Beginner Pump Shotgun

[Can-down]

Based on your expressed goals and aspirations, the Remington 870 makes good sense for a solid starting place.
Lots of nice old Wingmasters out there and plenty of different barrels, stocks and other parts.

 

[Can-down]

Berreta 1301

I hear they are real nice.... so many great shotguns,so many different actions on top of different goals and budgets.

 

[Clay Huntin' Canuck]

If your after good and good price the Maverick 88 is pretty bare bones and just a reliable shot gun. If you want some wood the Mossberg 500 or 835 Ulti-mag or the Remington 870 can come with two barrel sets. It depends on budget and what you want to do with it.

 

[ivobb]

I would highly recommend the Maverick 88 shotgun - I own two of them. Nothing fancy won't break the bank everything I've shot with it is still dead.

 

[bnk2]

I'll add to the chorus of those singing the praise of the humble Mav 88. I hate to say it, but I would avoid 870s unless manufactured prior to the turn of the century. Older pre-2000 870 Wingmasters and Express models are great however, and I would highly recommend one of those as well. Likely won't beat the price of a new 88 though.

 

[The_Gun_Boy]

Most Remington 870. Mossberg 400, 500. Maverick 88. Ithaca 37. BPS. Winchester 1200, 120, 1300, 12. Benelli Novas (the new one seems quite nice). All previously mentioned. Not really much of a wrong choice with most of them. You will need to have one with interchangable chokes or have one reamed out by a gunsmith if you intend to shoot steel for ducks.

 

[MrJorgeWBush]

Ithaca 37 is top g!

 

[StevoYVR]

I believe the Remington 870 is a great choice first shotgun.

It's a tried and true rock solid design over 75 years in production and thousands of easily available parts and accessories.

Small parts crucial to its operation are easy to find in Canada and various barrels, stocks etc are always available on the used market and if a full blown custom is what you grow into there are a number of great shops that can do wonders on an 870.

This gun will grow as you grow and be with you a lifetime

Unfortunately they don’t make them like they used to. Apparently Remington has gone downhill prior and since the bankruptcy of the firearms producing arm of the corporation. This pic is my experience with that. In my case, they refused to provide warranty service as I bought the 870 before the bankruptcy.

 

[SmallxTown]

Hello,

I was wondering what you would consider the best beginner pump shotgun in 12 ga ?

Remington 870s and Mossberg 88s are pretty popular and I haven't had any issues with either.

 

[Potashminer]

Hello,

I was wondering what you would consider the best beginner pump shotgun in 12 ga ?

Probably a year too late to reply - my first pump 12 gauge shotgun was a Mossberg 500 (fixed full choke - probably 30" barrel) - then I got a Browning BPS with fixed modified choke - 26" barrel chambered for up to 3" shells - our son has it now - that shotgun is at least 40 years old - umpteen dozen boxes of shells - I recently bought several more BPS - in 12 gauge, 20 gauge and 28 gauge. I do not own a Rem 870 shotgun, although I did - a 12 gauge receiver with 20 gauge barrel..