Pump 12 gauge opinions

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A buddy of mine and i have been doing some shooting and while my Beretta 390 is a ton of fun to shoot he is looking to buy a pump shotgun to go squirrel hunting on my property and maybe a deer or two. I dont have a pump shotgun so i may cruise the local pawn shops and see whats out there.

I guess a winchester model 12 would be a holy grail gun for a good price.. havent been made in 50 yrs..

Model 870 remington- the gun that put the model 12 out of business.. gazillions sold.. should be easy to find and cheap. Wingmaster would be the one i would look at.

Browning BPS- better than the 870?

Ithaca 37- a cheaper model 12?

Mossberg 500- Military proven and tested.

I think for my buddy a Mossberg 500 and for myself an Ithaca 37 would be fun to swap off and both should be good reliable guns.

Anyone own any or a few of the above guns? any recommendations?
 
The Mossberg 590 is the military version. The 500 is the cheaper version.

Winchester shotguns have too many screws and a antiquated design*, so I guess my vote would be between the Remington and the Mossberg 590.

BSW

*The last ones I looked at were 20 years ago.
 
You can't go wrong with an 870 or a Mossberg 500. Benelli [Nova or Super Nova] makes a nice pump action as well.
 
One problem with the Ithaca Model 37 is the magazine tube. They are small, and reloaded ammunition can stick in them. When a shotshell is resized it can and often does expand the diameter of the rim slightly. This can cause the shell to stick inside the magazine tube. Ithaca 37's are all like this. I bought mine new in the mid 70's, and have always had issues with reloaded ammunition in it. Factory shells will not give problems. If you're an avid clay target shooter this can be an issue. Most all clay shooters are reloaders. And because it ejects from the bottom, you cannot feed a shell directly into the chamber like you can on a 870. You have to place it in the magazine, then cycle the action.
 
Kris;
You hit the nail on the head in your post about BPS.
Any firearm purchase.... well I wouldn't buy used unless it was something special, and especially not from a pawn shop.

Edit; Most pump shotguns new in box, require cleaning to get the packing grease out of the action.
 
I have a bunch of Model 12's and several Ithaca 37's. The M12 is a bulletproof design, but it's clunky. The Model 37's have a very slick action, that would be my pick.
 
Remington 870 with short smooth slug barrel and a magazine extension tube. If a home intruder hears that thing rack a round they will definately turn and run. :)
 
The Model 12 is ultimately my choice-the name "The Perfect Repeater" was well earned, and I wouldn't give mine up for anything.

With that said, for modern options I tend toward the 870. It's durable and inexpensive, and can be customized to no end.

For what you describe, I'd probably start at a 28" with a modified choke, although like pretty much all modern shotguns the world is your oyster when it comes to choke and barrel options(there's just probably more choice out there for the 870). With the trend toward defensive use, the 28" barrel has fallen by the wayside, but I think that for hunting use it still is easy to make an argument for it. Throw an 18 1/2" with a cylinder or IC on it if you want to do double duty for home defense.

One downside of the older designs like the 12, 37, and 97 is that you can't change barrels at will, and you can't change chokes unless someone has hacked a Cutts or the like onto them. I once had a 16 gauge model 12 with a Cutts(albeit a modified choke), and no one would stand next to me when I shot it.
 
If you get an 870, get the Wingmaster and get one made in the days before the Freedom Group got a hold of Remington.

If you are a lefty, the BPS or the Ithaca are great choices.

Winchester Model 12's are great guns,but hard to find in good condition at reasonable prices.


If I was to buy a new pump for the purposes mentioned, it would be the BPS or Ithaca. The Mossy is a great gun, and if you are more budget conscious, that would be the choice for me.
 
Originally Posted By: Olas
Franchi.


They don't do pumps anymore, and even then I don't remember ever seeing one outside the SPAS which was a dual mode.
 
Originally Posted By: 333jeffery
I have a bunch of Model 12's and several Ithaca 37's. The M12 is a bulletproof design, but it's clunky. The Model 37's have a very slick action, that would be my pick.


+1.

I don't have any model 12's. But I have shot some and some Ithica's. I'd take the 37 every time. And I grew up in an 870 household. That was our std ranch gun and some were pretty beat, but kept on running.

So have my Moss'ys - but they are not in the same league for fit and finish...

At this point I think most 37's are a good investment that will only go up in value
smile.gif
 
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If you think the 870 is smooth, shoot a Remington 31 some time. Probably the smoothest pump I have ever handled. Feels like it is running on ball bearings.
 
Still have the Winchester Mod 1200 I bought in 1965. Smooth, reliable, and good looking wood.
 
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