Pump shotguns for 3 gun with the thought of evolution of reloading

[DocMedic]

So I get my Benelli NOVA all setup 3gun like, 12 round magtube, Port opened for easier quads, Pump lever smoothed out to allow even better quad loads, rear sight installed for better slug shots, and after 5 years I finally got a LM choke for my Benelli's ( I would never had bought it if it wasn't $20 at sportsman.) No "out of battery" mod or shortening the stroke Mod have been done yet, but that might make the hit list in April.

With all this done, I'm left here thinking, "Is this really the best "3gun Pump Shotgun?" One of the main advantage of the benelli nova/supernova platform was the push down load gate, a feature that was amazing for old school weakhand loading, but is it necessary with the evolution of reloading the shotgun? as far as I'm aware there is no semi-auto's that have the N/SN Lifter ability yet I've never seen those with experience ever have issue loading there shotguns. Don't get me wrong, if your getting started the ability to lock down the lifter is a god send, but as you get better at Dual and Quad loading you'll the lift gate isn't really a factor but now the pump lever gets in the way, I've seen it to the point were some highly rated shooters cut the handle in half! The 3.5 inch pump stroke has caused short stroking issues and to be honest is long, too long for a game of seconds. And another issue that never gets talk about is the polymer body flexing after a high round count. I've seen 2 high round count NOVAs/SN death jam due to the body of the shotgun flexing just enough where it will not load the next round. The solution? go buy another Nova/SN.. and let the old shotgun become the Bird hunting gun.

So with that all being said, is Benelli NOVA/SN still the preferred Pump Gun for heavy metal? I know we have a few (by few I mean like 3...) people that have shot Heavy serious enough to at least invest in decent gear. I would like to hear opinions of what people have used and thought of certain shotguns that I'm about to list;

One that caught my eye recently and sparked this whole debate in my head was the New Stoeger P-350 Pump shotgun. Its basicly a Benelli Nova with a Steel body. Pro's no flex! also the safety is on the correct side of the trigger. Con's its still has that super long pump action. Also since I have not seen one physically I'm not sure if the lift gate locks in place. <-This is not a big concern to me, but I was not sure.

Winchester SXP shadow. In my sad little head this shotgun on paper sounds like THE choice for action shooting pump guns. Metal receiver, short stroke, and rotating lug bolt face that assist in unlocking the pump to allow very smooth pumping. Cons? Safety is on the sucky side of the trigger, and also. I seem to remember when weak hand was still a thing, people didn't like this shotgun because the loading port was short and was much harder to load into. Another thing I can see be a PITA is like the Benelli the pump lever would interfere with a quad load so a little grinding is going to be needed.

FN P-12, essentially a Winchester SXP disguised as a pump action SLP. Pro's Flip up sights! one of the best things I like about my SLP. Light due to the 18" barrel. This could also be a con too, as this shotgun looks the Ugliest with a 12round mag tube. PRO for me is I already have the stupid extended Chokes from the SLP since the Winchester uses Invector Plus and this and the SLP uses the normal Incvectors. Another issue the pump lever isn't as long so I'm not sure if this is a pro or con but at least you don't have to mod it to be able to do quads.

Even with all this said, is the NOVA/SN still king?

Edited March 31, 2016 by DocMedic

[Bryan 45]

I guess my opinion isn't directly related to the question, because I still load weak hand. But, I won the two versamax shotgun matches I shot last year with a Nova loading weak hand, and have won two of the Benelli shotgun championships in the past. (Came in second at the last Benelli match to a fast shooting Canadian that was much more solid on the short courses than I).

I played with the new Stoeger at SHOT, and while it's nice, I'm not convinced gear has as much to do with performance in our sport as the marketing makes it to be. But then again, I still use a 20 year old Benelli M1 in Tac ops too.

[P.E. Kelley]

Run away form the P350! I am just starting to play with the P3000. More when I know more.

[polymerfeelsweirdman]

My favorite pumps are the Winchester 1200/1300 series

It's just too bad that they aren't made anymore and don't have a lot of accessories

[Llandaff]

Been to IPSC Shotgun World Shoot 2015. Supernova is massively the most popular gun, like 80-90% in all Standard Manual division. All 3 top 'Magic Finn' shooters used Supernova, about 6-7 of top 10 shooters.

Benelli is definitely a good gun.

As for Winchester SXP - also a good gun. I'm shooting 1300 myself. But you won't be able to open the loading port because of trigger assembly design. Not good for strong hand Load4. But it's open enough already for weak hand Load.

[dillon]

Any words of wisdom on the P3000 yet? Looking for a possible replacement for my Remington 870.

[Lead-Head]

Yes, The nova is still king in my opinion.

[co-exprs]

Nova isn't perfect, but still the best choice out there. Believe me... When a better pump comes along I'll be all over it. P350 throws live shells out the ejection port and SXP can't be opened up for load two or quads. M500's and 870's just simply aren't reliable enough. I'm waiting to see what Pat has to say about the P3000. Only pump I enjoy shooting more than my SN is the Browning BPS. Not worth spending $700 to see if it will work for 3gun.

As to the complaints... The safety is only an issue because people like to gripe about it. Never slowed me down. The short stroke a practice thing. You will short stroke a 3" gun too. The polymer reciever has steel plates imbedded. They can be squeezed back down... but I have about 18k through my SN (both light target and heavy hunting loads) and not experienced the receiver flex issue.

Certainly room for improvement, but it gets the job done pretty well. I can help you set yours up to minimize the negatives.

[co-exprs]

Now the gun I have never gotten to handle and have always been curious about is the Benelli M3.

[Boxerglocker]

Any words of wisdom on the P3000 yet? Looking for a possible replacement for my Remington 870.

I'm curious too... at $250 delivered tempted just to order one.

[Matt in TN]

"870's aren't reliable enough"

Can you clarify this statement? What goes wrong? I've been running an 870 for years and never had a problem, but I'm not shooting 10,000rds a year either.

[Lead-Head]

I have seen what appear to be some real deals on new pump guns similar looking to the Nova, maybe they are great alternative or have some advantage.

But if not, the extra $100-150 for the nova is probably well worth it. Or go find a used one for Same$$$.

[HRider]

The Nova is the top of the heap right now, for me any way. I have hunted with 870s and still have three of them, I know that they can be competitive, but letting a shell slip back over the lifter will death jam one. There are cuts to the lifter on newer guns to address this, but I have not used one to know how well the cut lifters work. I dearly love '97 Winchesters, but they would require a lot of modification to be a viable 3 gun shotgun (read custom magazine tube, don't know if they ever made a vent rib barrel for one), Model 12 Winchesters are fast, but the way shells are held in the mag tube doesn't make fast loading easy and you would have to custom make a mag tube like you would for a '97. Ithaca 37s are limited on mag tube length by the way the barrel attaches.

I like the Nova, I have several thousand rounds through mine without any issues. So far, I have not had any issues switching back and forth with my Benelli S90 on the location of the safety. I do wish someone would make a small, round, ringed fore end for one, like early Winchester and Remington's had.

Hurley

[MarkCO]

I shot the Nova at one match, and it ran like a dream. The P12 is excellent and if I had not won the Nova, I would have tried it. With a very small amount of experience running a pump in a match, I am inclined to think Bryan's assertion that it does not matter a whole lot is accurate.

[1911vm]

I have used 870 exclusively for the past 10+years for 3 gun, shotgun only matches and different classes I have never had the gun malfunction. and I mean never and that is all the same gun, opened port is the only mod that I had done to it, action is very smooth (specially after thousands of rounds LOL). That said the one that I use is the older Wingmaster model, I now have 4 of them and the only one I aver had problems with is the newer one, Express . the only ones that I have seen have problems at matches were also Express. I do not know if that is just a coincidence but it is what I have experience.

PS I have never shot a nova do not know any one who has one it seems like a nice gun.

Edited June 22, 2016 by 1911vm

[M8Stealth]

Have a 870 that I bought new around 25 years ago and a few years ago for HM, added the Remington integrated pistol grip stock along with extended tube and FO sights.

Zero issues and would still use it but went to open class this year with a semi auto Benelli clone VersaMax.

[Dberm118]

Agreed! I have an 870 with dremel work on the loading port, side saddle, and a mag tube extension and I absolutely love it! It has always worked and never left me stranded.

Obviously I would like to jump to the semi-auto world and plan to do so within the next year.