I give up!

[Gordon]

I give up on wasteing any more time on 'combatising' the Benelli Nova. After I put on all the bells and whistles and cut everything to fit, it handled like a 2x4 in the HSLD week long course I just took with Louis Awerbuck. I switched to the old Robar 870 Wingmaster from the mid 80's and it just snicker snacked with MUCH faster, better hits than the Nova. There was another Massaged Nova at the class and the person had the same results! The Nova IS incredibly accurate in prone slug firing though
The problem seems to be ergonomic- Haveing the mag opening closed by the forend is a BIG problem. The action stroke is too long for speed- nobody shoots 3" + shells at people! The forend puts your hand too far foreward to manuever in tight quarters and tires you in looong range sessions. I corrected all the other problems but the 870 is far superior!
I was gonna sell it on consignment today, BUT decide to put it in the bedroom for me! Those old Wingmasters are getting hard to get and cost ALOT to massage to perfection, so into the safe it goes for training or SHTF.
870's rule!

 

[Dave McCracken]

"....But the 870 is far superior".....

Some times only personal experience can determine what's better.

Enjoy your 870. Sell the Nova and get more 870s. BA/UU/R and so on.

Any input from Awerbuck on the Nova?

If it's good with slugs, keep it for deer season.....

 

[kmrcstintn]

May I chime in?

I've never shot a Nova, but was considering purchasing one...what do y'all think are the strengths and weaknesses of the design. My consideration would be for multiuse with variety of barrels: trap, skeet, small game, turkey, deer, bear, and home defense. I am interested in the handling, loading, unloading, and shooting characteristics. Thank you.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Gordon,

Thanks for the report. I'm on the list for Awerbuck's 3-day shotgun class in Durham, NC in May. I'll be carrying two 870s (one primary, one backup) for the event, along with a spare bolt assembly and slide and a spare trigger plate assembly. Not that I expect anything to go wrong, of course, but it pays to be prepared.

lpl/nc

 

[Gordon]

The TWO biggest malfunctions on 870's seems to be:

#1 - the forend retaining nut on the slide coming loose. This especially happens when somebody puts on a Surefire Forend. Louis says "Crank it on and use locktite"

#2 - the mag follower / mag spring. On extended mags the spring will over ride if not of the correct length and of high quality. Ditto the followers go south. Mostly from grit in the tube. The old orange Choate ones work well as do Vang ones. The old Rem Factory aluminum ones work well too! The greenish yellow ones seem to cause problems sooner or later!
Whoops I forgot the tubes coming un wound and launching from no clamp!!

#3 the four little screws on Side Saddles can come loose if not loc tited. BUT NO malfunction.

#4 Stock bolts come loose after they are shot alot- locktite it!


Other stuff usually lasts OK on 870s if not a million rounds old and is kept lubricated.

 

[sm]

Other stuff usually lasts OK on 870s if not a million rounds old and is kept lubricated.

On the 870s with over a couple hundred thousands rds thru them, you know the ones with no bluing left, gouges, scratches on the stock and all...

Electrical tape keeps the receiver pins in. You get tired center-punching the innards to stay in place, once in the pins keep everything lined up.

I'd use two strips one each side , one atop another, 4 strips total. I dunno it held up to 250 rds or more in one day with all of us shooting it...bunches of times I might add...

"Which gun is yours?"
"The one with electrical tape"

"Egads man, why didn't you just say the ugly gun with no blueing?"
"Like I said the one with character and Electrical tape"

Some folks just don't see right...not at all...

 

[AStone]

870's rule!

Ah, the lights come on.

Welcome to the fold.

Now, what Dave said: BA/UU/R.

Nem

 

[TarpleyG]

I bought a Winchester 1200 (2 3/4" shells) from a friend last year for $125. It had a 28" barrell with the typical interchangeable chokes. I don't hunt anymore and I don't shoot skeet. I chopped off the barrell to 18 1/2" and drilled and tapped it for a big bead. 5-shot capacity in the tube with wood furniture...handles like a charm and the shorter stroke is nice as you pointed out.

I still have my 1300 with the 7-round tube and have now installed a collapsible stock. Aside from that, all it has is a ghost ring set up but it is still too unweidly compared to the 1200. Those extra 2 rounds up front are a bear.

Greg