SHOTGUN: o/u or pump?

Originally Posted by enysse

I have a Remington Wingmaster 12 gauge, that I think for the dollar is one of the best guns every made. My vote is for the pump shotgun! They are usually easy to take apart and highy versatile. I use mine to shot sabots, slugs, buckshot and bird shot.

While I like side by sides or over/unders...they just are not as versatile.

+1 on the Wingmaster. Sold mine years ago and that was a stupid thing to do.

As far as autos go, I have a Benelli Super Black Eagle that never let me down in the snowy, muddy muck of a winter wheat field when hunting geese. It's a recoil activated gun and not gas operated and this I think is the difference. I'd love to have that Wingmaster back but it won't be at the expense of letting my Benelli go.

Just a comment on the reliability of semi's, I own a Franchi I-12, the same parent company owns Stoeger (the "bottom line" company), Franchi ( the "middle of the road" company), and Benelli (the "top of the line" company), all operate on the same system, Inertia driven. If you want to see what these guns will go through, the Duck Commanders from Louisianna (duckcommander.com), are using Benelli Super Vinci's and really put these guns to the tests before they used them. They actually torture tested these guns by using them as boat paddles and burying them in swamp mud before using them just to see what they would handle. I wouldn't recommend this but it says a lot for the reliability of this action. Just my 2 cents on this...

another personal opinion here, i have used winchester, remington and mossberg pump shotguns, in addition to s/s and single shots. if i could only own one shotgun for the rest of my life, it would be a mossberg model 500. i have used one,( the one PA Outlaw spoke of) for years without the slightest problem. that gun shoots in the heat, freezing rain, sub-zero weather with just a drip of oil a year. i have seen them used in the US army in the desert without problems. i have shot everything from 9 shot to slugs out of the barrel and it is a great gun. it is drilled and tapped for optics, i can buy many different barrels for less than $200 here in the USA. it is just a good reliable firearm. it may not be as pretty as an Ithaca model 37, but it is smooth, reliable, and i have never had it malfunction in years of riding in the toolbox in the bed of my truck. i have to use a remington 870 for work, and (not wanting to start arguements with this statement) the mossberg is a much better firearm. and i believe i have used this firearm in every type of weather that Northeastern United States can provide. the only downfall i have found is that my particular mossberg is only chambered for 2 3/4 and 3 inch shells. for goose hunting i have been told i would do better with a 3 1/2 inch chamber for longer range.