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Best Pump-Action Shotgun

Which is the right pump shotgun for you? Nothing is more American than a Pump-Action Shotgun. Known for their dependability and economic price, pump-actions have become popular in everything from trap shooting to home defense and make a great first shotgun. Our top-ten comparison details the ten best pump-actions on the market today.

KEY
POOR
AVERAGE
GOOD
VERY GOOD
EXCELLENT
RANK
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Product Name Remington 870 Wingmaster Benelli Nova Browning BPS Remington 870 Express Mossberg 500 Ithaca 37 Winchester SXP
MSRP $818 $449-$569 $599-$799 $411 $389 $850 $399
Accessories
Accuracy
Disassembly
Durability
Ergonomics
Fit/Finish
Reliability
SPECIFICATIONS
Barrel Length 25″ – 30″ 14″ – 28″ 20″ – 30″ 18″ – 28″ 24″ – 28″ 18.5″ – 30″ 18″ – 28″
Overall Length 45.5″ – 50.5″ 44.2″ – 49.5″ 40.75″ – 50.75″ 46.5″ – 48.5″ 43.75″ – 48.5″ 45″ – 47.6″ 38.5″ – 48.5″
Weight 6lb – 7.25lb 6.4lb – 8lb 7lb – 8.3lb 6.25lb – 7.5lb 7.5lb 6.1lb – 7.6lb 6.25lb – 6.875lb
Made In USA Italy Japan USA USA USA Turkey
Barrel Lengths
10 GA N/A N/A 26″, 28″ N/A N/A N/A N/A
12 GA 26″, 28″, 30″ 14″, 18.5″, 24″, 26″, 28″ 22″,24″, 26″, 28″, 30″ 18″, 18.5″, 20″, 25.5″, 26″,28″ N/A 18.5″, 20″, 26″, 28″, 30″ 18″, 26″, 28″
16 GA N/A N/A 24″, 26″, 28″ N/A N/A 26″, 28″, 30″ N/A
20 GA 26″, 28″ 24″, 26″ 20″, 22″, 24″, 26″, 28″ 18.5″, 26″, 28″ N/A 18.5″, 26″, 28″, 30″ N/A
28 GA 25″ N/A 24″, 26″, 28″ N/A N/A 26″, 28″ N/A
.410 25″ N/A 24″, 26″, 28″ N/A N/A 26″, 28″ N/A
Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review
Honorable Mention
Weatherby PA-08 Maverick 88 Harrington & Richardson Pump

Our comprehensive analysis is the culmination of information collected from real-time usage of the guns, interviews of owners and users of the firearms, general ratings and common reviews of online users, and compiled manufacturer data. Important to note that all the models and manufacturers in the top ten are excellent devices and you should keep that firmly in mind when making your decision. Just because a gun receives a two-star rating for a particular feature, does not mean that it is in some way represents a failure. It is, in fact, simply a better way to demonstrate something average versus something truly superior in a given class. Also of note is the fact that we were lucky enough to shoot and use each of the pump-action shotguns in this comparison. Its far too easy to pull reviews off of an internet consensus, but we know some shotgunning purists and experts in the field who helped us along in determining what is best for the everyone. Our above rankings take into account

  • Ergonomics – How does the gun feel in the hands, mounted, and shooting?
  • Durability – How strong the gun feels and will it take a pounding over the long term?
  • Reliability – Will the gun shoot every time, feed properly, and stay under control?
  • Accuracy – How well does it hit the target?
  • Disassembly – How easy is take-down for cleaning or replacing parts?
  • Fit and finish – How is the look and craftsmanship?
  • Available Accessories – How much you can alter the gun with additional parts? We ranked these firearms not only fairly, but with the intent and purpose of giving the best impressions that the average shooter could benefit from.

Shotgun

Shotgun Comparison

Best Pump-Action Shotgun

Best Pump-Action Shotgun

Which is the right pump shotgun for you? Nothing is more American than a Pump-Action Shotgun. Known for their dependability and economic price, pump-actions have become popular in everything from trap shooting to home defense and make a great first shotgun....

Shotgun Reviews

Benelli Nova Review

Benelli Nova Review

Always wanted a Benelli but thought you could never afford one? Too many Benelli’s to choose from? Got a thing for Italians? While the selection of Benelli models and configurations does seem endless, the options for the Italian shotgun that gets a...
Browning BPS Review

Browning BPS Review

Another tough contender in our pump action comparison is the Browning BPS. The BPS is essentially a direct knockoff of the Remington 870 Wingmaster; however, Browning made a few stylistic and feature changes like: a thumb-operated grip safety on top of...
Chiappa Triple Crown Review

Chiappa Triple Crown Review

Chiappa Firearms has produced their Triple Crown shotgun. As the name implies, there are three barrels of 12-gauge, 3-inch magnum awesomeness! The third barrel rests on top of and is incorporated into a traditional double barrel platform to form a pyramid...
Harrington & Richardson Pump Review

Harrington & Richardson Pump Review

One of our honorable mentions is the Harrington & Richardson (H&R) pump action shotgun. This is a very basic, entry-level machine for tossing shells and a great starter for youth shooters or those who are grossly uninformed about shotgunning. We've u...
Ithaca 37 Review

Ithaca 37 Review

The Ithaca 37 has got quite a name and reputation behind it: many years of solid craftsmanship, care of design and innovative manufacturing. The look and feel in some ways surpassed the upper-deck Remington and a high-end discontinued Winchester model...
Maverick 88 Review

Maverick 88 Review

We promise to resist the urge and call the “more-plastic-than-I-am-comfortable-with” Maverick, Mexico’s answer to the polymer pistol. So sit down and keep on reading. What we will say, in the hopes of reassuring you, is that many of the parts are o...
Mossberg 500 Review

Mossberg 500 Review

At the absolute halfway point between the best of the best and the worse of the best, we casually trip over the Mossberg 500, pump action. Such subtle differences in all these models/manufacturers make this a grueling task because all these guns are excellent. The...
Remington 870 Express Review

Remington 870 Express Review

You are probably wondering how we could put the 870 Wingmaster in the top slot and kick the 870 Express down to fourth place. And believe us, we get it, but there are some major differences to contend with here. This Remington 870 shotgun shoots great....
Remington 870 Wingmaster Review

Remington 870 Wingmaster Review

Rarely does a firearm hold it’s own against the ongoing competition year after year. Something even more rare is a shotgun holding it's own generation after generation, in it’s original form, unaltered despite ever-changing trends and “coolness facto...
Weatherby PA-08 Review

Weatherby PA-08 Review

The Weatherby PA-08 presents beautifully and has a great feel to the gun. The walnut forend and stock is pretty top notch, lending a much higher-end display that one would see on a shotgun at twice the price range. We didn't have very high hopes for...
Winchester SXP Review

Winchester SXP Review

“Yeaahhh, everybody’s shootin’, chuka-chuka, pow-pow!” Gotta love that Winchester commercial with the catchy little ditty of a theme song. Certainly it's as memorable as the Winchester name, but only time will tell if the Winchester SXP pump-action is as w...

Winchester SXP Review

“Yeaahhh, everybody’s shootin’, chuka-chuka, pow-pow!”

Gotta love that Winchester commercial with the catchy little ditty of a theme song. Certainly it’s as memorable as the Winchester name, but only time will tell if the Winchester SXP pump-action is as worthy of such memory.

Not sure why, but for some reason the Winchester SXP reminds us of a Ruger 10/22. Maybe it’s the way the “satin finished” stock is made, but we expect to hear a little “ka-cha!” that the 10/22 makes when fired instead of the kaboom of a shotgun. Weird, right?

Winchester has a little experience in making firearms, right? They’re a Quintessential American company, but this gun is made in Turkey. Don’t worry though, it’s made to Winchester spec.

The styling is just okay. Nothing really impressive or remarkable about it. The safety also happens to be in front of the trigger guard, which we thought was an odd choice for locations considering most shooters are used to it being behind the trigger guard.

The shotgun does have some merits and features worth exploring and consideration for your purchase. Its 3” chambering lets you take down some of the heavier game out there. It’s got a really good recoil pad, a “dropout” trigger group for easy disassembly and cleaning, and what we believe is the most impressive feature on the gun: a rotary bolt system.

As recoil hits, the inertia of the bolt begins to cycle the action so that by the time you are ready to pump the next shell into the chamber, it’s already half done for you. Essentially with every shot, you just need to pull the forend forward and pull the trigger. Impressive indeed!

The SXP also features a hard-chromed chamber and bore instead of traditional bluing. Brass front-sight bead and the full array of choke tube options are available.

Chuka-chuka, pow-pow.


Ranked #7 of 7 in our Best Pump Shotgun Comparison

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