Why do people prefer pump actions over semi-auto?

Pump guns are much cheaper to buy but offer no recoil reduction whatsoever unless added on like recoil pads, mercury tubes or porting...They are cheap and some are made cheaply to compete in the market place...

They are in no way deadlier or less so then any other shotgun, more intimidating, no -- I'd say a double barrel is more so; looking into two huge holes, unnerving and the fallacy of the bad guy crapping their pants or surrendering when they hear the slide racking back is preposterous, sheer lunacy and really should not be propagated further...Firstly, it should have been racked before engaging, unlike in the movies where they rack the gun three, four times before they shoot it once and secondly, it gives your position away and what your firepower is, duh!

If one is handicapped, primarily to the upper body on one side (usually left) then the gun can't be reloaded or can be but with great difficulty...whether that be bullet wounds during an engagement or the result of an accident or accident of birth matters naught...

I just don't like them, never have and never will although I do have an Ithaca Sweet Sixteen, 16 bore that I bought for the bore size not the action...I'm also recoil shy, so any reduction is appreciated...
 
Do they? Are they going to shoot it or stick it in the closet waiting for the zombies?

I've been shooting a Beretta AL390 for 15yrs, thousands of shells. No issues. Whether in a muddy half frozen river in Arkansas, a pea field in Canada, a dove field in southern AL or clays at the club it does it all from heavy 3" steel to trap loads. I know of no one in my circles that would buy a pump as a primary shooter. Maybe for those late night bumps in the dark but not for sport shooting or hunting birds.

tim
 
Funny thread, lots of opinions, even a few flames.

People own what they like best. Doesn't have to be a reason for it, it is just what they like.

You will use what you like and ignore what you do not like no matter how many of us tell it is better
 
My Experience

I have been shooting self-loading shotguns for many years. Yes, I've had some jams. I know folks that use pumps that have had their guns jam. In fact, I remember seeing some threads here about folks with pump shotguns that are having feeding troubles.

I don't buy the reliability arguement. Now, if a shooter has a preference for pump shotguns, that is another story.

If utter reliability is a concern, one should get a side-by-side or stack barrel shotgun. Granted, you only get two shots, but jamming and feeding problems are very rare. I have an over and under shotgun, it has never failed to cycle.
 
Gee, I go away for a couple days and look what you get into....

Seriously, there's more ways than mine, but here's my take.

And no greater fan of pumps has ever dropped a triple on a true covey flush....

I've shot pumps since Ike was Prez.

The combination of reliability, durability, cost and versatility is hard to beat.

However, I HAVE shot other types, and my Beretta O/U gets more exercise these days than my pumps.

The only auto I ever owned was a Model 11. While reliable,it fit me not. It does fit one of my many first and second cousins, and he cherishes it.

I have handled and shot ....

SX1s and 2s,

Browning Golds.

Auto 5s and 2000s.

51s.

11-48s, 58s, and I tended an early 1100 when its owner had to go out of the country for a couple years. 28" barrel, Mod choke, and a slip on pad made it fit me well. I didn't shoot it heavily out of respect for my friend but I did do better than expected on SC targets the one time I took it sporting.

303s, 390s, 391s, etc.

Al-48s.

50s, 59s, 1400s and so on.

And it the truth be told., I LIKED most of them.

However, 870s have in my hands......

Followed the lines of various speeding game critters and birds and helped me "Reduce them to possession" for a half century with pleasing regularity.

Put at least 30 deer on the table here and helped feed the hungry elsewhere.

Eliminated pests, controlled starlings and even landfill rats.

Provided a means of defense that was as reliable as anything made by man.

And in Venice, Ca, in the 1970s, helped me convince two "Socio-economically disadvantaged youths" that breaking into my apartment in the wee smalls was not only illegal but darn stupid.

As for the short stroking thing, in a lifetime of use extending over a half century and maybe 100K rounds, I did it once on a pair of clays. A failure rate of .001% seems acceptable.

As for the auto/pump debate. my view's to use what you want, but

know how to run it.....
 
Just preference. My hunting rifles are Model '92s and '94s. My carry gun is a Colt SAA. With shotguns, I've pried myself out of the 1800s and use several Wingmasters - the newest of which is 40 years old. I have a lot of other guns, but those are the ones I go to most often - the ones I prefer.

DC
 
I have both.

I like autos better, but I got a pump for HD because racking the slide is supposed to be a very good warning to a potential opponent that they have stepped into the wrong house.
 
"And no greater fan of pumps has ever dropped a triple on a true covey flush....

I've shot pumps since Ike was Prez."


That was about the time my father, who is now 87, dropped 2 flying turkeys with 2 shots from a Winchester Model 12 20 ga. He said it was the two fastest shots he ever made because the birds would have been into the apple orchard and gone if he'd blinked once. Hi-brass #6 and practice. Up until a couple of years ago he could still outshoot me. Oh well.

John
 
I like autos better, but I got a pump for HD because racking the slide is supposed to be a very good warning to a potential opponent that they have stepped into the wrong house.
Click to expand...

Won't be any warning if somebody comes in my house. If they've got good hearing they might hear a faint click before all holy hell breaks loose in their world.
 
I've owned both. I prefer semi's, but don't own any right now, just a couple of pump guns. Mostly because they're cheaper. They're nothing fancy. One Mossberg 500 20, and a couple of old Sears Roebuck 12's.

I've had a pump jam on me once. I short shucked it, so it's an operator malfunction, not a gun failure.

I had three Remington 1100's at one time. Two standards and a magnum. I can't remember a single jam with any of the three. Killed a lot of doves and a few deer with them. They are a lot softer shooting, especially the magnum, but since I mostly use a shotgun for deer hunting, that's not really a big issue. For dove hunting it was.

I'd like to get another one, one day, but probably won't. The pump guns I've got will take care of my shotgunning needs.
 
I grew up shooting pump shotguns, it is what I'm used to. The only thing I used shotguns for anymore is home defense and a have a few in various places. I can pick one up in the middle of the night and operate it without having to concentrate on the gun.
A semi auto might have advantages over a pump for someone starting out or with the inclination to learn it. I don't feel like spending the time and money to rearm and relearn my shotgun techniques.
 
GREAT question.

I like pump shotguns because they are the quintessential American shotgun. Yes, there were slide action rifles in Europe before there were slide action shotguns in America. But from the Spencer pump (1883), to the Burgess (about 1885), to Browning's legendary Winchester Model 1893/1897, to Browning's much underappreciated (these days) Stevens Model 520/620 (first marketed in 1904), to the whole family of Remington pumps (Models 10, 17, 29, 31 and 870), Winchester Model 12, Ithaca Model 37, High Standard Flite King- the pump shotgun has been America's utility gun. It is the sporting gun of the ordinary working man who likes to hunt or bust clay pigeons. It's been the sidekick of the American serviceman since before the turn of the previous century. American lawmen have depended on them for generations.

They are common as dirt, unremarkable in almost every legal jurisdiction no matter how hoplophobic, inexpensive, reasonably easy to master, dependable and very capable in the defensive role in qualified hands. There's no better or more versatile firearms investment than a good pump shotgun with a spare barrel or two and a few accessories.

Pump shotguns are as American as red, white and blue. And I like 'em!

lpl
 
Last edited:
"A real man has a single shot shotgun"

I'm Not a "real man" but I have enjoyed teaching my son to shoot both of my single shot 12 guage shotguns. I figure the best way to learn is at home and at an early age. We also shoot .50 TC Muzzleloader, the AK-47, .22lr and just got a new 9mm Hi-Point to change it up a little bit. Haven't gotten brave enough/stupid enough to try shooting the Mosin Nagant at home though. :eek: Working here, I also get to shoot a lot of guns I wouldn't want my son to shoot yet. lol Geri @ Cope's
 
I just ordered a pump action shotgun with a detachable magazine. I remember during my firearms training course, that they had guns with all the different types of actions (lever, break, bolt, pump and semi automatic). The most fun by far was the pump action shotgun. There's just something very satisfying about pumping the action on these guns that makes them so popular. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top