Can a pump guy be as good as a semiauto guy?

bcarver,

As a kid, my dad took me to an exhibiton by Herb Parsons, the famous exhibition shooter for Winchester in the 1950's, at Mather's Gun Club in Springfield, Illinois. He amazed everyone by hitting 7 hand-thrown clays before they hit the ground with his Winchester Model 12. A guy in the audience asked him why he didn't use a semi-auto. Herb's response was, "Because I'd have to wait for the semi-auto to cycle."
 
You won't see them on the winner's stand because yes, a pump gun is a drawback. However, it is not such a hindrance that one could not be a good shooter using one.
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Without a doubt. There was never any question that there are many great shooters who learned on pump guns; but, that wasn't the initial question. The OP wanted to know if, with practice, he could compete with the O/Us and auto-loaders. The simple answer is NO. If he'd asked if he could learn a great deal about shotgunning, considering the limitations of a pump gun, the answer would be a resounding YES.

Many of us old pharts got our starts with pump guns -- or even worse, with single shots and bolt actions. I like oneounceload's description of the pump as a jack-of-all trades shotgun. Then there comes a time when you realize that you've reached your potential with the pump gun, and you step up to the next level. For me it was a pump, then auto, then an intermediate level O/U then custom comp O/Us. I didn't get my first high end comp gun until I'd been shooting for over 25-years. Hopefully, if 70expreme, the OP, gets the bug it won't take him quite so long. In my case, I didn't get into serious shooting until after the kid's college was paid for. Quite honestly, quality guns and a lot of shooting are beyond the budget of most folks with a house full of young mouths to feed and clothe.
 
A pump shooter, can be as good as a shooter of any other type of shotgun.
Shotguns are just a pipe, some more expensive than others, but, still just a pipe. Pump shotguns can slow one's tempo,so one can get better target aquisition.
 
Hmmm, well I took the original post's use of the word "compete" not quite so literally as to mean "shoot competitively in clay target sports" and instead to mean "competently alongside various recreational shooters" due to his inclusion of hunting as a purpose for the gun.

As far as actual competition, likely not. But hey, it isn't to say that we'll never see a champion with a pump! The thing I like about shotguns is that a 5,000 dollar Kreighoff has no ballistic advantage over any other shotgun using the same choke. There's no replacement for practice in shotgun shooting.
 
Rudy Etchen owned lots of shotguns, up to bespoke Purdeys. He shot 870s for the most part and set a few records with them. That includes some 100 straights in trap doubles.

I love my 870s. The combination of reliability, flexibility and ergos is hard to beat. Still, on the clays range I score a little better with my O/Us. In the field on moving food, it's a wash.
 
The beretta 391 has been used to win more shootoff's, by pro shooters than any other gun. Seeing as most shootoffs are on a make-a-break field, why would they restrict themselves to only one choke???!!??
 
Pump guys can be BETTER than semi auto guys. I can shoot 4 hand thrown clays with a pump action mossberg 500 20 gauge. A lot of guys can't do that with a semi-auto 12 gauge.

Like anything, its all about practice. There's a guy at my local club that has a very nice O/U that costs $9,000. I paid $220 for my mossberg and I shoot just as well as he does. Its all about practice.
 
Patrick Flanigan set new world record of 7 hand thrown clay targets on
10-22-10 with Mossberg 500 but his current world record with a semi-auto from his old sponser using Winchester SX3 is 11 hand thrown clay targets which shows the huge advantage of a semi-auto. Also, set record of 12 shots in 1.42 seconds with same SX3. I will be interested to see if he can run the 930 at same rate as SX3 I doubt it but it would be nice to see a $600.00 gun perform as well as or better than the $1,200.00 gun.
 
I will not disagree that an o/u is a better option for the different clay disciplines... But I find myself taking pumps into the field as they are more of a challenge and they make me think... There is nothing better than dropping a bird each time you pull the trigger and cycle that action... The first time I did it with an 870 was 3 shots and 3 down birds... I get a lot of satisfaction out of doing a double with o/u or sxs but its nothing like doing a triple with a pump... I've hunted with a semi and honestly, its too easy... My 1100 with skeet choke might was well be an AAA gun with thermal tracking... Don't think for a second I don't like beating the pants off someone in the field while shooting my .410 870 while they are shooting a 12 gauge autoloader...
 
jmortimer,

Sounds like Flanigan MATCHED the record of 7 hand-thrown clays with a pump since Herb Parsons did it 60 years ago with his Model 12. However, perhaps it was the first time anyone had done it with a Mossberg 500.
 
I did not know that. It is listed as a "record" for hand thrown clay targets on Flanigan's web site. Parsons must have been great to watch as I know Flanigan is.
 
chas08 posted this Youtube video of Herb Parsons breaking 7 hand thrown targets with his model 12 on The High Road, Shotguns forum. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu9-D9KqR4k. Watching the YouTube video, it appears that Herb broke the 7 clays in a little over 2 seconds.

I think it is from the original 25 minute video entitled, The Showman Shooter that was filmed in 1954 or 1955 and may still be is available on the web site Showman Shooter. http://showmanshooter.com/
 
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