What's Your Favorite Pump Gun!

I’m typically a Remington. I’ve probably had 5 or 6 870’s over the years. Last year though, I picked up a Benelli Super Nova and for some weird reason I shoot it a lot better. I can’t narrow it down to one specific thing. It feels a little better, sight picture is a little better, and I can grip it a little better. I wouldn’t turn my nose at a 870 but for me, the Super Nova has become my new favorite.
 
My favorite pump shotgun is the Mossberg 500 which my Dad got for me when I was growing up. The best, probably not but my favorite, yes :)
 
1985-vintage M7600 in .338-06. Boyd’s gray laminated thumbhole stock and Burris 2x7 scope, with modded forend to eliminate rattles. It’s taken numerous Alaskan and Texas game (deer and hogs) over the past 35 years.


.
 
Slow down hill race to the bottom ? What is it now - 11 million or so 870s sold ? Damn, that race to the bottom is still going on, ain't it ? I've owned them all, even a model 10, 17, and 31s before the 870. Let's see, Rudy Etchen, a trap shooting hall of famer, shot perfect 100s at doubles 50 years apart with the same 870. I have em in Wingmaster and the Express and the only difference is the finish. There's still plenty of trap shooters using a 870. Not so with any other pump. Well, maybe a couple of Model 12s, but not like you once did. My vote goes to the 870, hands down. A side note. When shooting SCs or DBs in trap, it doesn't matter if you're pulling back on the forearm when you fire the gun, the slide will still go back. With a 870. I'm not sure, but I don't think you can with other pumps. Maybe that's why Rudy was so lighting quick. People would line up to watch him shoot live birds or DBs trap. One time a guy ask him why he shot a 870. His reply was " when I find a better gun I'll buy two, one for me and one for you". For the OP, you foregot the most important one, a 870.
 
Last edited:
money well spent

In spring, 1980 I bought myself a new Rem 870 Magnum, 12 ga. Screw in chokes were yet in the future (for Remington), and you could still buy paper shotshells in some places. If I recall correctly, I paid $286+ dollars for it, and it came equipped with a 30" vent rib full choke barrel. I bought a 26" IC barrel that fall, and a bit later a 26" full choke barrel as well, and traded the great honkin' 30 incher away. Even later I acquired a 20" rifle sighted barrel with Rem-Choke, and to it attached a super full turkey turkey tube, along with a very early synthetic stock and forearm set. It was and still is my primary hunting shotgun, though I have some others now.

The bluing is worn away at the junction of the barrel and magtube with the receiver, where one carries in convenient trail manner. Appearance/wear wise, the gun now resembles one of the old guns my granddads or great uncles would have carried. Now that I think of it, I guess I'm about that age. I've taken to painting it for gobbler season and just leave the coats of paint build up. It has been shot, loaded and unloaded enough that I had to replace the carrier assembly, (rivet failed) and installed a new carrier dog spring as well at the same time. I never kept a round count, and would not try and even guess. It's not as high as a clay bird gun, but for a hunter, it's seen a lot of shooting and even more carry, over the course of 40 years. (geez?). The walnut stock set is stashed in my den, as are the matching 26" tubes, none of which look too bad. In its class A dress uniform, it still looks good, but as I noted, it just stays painted these days.

It seemed a lot of money (and was) for a buck ranger with only seasonal employment back then but now I realize 'twas money well spent!
 
I bought my first Wingmaster, a 12 Gauge Magnum, in the fall of 1974 when I took up goose hunting. 30" Full choke. I killed two geese with the first two shots I ever fired out of it, the next morning, and without any cleaning. Ah, the good old days. I shot that gun better than any other gun I have ever owned. In a blinding flash of stupidity I sold it in 1981 after I started hunting out of a cramped floating blind and short shucked it a couple of times. I realized the error of my ways and 6 870s later I got a like new 1976 model similarly configured and figured that was as close as I was going to get. I still use it for waterfowl on occasion, with a light contour barrel and an improved modified choke tube and it performs excellently.
I had 3 BPSs and they never missed a beat, but I could never grow to love that bottom only loading. An Ithaca 37 just never felt right.
 
I'm in agreement here with Virginian. My '75 Wingmaster in 20 ga is my absolute favorite pump shotgun. Butter smooth. I've taken it on more upland hunts than I can count. The 37's aren't bad, just ain't a Wingmaster. No history with an Express.
 
For me its an odd one. A Smith and Wesson 916 my Dad gave me years ago. 18" barrel, factory long capacity tube. That shotgun has cleared out entire rabbit populations and even a few deer. Not fancy, not pretty, pretty much a truck gun, but it handles very well, butter smooth. Rough around the edges but I'd rather carry that than a tacticool'd 870 with Wilson ghost ring tritium sights on it.

Those Smith 916's rock.
 
Let’s face it: all of the old standbys mentioned are very good guns. My favorite, however, is the Ithaca 37. What a dandy gun.
 
870 Marine Magnum. Great shotgun, though I'm not much of a shotgun guy. The only thing I don't care for is that its quite heavy. Still a great shotgun.

--Wag--
 
20 gauge 870 laminated, maybe the most versatile gun there is, I have a three barrel set, 26" remchoke with imp cyl,modified and super full turkey chokes, 21" rifled barrel and 18" rem-choked home defense barrel.
Here it's dressed for turkey hunting with scope, sling and cartridge holder.
 
I just reread this thread. Makes me want to go buy another shotgun.
One thing that makes me shake my head, though, concerns the Ithaca 37 (my own fav.) It is mentioned a lot...a lot. Why did it go out of production?
 
It's not out of production. It has become a limited production gun, with
a high price. What you pay for a new Ithaca, one can buy several guns in the $188
price range when on sale.
Todays younger shooters are looking for something that goes bang.
Quality, workmanship, and nice wood are secondary now.
Remember if it's cheap and can be converted to 10 round shooters, thats what
counts now, sadly!!
 
Not that many ever loved the 37. Threads like this bring them out of the woodwork, drooling about "all machined parts." Their sales numbers were always way behind Winchester, Remington, and Mossberg even back when they were price comparable. There's nothing bad wrong with them, but most people prefer a side eject, save for lefties.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top