Pump Shotguns Capable of Slam Firing

You are looking for shotguns in which there is no disconnector on the trigger. Winchester 97 and Model 12's and Ithaca 37's would be a couple.

Your 870 shouldn't do it.

Savage/Stevens 520-530&620s will in addition to above listed.

Todd.

A lot of the older pre and mid 60's pumps
I've had would
The newest thing I know about personally is
my rossi pump. 22 ( Winchester copy?)
My auto 5 and m1 super 90 will both
pop off a few if they're held somewhat improperly ( not recommended- waste of ammo)

It can be a fun, and cool feature, but necessarily productive. It takes A LOT more practice to reliably hit targets fired at with the closing of the bolt than it does to fire a pump as quick as a semi. The final stop of the forearm will generally throw the barrel off target, learning to keep it on target, or knowing where hold to hit the target when it does move can be tricky.

I have a Taurus 22 mag pump rifle with slam fire feature.
There is a disconnector in slam fire pump guns.
It prevents the trigger from releasing the hammer until the bolt is closed & locked.

Slam firing looks cool in movies and im sure its been used effectively in real world situations. But its not good for the gun. Chances are the bolt isn't fully locked and that will lead to wear. Also with old worn guns you may get a out of battery fire that leads to a burst case. If your life is endagered from a mob attacking that's one thing. Otherwise I'd leave it to Hollwood. Jmho

I do not see slam fire capability as a plus at all. IMHO it's an unsafe aspect of any firearm that will do it.

DMW1116 said:

I just learned this can be a desirable quality in a shotgun. Are there common models that will do this? I'm not a shotgun guy, but I have a shotgun, an 870. Will it do that?

Click to expand...

No, it won't and it is NOT a desirable feature; too many folks wind up injuring themselves or others with that.

Scooter22 said:

Chances are the bolt isn't fully locked and that will lead to wear.

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If in good condition, the bolts on the "offenders" (the aforementioned Winchester Models 12 and 97 and the Ithaca Model 37) are locked even when "slam-fired" and I doubt that doing so adds any extra wear to the guns. Imo, the practice is not inherently unsafe, though not especially advantageous. If you don't want the gun to fire, just quit pulling the trigger.

I'm wondering if the Remington Model 31 is another pump-shotgun that can be "slam-fired"?

SwampWolf said:

If in good condition, the bolts on the "offenders" (the aforementioned Winchester Models 12 and 97 and the Ithaca Model 37) are locked even when "slam-fired". Imo, the practice is not inherently unsafe, though not especially advantageous. If you don't want the gun to fire, just quit pulling the trigger.

I'm wondering if the Remington Model 31, too, can be "slam-fired"?

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True enough of course, until somebody doesn't do exactly that and touches one off when the slide goes forward. Surprise!

Boattale said:

True enough of course, until somebody doesn't do exactly that and touches one off when the slide goes forward. Surprise!

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That’s exactly how I learned that my inherited Model 12 will fire that way... I just about punched myself in the jaw working the pump while trying to swing to the second bird in a double.

I learned real quick to lift that trigger finger just a bit after firing a shot.

I guess if you’re clearing a trench full of Huns...or a tunnel infested with VC, it would be a mighty good feature. For everyday hunting/clays? I think it’s more of a surprise waiting to happen.

Stay safe.

Stevens 520. Not the 620, I believe.

Only in the role of an actual trench gun, in a trench, can I see slam fire in a beneficial light.

Slam fire is more dangerous than it is worth. I can't think of any gun made in the last 50 years that will do it and you can get off multiple shots plenty fast without it.

The J C Higgins Model 20 is another that will slam fire. It’s Sears’ brand of what was manufacturered by High Standard. Also sold by HS as the Model 200 and Flite King (among others - see older posting at:
https://www.thefirearmsforum.com/threads/hs-model-200.93968/)

I recently picked up a Steven 520 that will slam fire. Slam firing is not intuitive if you've been raised pulling the trigger after cycling the slide. Took a bit to get the hang of it. I don't think it is inherently unsafe to slam fire, just less accurate.

Exhibition shooter Herb Parsons shot for Winchester and used a model 12. Watching some of the old video it appears he used the model 12 slam fire ability for his speed shooting. Not for everyone, but he had an exceptional skill level many don't.

Want to impress your buddies at the firing line ( or imitate your favorite movie character...). Get a shotgun that will slam fire and blaze away....

You couldn’t give me a gun that will slam fire, period. A defensive shotgun or one for attacking (no difference...) is a tool for serious
business and only in the gravest extreme as that author wrote. Here’s hoping I’m never in that situation again...

By the way, an 870 would be my first choice in a close quarters shotgun... With some training and practice it will never let you down.

If you try that foolishness with a Winchester 97 make damn sure that the thumb on your trigger hand is low enough that the bolt coming back won't bust your knuckle!

I've heard that my old 12 ga. Stevens 820B will slam fire. Hasn't been fired in years and I never tried slam firing it. After reading this thread I don't think I will ever try it. Probably just another way to waste ammo quickly.

lemaymiami said:

Want to impress your buddies at the firing line ( or imitate your favorite movie character...). Get a shotgun that will slam fire and blaze away....

You couldn’t give me a gun that will slam fire, period. A defensive shotgun or one for attacking (no difference...) is a tool for serious
business and only in the gravest extreme as that author wrote. Here’s hoping I’m never in that situation again...

By the way, an 870 would be my first choice in a close quarters shotgun... With some training and practice it will never let you down.

Click to expand...

You do realize that you don't have to slam fire a shotgun that will slamfire. You can still just pull the trigger each time. Slamfiring is fun but not necessary to make it work.

If you try that foolishness with a Winchester 97 make damn sure that the thumb on your trigger hand is low enough that the bolt coming back won't bust your knuckle!

In a slam fire capable shotgun, the disconnector will not drop the hammer until the bolt is locked and the bolt does not come back until you pull back on the pump handle.

Added: as gpb pointed out: "That's true assuming that the out of battery firing interlock is functioning correctly."

That was a big assumption on my part..

Mark Novak, "1897 Winchester Brittle Fracture", YouTube, 29 Nov 2020.

"Greg" responded to Mark that if that was his gun (Mark responded it was and he had "Greg"'s detailed write up for a follow up), it was not a purposeful slamfire that done it, but a sear issue.

"Ben Niessen" pointed out that on the '97 there is a set screw behind the trigger that controls sear/hammer engagement; if set correctly, the sear will release the hammer only when the action is 95+% closed.

A badly worn and/or out of adjustment pumpaction that will slamfire with the bolt unlocked will also fire with the bolt unlocked without slamfiring.

If there are any questions about the functional safety of a gun, get it checked and fixed.

OP: I just learned this can be a desirable quality in a shotgun.

It's a feature of some guns. It is very desirable to know if you gun has it even if you release release the trigger after every shot before racking the slide.

Carl N. Brown said
"In a slam fire capable shotgun, the disconnector will not drop the hammer until the bolt is locked and the bolt does not come back until you pull back on the pump handle."

That's true assuming that the out of battery firing interlock is functioning correctly. Unfortunately, those interlocks on old worn guns sometimes fail and allow an out of battery firing to occur. Slam firing a shotgun challenges that interlock whenever it's done. If the interlock fails, the results are bad. See the link below.

Result of out of battery firing.