shotgun help

[whacker]

I'm buying a new shotgun soon and am having a hard time I've looked at 11-87,870 supernova,stoeger uplander baikals  i know that the remingtons are good guns but I don't know about the others.
So; if you could give me some ideas on what you think on these gun or even something around $550-$600 that would be great

thanks whacker

[dukkillr]

Buy a Browning BPS.  They are the most reliable pump made today, and also one of the nicest.  True abidexterous operation, unjamable magazine operation, and a tough action that will operate with a decade's worth of dirt in it.  They are easy to disassemble with no springloaded tiny parts flying across the room.  Why these guns aren't more popular is a statement of brand loyalty not product quality. 

[Graybeard]

Whatcha gonna do with it? I dislike giving general responses to such questions of "what gun to buy" without knowing the use to which you will put it. In general a Remington 870 or 1100 or 11-87 are excellent choices for general use shotguns but might not be exactly right for your particular use. Tell us more of how you plan to use it.

[whacker]

You're right Greybeard I should've said what I intend to use it for. And that would be  waterfowl, upland game [doves,pheasant,rabbit, squirrel,sage grouse, etc.......] no big game.

thanks  whacker

[Graybeard]

You're right Greybeard I should've said what I intend to use it for. And that would be  waterfowl, upland game [doves,pheasant,rabbit, squirrel,sage grouse, etc.......] no big game.

thanks  whacker

For those uses either a pump IF YOU PUMP THEM WELL or a semiauto would do fine. I've used a Remington 870 for such uses for nearly 40 years I guess and feel it's a great choice. I'm talking the Wingmaster here not the newer Express models which I do not care for. One of the newer 11-87 guns would likewise be a fine choice and especially so if you are proficient at pumping a shotgun.

I see the Browning BPS guns toted often but have never used them personally so cannot offer any personal insight on them. I have however used the Rem. 870 pump guns for field shooting as well as skeet and trap competition for a great many years and have found them to be completely reliable and good shooting guns.

For most of your uses it likelly wouldn't matter if you got a 26" or 28" barrel but for some of them that extra 2" is handy and that's what I'd go for is a 28" barrel either pump or semi auto and make sure it's got choke tubes so you can change the choke to fit the situation.

[dukkillr]

i own 2 870s and 2 bps pumps.  The difference in quality between the two is obvious, and there is ABOSLUTELY NOTHING that is better about the 870.  I shoot left handed, so it's a no brainer for me, but the 870's side ejection hits anyone next to you, and the magazine can be jammed, especially when your fingers are cold and you're in a hurry.  I bought my first BPS because of the problems I was having with my 870.  I'd get a 3" BPS with a 26" barrel but if you're a taller guy (i'm 5'9") you'll be fine with the extra 2". 

[Val]

I agree that an 1100 or 1187 would be a good choice if you want a semiautomatic in your price range. If you're interested in a pump, look at the Benelli Nova. It is chambered for 3 1/2" shells which could be useful for waterfowl, using steel shot.

[captkev]

 I have a friend that is a die hard fan of the BPS or any Browning for that matter, more of a time honered pride thing I tell him. LOL He has 2 bps 12ga. a 10ga and a 20ga. and only the 10ga. is operational right now, he is having problems with the others not cycleing the shells, at first I thought he might be short cycling the pump, but I tried all of them and come to this conclusion... He is a big man and seems to get worked up when shooting at game birds, must be a pride thing once again It seems to me he has bent the release bar for cycleing the next round, I've watched him shoot his 10ga. and he seems to slam it back realy hard, why ? I don't know like I said he is a big man and might not know his own strength.  I worked at a shooting preserve as a guide for over 5 years and seen about every type of shot gun you can think of, every thing from grandpas 1930's hand me down single shots to $50,000 custom made Spain and English made side by sides. In most cases simpler is better, the more working parts you have, the more things that can and do go wrong in the feild. I've seen more 1100's taken apart in the feild than I care to mention. The A5's can have a bit of troubles with light loads, knowing your gun and how it preforms is the key, what ever you choose, be sure to know how it operates, and how to maintain it well, Feild striping your gun might be needed down the line, so be sure to know how to take it apart and put it back to gether, this will not only help with the maintance, but if you have a jam in the feild. Auto loaders have came along way in the last 10 years, but don't let commercials of people shooting 10,000 rounds fool you. anything mechanical can and will have some type of a issue sooner or later. Keep it simple, keep it safe, and good luck with what ever you choose.

[nabob]

Put me down as another well-satisfied BPS user. In my opinion, it is the best pump on the market today.

However, nothing but nothing is better than a Model 12 Winchester. I own quite a few and I've never had a better pump shotgun. But if you want new, my suggestion is the BPS. Can't kill it, pump action is very smooth, solid as a bank vault.

[dukkillr]

However, nothing but nothing is better than a Model 12 Winchester. I own quite a few and I've never had a better pump shotgun. But if you want new, my suggestion is the BPS. Can't kill it, pump action is very smooth, solid as a bank vault.

Amen.  I kill everything from turkeys to doves with my favorite M12.  A 2 3/4" 28" mod with a simmons rib.  There is no better gun in existence.  Obviously you know quality Nabob.

[captkev]

  Don't get me wrong guys, I know the malfunctions of his BPS's are all on my friends part, he's just a little too strong for his own good sometimes, all in all, the other BPS shooters I have seen seem to have no problems with their guns. I do dislike one thing myself, and have seen times where 3 shots is just not enough, a couple of times when goose hunting I've seen birds that have made it a bit farther than they shoud have because the with a BPS you have to have the action closed/ pump forward in order to load another shell, and if you are looking for some quick follow up shots, it will take a few more precious seconds to load/cycle/then fire. on most other pumps or autos the action stays open after the last shot and you just have to drop another shell in and close the action and fire. I've also shot a 20 target flurry of clays, and even with a over/under I can chamber my shots faster than with the BPS. autos work great for that as well when you can just drop the next shot in and push the button, no problems picking up the next target. I'd give it a 10 for dependability compaired to any other shot gun, but only a 5 on a scale of 10 when it comes to comfort/weight/speed to load. they are great guns, just not on the top of MY list.

  whacker,or anyone else who is about to buy a shotgun for that matter should first know if they are right or left eye dominate, and just because you are right handed at every thing else don't mean that its your strong eye, then goto a good gun shop and see what feels best for you, you have to be comfortable, and it has to fit you right, most of your lower end guns have no cast to the stock, but if your buying used, use a little caution, I've seen a fewA5's and a Stevens or two that had some cast to the stock, I've shot two different Berettas (over/uders) and both had a right hand cast, and that wont work if your a lefty. No-one here can tell you what will work best for you, only for them, like I said, you need to find one that feels right for you, I have a Verrona Auto that is as light as a feather in a 12ga. its a nice dependable shooter, and I have severl side by sides and a 20ga Ruger Red Lable O/U I love themall and each one has a specific use, If I could only own one of them, I'd have to go with the Ruger. Its simple, dependable, light, fast shouldering, and has shot everything from Woodcock and Doves to Geese and Ducks you can shoot 500 rounds threw it and still feel your shoulder too

 

[victorcharlie]

However, nothing but nothing is better than a Model 12 Winchester. I own quite a few and I've never had a better pump shotgun. But if you want new, my suggestion is the BPS. Can't kill it, pump action is very smooth, solid as a bank vault.

Amen.  I kill everything from turkeys to doves with my favorite M12.  A 2 3/4" 28" mod with a simmons rib.  There is no better gun in existence.  Obviously you know quality Nabob.

 

Dang Dukkillr......looks like we found something to agree on.........the model 12 set the standard against for what everything else is measured against...........

[whacker]

Well I just wanted to say thanks for all your advise and insight. I finally went  today and bought a remington 870 express super mag 26'' barrel with a synthetic stock and fore end also picked up a carlson choke ( imp. cyl) will keep you all updated how we get along.