PUMP...VS...SEME AUTO???

[Dilinger23]

I BAUGHT MY FIRST SHOTGUN NOT TOO LONG AGO. I WAS JUST THINGKING WHAT WOULD BE MOST PEOPLES CHOICE ON A SHOTGUN... PUMP OR A SEMI AUTO AND WHY?? I THINK ANY WAY YOU GO IS GOOD IN THAIR OWN WAY. I GUESS IT WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT YOU WOULD USE IT FOR.. LETS JUST SAY IM LOOKING FOR WHATS MORE FLEXIBLE IN ANY SITUATION. SUCH HUNTING-DEFENCE-OR ANY SURVIVAL ISSUES.. WHATS YOUR THAUGHTS ON THIS????..PUMP??? OR SEMI AUTO???

[trever1t]

Cheap 870 pump. Versatile, flawless, functional, parts galore, simplicity, handle variety of loads, ease of maintenance, etc.

[rssslvr]

870 is a good choice IMO as well

[aplinker]

Depends on the pump and the semi and the situation.

I'll give you the short answer first: pump.

If I were real concerned about needing to put a whole lot of lead out there fast, then semi. 8 rounds of 00buck is in a couple seconds ought to clear any hole you need to get through. In the field, it's nice to be able to have semis for when you flush a bevy of birds. However, there can be reliability issues.

With a pump, there's no question it's going to go bang. You can kick it, drop it, bury it... pumps take punishment. They're not gonna fail. You can still cycle them pretty fast, if you know your gun. Not to mention, you can put a collapsible stock and a PG on them.

I BAUGHT MY FIRST SHOTGUN NOT TOO LONG AGO. I WAS JUST THINGKING WHAT WOULD BE MOST PEOPLES CHOICE ON A SHOTGUN... PUMP OR A SEMI AUTO AND WHY?? I THINK ANY WAY YOU GO IS GOOD IN THAIR OWN WAY. I GUESS IT WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT YOU WOULD USE IT FOR.. LETS JUST SAY IM LOOKING FOR WHATS MORE FLEXIBLE IN ANY SITUATION. SUCH HUNTING-DEFENCE-OR ANY SURVIVAL ISSUES.. WHATS YOUR THAUGHTS ON THIS????..PUMP??? OR SEMI AUTO???

[ar15barrels]

Benelli M3.
It can function in either a pump OR semi auto modes.

Benelli's excellent shell carrier operation allows easy selective loading without the next shell trying to feed into the action when you open the action in semi-auto mode.

[randy]

Offhand I'd say I haven't disagreed with any of Randall's posts. But this one he's misguided. The M3 is a nightmare of a shotgun. It's heavy confused and was built by commitee. It's good quality just a worthless design.

I'll be willing to change my mind if somebody has a good explantion.

[ar15barrels]

Offhand I'd say I haven't disagreed with any of Randall's posts. But this one he's misguided. The M3 is a nightmare of a shotgun. It's heavy confused and was built by commitee. It's good quality just a worthless design.

I'll be willing to change my mind if somebody has a good explantion.

I don't have one.
I think you just convinced me to keep it that way.
I have no practical experience beyond playing with one in a gun shop 10 years ago.
It is a neat idea on paper though.

I'll rescind my M3 recommendation and replace it with an M1.

[FatKatMatt]

Definetely pump, it's perfect for any situation you need a shotgun for. If you need a shotgun for home defense, the sound of that gun cycling is enough to make most criminals turn tail and run. If you need to put food on the table, a pump twelve can take down most anything at close range; if you need birds, deer, bear, whatever, the twelve gauge can do it.

I'd say that the Benelli Supernova is good for this; it's like a GLOCK with the plastic outer layer, has the 3.5" magnum chamber so you can put anything marked "12" in it, and you can switch out barrels and stocks very easily. I'm sure you could do this with a Mossber 500 or Remington 870, and the Mossberg has the added feature of nine rounds in the 3" chambering and the ability to take a bayonet... don't need much more than that.

[ar15barrels]

If you need a shotgun for home defense, the sound of that gun cycling is enough to make most criminals turn tail and run.

Maybe in the movies.

[m24armorer]

Randy, trust me it works.........

At least for me on one dark night.

Alot better than having to clean up the mess from a good (legal) shoot.

[-hanko]

If you need a shotgun for home defense, the sound of that gun cycling is enough to make most criminals turn tail and run.

This was your experience, or did you read about it on the internet.

-hanko

[randy]

Hey Randall do you have the muffler on your M1 so that if the bad guy comes in you can rack the slide without making any noise.

I don't know about the rest of you but the lame noise thing is just that LAME. My M1 is loud enough when loading to get the point across if I believed that.

[ar15barrels]

Hey Randall do you have the muffler on your M1 so that if the bad guy comes in you can rack the slide without making any noise.

My safety is pretty quiet, but I would not have to rack the slide.
It would already be loaded.

This does not matter though because I keep an 870 loaded and safed behind my bedroom (safe room) door.
Should I need it, all I have to do is grab it and un-safe it.
No un-necessary noise (or actions) here.

If I'm gonna make a mess of some perp, I realize that the PD is probably going to want that gun for a while.
They can have my $200 870, but I'm not giving them my Benelli M1.

[maxicon]

I believe in gas-operated semi-autos for home defense, mostly because of the risk of short-stroking a pump when the adrenalin's flowing or if you're in a tight situation, like against a wall, on your back, weak arm hurt, whatever.

If you practice plenty, it minimizes the risk, but a well-proven semi-auto (shot a lot with the ammo you use for defense), there's much less risk of anything going wrong - just cycle the first round and start firing.

In either case, practice a lot with the ammo you plan on using, and you'll get a feel for the strong and weak points of whatever gun you choose.

[M. Sage]

For me, it's a pump all the way. I've used them enough that I'm not worried about making a mistake and short-stroking.

My first gun was an Ithaca 37. I don't currently own a shotgun, but every one I've owned has been a pump-action.

3 1/2" doesn't appeal to me. I had a Mossberg 835, and found that stuff to be stupidly painful to shoot.