Absolutely GREAT pump action shotguns.

Status
Not open for further replies.
throdgrain

throdgrain

Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
851
Location
South of London
Guys as some of you may know Im quite a fan of pump action guns. Over here in England where I live, they are about as popular as a pork sausage at a Bar Mitzvah :)

Anyway, I now own a Mossy 500 and a Rem 870. I'd consider the Benelli Nova or Supernova to also be a great gun.

Now the USA is the home of the pump action gun, no mistake about that, so my question to you all is this -


Which other pump action shotguns to you consider to be absolute classics, and worthy of adding to my collection, and why? I'm aware that Winchester made a pretty good one, and there's an Ithaca too thats worth a look, but I know no more than that.

Please enlighten me!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I dont nescessarily mean guns that are made in America, there's no doubt the Nova is made primarily for America.

The Winchester 1300 sounds interesting, I know nothing about that. The Ithaca is a copy of a Remgton model I beleive, or is that another one?
 
I have a (1958 vintage) Ithaca 37 12 ga. and a much newer BPS 20 ga.

My shotgunning career began with a SxS, so I'm fond of the thumb safety on the BPS-it's faster on flushing birds.

The 37 is now strictly for waterfowl and turkeys, where you usually have a bit more time with the safety.

The 37 is buttery smooth, and the BPS is close to that-just needs about 50,000 more shells through it :)
 
Well, the oldest has to be the Spencer, from 1883.

And among the most interesting IMHO is the Burgess Folding Police Gun of 1894- which is pumped from its pistol grip, not its forearm.

Winchester's Model 93/97 and Model 12 are classics on ANY list. So is the Ithaca 37.

The Browning-designed Stevens 520 and the later, streamlined 620 would have to go on any list of the great pumpguns worth claiming to be remotely complete, IMHO.

So would the High Standard Flite King, the gun the Mossberg 500 wanted to be when it grew up.

For sheer volume of production and wide use, the Remington 870 has to be high on any list. The older Remington pumps- Model 10, 17, 29 and 31- are less well known but had thousands of satisfied users in their day.

Mossberg's 500 and 590 have a large and loyal following, for good reasons.

And the Winchester 1200/1300/FN pumps have been solid representatives of the brand name for decades as well.

IMHO "classic" pumpguns are by definition made in the USA- no others need apply, at least for another 50 years or so :D.

lpl

ETA: See http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=195644 for some history...
 
Last edited:
You gotta have a Winchester 97'

especially if you are going for classic shotguns. I know I will probably get shot for this but the Norinco 97 clones are also very good guns. They even make a trench gun version with the heat shield like the ones used in the first world war. Original model 12s are available at decent prices.
 
Remington Model 870
Mossberg Model 500
Winchester Model 12
Ithaca Model 37
Stevens/Savage Model 520/620
Browning BPS
Marlin Model 120

There are other models made by the same companies, but these are the top of the line American gun company pumps
 
Ithaca 37. No pump gun collection is complete without the slamfire original.

Winchester 97 in trench configuration with the heat shield, exposed hammer, and bayonet lug.

Mossberg 500 in its various forms and 1 Mossberg 590 for its significance as a modern Marine fighting shotgun. Google or Youtube "Marine FAST" and watch the 590 in action. The FAST guys use the 590 like the SAS uses MP5s.

Remington 870, perennial All-American gun. Can't go wrong with any variant.

Benelli SuperNova. Benelli M3 pump/auto (hey, it qualifies). Franchi SPAS-12 (if you find one).
 
The first pump I ever saw was a Savage, in a fishing tackle shop back in the Sixties. It had a 'corn-cob' forend, which I still think all pumps should have, and if I saw one on sale today I would have it in a flash.
 
My favorite pump is the Winchester 1300.
With the inertia-assist it is the fastest, slickest pump gun I've ever handled.
You'd swear the thing is racking itself...well it does a bit. ;)

Of course, if I started the list of pumps I'd like to own, I'm not sure where I could stop.

Damn it, throdgrain...now I'm going to go out and shop...this is all your fault. :)
 
I just bought my first Pump Shotgun. Winchester 1300 @ 200 dollars brand new. Yes, it is very fast. I always would borrow a pump gun from a friend when I went shooting clays (except when one certain friend went, he had a Rem. 1100 that he let me borrow. Greatest shotgun I have ever used myself.) so I am not new to pumps and this thing is fast.
 
This is the point Cranky !

I have a 870 and a Mossy 500 as I said earlier. The Benelli is next on the list, then I need to think about an Ithica 37 and probably a Winchester :)
 
throdgrain,
Please excuse my ignorance,
I though that only double barreled shotguns were allowed in England.
Is there a shell capacity limit for pump guns?
Can you explain the rules?
 
throdgrain,
Please excuse my ignorance,
I though that only double barreled shotguns were allowed in England.
Is there a shell capacity limit for pump guns?
Can you explain the rules?
Click to expand...

Acting as Throdgrain's spokesperson:D

A pump, semi-auto, or other shotgun with a non-detachable magazine limited to two rounds can be held on a shotgun certificate. The manufacturers crimp the magazine tube for UK versions of such guns. Older (pre-1988) guns can be modified to comply with the law, again by crimping the magazine. Such guns are commonly described as 2+1, meaning two in the magazine and one in the chamber.

If a magazine has a capacity greater than two rounds the gun has to be held on a firearms certificate. For one of those you have to convince the police of your need for each and every gun, and you have to prove you have somewhere to shoot it, either a gun club or farmland. Depending on where you live, this is not usually a problem and loads of guys have them.

If you look at any of the UK gun trading sites you will see both types advertised, ie 2+1, 5+1 etc.

The big advantage of having guns on shotgun certificate is that you can have as many as you have security for, if Thodgrain has cabinet space for 12 then he carries on collecting. Also you do not have to prove a need to get a shotgun certificate, the police can only refuse you if you have a criminal record or if they think you do not have a need. To satisfy a particularly sniffy police force it is easy enough to join a clay club. If you live somewhere especially crime-ridden they can insist on onerous security requirements such as alarms.

Once you have your certificate you can just go out and buy your guns, alas mail order sales were recently banned.

As with all gun-control laws, only the law-abiding are affected, that is the stupidity of it. Really though, I can only tell you that I have never had a problem with the police, and I doubt that Thodgrain has.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

elktrout
  • Locked
Dependable pump shotgun
2 3 4 5
Replies
110
Views
8K
9x56MS
9x56MS
dak0ta
  • Locked
Classic Pump Guns
Replies
22
Views
2K
45crittergitter
4
B
  • Locked
dual semi/pump shotgun options
Replies
8
Views
2K
sinistr
S
N
  • Locked
BEST PUMP GUN FOR MY MONEY.
Replies
4
Views
757
MCgunner
M
C
  • Locked
Question for SuperNova owners
Replies
0
Views
350
cwmcgu2
C
Back
Top