I had a Wingmaster (870 Remington) and didn't like it at all in the duck marsh. I shoot south paw, prefer the Mossberg's tang safety, but more than that, I had to dig a jammed loading gate out with a pocket knife more'n once due to a cold, numb finger trying to load the magazine. That gate would catch the tip of my thumb, okay in warm weather, but when it's numb it HURTS! If you don't get that shell in until it clicks and yank your thumb out, instant jam. There is no loading gate on the Mossberg 500 I have now. It's a rugged, reliable 12 gauge and I use it exclusively for ducks and geese. I hunt salt marshes and it has a little rust on it, but the camo finish hides it pretty well. I won't take a nice shotgun in the marsh around here. I ruined a nice double like that over the years. My Mossy has banged around in the bottom of boats, gotten mud all over it, survived the salt spray across the bay and the salt marshes for the last dozen years or better. The lack of anything in the way of the magazine means I don't have to take my gloves off to load it, too. That gate on the 870 would pinch the end of a glove, irritating as hell.
I own a semi auto, a Winchester M1400, for dove an other upland hunting. It's pretty and I don't take it in the marsh, but it sure soaks up the recoil. With heavy dove loads, it feels more like a 20 gauge on recoil. I have no pad on it and really don't need it. I put 3 1/2 boxes through it on a 3 day dove hunt recently and my shoulder was like new and ready for more while my friend's kid, who was hunting with a light single shot, was about to cry at the end of each day.
The Mossy beats me up pretty good, but I don't shoot, but about half a box of 3" steel through it in a typical duck morning. It might get a little tough on a dove hunt, but for waterfowl it's no problem. It has a recoil pad and I'm usually wearing a heavy hunting coat except during early teal season. It ain't my shoulder that takes the hurt, though, it's my friggin' cheek! I need to play with drop on that stock by shimming or something.
Deer or other such game are not on my list of shotgun targets. That's why I own rifles and hunting handguns. When I hunt with a shotgun, the targets are flying. Well, I shot a turkey once, but other than that.
Squirrel hunting with a shotgun is cheating. That's what .22 rifles and handguns are for. I have hunted rabbits with one. A pump will work there. Hunting with a good beagle or two is a total hoot! Rabbit hunting is an under-appreciated sport.
If your budget allows, boy, I really like the Browning BPS. It's the original Ithaca action, smoothest pump in history. It combines that with a tang safety, too. If I didn't care how much the salt water ate it, let's say I was filthy rich, I'd duck hunt with a Browning.
