Best Pump for the $$$

Toad

Toad

Active member
Hello All,

One of my best friends has finally succumbed to peer pressure! He's taking a portion of this year's tax refund to the gun shop!:D He had previously been borrowing my old BPS to shoot trap, but unfortunately he didn't have the funds to buy it when I needed to sell it.

Now he's finally ready to drop some hard-earned coin on his first firearm, a 12 ga pump shotgun. He believes it will just be for shooting trap, sporting clays, and home defense. But my secret 'evil' plan will be to get him into bird hunting eventually, like I have done to sooooo many others...:thumbsup:

Anyway, he's trying to keep his costs down, but still get a shotgun that is durable and well made. He has been asking me to guide him through the process, which is somewhat like the blind leading the blind, since I am no gun expert. The other guys have just shown up at my house one day with a new mossberg pump or whatever gun is on super-sale somewhere. But this friend has asked me to help him find a gun that will last a lifetime, or at least hold it's value fairly well if he ever decides to sell it and upgrade.

Is there a pump shotgun that is better than the rest in terms of quality and durability? For a while there it seemed like I was getting a flyer every week from Cabelas with some pump or another in the $300.00 price range.

I also wondered if he might be able to get a good used pump for the same money as a new mossberg from walmart, and end up with a better gun by going used instead of new.:confused:

Anyway, if you had to choose the best pump shotgun for $350 or less, new or used, what would you buy? I really want to help my friend find a shotgun he will enjoy taking to the trap park and eventually take hunting.
 
Hmmm... A quick glance at the Cabelas website makes me think that maybe it's been a really long time since I shopped for pump shotguns... And also maybe I nearly GAVE away that old BPS.:eek:

I must be getting old! I think I paid $400 or less for my BPS new, and my college roommate bought a Wingmaster at the same time for right around the same $$$. Looks like gun prices have inflated a bit in the last 18 years...

Maybe a budget of $350 is not reasonable? Thoughts?
 
Does he want to shoot just lead through it or does he plan on shooting steel shot through it?

I just picked up a sweet 37 Ithaca 12ga 2.75" 28" mod vent rib off Gun Broker for $199.99 plus $25.00 shipping and $25.00 FFL transfer. The gun will last anybody several lifetimes. I have never seen a 37 shot out.

Lots of model 12 Winchesters for $300-$400, again a gun that lasts several lifetimes but for lead shot only.

A good used 870 with choke tubes or Browning BPS with tubes can be had for the $300-$400 range.

Just my opinion but I have no love for a Benelli Nova. Seen too many issues with them. You can find a new Mossberg or Remington Express 870 for that $300-$400 range. If you want top quality in a new pump. The new 37 Ithaca's have no equal but they are $700-$900 too.

Good Luck
 
Dakotazeb said:
I would look no further than a Remington 870 with choke tubes. You absolutely cannot go wrong with an 870.
Click to expand...

as long as it's a Wingmaster...they are much smoother that the 'cheaper' 870's
 
Best pump for the $$$

JMc said:
as long as it's a Wingmaster...they are much smoother that the 'cheaper' 870's
Click to expand...

Exactly. He should be able to find a nice used Wingmaster for $350. An excellent shotgun for all-around use and VERY DURABLE!
 
Reckon everyone has a personal preference or an experience one way or tother.
Fact is, all models go bang most of the time, all can have quality issues, all pump gun triggers will be fairly poor and it sounds like, for the few rounds the fella will shoot, that any pump scattergun will have an equal degree of durability.
Falls to which pump he prefers the feel of and what shells he will shoot down range.
We all shoot best what we like and not always another's choice of better.
He should go for the feel and the look at that price point.
Name on the receiver matters little in his case.
 
OldDublin said:
Reckon everyone has a personal preference or an experience one way or tother.
Fact is, all models go bang most of the time, all can have quality issues, all pump gun triggers will be fairly poor and it sounds like, for the few rounds the fella will shoot, that any pump scattergun will have an equal degree of durability.
Falls to which pump he prefers the feel of and what shells he will shoot down range.
We all shoot best what we like and not always another's choice of better.
He should go for the feel and the look at that price point.
Name on the receiver matters little in his case.
Click to expand...

Can't disagree with what you say, but the guy did ask this question:
Anyway, if you had to choose the best pump shotgun for $350 or less, new or used, what would you buy?
Click to expand...
And he got some opinions!
 
Another pump that you might look at is the Benelli Nova. I see used ones on GunBroker.com in "like new" condition for under $350. Ffor this price range you have quite a few different brands to choose from. I would recommend you get a gun with choke tubes.
 
Yes...and all scatterguns mentioned will work....that being my point.

I may not have given a specific example but I do hope I gave a direction of choice to consider that answers the question for him rather than only providing an answer of equals to him.

My choice if I had to make a choice re a silly home defense option, trap, SCs, and the kitchen sink?.....used, modified choke 870....no choke tubes.
Then, shoot the bluing off it.
 
OldDublin said:
Yes...and all scatterguns mentioned will work....that being my point.

I may not have given a specific example but I do hope I gave a direction of choice to consider that answers the question for him rather than only providing an answer of equals to him.

My choice if I had to make a choice re a silly home defense option, trap, SCs, and the kitchen sink?.....used, modified choke 870....no choke tubes.
Then, shoot the bluing off it.
Click to expand...

I concur completely:10sign:.
 
I have an 870 and a SuperNova.

I really like them both. However, if he is ever thinking of adding upland, duck, and/or goose hunting I recommend the SuperNova. That way the gun can handle every shell out there.
 
Grandson recently started trap shooting with a borrowed gun, an H&R "Pardner" pump.

I was surprised at how nice a gun it is for the price. $179 at Academy Sports.

Or, find a clean used 870.
 
onpoint i'm not sure what issues you have with the nova but from what i have seen it's a lot of gun for the money. 2 3/4 -3.5 in chamber multiple choke tubes very versatile . i have a super black eagle 2 and love it yes i know it's a semi auto:thumbsup:. tell him to go for the nova. benelli makes a great gun :D. :cheers: ps. stay the hell away from mossbergs.:D
 
Toad-

I'm adding nothing that hasn't already been said.

If it were me though, and I had $350 to spend on a 12 guage pump, I would be owning a used 870 Wingmaster or Ithaca 37.

In the Wingmaster, screw in chokes is preferable, but I wouldn't shy away from a fixed modified choke. I've got a 20 guage Ithaca with a fixed full choke, it is a joy to carry and shoot.

Personal preference, but I'd avoid most of the pumps I see in the Cabela's and Academy type flyers. They all seem to be made to the lowest common denominator, sold at a price point, rather than something that you'd want to hold on to for years. That said, there is always a time and place for a beater gun, be it in the duck blind, nasty weather, or behind the truck seat. I'm just partial to Walnut and blued steel, not plastic and bead blast matte finish.
 
Thanks guys! I really appreciate all the input.

It is true that the cheapo pumps in the flyer would probably get him through several seasons of trap league and sporting clays. They have worked fine for a few other friends of mine. But my friend thinks I am an expert:rolleyes:, so he asked me to help him find the BEST gun in his budget. Since I don't know too much about guns, I thought I would toss the question out for you all.

I'm hearing "870 Wingmaster" repeated with honorable mention to Ithaca 37 and Model 12, so that gives us a good place to start. And I know my BPS held up pretty well to the abuse I put it through also. So I guess we will go out with the intention of finding a good used Wingmaster, and if we see one of the other models that trips his trigger then I can still feel confident telling him it's a good gun.

I greatly appreciate all the advice, gentlemen. Thanks. I'm going to have a lot of fun spending somebody else's money.:D
 
@ the Benelli Nova... I'm partial to walnut and blued steel also. I have no doubt that the Nova is a plenty capable gun, but it's kinda ugly looking to me.

I guess I will find out what my friend likes.... Maybe he will think that synthetic and matte finish is the way to go. If so I will tell him about the Nova.
 
You don't need a wingmaster unless he wants walnut and blued. A express with some use is smoother than a new wingmaster. Blued and walnut does nothing to add to the function of the gun.
 
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