Lefty 870 or BPS?

I teach hunter education classes here in Washington. I am the range master for our live fire. We have Browning BPS 20 gauges. In 6 years I have not had a single problem. We use them because they are ambidextrous. All of our students have been able to operate them reliably. Excellent shotguns IMO. I believe you should spend some time handling both models side by side and take your time deciding. It will be your gun for a long time, it should be the one that you like not the one any of us likes.
 
The other thing to remember is if you ever need to sell it (may not be likely but still a consideration) it would be a lot easier to sell an ambidexterous BPS than a lefty only 870.

I have had my BPS for 25-30 years and never regretted buying it.
 
I am a huge 870 fan, have been using them ever since I graduated from a single shot .410 to a .410 870 30 yrs. ago. I even have an older Express that has functioned perfectly. All that being said, I don't think I would buy a new Express, too many bad accounts on them. The Wingmaster is a different story but it is also twice as much. The BPS is more complicated than the 870 which is a drawback to me but I would probably get one of them if I were buying new. What I really would do is find an older 870.
 
I am an 870 guy. They run smoothly right out of box and (if you're into it) they have alot of aftermarket parts available. The Browning is a fine shotgun too. However, I just like how "natural" the 870s feel to me. The safety location is really not an issue. You will get used to it after literally one day of use. Since this is going to be a sporting gun, you may want to buy the Wingmaster version. Either way, I think the 870 in whatever version you pick is one of the nicest shotguns you can buy for the money.
 
I am warned frequently about the ills of the 870 Express. You have to be willing to tinker with them if need be. Out of the 5 have owned, one required tinkering. The action bars were bent and out of sync on one. I fixed it myself.

All required my Rem Oil Spray treatment. All required that I paid attention to keeping the trigger group clean. If you do not, the slide release will start to get sticky and jam.

On one I owned, I had to break it in before the spent hulls would quit sticking in the chamber. The 12 gauge 3.5" I owned did this with the first 50 3.5" magnums I ran through it.

The Benelli Nova as is without the mercury recoil reducer is unbearable for me with 12 gauge 3-1/2" steel shot. Recoil on the Browning is fine.

The others have never done it. I will say the 870 3.5" kicks less than a lot of 12 gauge 3" semi autos-----I don't know how they do it but it is true.

I have two right now and both were made within the last 18 months. The machining is not as good on the top of the receiver. The fit and parkerizing and the rib on the barrel is better.
 
Tough Call

I'll give you the short answer: As much as I love my 870 (although it's a righty that I shoot left handed) I would choose the BPS hands down.


To expand (and I haven't read any of the other posts)

I can say this with authority because I went through the same dilemma when I was purchasing my wife a shotgun. I don't remember what predicated looking into the BPS, but it was something about bottom ejection and ease of use for LH and RH shooters.

I really like that the spent hulls go straight down at your feet. I do think that the flexibility of the 870 as far as loading, accessories has something going for it.

I will agree that the BPS is indeed more finished than the 870 express. My wife's is in 20 ga and has cut checking (as opposed to the stamped 870) that was really pokey when we first got it). Being a field gun I prefer matte barrels, but it came with a shiny blue, which I can live with. I actually prefer the Parkerized finish of the 870, but that's just me. IRRC the barrel is overbored on the BPS for better patterns.

I know how to take down my 870 blindfolded and I don't think that it's too difficult, nor have I had any problems mechanically with it (except when I forgot to clean the firing pin channel and was getting light strikes). It's my go-to duck gun and has seen plenty of abuse (as well as a couple of stock refinishes. On the other hand, I have never completely disassembled my wife's BPS, usually because it gets so little use and spends most of her time on a rack in her closet as her HD gun. From the outside looking in it seems that the 870 is easier to fully dissassemble.

As much as I love the 870 and the sentimental value it holds if I was in the market for another pump shotgun the BPS would be the front runner. For grins you might look at Ithaca Shotguns, from what I remember the Browning design is nearly identical to those guns.
 
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