pump or auto for 3 gun?

migrant hunter

migrant hunter

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This is the first of many stupid questions I may ask on 3 gun.
Does the advantage of semi auto negate the 5 shot mag, or is an extended mag pump better?
I hope to get into 3 gun but I have a mossberg that can't be extended. I always wanted to get an 870 anyway, but I miss the 1100 I had years ago.
 
Do your research and try to shoot other people's 3 gun shotgun before making a decision. Watch some videos of the 3 gun matches. You will see what is popular. A semi may not hold only 5 shots. You are allowed to have a tube with 5 rounds of whatever size shell the gun is marked for. If it is marked for 3.5" shells that equals 17.5" which means you can load 6 shells of 2.75".
 
Thanks. I have owned a lot of shotguns over the years, semis and pumps. I understand what you mean about mag length/shell length, I was even wondering if I could make my shells shorter to fit more in!
 
You will find that the fastest shooters are the ones that can reload the fastest. If you have less then the number of rounds that the stage requires you need to reload and If your gun holds less than the maximum allowed by the rules then you are at a significant disadvantage. Pump or auto makes little difference for the fraction of second you save with auto if you need to do a reload. Also if looking for a competition gun find the one that is easiest to reload, for example easiest to access port, low tube magazine spring tension, no buttons to press etc. There are removable magazine shotguns and they are the fastest for reload but these are not allowed in many types of competition.



migrant hunter said:
This is the first of many stupid questions I may ask on 3 gun.
Does the advantage of semi auto negate the 5 shot mag, or is an extended mag pump better?
I hope to get into 3 gun but I have a mossberg that can't be extended. I always wanted to get an 870 anyway, but I miss the 1100 I had years ago.
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Speaking from my POV...
It doesn't matter...
The rules foe the matches I've been involved with running separate pumps and semi's from each other by division.
Whatever perceived capacity advantage you think you have over semi shooters is moot as you're not competing against them.

Also... stage design/procedure can easily #####-slap either the pump or semi shooter with regard to their guns action/capacity.

I think nowhere else in shooting does the saying "it's the shooter not the gun" ring truer than with shotguns...

Also.... read the div. rules before buying... Just so you dont get something with some little feature that'll put you into "open" div. (If that's not where you want yo be.
 
The decision as to whether you go pump or semi really depends on a lot of factors.

First you will need to decide what division you want to shoot, as some will specify what type of shotgun you need (ie heavy metal divisions usually specify must be a 12 gauge pump). If you are just shooting local matches, the specific rule set of you club may also help with the decision as they may restrict the number of rounds you can have regardless of the type of gun.

Assuming that the only restrictions are Canadian gun laws, you really need to decide which type of action you are most interested in shooting - usually you will only be shooting against others with the same firearm types so capacity limits don't factor in too much. If the classes are mixed such that one division may have pump or semi shotguns competing with each other, as was previously stated having a shotgun with a 3" or 3.5" chamber is absolutely an advantage as it will allow you to get 6-7 2.5" rounds in the magazine (depending on how it is plugged), plus one in the chamber plus possibly a ghost load if the shotgun can do that. For most matches, starting with a semi holding 7-8 rounds and a magazine able to hold 6 rounds will be just as competitive as a pump that can hold 10-12 rounds with an extension.

The big key is knowing how to reload fast - this is the make it or break it point with shotgun (in shotgun matches or 3 gun matches), followed very closely by having a good understanding of how your gun works for malfunction clearance.

Practice trumps capacity in most circumstances in general.

lonedrone
 
I find that my cheap Maverick is faster to load than all the other tube guns I've had, as it does'nt have a shell lifter in the way. I had a 500 years ago, could'nt hit anything with it, but this little Maverick is like pointing with my finger.
I shot one small 3 gun a couple of years ago in Lethbridge and felt a little out of my depth. I have shot all kinds of guns for years including ipsc a few times for fun. I want to start practicing realistically with the guns I own before buying anything else.
 
Garand said:
Go with a pump as it is more flexible with the different types of ammunition it will digest.
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I'm not so sure this really applies to all semi's. ..
There are models/systems that easily run on whatever you feed them.
For example. .. 'Seems no one has trouble with the Benelli M2 no matter what ammo they use.
I know I've used variety of ammo with my M2 and nary a hiccup.
 
My 2 cents...

tomo333 said:
If it is marked for 3.5" shells that equals 17.5" which means you can load 6 shells of 2.75".
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Actually 7. The law says you can't get the 6th 3.5" into the tube, so you've actually got more than 20" or so to play with.

My Versamax semi (with 7 in the tube) eats everything; 3.5" Goose killers to 2.75" skeet loads.
Regardless, you're only going to bring ammo that has been proven to work in your gun to a match.

I can shoot my Versamax far faster than my beloved 590.

Since there's inconsistency in 3 gun rules; sooner or later, you'll enter a match where the semi and pumps are in the same division.

So... Now Semis have the capacity, Semis' have the reliability and Semis are faster.
What's the best choice today?
 
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Having just got a versamax, I can tell you it's way easier to load vs. my mossberg 500, despite the forked lifter. It's bigger, and smoother out of the box for stuffing shells in, and way more accommodating for load 2 or quad loads, and has already been mentioned, it's the loading that will make or break it seems....

Semi can totally compete now, and, they take a lot of manual work out of the equation....
 
Depending on the course design, the advantage of higher capacity can be completely nerfed. Even if the stage design makes it an advantage, it's not as great an advantage as you'd think since it only translates into eliminating reloading one or two shells (say, one or two seconds): 6 or 7 capacity in an auto, vs 8 in a typical pump (unless the match allows "gamer" pump guns with 10+ capacity).

When a Canadian supplier figures out how to bring us large quantities of 2" or 2 1/4" shells, pumps will have more of an advantage again. :)
 
Freedom Ventures said:
My 2 cents...


Actually 7. The law says you can't get the 6th 3.5" into the tube, so you've actually got more than 20" or so to play with.

My Versamax semi (with 7 in the tube) eats everything; 3.5" Goose killers to 2.75" skeet loads.
Regardless, you're only going to bring ammo that has been proven to work in your gun to a match.

I can shoot my Versamax far faster than my beloved 590.

Since there's inconsistency in 3 gun rules; sooner or later, you'll enter a match where the semi and pumps are in the same division.

So... Now Semis have the capacity, Semis' have the reliability and Semis are faster.
What's the best choice today?
Click to expand...

Pardon me. I should have said AT LEAST 17.5" and AT LEAST 6 ROUNDS.
However my point to the OP was that you can listen to everyone out here pick apart advice or the BEST thing to do is shoot the different guns and see what you are most comfortable with and shoot well with.
 
tomo333 said:
Pardon me. I should have said AT LEAST 17.5" and AT LEAST 6 ROUNDS.
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Looks like you took my post as a personal criticism; the only part directed at you was that a higher capacity is available; the rest was my personal commentary to the OP along the lines of the whole thread. No attack or insult was intended your way, tomo333. I apologize if I came across that way to you.
 
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SPRTN308 said:
Having just got a versamax, I can tell you it's way easier to load vs. my mossberg 500, despite the forked lifter.
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When I handled the new Versamax Competition at SHOT, I saw that it has a flat lifter. I've asked the Remington Importer if I can buy the lifter and the extended bolt release for the competition for current Versamax owners and they say it's possible. It will be a little bit before the parts come in, but they are working on it for us.
 
Freedom Ventures said:
When I handled the new Versamax Competition at SHOT, I saw that it has a flat lifter. I've asked the Remington Importer if I can buy the lifter and the extended bolt release for the competition for current Versamax owners and they say it's possible. It will be a little bit before the parts come in, but they are working on it for us.
Click to expand...

That's good to hear as that was the plan.
 
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