AustinT Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 As I said earlier, I am out to learn and have some fun. I am not out to "WIN" or "Beat" anyone. FUN is where its at for me. I am curios, the Nova has been mentioned a few times. Is it a better gun than an 870? For a pump the Nova is king. It is absolutely a better gun than the 870, especially for this game. This is coming from a guy that does own an 870 and does not own a Nova (yet). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan 45 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 As I said earlier, I am out to learn and have some fun. I am not out to "WIN" or "Beat" anyone. FUN is where its at for me. I am curios, the Nova has been mentioned a few times. Is it a better gun than an 870? I much prefer looking across the top of the 870s receiver, the Nova is fat. I also prefer the sound of the steel bolt moving back and forth inside the steel receiver, and the smell and feel of a nice oil finished walnut stock and forend. But I switched to the Nova 2 years ago for heavy metal because it is a far superior shotgun for our game due to the loading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRider Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 As I said earlier, I am out to learn and have some fun. I am not out to "WIN" or "Beat" anyone. FUN is where its at for me. I am curios, the Nova has been mentioned a few times. Is it a better gun than an 870? I much prefer looking across the top of the 870s receiver, the Nova is fat. I also prefer the sound of the steel bolt moving back and forth inside the steel receiver, and the smell and feel of a nice oil finished walnut stock and forend. But I switched to the Nova 2 years ago for heavy metal because it is a far superior shotgun for our game due to the loading. Brian has hit the nail on the head. I grew up hunting with an 870. My dad gave it to me when I was 12, I still have it and two more 870s. I love the feel of my '97 Winchester, but I shoot Heavy Metal with a Nova. It is just better suited to the three gun game. If I were not going to shoot Heavy Metal, I would run what I have, maybe buy a mag tube for it (or just load four at the time, this will pay off later). If the gun has sentimental value and you don't want to scratch it up, buy a cheap, used gun for three gun. Game guns usually get a few "character marks" along the way. Hurley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentlemanJim Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I have had 870s for years and years, its about as solid a gun as you can get. But I am shooting heavy metal this weekend, so I broke down and got a super nova. I dont much like the gun, but it does load much faster and easier than my 870 It also shoots slugs very well. There is little doubt I can run the nova better than the 870 Its not the gear thats important, Its just getting out there with friends and having a good time Just use what you can, or what you have and have fun Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregonshooter Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Nothing wrong with shooting what ya have! I've been tempted to put down my 870 and join the M2 crowd, but it would be for gun games only and I prefer to shoot my SHTF gear and work on my skills more than chase a higher ranking at a match. I have no illusions of becoming an "Alien Rockstar" of 3gun. (don't ask me what that means... Heard it at last weekends match for the first time, LOL) Since my 870 is an 14" SBS and 5+1 home defense gun. For 3gun I change out the barrel to an FO topped 21" railed model and add a +4 Nordic tube for 8+1 capacity. Since I like the pistol grip (speedfeed IV-s) I weak hand load off California Comp 4 shell caddies (7) on the belt only. I recommend breakin the edges of the loading area with a file and emery cloth. I've got a question posted now on how to solve the lift gate over travel issue, but once that's resolved the gun will be finished for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenrir Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 If you love pumps, and haven't brought your carbine yet take a serious look at heavy metal divison. Granted you would have to upgrade to a 12 gauge pump. Though like other people have suggested just run with what you got for a bit until you decide which path you want to take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I hope you aren't real concerned about your 870 as it will take a beating in 3 gun shooting. Just the high round count is hard on 'em & then you start tossing them in barrels & on tables & all. Haha - have you ever actually seen an 870? I would put my 870 up against anything else as far as "ability to take a beating" and enjoy very much using it for 3-gun. I'm not playing to win the game though - I'm playing to have fun and improve my skills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Murphy Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 What model Nova would be the one for 3GN then? What accessories? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlmiller1 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Haha - have you ever actually seen an 870? I would put my 870 up against anything else as far as "ability to take a beating" and enjoy very much using it for 3-gun. I'm not playing to win the game though - I'm playing to have fun and improve my skills. I've seen quite a few really nice 870s & some folks are real particular about the way their shotgun looks. I didn't want anyone to show up with a beautiful 1960s era 870 with some highly figured walnut stocks & great bluing & go home with a scratched up, roughed up shotgun. Most types of shooting make it easy to keep stuff looking nice. 3 gun isn't one of them. Surprises should not be part of the first 3 gun match a person shoots. Speaking of nice stocks, I wish I had a 1960s era 870 with highly figured stocks. hahaha. Once remington went to the two different levels of 870, things were just never the same. What did they call that "cost effective" 870? 870 Express? From then on, the bluing & stocks just never seemed the same. Still good guns but just not the "lookers" they were before. MLM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Murphy Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I picked up an 12 guage express two months ago on the cheap. The fit and finish of them are getting worse. If you look at my 1996 or so 870 express and one that was cranked out last year, the finish and fit is even worse. It is horribly rough to pump and everything has so much machining chatter on it. Pumping it feels like you are pulling a cinderblock through a stone lot. It is somewhat annoying to shoot. My real 870 wingmaster trap gun is a beauty though. It is quite a few years old but I do not know exactly. Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mississaugagunnut Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Up here in Canada the government restricts the magazines of autoloaders to 5rds. In 3 Gun competitions the pump is the way to go. I use an 870 Tactical Express. I am getting a Choate 5 shot extended magazine for it and now have a 6 shot shell caddy mounted on the side. I find that the fit and finish of my Remington leaves a lot to be desired. It does not like the low brass target loads and I plan on polishing the chamber in an attempt to solve this. I would love to get an autoloader but being restricted to 5 shots makes it impractical in competitions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSnSC Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Id rather lose with an 870 than win with a Nova. That is the fugliest, worst pointing shotgun ever made. If it wasnt so easy to load it wouldn't be worth owning. Someone had to try to make a shotgun that unappealing. I love to shoot my 870. It just seems manly. Points where I look and never fails to go bang. Shooting a pump is one of the things that attracted me to Heavy Metal. I own several high end autoloaders, but I would NEVER trust my life to one. Its not if it will fail, but when. Benellis included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskapopo Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 (edited) Id rather lose with an 870 than win with a Nova. That is the fugliest, worst pointing shotgun ever made. If it wasnt so easy to load it wouldn't be worth owning. Someone had to try to make a shotgun that unappealing. I love to shoot my 870. It just seems manly. Points where I look and never fails to go bang. Shooting a pump is one of the things that attracted me to Heavy Metal. I own several high end autoloaders, but I would NEVER trust my life to one. Its not if it will fail, but when. Benellis included. We are off topic but Benellis are very trust worth and a good number of US Marines trust their lives to an Benelli M4. As for any gun failing it will happen eventually stuff breaks. My first issued 870 was crap and malfunctioned constantly. It needed repair. I purchased my own 870 and sent it off to Hans Vang and had it cut to 14 inches. Its been great but if I had to get into a gun fight with a shotgun (prefer a carbine actually prefer not to get into one at all) I would take a Benelli M4 over my 870 any day of the week. I owned a Benelli M4 for a long time and it was a solid reliable gun with a greater rate of fire, more capacity, and reduced recoil when compared to my 870. The only reason I use an 870 at work still is because we deal with bear a lot and we use cracker shells (noise makers) that don't cycle autos. With the pump a slug is just one stroke away while with the Auto its much slower to run the action and then fire. Back on topic with the Nova it looks fine for what it is. A Glock is a great pistol and its looks are simular. I would rather win with a fugly gun than lose with a gold plated safe queen. Pat Edited June 2, 2012 by Alaskapopo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lead-Head Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Smoothest pump I ever owned...a remington 870. Still got it. Very reliable as well. I have a special feild that is probably my overall favorite shotgun of any that I own. Worst pump I ever owned, an 870 express. rough to function and a likely jam fest. I have a nova as well, I agree it is not as nice to look at, but the thing sure does what is is designed to do, and does it well. I only wish I could load my SLP as fast. There are goods and bads to evey design, but if you go to rockcastle shotgun championships, or pan am shotgun look for 870s in the manual divisons. I didn't see any, but I did not get around to any squad. The Novas are the dominant model when function outweighs form at these type of high level matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Mitch Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I'm not an expert by any means, but I do 3-gun, and I'd say that whatever you use you should be extremely familiar with. If you can get a shot timer and use it to practice short stages and par times, you'll find out what you need to know about running the gun as fast as you can. You'll probably end up with some self-induced issues with the pump, but you'll definitely want to have that happen in practice so you can (hopefully) recognize the issues and resolve them. The only 870s I've seen run in real life have had some weird-looking jamming issues that I can only envision as being a complete nightmare in the middle of a stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskapopo Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I'm not an expert by any means, but I do 3-gun, and I'd say that whatever you use you should be extremely familiar with. If you can get a shot timer and use it to practice short stages and par times, you'll find out what you need to know about running the gun as fast as you can. You'll probably end up with some self-induced issues with the pump, but you'll definitely want to have that happen in practice so you can (hopefully) recognize the issues and resolve them. The only 870s I've seen run in real life have had some weird-looking jamming issues that I can only envision as being a complete nightmare in the middle of a stage. If you don't train with a pump and only fire it occaisionally yes you will get short stroking issues. I have never had an issue with it because it was drilled into me to run the action hard since day one in the academy. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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