pump or semi shotgun

[Riomouse911]

I also like the autos, and I’m partial to the Remington 1100 myself. The guns recoil less for me than pumps do, and with a stable platform (aka not having to cycle the action) I can stay on target and focus solely on the bird/clay that I either missed with the first shot or is the 2nd of two.

I agree with Armored Farmer that autos are very reliable, and if maintained will run and run. (Just read the stories from Argentina where guys are shooting with two auto guns and a loader as fast as they can at the flocks of doves raiding farmers’ fields.) The few shots I get each season at fleeting doves/quail or a rising pheasant don’t compare.

Now if I drop my auto gun in a muddy hole at a goose pit and it gets gooped up I will be certainly wishing I had been carrying a pump, but other than those kind of bad luck situations my 1100s haven’t let me down. Give one a try, I think you’ll like it.

Stay safe.

 

[Armored farmer]

auto gun in a muddy hole at a goose pit

.
After truckloads of 2¾" shells through my model 12s and 870s....I shortstroke my 3½" 870 supermag sometimes, if I'm not thinking.
That's a long stroke.

 

[Riomouse911]

True... and a good point. Under stress from a threat, or excitement as a flight finally approaches the decoy spread, short-stroking a pump action is easy to do. Especially with the longer 3 1/2” super mag actions compared to standard 2 3/4” actions.

Every shotgun has potential shortcomings, but I find the 1100 to fill almost any void I have in my sporting world. With that being said, I do use an 870 for HD though...

Stay safe.

 

[cdb1]

I’ve mentioned it before but I’m the shortstroke king, which is the main reason I don’t have any pumps.

 

[I6turbo]

I disagree that the auto is less reliable. Most problems are ammo related. The pump is more vulnerable to human error.

Keep your auto clean and maintained, it will function.

I agree. And I find it strange that so many people confidently rely on semi-auto handguns, which in my experience of only about 50 years, are far less reliable than a clean semi-auto shotgun, yet the same people cite "reliability" when they recommend a pump shotgun. And especially odd when they are buying a gun that their family members who may go to the range about once every 2 years, if that, and aren't very experienced with the pump gun manual of arms.

Based upon what I've seen with people just simply shooting target or shooting birds on the wing, the chances of a human- or panic/adrenaline-induced short-stroke or lock-up of a pump gun are about 100x higher than a clean semi-auto failing to cycle.

I've shot a lot more O/U and SxS rounds in my life than I have semi-auto, but I can't recall EVER having a malfunction with a semi-auto shotgun (my main experiences being with a Model 11, a couple of Auto 5s, and a Model 1100.

 

[DocRock]

I have both autos and pumps. I prefer the autos(slightly).
I disagree that the auto is less reliable. Most problems are ammo related. The pump is more vulnerable to human error.

Keep your auto clean and maintained, it will function.

This is valid. But having competed in several hundred sporting clays competitions over the years, I don't think I've ever been in a match where an autoloader didn't poop the bed at least once. Of course, I haven't seen anyone shooting a pump gun in a main match in a very, very long time, so there's another data point....

 

[cdb1]

I agree. And I find it strange that so many people confidently rely on semi-auto handguns, which in my experience of only about 50 years, are far less reliable than a clean semi-auto shotgun, yet the same people cite "reliability" when they recommend a pump shotgun. And especially odd when they are buying a gun that their family members who may go to the range about once every 2 years, if that, and aren't very experienced with the pump gun manual of arms.

Based upon what I've seen with people just simply shooting target or shooting birds on the wing, the chances of a human- or panic/adrenaline-induced short-stroke or lock-up of a pump gun are about 100x higher than a clean semi-auto failing to cycle.

I've shot a lot more O/U and SxS rounds in my life than I have semi-auto, but I can't recall EVER having a malfunction with a semi-auto shotgun (my main experiences being with a Model 11, a couple of Auto 5s, and a Model 1100.

Me three.

 

[Dibbs]

You didn't give us many details.

More weight, and less recoil, VS harder recoil and less weight.

Which matters more to you? I hike a few miles, with mine, so I'm willing to put up with the occasional recoil, to have the constant lighter weight.

 

[entropy]

.
After truckloads of 2¾" shells through my model 12s and 870s....I shortstroke my 3½" 870 supermag sometimes, if I'm not thinking.
That's a long stroke.

All Freudian quips aside, I did have that happen to me the first time I shot the 870 Supermag I bought for Turkey hunting. I switched back to a 3" , traded the Supermag for the Tactical Mag I had until last spring, when I traded that toward the 1100 Competition Synthetic I have now. I'm not trading that off.

 

[Armored farmer]

All Freudian quips aside, I did have that happen to me the first time I shot the 870 Supermag I bought for Turkey hunting. I switched back to a 3" , traded the Supermag for the Tactical Mag I had until last spring, when I traded that toward the 1100 Competition Synthetic I have now. I'm not trading that off.

Me neither,

 

[94045]

Autos are unreliable?

I have a 75 yo Remington M11 and.a 50 yo Remington 1100 and I haven't noticed. They need a little.preventive maintenance and an occasional cleaning and a little lube and they work fine.

 

[skeeterfogger]

Which to get mostly boils down to how in depth you are willing to go to for maintenance and repair. Have seen many get but then can't or won't learn the gun.

 

[George P]

That isn't the gun's fault

 

[Logwood]

I have a Remington 1100 20 gauge I like to use for bird hunting. I've always been issued/used a pump shotgun for defensive use.
A few years back I purchased a 590a1 at an excellent price, really like the handling and performance of the gun. I have a mid-late 60s Remington 870 that was modified by Scattergun Technologies with their Border Patrol Package (barrel was kept at 18 1/2") in the late 70s. Its performed perfectly since I received it from ST back in 1978.

 

[Sloppy joes]

Semi all day