Pick Me a Pump Shotgun

Buy anything, a $200 turkatron pump will collect dust just as good as the 590 does when it sits in your safe and does nothing. (Pumps are terrible some people like to make others think they shoot them all the time but it's basically one of the biggest lies in gun culture.... the shotgun HD thing is this horrible meme that makes me facepalm)

No offense but the fact that you want us to pick a pump shotgun for you means that you probably haven't thought this through very well.

Of course there's option 2 which is that this mythical shotgun HD thing is a facade you're going to tell your wife and you want an excuse to buy a shotgun. In that case buy a 590, Benelli SNT, or stretch a bit and get the 930 SPX auto. You'll never want a pump again after running an auto.
 
I like my Mossberg 590 and the fact that it takes the same bayonet as my AR-15. A bayonet is the perfect compliment to a home defense shotgun in my opinion. That and a full stock with a steel buttplate makes it like three weapons in one.
 
drgrant said:
Buy anything, a $200 turkatron pump will collect dust just as good as the 590 does when it sits in your safe and does nothing. (Pumps are terrible some people like to make others think they shoot them all the time but it's basically one of the biggest lies in gun culture.... the shotgun HD thing is this horrible meme that makes me facepalm)

No offense but the fact that you want us to pick a pump shotgun for you means that you probably haven't thought this through very well.

Of course there's option 2 which is that this mythical shotgun HD thing is a facade you're going to tell your wife and you want an excuse to buy a shotgun. In that case buy a 590, Benelli SNT, or stretch a bit and get the 930 SPX auto. You'll never want a pump again after running an auto.
Click to expand...

There's reasons why most people go with rifles or AR pistols over shotguns these days for home defense.

I've owned an older Remington 870, a Benelli Super Nova, and a Winchester Model 12. I sold the first two and still have the M12, but the M12 is going to go bye-bye in the future once I replace it with a break action shotgun for upland hunting. Pumps just aren't as user friendly as semi-autos or break actions.

Cons of a pump: lighter, therefore more recoil; easy to short stroke for people who aren't practicing enough; becoming fast with a pump is a skill most buyers won't practice to develop; you have to move your arm between shots, which will probably disturb your sight picture; and the older ones aren't very modular or adaptable without spending a lot.

Pros of a pump: they'll feed anything, assuming your choke works with your load (like don't shoot slugs through a full choke); cheaper; and lighter. If you gave me the choice between carrying a Winchester M12 or a Remington 1100 all day in the north woods for hunting, I'd choose the M12, but I'd rather have a side-by-side over both.

When I started shooting 3-gun in 2019, I used a Benelli Super Nova. I hated that thing and it lasted two matches. To quote the old, fat Italian guy who shot the same matches I did, "[he] used to own a pump, until [his] dad got a better job." After those first two matches, I dumped the Super Nova for a 930 JM Pro and the JM was flawlessly reliable.
 
If you really need to tacticool out and put a bayonet on it - I agree with getting a semi. Namely, get an Auto-5 or Remington 11: the long action makes the barrel reciprocate and you'll wind up with a wicked sewing machine.

A5s are going for right around $500 on gunbroker, so pretty close to your budget.

As I said, new guns suck. A5s will run forever and do whatever you want a new gun to do. We're talking shotguns, at the heart of it you just need reliable.
 
drgrant said:
Buy anything, a $200 turkatron pump will collect dust just as good as the 590 does when it sits in your safe and does nothing. (Pumps are terrible some people like to make others think they shoot them all the time but it's basically one of the biggest lies in gun culture.... the shotgun HD thing is this horrible meme that makes me facepalm)

No offense but the fact that you want us to pick a pump shotgun for you means that you probably haven't thought this through very well.

Of course there's option 2 which is that this mythical shotgun HD thing is a facade you're going to tell your wife and you want an excuse to buy a shotgun. In that case buy a 590, Benelli SNT, or stretch a bit and get the 930 SPX auto. You'll never want a pump again after running an auto.
Click to expand...


MassiveBigHydra-size_restricted.gif
 
drgrant said:
Buy anything, a $200 turkatron pump will collect dust just as good as the 590 does when it sits in your safe and does nothing. (Pumps are terrible some people like to make others think they shoot them all the time but it's basically one of the biggest lies in gun culture.... the shotgun HD thing is this horrible meme that makes me facepalm)

No offense but the fact that you want us to pick a pump shotgun for you means that you probably haven't thought this through very well.

Of course there's option 2 which is that this mythical shotgun HD thing is a facade you're going to tell your wife and you want an excuse to buy a shotgun. In that case buy a 590, Benelli SNT, or stretch a bit and get the 930 SPX auto. You'll never want a pump again after running an auto.
Click to expand...

In the end, I think a pump shotguns greatest value is the fact that some gang banger that broke into your house got killed by a PUMP ASS SHOTGUN 😂😂😂😂

That is solid memetic value
 
Rehoboth Dave said:
I like my Mossberg 590 and the fact that it takes the same bayonet as my AR-15. A bayonet is the perfect compliment to a home defense shotgun in my opinion. That and a full stock with a steel buttplate makes it like three weapons in one.
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The caveat to that is the USMC's OKC3 bayonet that for whatever stupid reason has a different spacing from bayonet lug lock to muzzle ring so that the shell tube cap needs a spacer washer or replacement cap for the muzzle ring to be supported properly. M7 & M9 bayonets fit without issue. (no other NATO bayonets will work despite the muzzle ring diameters being the same to fit STANAG standard muzzle devices for rifle grenades, because STANAG bizarrely is missing a standard for bayonet lugs. So no NATO countries can use each other's bayonets unless they happen to be using a common rifle from FNH/HK, etc.)
 
Sammy said:
Do yourself a favor: take a SIG Shotgun Fundamentals course. One day of shooting and you will know whether a shotgun is for you or the kind of shotgun you want. Asking here for an opinion on gun selection is like asking a kid with ADD to recite "The midnight ride of Paul Revere" only here, it's the entire class of ADD Academy!
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Taking a shotgun class is good advice. However, Sig’s classes are full through next year and that’s a log time to wait to see if he likes a shotgun. Frankly, who doesn’t like shotguns?! Start with a cheap pump. Deck it out. Get a semi (double entendre??) and fall in love all over again!
 
Serious question: do those mags interfere with using the gun? They don’t look right and seem like they’d handle like a school bus full of pregnant grandmothers. But I’ve never tried one.

Any reviews from the peanut gallery?
 
Buck F said:
SchwINNNNNNNGGGG! Damn, I have wanted one of those for a while...
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It’s a 1956 Winchester Takedown that had been previously chopped for Cowboy Action Shooting… I picked it up from another NESer a few years back and sent it off to Bullcreek Arms for a complete tear down. The chamber was cut for modern loads and the entire gun cleaned and reassembled. The barrel was recrowned and fixed with the heat shield. The rubber butt pad is a WWII reproduction with ordnance part number and the sling is a modern leather match sling. I originally had an original WWII butt pad and sling for her, but couldn’t justify abusing vintage parts. The bayonet is original, however. The modern aftermarket reproductions do not have the fit and finish. I don’t feel guilty shooting her the way I might a true vintage trench gun.
 
I would strongly suggest a pre 1975 version of the Ithaca 37 because of the following;

"Loading the Ithaca 37 involves inserting shotshells of the proper gauge through the loading/ejection port in the bottom of the receiver and pushing them forward into the magazine until retained by the shell stop. The slide release is pressed and the slide retracted completely then pushed forward. Pulling the trigger fires the gun and releases the slide for reloading. On most models up to 1975, a second sear was installed that would drop the hammer as soon the gun went into battery if the trigger was in a depressed condition. Thus, holding the trigger down allowed the gun to fire the instant a new round is cycled into the chamber without requiring the trigger to be released; this feature was called "slam-fire". Otherwise, the Model 37 operates in much the same way as other pump-action shotguns; with the exception that, unlike most pump-action (and semi-automatic) long arms - which usually eject expended shells to one side, usually the right - the Model 37 ejects them downward, through the aforementioned loading/ejection port. This has made the Ithaca popular with left-handed users, who may fear hot shells being thrown at them by other guns."

I could always out shoot my other hunting buddies when duck, rabbit or grouse hunting by just sighting and pumping with my finger depressed on the trigger causing a "slam-fire" effect. I could fire 2 shots to their one shot quite easily. I know of any other shotgun with this feature, which is why so many Vietnam vets lived to tell the tales of fighting in thick jungles where getting off quick shots meant life or death. It was their choice of weapon back in the day;

"The Model 37 was used by the United States Armed Forces in World War II, the Korean War, and especially the Vietnam War, where it gained a great reputation for reliability in the jungles of Vietnam when generally used by special forces/special operations forces like the Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets. th.jpg "




Garys said:
Ithaca 37 police gun if you can find one. If it was good enough for Reed and Malloy, it's good enough for me.
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I know my Savage 520 has slam fire, and I believe the Winchester 12 does as well. I’d be willing to bet a lot of older pumps had this feature because people weren’t as stupid and you didnt need to throw useless safety features into guns.

It’s kind of fun, but I personally don’t really see it as a feature. I can shoot fast enough to be on target by pausing and getting the gun back on line vs keeping the lead flying.
 
I bought mine used and have never tried the slam fire trick. Maybe next range trip. It has an extended magazine and came with Choate furniture. I eventually found original style wood furniture for it.

Captain Junebug said:
I would strongly suggest a pre 1975 version of the Ithaca 37 because of the following;

"Loading the Ithaca 37 involves inserting shotshells of the proper gauge through the loading/ejection port in the bottom of the receiver and pushing them forward into the magazine until retained by the shell stop. The slide release is pressed and the slide retracted completely then pushed forward. Pulling the trigger fires the gun and releases the slide for reloading. On most models up to 1975, a second sear was installed that would drop the hammer as soon the gun went into battery if the trigger was in a depressed condition. Thus, holding the trigger down allowed the gun to fire the instant a new round is cycled into the chamber without requiring the trigger to be released; this feature was called "slam-fire". Otherwise, the Model 37 operates in much the same way as other pump-action shotguns; with the exception that, unlike most pump-action (and semi-automatic) long arms - which usually eject expended shells to one side, usually the right - the Model 37 ejects them downward, through the aforementioned loading/ejection port. This has made the Ithaca popular with left-handed users, who may fear hot shells being thrown at them by other guns."

I could always out shoot my other hunting buddies when duck, rabbit or grouse hunting by just sighting and pumping with my finger depressed on the trigger causing a "slam-fire" effect. I could fire 2 shots to their one shot quite easily. I know of any other shotgun with this feature, which is why so many Vietnam vets lived to tell the tales of fighting in thick jungles where getting off quick shots meant life or death. It was their choice of weapon back in the day;

"The Model 37 was used by the United States Armed Forces in World War II, the Korean War, and especially the Vietnam War, where it gained a great reputation for reliability in the jungles of Vietnam when generally used by special forces/special operations forces like the Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets.View attachment 556306"


Click to expand...
 
tuna said:
I know my Savage 520 has slam fire, and I believe the Winchester 12 does as well. I’d be willing to bet a lot of older pumps had this feature because people weren’t as stupid and you didnt need to throw useless safety features into guns.

It’s kind of fun, but I personally don’t really see it as a feature. I can shoot fast enough to be on target by pausing and getting the gun back on line vs keeping the lead flying.
Click to expand...
Ah, thanks for that information. My reasoning for that "aspect" (slam-fire) was the OP's nod to "home defense". I can only speak for my self that under the duress of a "home invasion/cultural enrichment moment" , my intent would not be "pausing" for target acquisition, but rather getting the lead "downrange" as fast as possible and letting the individual attempt to dodge the deterrent imho. ; )
 
Captain Junebug said:
Ah, thanks for that information. My reasoning for that "aspect" (slam-fire) was the OP's nod to "home defense". I can only speak for my self that under the duress of a "home invasion/cultural enrichment moment" , my intent would not be "pausing" for target acquisition, but rather getting the lead "downrange" as fast as possible and letting the individual attempt to dodge the deterrent imho. ; )
Click to expand...
Just think how many rounds you can get down range more accurately w/ a 30 round mag and very little recoil. If you slam-fire 5 (or 7 or 8) rounds you better hope they hit the intended target and that there's only one person in the house standing pretty much directly in front to you.
 
There are tons of options out there.

I would say, pretty much, the older the better.. Remington and Mossberg are fine. But I would also not discount Ithaca 37s, Winchester 101s, brownings and any other quality manufacturer.
 
Buck F said:
Just think how many rounds you can get down range more accurately w/ a 30 round mag and very little recoil. If you slam-fire 5 (or 7 or 8) rounds you better hope they hit the intended target and that there's only one person in the house standing pretty much directly in front to you.
Click to expand...

I agree, and disagree. 9 pellet buckshot gets you 36, .30(ish) caliber projectiles downrange in 4 trigger pulls. Shotguns are a 5-30 yd. tool with multiple projectiles, beyond that you should be using slugs. Otherwise, as Clint says you’re “trying to make custom cabinetry with a chainsaw”.

I won’t plagiarize this whole video, it’s worth a watch. He’s great at talking about the pros and cons of shotguns. He’s fun to listen to as well.


View: https://youtu.be/i12p_i4-qpM
 
Buck F said:
Just think how many rounds you can get down range more accurately w/ a 30 round mag and very little recoil. If you slam-fire 5 (or 7 or 8) rounds you better hope they hit the intended target and that there's only one person in the house standing pretty much directly in front to you.
Click to expand...
www.creditdonkey.com

23 Home Invasion Statistics You Should Be Afraid Of

Home invasions aren't always violent. 11% of burglars even remove a door or window while the occupants are home. The average loss is around $2,799 per home invasion.
www.creditdonkey.com www.creditdonkey.com

"What rooms do offenders usually hit first? A majority of offenders head straight to the master bedroom. Many homeowners leave their most valuable items in this room. The typical items include cash, jewelry, and weapons. In the master bedroom, they often head to the nightstand and closet first." (source)

"What time of day does the most crime occur? The most common time for crime by an adult to occur is at 10 PM. The most active time for adult criminals is between 8 PM and 12 PM. Juvenile criminals, on the other hand, are the most active between 3 and 4 PM." (source)

I can only speak for myself but my bedroom is 12' x 13.5'. I get up at 5:30 AM and in bed by 9:00 PM every night. I'm 64, started hunting and handling firearms at age 5 (1962) with my father, still have the Ithaca 37 he gave me. Hunted all my life and was a licensed NYS Hunting Guide for a decade and constantly shot skeet and target practiced. If someone manages to get inside my bedroom and can evade 7 rounds of "slam-fire", that individual would be the luckiest person on the planet. If there is more than one, I have a fully loaded Browning BPS Stalker 10 gauge "backup" loaded with 00 Buckshot for round two. If they can still proceed into my room after that then it's time for the Glock 23 and 4 full mags ready to go with one in the chamber. If that fails to stop the horde then I grab my Sig P230 and go down in a hail of bullets but hopefully I can take a final swing with my tanto bladed Bladetech Mike Vellekamp assault knife before succumbing! ; )
However, if I ever heard anyone inside my house I would not go outside my bedroom to play hero; I would just call the police and hope I don't have to pull the trigger and have the police to apprehend the criminal.

While I fully agree with your assessment for the downrange scenario, it just would apply in my case and statistically it would be uncommon.
 
Last edited:
Tinkermatic said:
I agree, and disagree. 9 pellet buckshot gets you 36, .30(ish) caliber projectiles downrange in 4 trigger pulls. Shotguns are a 5-30 yd. tool with multiple projectiles, beyond that you should be using slugs. Otherwise, as Clint says you’re “trying to make custom cabinetry with a chainsaw”.

I won’t plagiarize this whole video, it’s worth a watch. He’s great at talking about the pros and cons of shotguns. He’s fun to listen to as well.


View: https://youtu.be/i12p_i4-qpM
Click to expand...

You don't need all those pellets when shooting 5.56/.223. You can get ten shots off w/ more accuracy w/ a rifle before you'll get 4 off w/ a pump shotgun. I think the shotgun as a home defense weapon is vastly overrated and the AR (or Tavor, SBR, etc) are vastly underrated.
 

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