Browning?

[PRE 64 JOE]

Hi all: Can anyone give me your opinion on Browning bps hunter shotguns? It would be to bust clays in the desert, 20 gauge, invector chokes, wood stock, I was wondering if I should go for that or a 870 Rem. price being close, in the past I had a Ithaca 16 ga. and a Win. 1300 12 ga. which were both great but I have a hankerin for a 20 ga. Thanks.

 

[hometheaterman]

No way I'd pick a Remington over a Browning. Especially not the 870. I've had a 870 and can't say I was thrilled with it. From the Remingtons I've had or seen the quality just doesn't seem to be there. Brownings on the other hand I've never seen one that just didn't feel like a quality gun.

 

[Virginian]

I had three BPSs, and all of them were fine guns. Never a problem with any of them. But, I still hate having to load thru the magazine. So I am all Remington when it comes to repeaters, now.
If you like the feel better I would say go for it.
P.S. - All 870s are not created equal.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I grew up using 870s but the second I shot a BPS I liked it better. It is going to be a personal preference thing more than anything. Fit and finish is similar though I would say the higher quality Remingtons are better than the higher up BPSs. I am a lefty and that may be where my bias toward the BPS comes from but I do like the tang safety and it is done very well with metal construction and is positive to engage and disengage with no slop. Generally speaking the checkering is better on the Browning which is where the majority of my bias lies.

 

[chas08]

Great guns, I've had a BPS 10 ga for 20 years with no problems.

 

[JimKirk]

I had a BPS youth model that I shot sporting clays with. I got smart and traded for a Benelli Montefeltro 20 ga Auto, which I shoot well with, but not anywhere as good as I could shoot that BPS. My son had a 870 youth model and I could not hit the side of the barn with it, strange that he out shot most of us in the club. We are both small build guys so I guess the youth deal fit us better. I don't know if you reload or not, but the BPS has the fact that hulls are ejected right at your feet, no hunting hulls everywhere like the Benelli. I have to say I love them all, I just shot the BPS better!

Jimmy K

 

[PRE 64 JOE]

Many Thanks to you all.

 

[hometheaterman]

I had three BPSs, and all of them were fine guns. Never a problem with any of them. But, I still hate having to load thru the magazine. So I am all Remington when it comes to repeaters, now.
If you like the feel better I would say go for it.
P.S. - All 870s are not created equal.

You are right about this and that's the problem. You might get a good one or you might get a crappy one. There doesn't seem to be much quality control or at least not very good qc at Remington as some come out great and others get ones that need work to even cycle the shells right out of the box.

I still say I've seen and handled and shot a decent amount of Remingtons and never seen one on the quality level of any Browning I've seen or had or shot. I will say my Browning semi auto 30-06 is picky about ammo when it comes to accuracy and it's not as accurate as some bolt actions but the quality of it is just there.

I've got a friend or two who will tell you oh with a Browning or Benelli you are just paying for the name they are no better than a Remington but that's not my experience at all.

 

[dat2]

I had two different friends that had bps's, they had bought them for duck hunting so the shells wouldn't fly across sombody else in the blind. both of them called them a Browning Big Piece of ---- BPS, both had trouble with feeding, but on the other hand, pretty much what ever anybody had we joked about it not being any good just because it wasn't like what we had, if it was any good or not
I'ld go with an 870 personally

 

[Virginian]

What I meant was Wingmasters, Police, Expresses, and from the '70s, '80s, and present day. The level of finish has varied and changed greatly. I know there are a lot of comments about current Remington Express' quality, but I believe some of that has to do with high sales volume, and some with inexperienced shooters, and some even with experienced shooters who think they ought to be getting a Wingmaster with a dull outside finish. And I am sure some of the problems are real due to building to a price point. I think the level of issues with the lowest priced guns are higher in general.
I think the difference(s) between a Wingmaster and a BPS Hunter are all style; the quality is very comparable.

 

[PA4476]

I'd go with the BPS. It's just a higher quality shotgun than the 870. I own both so I have a lot of experance with them both. And if I had to choose only one, it would be the BPS.

 

[John Peddie]

I have had a BPS Micro (20 ga. and 22" bbl.) for several years, and prefer it to my vintage Ithaca 37 12 ga. (that's saying a lot-I love the Ithaca).

To me, the top tang safety on the BPS is more natural than any crossbolt. The downward ejection is better in a duck blind, too.

I don't do clay games, which apparently aren't ideal for a bottom-load, bottom-eject gun (harder for others to SEE that it is unloaded).

But for the hunting I do-pheasant, chukar, and ducks and geese over decoys (with tungsten, not steel)-it's the best I've ever had.

You get used to the bottom-load very quickly, just don't expect any BPS to be a light weight wand.

 

[Choclabman]

I have owned a 12ga 3" BPS for around 11 years, a 12ga 3.5" for three years, and a BPS 10ga for several years.

I have never had a problem with any of them, the fit and finish is great. I could not be happier with the BPS.

 

[MovedWest]

I have a BPS hunter 12ga 28" barrel. It's about as smooth of a pump gun as I've found. Dead nuts accurate and very reliable. I also debated the 870 and opted for the BPS. I've never looked back. Best shotgun I've ever owned.

-MW

 

[Jerry D]

Im left handed, got the BPS because its ambidextrous - I chose it over the left hand 870 too - Only thing though - I recommend a recoil pad to replace that plastic butt...

IMO brownings only downfall are their cheap butt plates/lack of recoil pad!

Its a very nice gun, reliable but the pump stroke is rather far out there/long due to the way it ejects.

 

[Milkmaster]

I have the BPS hunter model in 12ga 28" barrel. It is one fine shotgun!

 

[MCgunner]

BPS in every way I can think of over Remington. Perfect ambidextrous ergos (important for lefties), but a smoother action, fantastic fit and finish, hard to beat in a pump IMHO. I was always a sucker for the Ithaca 37, but adding a tang safety only makes the design better.

As for limitations shooting clays, I don't think of pumps as clays guns anyway. The top shooters use autos or O/Us or single shots in trap. Pumps are hunting guns and the BPS is tops on my list.

 

[Virginian]

I've seen a many an 870 on the trap lines. But, you could count all the other brands of pumps on one hand.

 

[Malachor]

I've shot my buddy's 20g BPS when we were shooting trap one day. It swung and pointed really well, but I did not like where the action bar release was. I think that was the biggest downfall in my opinion. But if you were using it as a hunting gun, I think it would really be nice.

Anybody else find the location of the release kinda awkward?