why not semi-auto?

[ArmedBear]

Sounds interesting. I think you'd have to play with the gun and decide what you think.

Note that Remington manages to sell the 870 for under 300 bucks retail, made in USA in a high-tax, union-crony state. A cheap pump can still work.

 

[ArmedBear]

Dave McC-

The scary thing is that her younger sister showed even more natural talent, but wasn't interested in pursuing it like she did (7 kids in the family and they can all shoot pretty well, along with mom, dad, uncle...).

 

[Lou McGopher]

My reason for a pump is different than others, I suppose. I like the sound! When someone racks a pump, the sound is very distinctive and I hope that the BG will take off for the hills when he hears it!

This has always bugged the crap out of me. Sure some people may be scared away by the pump action sound, but still others will chuckle to themselves that you just gave away your tactical advantage by giving away your position and BANG you're toast.

Using guns as props to scare bad guys away is a good way to get yourself killed.

The sound of the shotgun being racked may or may not scare off the thug who just climbed in through a window. He may or may not hear it, and if he does hear it, he may or may not recognize what it is.
Whether or not he will think to himself, "I recognize the sound of a shotgun being racked, and I know precisely where that sound came from in this dark house, so now I have the tactical advantage!" is debatable, I suppose. Regardless of what the BG thinks, your round has just been chambered, and you may now fire the weapon. Will the BG locate you and fire at you before you can fire at him? Who knows. Maybe the crackhead has had plenty of tactical training. Maybe not.

I'll rack mine as soon as I grab it. If the BG hears it and skedaddles, great. If not, I'll be ready to fire before I take another step. Oh... that's another thing. My house is really old, and the floor creaks with every step. So unless I get those special boots that let me climb walls, the BG will know roughly where I am without much trouble. I figure I need to move as quickly as possible, and start throwing lead as soon as necessary. My tactical advantage? It won't be stealth. It will be firepower and ferocity.

 

[farscott]

Why not an auto for me? Well, I had an auto/pump for HD, a Benelli M3 Super 90. It shot just fine until I took it apart. I had a heck of a time getting it back together. Then I had intermittent functioning issues.

Meanwhile, I was shooting an Ithaca M37 for skeet, and I had no problems with it. So the light came on over my head, and I started using an M37 for HD. Sold the Benelli to a buddy who wanted it and thought he could get around the issues I was having. Ended up he was right, so we both ended up happy.

Went to a few shotgun classes and learned that I knew almost nothing about the use of a shotgun for HD. Started practicing with the M37 and have made it to almost acceptable. Broke my M37 and had it repaired. Went to more classes and saw lots of 870s. Started reading here and saw lots of positives for the 870.

Now I use the 870 as even "two left thumbs" me can take it apart, clean it, and get it back together with no issues. About the only simpler guns for me are break actions. But the 870 is a heck of a lot less expensive than the M3 or a decent break action, so I have more of them and more ammo for practice. All in all, the 870 is a better fit for me than the Benelli. For others, the opposite may be true.

 

[Girodin]

but if you learn to shoot it a good pump gun will never fail you.

I wouldn't say never. Things break. I have seen pumps fail. I would assert that the odds of critical parts breaking in a quality pump gun is probably lower than the likelihood of a jam in an auto loader. Unlikely, however, is very different than never.

 

[[Pb]]

I have an auto next to my bed. I think the only issue under stress is if it was fired from the hip- mine won't cycle without a shoulder behind it.

 

[cchurchi]

Here is what I use:

(I really like how this pic turned out)

 

[Youngster]

I wouldn't say never. Things break. I have seen pumps fail. I would assert that the odds of critical parts breaking in a quality pump gun is probably lower than the likelihood of a jam in an auto loader. Unlikely, however, is very different than never.

I haven't seen too many pumps actually break I've seen more short stroked than semiautos jam by a long shot.

 

[murdoc rose]

pumps are more traditional and cheaper and are more commonly found in "tactical" configurations. Oh and may I ask what a shotgun course is?

 

[Gunfighter123]

Oh and may I ask what a shotgun course is?

Normally , it is a "school" where the SG is taught to be used in a self-defense "style" or it is a "course/stage" where you would engage targets at close to mid-range with buckshot or birdshot , and maybe slugs at longer range ---- it seeks to test your ability to reload on "the move" , shoot while kneeling/prone and shoot around/thru doorways/windows etc.

 

[Girodin]

I have to agree that most people get pumps because they are cheap. Some people might still go with a pump but I have a feeling a lot more people would be using Benelli M4s and the like if they cost $350 instead of $1400. The best autos are expensive.

Oh and may I ask what a shotgun course is?

A shotgun course is in essence a training class where one learns and or practices defensive use of their shotgun. Many of them involve high round counts and you are most often not simply shooting on a square range. Multi day shotgun and carbine courses are more demanding on a weapon than simply firing a couple boxes of shells on a square range.

This link describes one such course (this is not an endorsement per se it is the first one that came up on google). Google shotgun course and you will find many more with descriptions

http://www.chucktaylorasaa.com/shotgun.html

Here is a video of some training at a course. BTW do you think he'd of been as fast with a pump gun?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNFR8t056nY&feature=player_embedded

 

[jjk308]

Related question. The Tristar Cobra Tactical 12Ga Pump has a return spring that powers the return stroke of the pump. The text implies that after the rearward stroke of the pump, you could release it and the spring would power the forward stroke and put the gun in battery.

What the opinions have you? Obviously, the rearward stroke is going to be harder in order to compress the spring. I would guess the average arm is stronger in pulling toward the body than in pushing away, but I'm still dubious that it's an overall help. What is the mechanism of the short stokes mentioned in posts above, and would this help, or make the problem worse?

Am I dubious just because it's such a cheap gun and would I be more optimistic if it was an expensive gun?

On every pump gun the recoil drives the combined weight of your arm and the op rods and bolt rearward, and that tends to make the opening stroke faster, assuming the gun is broken in and operates smoothly. Usually the gun will open up if you just hold it against your shoulder and pull the trigger without touching the forearm, although it wont stroke all the way.
I fail to see how that return spring will help since at most it makes the closing faster at the expense of a slower opening. You have to learn to fully stroke it every time in both directions regardless. I only shortstroked once. Then I stopped treating the guns too gently and just banged them back and forth eliminating that problem.