thoughts on the bps?

My wife uses a youth model BPS 20ga and it is a good shotgun. However in some duck hunting situations you would be better served with a 12ga.

My best buddy has been using a BPS Stalker (black) for waterfowl for over 20 years with zero issues. I prefer the ergonomics of the Remingtons, but ever since he got this gun he hasn't even looked at anything else. It is undoubtedly an excellent firearm.

The Browning BPS has been a classic for a lot of years. Mine has been great. I especially appreciate the bottom eject when hunting next to other people. The hulls drop right at your feet for retrieval.

I own a bps in 20ga thats gorgeous and a dream to shoot skeet all day with but Im thinking of getting the 12ga black syn version for ducks, any bps fans out there? im considering either that or saving for the benelli sbeII

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I'm a huge fan of the BPS, but never owned one. I shoot a poor man's BPS.......Mossbergs. Well, nothing in common, but the tang safety. I'm a lefty and I love the BPS's ambidextrous qualities. It''s also a danged well built shotgun with superior ergos. My buddy got a BPS 10 for goose hunting, awesome. I am envious.

I never owned a Benelli, can't comment.

I've owned a BPS for years and love it.It seems to fit me better than several other shotguns I own,and I can hit birds better with it.The bottom eject and magazine cut off are great features.Mine is the original model with the high gloss finish,so I tape it up for duck hunting.

I forgot to add... My BPS has the best blue finish of any shotgun I own including guns that I paid more money for at the time.

Three of them live at my house: A Hi-cap with synthetic furniture, a 28" field grade with screw-in chokes, and a sabot gun with a 20" rifled barrel and picatinny cantilever. All are in 12ga.

I'm a lefty who's right eyed, but I still prefer the bottom eject guns. My BPSs have all performed flawlessly and are built like tanks. The aesthetic advantage of not having an ejection port in the side of the receiver is just gravy, but who doesn't like gravy? I don't disassemble them in spite of the YouTubers who boast about how quickly it can be done. Barrels come off for cleaning but no more.

They have the slickest actions of any pumps that I've shot (not that my knowledge is extensive). I really envy my friend because he has a nice one.

While the BPS is my favorite pump shotgun and feels better than nearly any shotgun I've fired, I had some serious issues taking one apart after it was soaked in a storm. After a 3 hour drive home from the dove field, the internals showed signs of rust and the action felt rough. Despite everything I read, I decided to take it apart... and couldn't figure out how to put it back together. I consider myself fairly mechanically inclined but I ended up driving it to a Browning service center. After 2 weeks and $70 dollars the gun was ready to pick up. To my surprise the refinished the receiver "free" of charge and cleaned it thoroughly. Overall the experience was positive but I can't really recommend the gun for duty in mud and rain. That being said it remains my only shotgun and it serves its purpose well. However, if I were to buy a shotgun specifically for waterfowl I'd look to a cheap mossberg or remington despite the inferior quality and ergonomics.

HB

I love mine. I bought it some time around 1980. Mine has a scar from a duck hunt. I am a righthander but my best friend at the time was a lefty. I liked the gun & figured he could shoot it too. He normally shot his dad's right hand Rem 1100 with no problem. Rem 1100 is another great gun.

If you decide to take it apart, a couple of 0.002" shims work perfectly for me for shoehorning the trigger group back into the receiver with the shell latches in place. Now you know why Remington stakes theirs in.
I had three BPSs and not one ever missed a beat, thru hell and high water, but I never came close to growing to love having to load every shell thru the magazine.

Although I have never used one they have been made for quite long time (late 70s if I recall correctly) so they must be ok. Those are often referred to as poor mans Ithaca 37.

I own both the Browning BPS and the Ithaca 37.

For carrying through the woods quail hunting for hours, the lighter weight 37 is easier. The trade off is more kick from the lighter weight gun.

For shooting several rounds of trap, I shoot the BPS. It is easier on my shoulder at the end of the day.

Hot or magnum hunting loads call for the heavier BPS. Again, easier on my shoulder!

I love both shotguns, Silky smooth and reliable.

I really like my BPS for balance and utter reliability. Mine has a slicker action than any Mossberg or 870 I've used, but don't know if that is typical. The bottom eject works for me since I know where the hulls will end up. Along with my old SxS guns and black powder shotguns, I feel well equipped for smoothbores.

Jeff

I have 2 12's and a 10. Be careful, they can be addictive.

I have a pair of BPS's ...both Hunter models - 28" barrels - one in 12ga one in 20ga....bought them in the 70's and they've been thru 2 boys - and a number of grandkids at this point.

In my opinion....
a. smooth action...
b. safety on top of the tang - easy to reach even with gloves on
c. bottom ejection is a plus ...( spent shells don't hit guys next to you in a duck blind), etc...

They aren't my primary guns anymore ...but if I want to shoot a pump ...its a gun I'd buy again.

The BPS is a great shotgun, but like all of Brownings blued shotguns if you look at them sideways they rust. I have waxed the exterior of all of the Brownings I have owned and that seems to work great for the waterfowling or any field hunting for that matter. Johnsons paste floor wax does the trick nicely. I also coat the wood and make sure to give an extra coat to the checkered areas. A tooth brush will clean up any excess after season is over.

The BPS is the best new pump shotgun available today.
Most of my pump guns are .410's. I think the BPS is superior
to my Wingmaster LW and serious competition for my Model 42.
The 42 is slicker shucking, but then it's 25 years older too. The
BPS is heavier than the others. Since I shoot targets, that's not a
bad thing.

I really enjoy shooting skeet with it. I love that I pick
up four empties right in front of me for each round and
don't have to walk in front of the low house to chase the
empty from L7. I eject all the others into my hand. Okay,
I drop some once in a while too.

P.S., I don't load the first shell into the magazine. The first one is
loaded from underneath. Then I close the action. Of course,
the second shell goes into the magazine.

P.S., I don't load the first shell into the magazine. The first one is
loaded from underneath. Then I close the action. Of course,
the second shell goes into the magazine.

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Yeah? Try doing that fast when a goose is leaving the decoys.

I love mine (a 20" Upland Special 12 GA.) It is my only shotgun, but I've shot 870s, 500s, M37s, and others.

I think it is one of the best bargains out there right now. The machine work, fit and finish, bluing, and wood furniture is second to none. A comparably finished 870 Wingmaster or M37 sells for almost twice what a BPS sells for in my neck of the woods.

It also has the smoothest and slickest action of anything this side of a Winchester 1300. I really like it for clay shooting because working the action and repeat shots are fast.

The ergos are what I prefer (tang safety and slide release to the rear left of the trigger guard.) The ergos are not quite as good as a Mossberg 500; with the 500, the slide release lever is longer and extends just below the edge of the trigger guard. This means I can actuate it with the first knuckle of my right middle finger without breaking cheekweld. The BPS lever is shorter and requires contorting the hand a bit or actuating with the thumb. That is my only complaint.

I have not taken mine apart yet, so I can't comment on the difficulty of reassembly.

I think dropping another shell straight into the action of a BPS ...as you rotate the gun upside down..and drop it in...can be done just as fast as any side ejecting pump gun....

....( if you've done it several thousand times )....its just muscle memory ...and 2nd nature to some of us that have shot the BPS for the past 35 yrs ....

but everybody should buy - and shoot whatever they like ...

single stack said:

The BPS is the best new pump shotgun available today.
Most of my pump guns are .410's. I think the BPS is superior
to my Wingmaster LW and serious competition for my Model 42.
The 42 is slicker shucking, but then it's 25 years older too. The
BPS is heavier than the others. Since I shoot targets, that's not a
bad thing.

I really enjoy shooting skeet with it. I love that I pick
up four empties right in front of me for each round and
don't have to walk in front of the low house to chase the
empty from L7. I eject all the others into my hand. Okay,
I drop some once in a while too.

P.S., I don't load the first shell into the magazine. The first one is
loaded from underneath. Then I close the action. Of course,
the second shell goes into the magazine.

Click to expand...

The new made in Ohio Ithaca 37 is far superior to any BPS. What is remarkable is the design goes back to JMB and Remington 17.

BullRunBear said:

I really like my BPS for balance and utter reliability. Mine has a slicker action than any Mossberg or 870 I've used, but don't know if that is typical. The bottom eject works for me since I know where the hulls will end up. Along with my old SxS guns and black powder shotguns, I feel well equipped for smoothbores.

Jeff

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The BPS had mediocre balance. In fact it's just small notch above Remington 870 Express. The only thing I would use PBS is 10ga or 12ga mag for fowling or turkey hunting. In terms of handling ease Modern 3" Wingmaster with LIGHT Contour VR Rem-choked barrel is far superior to BPS too. It's the only gun good enough to compete with new Ithaca 37 pump.