose, rattling, pump to fill the 2nd tags. A semi auto, or SxS, I just sit motionless (for the most part minus the recoil) and pull the trigger. I have three Remington 7600’s if they count! A 30-06, 35 Whelen, and 35 Rem. My goto opening day deer guns every year.

[todd9.3x57]

altho i don't own it, my friend's cousin has a winchester m97 in 12ga. i was about 13 or 14 yo when i first seen it and it was the gun to use.

my Mossberg m500 in 12ga is just a plain workhorse gun. i've killed small game, racoons, foxes and such, with it a a remington heavy game load of #6. doves were loaded with #7 1/2.

[Stick_man]

My 2 favorite pump shotguns are the Ithaca 37 and the Browning BPS. The first shotgun I ever bought was a M37 in 12ga. Loved that gun and the only issue I ever had with it was the chamber was only for 2 3/4" shells. Still killed lots of ducks with it. I bought it because of the bottom ejection port. Hunting ducks from blinds with a partner, one of us was always getting hit with the other's empty shell being ejected. The bottom eject port solved that issue. I later found myself to be an impoverished college student and ended up selling the Ithaca to a friend. A short time later, I was able to pick up a BPS with a 3" chamber and interchangeable chokes, making it a much better waterfowl gun than the Ithaca was. As finances improved (and about 20 years later), I found a 20ga M37 that would fit the bill for my upland game hunting and recreational skeet and trap shooting while being a little easier on the shoulder as I near retirement age. I love both guns and will probably hang onto both until I die. As a lefty shooter, the side ejection port guns just don't cut it for me.

[lightload]

Remington 870

[Patrick L]

The 870 is as dear to my heart as any gun can be. My first gun that was my own was my standard weight 20 gauge Wingmaster. It was a Christmas present from my dad in 1981. I have owned all 5 gauges. They are my favorite.

That said, a Model 12 is a masterpiece of machine work. I've never owned one, but someday I hope to. I do own 1 Ithaca 37, and they are a fine specimen of gun making too.



The Remington products of the post war era are simply some of the best guns this country ever made. They were very high quality, yet they were more affordable due to the production economies Remington learned to utilize during the war. Lasted till maybe the 80s, then Big Green just gave it all away. Bean counters bought the company, and lights out!

[sniper]

Remington 870, Browning BPS and Ithaca 37, in that order. All 20 gauge.

[Hays47]

Extensive use of all pump shotguns. Smoothest action has to be the model 12. Only factory made pump that fell open on its own when release button was pushed. Although I was lights out at trap with it. I could not use it for hunting. As I was forever trying to find the safety. Cut my teeth on a Remington Model 11 20 gauge . Although it was an auto. Its safety is located behind the trigger.

I can use a tang safety but still not as fast. Overall I would rate the Remington 870 the best. Had one in every gauge they ever made. They all performed and nary a problem with any of them. The 28 gauge I had at one time. Was the prettiest 870 Iever owned. The wood on it was fantasic. I found it at a K-mart on clearance and could not believe no one pounced on it before. The only shotgun I was as with as the old model 11 mentioned here. Used for grouse, rabbit and pheasant. It was deadly on all three.

[lightload]

I prefer the 870 as a sporting shotgun. Mossbergs are good too. I have had three Mossberg pumps that had defective shell latches. The company sent replacements.

[Iowa Fox]

My shotgun days are pretty slim anymore. For me the Model 12 Winchester will always have a soft spot. That's what we had at the farm when I was at home and the pheasants were thick. In 1967-69 Uncle Sam issued me a M-12 Riot to use with the 1911 that I carried.

[M-Tecs]

My shotgun days are pretty slim anymore. For me the Model 12 Winchester will always have a soft spot. That's what we had at the farm when I was at home and the pheasants were thick. In 1967-69 Uncle Sam issued me a M-12 Riot to use with the 1911 that I carried.

The Model 12 is 110 years old and the 1911 is 111 years old. Both have acquitted themselves very well over the years. While they are not state of the art they will do just fine as they have for the past 110 plus years. If the only shotgun and pistol that I could own was the Model 12 and the 1911 I would not feel under gunned or handicapped in any way.

[762 shooter]

If someone said you can only have one pump shotgun. When it breaks you can't fix it.

870 Wingmaster.

762