Which Pump action 12 gauge should I get

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Mullo98 said:
I wouldn't mind picking up a nice vintage 870. What is a good date range for one before the quality went down? Was it anything before the late 90s or so?
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Somewhere in the 90's. When the Express came out, the quality of the Wingmaster started a long descent down......

SwampWolf said:
I've had a couple of Ithaca 37s over the years and they are nice guns but I think the Browning BPS is the best pump shotgun made today in terms of finish, material, workmanship and features.
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And, if the USS Missouri needs an anchor, you can lend a hand. They are, um, solidly built. I'd have to say the current Ithacas are excellent.

870 (Wingmaster), 37, BPS, and 590. You can't go wrong with any of these. Stevens 67's and 520/620's were a great choice until the prices shot through the roof.
 
entropy said:
Somewhere in the 90's. When the Express came out, the quality of the Wingmaster started a long descent down......



And, if the USS Missouri needs an anchor, you can lend a hand. They are, um, solidly built. I'd have to say the current Ithacas are excellent.

870 (Wingmaster), 37, BPS, and 590. You can't go wrong with any of these. Stevens 67's and 520/620's were a great choice until the prices shot through the roof.
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The Express came out as a response to the market segment that wanted an 870......but not at Wingmaster prices. I`m not arguing that there wasn`t a decline in Remington quality while Cerberus sucked the company dry, but I do think that things were compounded for Remington by those expecting Wingmaster quality in a lesser gun. I`ve been pleasantly surprised with the functionality of my Express, however. It`s my backup turkey gun, my primary being a 2005 870 Super Mag.
 
I’m a huge fan of my mossberg 500. It was my first shotgun so I did everything with it. Deer, waterfowl, upland birds, small game and trap. Basic wood stocked field model. Paid $250 at Walmart(yes yes I know) they are running $280 now and I’m wanting to pick up one in 20ga.
I got it over the 870 due to the tang safety and it came with a set of chokes, glad I made the decision as it was right in the time we’re Remington was putting out some less that top shelf examples of the 870.
I’ve put about 800rnds through it in the last 4ish years and I’ve never had a single issue after I smoothed the edges of the feed port after it cut me a few times upon loading.
I’d never part with it
 
I have owned them all and the only ones I currently own are Ithica model 37, Browning BPS and a Mossburg model 500. All are guns I have complete confidence in no matter what ammo I am shooting through them. I use rubber buck shot to dissuade bears from time to time and a pump gun is the best platform for them.
 
Dip a toe in the Turkchester deep end of the pool.
Get the turkchester, shoot it.
If it is a really good shotgun, let us all hear your review.
If you dont like it.
Sell it and use it as cash down money on a mossberg 500/maverick 88.
If you have a hankering for the 870 style, why not latch onto a H&R Pardner pump (Chinese 870 clone).
They arnt near as horrible as a new made Remington (last ones made)
 
Turkey is turning out some very nice shotguns these days. I recently purchased an Iver Johnson over under 20 gauge made in Turkey. Nicely finished with very nice figured wood. I believe the CZ shotguns are mostly made in Turkey.
 
I know some Turkish shotguns are well made and I'm not that bothered by it being made there since Winchester is behind it. Only issue is parts breakage and coming to find out the factory has be closed with my luck.
 
Ya know Ithaca is still making guns and if I need parts for my 1939 20 gauge those parts
are at the factory. Just a phone call away!
The 39 twenty has been refinished twice that I know of at least once when I bought it ( very poor cold bluing )
second time sent out for a great reblue. Looks like new and functions smooth and slick.
But the main thing is SHOULD I need parts they are there.
 
New stuff will handle waterfowl steel shot.

Just how far back in age of used shotguns can you go to find shotguns that handle steel shot?

Some of the Turkish made shotguns might use old expired patents like High Standards Supermatic C1200 gas shotgun? (Food for thought)

Old US patents + modern materials made with cheaper foriegn labor?

Like the Rock Island Armory M5 shotgun is a straight-up copy of the classic High Standard Flite King!
 
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Since 1976 or 77. Steel was the only choice back then, and it sucked. (Still does.) Bismuth is a far better choice, and safe for vintage guns (RST loads them for damascus barreled guns that have passed gunsmith inspection.) Tungsten is a great choice in newer guns with a choke no more than Modified. It is even more expensive than bismuth, however.
 
jaguarxk120 said:
I don't shoot steel shot and don't care.
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60% of my part of the world is Alaska Federal Lands, the only thing the village stores here stock Is steel shot, you have to check 3 different stores to see if they stock anything under 3".
2.75" cartridges are rare here in Bush.
My older Stevens 583c with full choke does not like it.
 
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I'm too old to be sloshing around the marshes shooting duck's.
I like clay targets as game, don't have to clean them and a
fine steak is just up the road from me. Duck's yuck!!
 
entropy said:
Since 1976 or 77. Steel was the only choice back then, and it sucked. (Still does.) Bismuth is a far better choice, and safe for vintage guns (RST loads them for damascus barreled guns that have passed gunsmith inspection.) Tungsten is a great choice in newer guns with a choke no more than Modified. It is even more expensive than bismuth, however.
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It was actually phased in in 1987 and implemented in 1991 across the USA. This info from Outdoor Life and Pheasants Forever.
 
They are very popular with waterfowlers who don't want an auto. The bottom ejection keeps rain and snow out of the action, and as mentioned they are (virtually) bulletproof. The weight isn't as critical when sitting in a boat or a blind, though I suspect they probably get traded out for a lighter guns when puddle jumping.

.45Coltguy said:
It was actually phased in in 1987 and implemented in 1991 across the USA. This info from Outdoor Life and Pheasants Forever.
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Thanks for correcting this old memory. I was thinking it was earlier, but yeah, it did happen while I was in the Army, 1989 was the first year I duck hunted after I got out, and we had far more cripples than eating lead in food ever killed. I quit not long after that.

I like eating them still, but hunting them is just an exercise in frustration. I have a pair of gadwalls in the freezer a friend of mine gave me. He does taxidermy, and needed room in his freezer for a mount.
 
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Turkeytider said:
The Express came out as a response to the market segment that wanted an 870......but not at Wingmaster prices. I`m not arguing that there wasn`t a decline in Remington quality while Cerberus sucked the company dry, but I do think that things were compounded for Remington by those expecting Wingmaster quality in a lesser gun. I`ve been pleasantly surprised with the functionality of my Express, however. It`s my backup turkey gun, my primary being a 2005 870 Super Mag.
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I've owned a Wingmaster since the late 1970's. I inherited an older Express, when a friend passed away. It's black and not shiny metal, but it is the functional equivalent to the Wingmaster. But with a 3" chamber and choke tubes. So ultimately actually more versatile. Like them both a lot.
 
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