Opinions wanted on a new Pump Action Shotgun

handofzeus said:
I've said this before. I don't know where folks get the idea that the wingmasters are so 'smooth'. I owned a mint early 70s wingmaster that had the typical 'hitch' in cocking that is inherent to that action. I sold the Remington within a year of buying it and same with the Mossberg 500 that I owned. With the Mossberg the annoyance was the wobbly forestock and action bars. It always felt like something was missing or had come loose. I did hang onto my Ithaca and of course the Winchester! Aaaahhhh the Winchester pump. A thing of beauty. Now there's a 'smooth' action and fast to operate. Wouldn't trade the Winnie for the world!
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I'll keep my Winny :)
 
handofzeus said:
I've said this before. I don't know where folks get the idea that the wingmasters are so 'smooth'. I owned a mint early 70s wingmaster that had the typical 'hitch' in cocking that is inherent to that action. I sold the Remington within a year of buying it and same with the Mossberg 500 that I owned. With the Mossberg the annoyance was the wobbly forestock and action bars. It always felt like something was missing or had come loose. I did hang onto my Ithaca and of course the Winchester! Aaaahhhh the Winchester pump. A thing of beauty. Now there's a 'smooth' action and fast to operate. Wouldn't trade the Winnie for the world!
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Agree it is annoying but I hear you can drop it in the mud and puddles and because it's loose as a hotdog down a hallway it will still cycle. That being said I'd buy a weatherby sa08 at like 150 bucks more and have a semi
 
I bought an 870 express about a year ago. It is not the same 870 that I had 15 years ago! It will stove pipe on me when shooting sporting clays so I am going to polish the chamber and change the extractor to a non MIM extractor and see what happens. I already changed to furniture to a stock and for end from Boyd's which I am very happy with and fits me much better than the OEM stock.
 
"That being said I'd buy a weatherby sa08 at like 150 bucks more and have a semi"

Not locally unfortunately, the least expensive semi I looked on Saturday was a Franchi Affinity. Beautiful gun, $250 out of my budget.
 
I have a win 2200 that id be ashamed to post a pic of for its condition, have yet to fail me. Have the sxp defender which is very nice and smooth. For the duck blind I have a well used nova that I would not give up for the world. I have a large frame and don't usually have fit issues with shotguns. I love my Winchesters and Nova. Can't pass judgement on the 870 as I have never owned one.
 
I have had an 870 express for 20 years, and have had it in just about every hunting condition you can throw at it. It's always been a good solid gun and hasn't given me any real trouble. Only thing that puzzles me a little is for what has only been the last couple years, when you fire a shot and cycle the action, and pull the trigger again, all you get is a click... Sometimes it fails to release another shell from the magazine tube. I have checked everything over a hundred times... Nothing is worn, the slide bar pushes on the shell stop right when it should, and everything is nice and tight... Can't figure it out. It only seems to happen when I am excited and shooting at geese lol.
A few weeks ago, I bought a mossberg 535, and although it's nothing fancy, I have to say I love the gun. Works great, easy to take apart for cleaning, and is a better fit for me than the 870... I shoot much better with it.

The only gripes I have with the mossberg is the plug somehow got out through the side of the magazine spring and jammed the spring in the compresses position, and the magazine tube was the most aggravating thing I have ever seen to remove...mossberg doesn't spare any mercy with the thread locker. Anyway, after I finally got it apart and got the plug out of the spring, I cut a pencil to the right length, and it's been perfect since.

Best of luck with whichever gun you decide on, and happy hunting.
 
steve-o1979 said:
I have had an 870 express for 20 years, and have had it in just about every hunting condition you can throw at it. It's always been a good solid gun and hasn't given me any real trouble. Only thing that puzzles me a little is for what has only been the last couple years, when you fire a shot and cycle the action, and pull the trigger again, all you get is a click... Sometimes it fails to release another shell from the magazine tube. I have checked everything over a hundred times... Nothing is worn, the slide bar pushes on the shell stop right when it should, and everything is nice and tight... Can't figure it out. It only seems to happen when I am excited and shooting at geese lol.
A few weeks ago, I bought a mossberg 535, and although it's nothing fancy, I have to say I love the gun. Works great, easy to take apart for cleaning, and is a better fit for me than the 870... I shoot much better with it.

The only gripes I have with the mossberg is the plug somehow got out through the side of the magazine spring and jammed the spring in the compresses position, and the magazine tube was the most aggravating thing I have ever seen to remove...mossberg doesn't spare any mercy with the thread locker. Anyway, after I finally got it apart and got the plug out of the spring, I cut a pencil to the right length, and it's been perfect since.

Best of luck with whichever gun you decide on, and happy hunting.
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It's called short stroking...100% operator error! LOL!
 
That's 100% what I thought it was lol. I try like hell to make sure I rack it all the way, but sometimes I still do it, I guess.

Weirdest thing is that I have done it in slow motion, carefully watching the slide bars slide over that shell stop, and dammit, the minute the action is open far enough for the shell in the barrel to eject, another one will come out of the tube every time.... But let me go goosing, and the same does not apply lol.
 
I have a Nova, and have owned a Mossy 500, sold and regretted it, so I have another on the way. I have no experience with 870's (I'm a lefty and got the 500 when it was between the 870 and 500 for a short barreled defense gun due to the tang and from what I read regarding quality issues with the Express). The Mossberg is what everyone says it is - a dependable workhorse. It will always go boom and always eject. If you're going 500, just don't get the cheap combo kit with the plastic fore grip, it's junk. Make sure it is either wood or has a good corncob-style fore grip on it if you go synthetic. The wood version as actually pretty nice, and the "classic field" one has even nicer wood. The 500 rattles but it's what I use(d) for bear protection up north- I trust that thing.

As for the Nova, it's my favorite gun. I do duck (perfect) and trap (not ideal I suppose, but I've never used an autoloader so I don't know the difference) with it and it is glorious. The fit and finish is great on it (I have the camo). The difference between a Nova's F+F and a Mossy's or Express is huge. From the loading gate to the slide to the bead and follower, it's just a beauty of a gun. It's a bit heavy but it is just so smooth. It packs a WHALLOP, so I installed a limbsaver on it to replace the factory pad, and I can shoot literally hundreds of shells through it in a day without starting to flinch when pulling the trigger. Best 40 dollar investment I've made. That gun can take a pounding.

To me the black Nova felt a little toy-ish in the gun shop just due to the all-over synthetic nature of it, which is why I like the camo version, but you won't find a camo Nova for under 500 new.

I've only handled a BPS (nice but heavy like the Nova) and synthetic SXP (light gun, very nice as well) but I can't comment since I've never shot them.

Look into the SXP as an alternative to the Nova, too. Handles like a champ. You can buy it with a 2 barrel combo kit as well, something you won't be able to do for cheap with the Nova.

Finally, with pump guns, you get what you pay for.
 
The nice gentleman over at Green Diamond Outfitters set me up on Thursday with a Benelli Nova Black Synthetic 28" barrel, a skeet choke and a choke tube case for a mere $618.82 taxes in. Finally had a chance to strip, clean, lube and reassemble her tonight. I have say I'm quite impressed with the fit and finish and well thought out designs in this gun. With a little luck I may get to break some targets with her on Sunday. Thank you for the help gentlemen.
 
Very cool! Nice choice!

Can I just ask, what exactly is the "skeet choke" you got? Is it a fancy specialty choke? I'm just curious because if I'm not mistaken, a new Nova should come with an improved cylinder, modified, and full choke already.
 
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