Topic: Best Pump Shotguns of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (Read 35 times)
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Pump guns don’t get more center of mass than the Remington 870 and it’s good to see that Remington Arms has been able to get production of this iconic shotgun back online as the co*pany works to regain its footing following its recent bankruptcies.
The Fieldmaster replaces the 870 Express, one of the most successful entry-level shotguns ever made. For those familiar with the 870’s taxonomy, the Fieldmaster slots between the basic Express and the higher-end Wingmaster in terms of its feature set. This review of the 870 Fieldmaster gives a detailed breakdown of its construction.
The consensus view of our test team is that the 870 Fieldmaster would be our top choice as an all-around pump gun to hunt with. This judgment was informed by our collective history with the 870 platform and with the shotgun’s performance in this field of guns. “It’s as familiar and co*fortable as slipping into a favorite pair of boots,” one tester noted.
But it wasn’t mere nostalgia that earned the Fieldmaster points. It handled very well on all the targets we flung its way. It has a very good trigger for a pump-action as well. One tester gave the gun high marks for how smooth the safety operated, and it was the easiest and most reliable gun to load in the test.
While we like that the Fieldmaster co*es stocked in walnut, the checkering on our sample was pretty dismal. And one judge thought the recoil pad, while effective, was too tacky and tended to hang up on their clothing.
The fact that the receiver is tapped for mounting an optic adds a level of out-of-the-box versatility to the 870 that helped cement its status as the best value of the test.
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The Nova is a tale of two guns. The 3-inch version is a good choice for hardcore waterfowling that handles fairly well, is affordable, and has a futuristic aesthetic that appeals to a lot of shooters. But when scaled to a 3 1/2-inch shotgun, the Nova struggles.
Now we won’t get into a debate here whether 3 ½-inch guns are necessary for waterfowling (they aren’t), but the fact is a significant portion of bird hunters feel it is benefit and carry them afield. The Nova is a popular choice for this crowd, but as we saw during this test that extra half-inch co*es at cost.
The larger Nova doesn’t point and swing very smoothly. It’s an awkward brute. The action on our sample was sticky, making it a chore to cycle quickly. The safety was a bit gummy, too. This cost it points in the handling category.
There’s no denying its rugged construction, however. The Nova will take a beating and keep banging away. When it slides down a barnacle-covered rock into the salt water while chasing sea ducks you won’t need to worry whether it’ll fire the next shell.
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This pump-action has a rotary bolt system that’s designed to help it cycle quickly. That’s one of the main promises of the SXP platform. The other features are its attainable price—it can be had for less than $350—and its rugged construction.
Even though it is easy on the wallet, it isn’t an easy gun to love. No one on the test team took a shine to the SXP, mostly because it handles and feels like a sub-$400 gun.
The controls on our sample were rough—the safety in particular was difficult to manipulate—and the action wasn’t smooth. It lost points on both its ergonomics and handling.
That said, this 3 ½-inch pump managed recoil well and the trigger, though heavy, is fairly crisp for a gun of this type. And despite our criticisms about its workmanship and aesthetics, we found it cycled and functioned without any issues.
So, if your budget necessitates going with a gun in this price range, you can at least know that what you give up in refinement with the SXP will be offset by its reliability.
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The Mossberg 500 is a workhorse pump-action that’s been around since the early 1960s and in plain “All-Purpose Field” trim it has a vintage look, from the old-school honeyco*bed recoil pad to the plain wood stock.
The gun got high marks for its reliability and versatility. It’s got a can-do attitude and is built for hard use. From an ergonomic perspective we liked how simple it is to load and how the large ambidextrous safety, located on the back of the receiver, is easy to find and manipulate.
But this gun isn’t refined in any way. It is blocky, both in its looks and how it handles. One tester described running it as a chore and we all found the slide rough to operate.
The trigger break on our test sample averaged 4.5 pounds but was wildly inconsistent, with some measurements as low as 3 pounds and others north of five.
co*pared to other guns costing the same amount, the Mossberg 500 All-Purpose Field could use some upgrades if it is to attract new shooters down the line. Though for specific end users—turkey and deer hunters, for instance—there are 500s that co*e tricked out for those applications that are worth considering.
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The Turkish-made Stoeger M3000 pump’s only virtue is its bargain-basement price. It is a functional gun that is affordable but doesn’t bring much else to the party.
Its action was rough, it delivered the harshest felt recoil among the guns in the test (in part because of the poor quality of the recoil pad), loading it was difficult, the crossbolt safety is stiff to run both ways, and the trigger pull was sub-par.
In short, even for the price we can’t reco*mend it.
The saying there’s no such thing as a free lunch applies to this field of pump-action shotguns. You’ll hear older generations speak fondly of the $199 pump guns they purchased 25 years ago ($373 in today’s money) that still run well. That level of performance for the price no longer exists.
Though you can look to the used gun market to find one of these classics. Going this route, pump shotguns to look for include the Remington 870 Wingmaster, Winchester Model 12, Remington 31, Winchester 1200/1300, and Ithaca 37.
The best value of the test for new guns was without question the Remington 870 Fieldmaster, which will set you back $500. When you start looking at new pump shotguns that cost less than that, you’re going to make some sacrifices. And if you want something that’s more refined, such as the Browning BPS, expect to open your wallet wider still.
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