Advice for a new Pump-gun

[EHCRain10]

I will soon be replacing my hunting shotgun with a new pump. I cannot decide between a Browning BPS Hunter with 26in barrel or a Remington 870 Wingmaster also with the 26in barrel. I have handled both and they both feel great in my hands, I live in a shotgun only area so I would like to be able to shoot slugs but it is not a deal breaker. What do you guys think?

The gun will mainly be used for clays, upland birds, ducks, and geese with only a little bit of deer hunting that can be done with buckshot if the gun cant shoot slugs.

 

[Virginian]

Either gun will do anything you could want. They come with choke tubes so that lends a lot of versatility right there. Extra barrels for the Remington in about any configuration from cantilevered scope mount slug barrels to riot gun length are both widely available, and in good used condition, to save dollars. I don't know about extra barrels with the Browning. The Browning has bottom ejection which some prefer. I like the Remington; just feels slicker to me. My hunting buddy is a BPS man, and I have only heard his go click when he forgot to fully reload it.

 

[Dave McCracken]

870.

The BPS is a nice pumpgun. The 870 is the standard by which all others are measured.

The 870 can be taken down and cleaned completely by a ten thumbed dunce like me.

The BPS is more complicated.

Extra barrels for the 870 are as easy to find as lawyers in DC.

I've not seen any BPS barrels for sale, though I admit I've not looked.

Remchokes are more common than barrels, and aftermarket chokes are widely available.

Unless you're a southpaw, the BPS shows little or no ergonomic advantage.

The 870 also is usually less expensive, even in the high gloss version known as the Wingmaster.

HTH.....

 

[Milkmaster]

Dave covered most of it. I would say to choose the one YOU want! Your two choices are of good quality. Either is a nice pump gun and either will make a nice functional piece for your collection.

Be careful, those shotgun things tend to multiply once you get started! My first shotgun is named "Tribble" because it started multiplying and hasn't stopped since. All the tribble children don't look the same either! Some are pumps. Some are semi-autos. Some are over and under. Some are side by side....etc

 

[mikle76]

I too would go with a 870. My Pops has a BPS he's owned for many years that is beautiful, handles like a dream and has never fed from the magazine correctly to the point I don't care for it anymore. YMMV ofcourse.

 

[seed]

Dave. Not to lead the thread astray, but did you happen to notice that you just posted exactly your 10,000th post?!

Anyway, sorry for the drift...back to the topic.

 

[chas08]

I gotta go with Mr. McCracken on this one. I own both, and prefer the 870 for all the mentioned reasons. Another small disadvantage (IMO) is that each round has to be cycled fully through the action on the BPS. Where as on the 870, a single round can be quickly tossed into the open ejection port for a fast fourth shot. (this comes in handy on fast swimming wounded ducks) Both choices you have narrowed it down to are fine pumpguns, so it really comes down to the one "YOU" like best. Either will last a lifetime.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Around here the BPS($499) is less money than the Wingmaster($579-$629).

 

[SlipperyShooter]

If I could humbly throw in a third option: Mossberg 500.

I compared it directly to the 870 and liked it better. I've been very pleased with mine, and it came in under $200 at a fairly frequent sale. They sell a combo with a slug barrel and lots of more expensive options too.

 

[ImARugerFan]

I'd get two barrels on whatever you go with. One for deer, the other with choke tubes for everything else. I vote for the wingmaster.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks, Seed, I hadn't noticed.

 

[EHCRain10]

I appreciate all of the advice, made me think of another question.
Is there any way to quickly put a shell directly into the chamber of the BPS?
I shoot both sides because I am cross dominate, right handed with a dominate left eye.
I have a Mossberg 500 that is a nice gun but the finish of the BPS and 870 Wingmaster is nicer than any 500 that I have seen and it 500 doesnt swing as well for me. But thats for the advice.

 

[Milkmaster]

It has been a while since I saw one up close, but a cousin of your BPS is the Ithaca model 37. The bottom eject mechanisim is the same principal and even looks the same. When it comes to dropping a shell in the top of the receiver for trap shooting, I don't know if the Ithaca is any easier. It might be worth a look.

 

[Sunward]

I would go with the 870, and find a combo (26" bird and rifled slug), priced best in combo, but can buy just the rifled barrel too. The rifled barrel is very accurate with sabots in my experience.

 

[Oldnamvet]

Is there any way to quickly put a shell directly into the chamber of the BPS?

There is but I don't know if I would call it really quick. When I load a single for skeet or trap, you turn it so the opening of the receiver (bottom) is facing up, you get the action just in the right position, and you can put a shell into the chamber directly without going through the magazine. After a lot of practice, I can do it fairly quickly ... but I still have to be looking at it to make sure it goes correctly. With my 870, I can do it quickly by feel alone. If you are trying to keep your eyes on game while doing it, the 870 is the best option of the two guns.