There's another reason auto-loaders get disrespected: Many folks who get a pump gun, for economic reasons, as an introduction to shotgunning find they really enjoy wing shooting. In the field or at the range, they will come in contact with a variety of guns. A lot of pump shooters will try and prefer a SxS or O/U. So, when it come time to upgrade, they skip the semi-auto and go directly to a double gun. I followed that route as did many of my shooting buddies. I had 4 or 5 O/Us before I got my first auto-loader.
Low-Tech Love
- Thread starter Bella
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Technosavant
New member
IMO, semiautos took over in pistols for a reason not quite as relevant in rifles and not relevant at all for shotguns- speed of reload. Going from a S&W model 19 to a Glock 17 takes you from 6 rounds and a cumbersome reload to 17 rounds and a fast reload.
In rifles, it seems that going to semiauto had more to do with volume of fire- while the semiauto detachable magazine rifles picked up a significant boost in magazine capacity and reload speed to the stripper clip fed bolt actions, the amount of firepower a squad could lay down increased rather dramatically by firing as fast as the shooters could pull the trigger.
With shotguns, volume of fire doesn't mean squat. The magazine is usually identical to a pump- tube fed and identical capacity. It takes no more time to load a pump as it does a semiauto (unless you have a relatively rare box magazine fed shotgun). You hold no more ammo in a semiauto than in a pump gun. The pump gun has a slight edge in reliability (or a big one if you don't like cleaning), a big edge in price, but a slight disadvantage in recoil absorption.
So without a clear-cut benefit (and the benefits to pistol and rifle semiautos is primarily in defensive situations), manually operated pump guns continue to remain popular.
In rifles, it seems that going to semiauto had more to do with volume of fire- while the semiauto detachable magazine rifles picked up a significant boost in magazine capacity and reload speed to the stripper clip fed bolt actions, the amount of firepower a squad could lay down increased rather dramatically by firing as fast as the shooters could pull the trigger.
With shotguns, volume of fire doesn't mean squat. The magazine is usually identical to a pump- tube fed and identical capacity. It takes no more time to load a pump as it does a semiauto (unless you have a relatively rare box magazine fed shotgun). You hold no more ammo in a semiauto than in a pump gun. The pump gun has a slight edge in reliability (or a big one if you don't like cleaning), a big edge in price, but a slight disadvantage in recoil absorption.
So without a clear-cut benefit (and the benefits to pistol and rifle semiautos is primarily in defensive situations), manually operated pump guns continue to remain popular.
I prefer simplicity, pure and simple. I've had a weapon malfunction in a defensive scenario. It's no fun. ( Active shooter training with the local PD. We were using Simmuntion, but so what, combat is combat and stress is stress. The Glock I was using malfunctioned; the guide rod was hanging out of the lower receiver. Lol)
I know my pump is gonna get the job done unless something major happens. It's gonna load, chamber, and fire 99% of the time.
My buddy, however, is in love with his Beretta auto, and even though he's been shooting it for ten years, if he gets distracted (which happens in combat), he tends to misload, by which I mean he forgets to hit the button or chamber or whatever. Maybe it's just him, maybe it's the complexity of the auto.
My pump is simple, and that's what I like about it.
I know my pump is gonna get the job done unless something major happens. It's gonna load, chamber, and fire 99% of the time.
My buddy, however, is in love with his Beretta auto, and even though he's been shooting it for ten years, if he gets distracted (which happens in combat), he tends to misload, by which I mean he forgets to hit the button or chamber or whatever. Maybe it's just him, maybe it's the complexity of the auto.
My pump is simple, and that's what I like about it.
oneounceload
Moderator
And a SxS or O/U is even more fool proof - no short-shucking under stress
Exactly, although I'd rather not reload until Round Number 5 instead of Round Number 2, assuming I get that many.
I know, I know. "Just hit him with the first round." well, I live alone on fifty acres, so no worries about collateral damage from some good ol' suppressive fire
I know, I know. "Just hit him with the first round." well, I live alone on fifty acres, so no worries about collateral damage from some good ol' suppressive fire
oneounceload
Moderator
Except the deep growl of a German Shepherd, Rottweiler or similar.........or course then you have that brown mess to clean up after they dive out of the windows........
