Mike, my "favorite pump action" is whatever is old and slicked down by the previous owners shooting thousands of shells through it over the decades. A nice patina is always a perk!
About 25 years ago my uncle offered to sell me his 12 gauge Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight shotgun. He had bought it new in the late '50's. It was practically unused, still in the original box. It had a full choke and the Ithaca "Raybar" front sight. He wanted at least his original money back ($45). "I'll take it!" What a beauty! Decent walnut, simple but practical checkering of the pistol grip, precise machining of the action and a wonderfully slick action. Taking it out for ducks and geese, I got a few smirky looks from the modern synthetic stocked, auto-loading multi-choke types but they couldn't deny my results. It handled like a dream and using good old 2 3/4 inch shells, I did better than their 3 inch magnum shells from their high-tech 'wonder guns'. Perhaps they should have spent more time at the range and less time at the gun stores.
When I was a kid, my father made me sell my 37 when I bought a Winchester 101 in 20 ga. I always regretted having to sell that gun ($97 out the door) and to this day I still am looking at 37's. I have never found one to match under $800 though.
My first shotgun was a Ithaca Model 37 Featherweight in 20 gauge. While I was in boot camp my parents home go broken into and that shotgun was stolen. Couple of years later a guy I knew was getting rid of his firearms and I picked up his Model 37 in 12 gauge for a song. 30 years later I still have that shotgun. My youngest grandson who is left handed wants me to leave him that gun (he also wants my Savage 99).
I really don’t know how anyone couldn’t fall in love with collecting old shotguns. There are so many great finds out there! Thanks for another great video, Mike.
I grew up on a 870 made in the early 80's its still in the safe and love it! Not like the shoty Remington made in the last 20 years they are crap and not even close to the older better made ones.
I bought mine @ K Mart in 1975 for $ 170.00 and walked out the door with it. Still have it, it's in mint condition, killed a few pigs with the slug barrel as well.
Great video Mike, as usual. You mentioned the model 37 and it surely IS the offspring of the Rem. model 10. I haven't fired the Remington but grew up on a model 37 in 16 gauge. I own a modern and a 1960's Ithaca model 37 in 20 gauge. Both terrific guns, no issues, light and fast. The 870 I also love but, in 12 gauge, it's a bit more load to carry. I find the interchangeability of the 870 barrels a big plus and I have a couple of options for it. Keep up the good work, Mike and stay safe.
Ithaca Model 37 IS the offspring of the Remington Model 17, not 10. Model 17 is a different design from the Model 10. Model 29 was an improved model 10.
I got a super slick shotgun , stevens savage 77c , and it has a 30 inch full choked barrel. It has a longer pump than the corn cob grip but still looks very cool. My new favorite shotgun.
Great video, great guns. I just bought a Winchester "SXP Black Shadow" in 20 gauge. Now made in Turkey but same design with rotating bolt. And you said it best, go to the gun store and try it on. I found it a perfect fit for me. In 20 gauge, it's light, slim and comes up to mount perfectly. I use it for trap shooting. Price is right too. I got it in 20ga as I already have a 12ga Beretta. but with the current ammo shortages, I am usually able to find 20ga target loads if I can't find 12's. The Winchester is becoming my favorite. Thanks for another great informative video.
Mr.USOG- I enjoyed your video on these older pump action shotguns, although I have no experience with most of them. My own favorites have been the Winchester Model 12 and Ithaca Model 37 guns as I shoot these the best. Although I cannot consider myself as a true pump action shooter, as I prefer side by side double guns for my own use.
How well do they function ? I've seen people say the model 97 is the most common for Negligent Discharge and the stock is weak at the wrist. I really want a 97
Here is a kind of long story about two Remington 700 CDL classic left hand rifles.I got one in 1971. In 1995-96 my son mowed yards and saved to get his same model same .270. Both were topped with the high end $40 Tasso 3x9 lol. I don't know if it matters or not but both rifles were " broken in" with at least 10 shots- mine way and his as it was new. One shot, scrubbed and cleaned etc etc. I had been reloading for a few years and had found the right recipe for mine. Here's the good part- my son's rifle shot my load perfectly. I'm talking bench rest at 200 yards and calling the shot to hit a quarter. I still have them. Also, there were wind flags at 100 yards on 1/4" steel rods. We each called the shot at cutting those with a bullet. I went first and hit it hard on the right side. He shot and hit the rod dead center. I still have that rod. The old gun shop owner told me back then I should write Remington and tell them the story as it shows their ability to make awesome rifles. We both still have them and they are our go to rifles when we are serious about getting done.
Of the shotguns featured in this episode I like the looks of the Remington Model 10 and the hammer Marlin the best. Personally, I think the Winchester Model 97 is the best pump shotgun. They are reliable, good looking, and have nice handling. They also have THE pump shotgun sound when cycling the action! They are an experience akin to seeing a steam locomotive running. Today there are certainly more modern pump action designs, but how many of their makers have claimed to have taken a random production example and shot it over 1 million times? I don't know the answer to that question, but I only know of one advertisement that makes such a claim. A 1943 ad for Winchester features a Model 97 that had been shot 1,247,000 times, had only a firing pin and spring replaced once, and still passed the pattern requirements that new Winchester shotguns had to pass.
@@ryannelson2162 Normally I would think such a claim to be advertising hyperbole, but after also reading where the U.S. military used it as recently as the Iraq War (and that means they were using shotguns that had been used in World War II, Korea, Vietnam) I think the Winchester claim is not hyperbole.
My first pump was a 37 Featherlight. I carried it for probably 20 years and it never failed. Had a friend who had a 37 Superlight with the aluminum receiver. After one session shooting ducks, it was never the same, with frequent jams. After the pump fell in love with SS's. Many friends had "give away" 870's from the early 70's from buying trucks or banking specials. Since have collected Mod 12's the all time best of the pumps.
To pick a good shotgun I like to close my eyes, get a comfortable grip on the firearm, and pull the shotgun up as if to shoot at an aerial target. When I open my eyes I should be looking perfectly down the line of site. A shotgun you can aim instinctively is a good shotgun. My favorite bird guns are a Rem 870 super mag in 12 ga, and a Savage Fox SxS model B in 16 gauge.
It's a bit more difficult being left handed but I'd say the Browning BPS is great but I have to confess I also have an love for the Winchester model 12, especially the 16ga and 20ga versions with the smaller relievers. There's nothing more satisfying than to go to the woods with a Winchester 71 348 rifle for game and a Model 12 for grouse. Best feeling there is.
I don't know if they ever improved it but I had a new Model 870 in the late seventies and it turned me off to them forever. I was hunting waterfowl in the salt flats which we shared with the large Brown Bear that can be prevalent. This makes it imperative that a shotgun function flawlessly. My standard practice was to carry three slugs in the high shell pockets on my vest. This of course requires you to clear the gun and reload the slugs. My 870 time and again would jam a shell under the bolt with another in the chamber because as a very good gunsmith told me, the springs which held the loads in the tubular mag would lose or never have the spring action required to snap back after one shell went past. I asked him if it was something he saw a lot of. He told me it was pretty common. Well the only way to clear the gun was to remove the barrel, strip the action clearing the jammed shell, reassemble it (having asked Mr. Bruin for a 'Time Out") and hope it got off at least one shot before doing it again. The gunsmith was an older fella working for the biggest gun shop/sporting goods store in downtown Seattle at the time so he had a load of experience to draw from. At the time I believe Remington had sold more than three million and billed it as "the most reliable shotgun.." Dumped that piece having told the new owner of its problems and bought an A5 Browning as my standby which has never failed to function properly. No, I will take a large pass on the 870. Any comparison with other weapons does them no good service!
Did a lot of pheasant and bunny hunting in my youth. We would even push fields on our way to high school, ditch our guns and coats and be on time for class. My grandfather passed on his Winchester model 12 16ga. with a mod. choke, which I loved to carry and could carry all day long without fatigue. I own several other shotguns that I could part with but never my sweet 16. P.S. most of those fields are now all developments that were apparently deemed necessary 🙄
I know a lot of people don't like the 97 Winchester because of the hammer , But thats the reason i liked it , 50 years ago i had a close call with my brother and a shotgun with a safety on the trigger guard , he thought it was safe but it wasn't , our fathers constant preaching about not pointing a gun at anything you don't want dead saved me , the 12 gauge went off pointing to the ground , two boys 12 and 14 learned a great lesson that day !
Hi Mike thanks for another great upload I have used one of those French pumps made in St Ettienne apparently the centre of the gun trade in France lovely old gun also I owned a Savage Stevvens model 66 with a 25 inch barrel and a polychoke both worked well with no problems (put meat on the table) regards as always from beautiful north Wales
Interesting video..great to see some 'classic' pump shotguns. When I was shopping for a pump shotgun back in early 1980's my father and brother in law recommended Ithaca Model 37. Both of them had several Ithaca Model 37's and they swore by them they had many years of dependable use of them and took much game from deer to small game. So I bought a brand new Ithaca Model 37 in 12 gauge back in 1982 and never regretted it has been a dependable game-getter over the years. And as a side note: The Ithaca Model 37 was indeed based on the Remington Model 10 shotgun design. My dad had a Winchester Model 1200 in 16 gauge from mid-1960's vintage..it was the first shotgun I ever fired I spotted one exactly like his a few years ago at our local Cabela's store and just had to have it. It too is a very slick excellent shotgun.
Great review as usual! I have 2 Winchester model 120 which is from the late 1980s and the model 1300 home defender which is probably from the 1990s. All made in New Haven Connecticut USA. There’s no question that Winchester has super slick action for whatever reason.
Love the old marlin ! I picked up a Model 19S last year for $250 bucks at a local gunshop. It had sat on the rack since 1988 !!!!! It looked so lonesome I just had to take it home . Lol... So glad I did . Also , it's a takedown Model. Very cool ... Great job with the videos btw...
I have had several 870 remington pumps. I have usedethem for hunting trap skeet and nra 3 gun. . i have never been let down and use them for home defense also.
Really enjoyed your pump action video Mike. Those are some fine shotguns. Pump actions are fun to shoot and I have enjoyed hunting with mine. Thanks again.
I've never been a pump action man myself.That being said I have owned a couple and shot a few and my favorite has to be the older Ithica 37's and the newest ones made in Sandusky, Ohio. I know they aren't as fast as some but their simplicity is amazing. Of course the Model 12 Winchester is there too. Built like a tank, and with no exposed screws they are beautiful to look at!
I love the model 10, in my mind its the perfect ambidextrous shotguns. As a lefty its perfect to have a gun with the safety in the front of the trigger guard and bottom eject.
Great video Mike. I owned a Mossberg 500 pump action and a Winchester 1200 shotgun in my younger years. I really enjoyed the Winchester 1200 for what it was and for the retail price at the time. The Mossberg also was quite a slick pump action. I could go on but thanks for sharing!
Yep ! Indeed, the French love weapons, and more particularly those manufactured by Manufrance for hunting and shooting: Robust, Ideal, Falcor, Rapid, Simplex. So many beauties to collect. Thank you for talking about French armory.
Hi Enzo, France made and makes so many great guns ....and cars as well...yet sadly we don't get most of them. I drove a Peugeot in Mexico...what a superb car and when I was young I loved all the Renaults. Thanks for the note
Nice job as always! Bit of a fan of the old Ithaca model 37. Popular slug gun in NYS back in the day. Bottom load and eject- a good gun to fill the pot!
Remington model 10, then model 29, then model 31 and last the 870 WM. Some where in there was the model 17 (only in 20 ga I think). The Ithaca 37 was based on the Remington model 17. I think the model 31 is the most well made of the bunch. It's kind of weird that the Mossberg shot guns and the old High-Standard guns had some bolt features like the Remington Model 31.
Mike, I know you made a minor verbal faux pas there. You meant to say it was quite a bit like the *Ithaca* 37. Of course, that's because the Ithaca is essentially the same gun made by Ithaca, made possible when Remington's patent (yes, designed by John Browning) expired. My family has four Ithaca 37s, with me now having a 20 gauge, and it's a fantastic shotgun.
Great pump actions , I missed an oportunity to buy a Frachi semi auto used about 10 years ago It was a beauty , nice blueing and nice wood I snoozed on that one
I have Remington model 10's. They are really good guns, but not something you want to take apart. Most of them I got cheap because somebody did take them apart! I have Marlin 1898 hammer shotguns and later series too. No problems with them either. I think the bad rumors are a result of Winchester starting them. I have never seen one Marlin that was blown apart or had a major failure. Not one. I have seen five or six '97 Winchesters that had the right rear corner of the receiver either torn out, cracked, or welded up. I have one Stevens 520 with a cracked receiver but it can easily be repaired. Good old guns.
So true - the affection people seem to have for taking their guns apart. I rarely do - but I often have boxes of parts to assemble from the previous owner's adventure in gun dismantling.
Hi Jim - That's great - not many people owned one. Actually, not many people know they exist. Although made in France they were sold by various stores under various brand names. All the best.
@@UnitedStatesOfGuns I got the old shotgun out today and I was wrong. bought it from Montgomery Wards but it is actually has the name HAWTHORN on the barrel and stamped Made in France.
I'm left handed so like a shotgun that loads in the bottom ejects out the bottom like my Browning BPS and Ithaca model 37 featherlite....have several other pumps...will look into the Remington model ten....thank you really enjoy your videos...looks like your in the Pacific Northwest too....see those Douglas Firs in the background near that rock pit.....Shoe in SW Oregon
I love your channel ,especially all the old pump shotguns My 1st was a Mossberg 500 persuader 7+1, 2nd Browning BPS 7+1 very rare but a pleasure to shoot, now I have a 870 Wingmaster made in 1970 all great guns ,but would love to have a Winchester Defender as I would consider Winchester the most beautiful of them all . Please keep the videos coming and thank you for taking the time to make them. P.S. Franchi is pronounced FRANKI , ch in Italian is a K sound. All the very best from Northern Ireland Mike.
Hi Arthur - Thank you! I will do my best to get out there more often. I always prefer nature...just getting there is my problem for now. Take care arthur.
I've had Winchester pumps for decades, smooth guns. However you need to try the old High Standard pumps, they even beat the Winchesters for smooth action!
Yep.. the JC Higgins model 20 is the smoothest shotgun ever. Made by High Standard for Sears and Roebuck. Realized it was a big seller then they marketed it under their own name as the High Standard model 200. I have three of the old JC Higgins model 20s and absolutely love them.
Pump action shotguns are among my least favorite segments of the gun world. But I knew if presented by USOG, it would be entertaining and informative, so I watched. I was right!
I haven't owned too many pumps, (having one hand isn't conducive to running pumps well 😁) but I have always had a soft spot for the 870. To me they are the everyman gun. And I've always pronounced Franchi as Fff-Ron-Key
That rotating bolt head has been produced by Winchester under a bunch of different names but regardless of what it's called it's always been very smooth. I'm more of a Simi auto kinda guy but I do own an old Winchester ranger ( rotating bolt 3 in. Mag) turkey and duck gun and a Remington model 31 in a full choke 20, a fine rabbit gun.
If you can hold the gun vertical and hit the action release and it opens, it's smooth. The smoothest shotgun is the J.C. Higgins model 20. Toughest and in full choke an outstanding trap gun.
That gun was manufactured by High Standard. It's a direct copy of High Standard Model 200 and was made up until 1962. Was available from Sears & Roebuck Co. from 1908 till 1962.
Another great video!! I like the fact if you don't know something you say so & ask for feedback. I still have a Winchester 1200 from the 70's that I paid either 79 or 89 CAD brand new back then. It evolved into the 1300 & I think now is the XLR or some similar designation. Like the idea too of external hammers on all firearms. Cheers.
I have two older pumps, an 870 and a 37. Both great pump shotguns. But for my money, I think the Model 12 has the smoothest action. Kinda like grease on ice.👍
The winchesrer is great. Its a 1200 fixed chokes 1300 has interchangeable chokes. I believe the 1300 was the last built in usa. It was replaced by the sxp which is no longer made in usa. When you shoot it the action half works itself and you are only pulling back a small amount before cycling forward. The 1200 is my goto shotgun in 20 gauge. I believe stevens now makes it in synthetic only furniture. Its a chinese gun but you can puck up a new one for under 300 bucks. They have a compact version so if you are looking for a gun for a little one that gun is under the radar.
The problem with those old Marlins is that they can fire without the bolt being locked, so you can imagine where that bolt would end up if you fired it in that condition. Check out anvil he did a video on how that happens. Great video!!!
Hello. First gun I ever fired was a very used Stevens Model 520, 20 gauge. My Grandpa sent it to me. Iirc, it was made about 1921. { I was about 9th grade when he sent it to me. Mom was an anti-gun lunatic and had a hissy-fit when the shotgun arrived via a Greyhound Bus from her Dad-in-law . { Most kids first gun experience is with a .22 rimfire ( often a single-shot ). Not me. } Dad took me to a Trap & Skeet Range and He rented / borrowed a Rem. model 1100 from the Clubhouse. We shot a round of Trap. I hit 11 birds out of 25. :-) That Stevens 520 was truly a "PUMP" action, not a "Slide-action". If I did not not PUMP it very hard and rapidly the mechanism would not eject the spent shell.
Their is a lot of ol pump shotguns out there that are great guns. Taking dads old jc Higgins with a Power Pac choke system on it, out this fall for pheasant season!
I wouldn't buy a mossberg. We just sold our 3 years old Mossberg 500 because it was sh*t. Shells got always stuck inside the barrel after firing, so it was basically single-shot shotgun lmao. Now i have only european quality shotguns and rifles.
@@j.rob.5943 Pretty common problem if you search from the internet. Americans have a long history of making firearms, but they produce junk like that... Lower quality standards/control ?
Mike, my "favorite pump action" is whatever is old and slicked down by the previous owners shooting thousands of shells through it over the decades.
A nice patina is always a perk!
About 25 years ago my uncle offered to sell me his 12 gauge Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight shotgun. He had bought it new in the late '50's. It was practically unused, still in the original box. It had a full choke and the Ithaca "Raybar" front sight. He wanted at least his original money back ($45). "I'll take it!"
What a beauty! Decent walnut, simple but practical checkering of the pistol grip, precise machining of the action and a wonderfully slick action. Taking it out for ducks and geese, I got a few smirky looks from the modern synthetic stocked, auto-loading multi-choke types but they couldn't deny my results. It handled like a dream and using good old 2 3/4 inch shells, I did better than their 3 inch magnum shells from their high-tech 'wonder guns'. Perhaps they should have spent more time at the range and less time at the gun stores.
I have a Ithaca 37 made in 48 it's the best pump gun I have. Never let anyone look down on you for having a reliable shotgun
When I was a kid, my father made me sell my 37 when I bought a Winchester 101 in 20 ga. I always regretted having to sell that gun ($97 out the door) and to this day I still am looking at 37's. I have never found one to match under $800 though.
My first shotgun was a Ithaca Model 37 Featherweight in 20 gauge. While I was in boot camp my parents home go broken into and that shotgun was stolen. Couple of years later a guy I knew was getting rid of his firearms and I picked up his Model 37 in 12 gauge for a song. 30 years later I still have that shotgun. My youngest grandson who is left handed wants me to leave him that gun (he also wants my Savage 99).
I shot trap in a league one summer with a model 37 12g. It sure felt good to easily keep pace with >1000$ models.
I really don’t know how anyone couldn’t fall in love with collecting old shotguns. There are so many great finds out there! Thanks for another great video, Mike.
The Savage model 30 will always be one of my favorites. Still have the factory engraved 20ga my grandfather gave me which was my first pump
it is very hard for me to express how much I enjoy your videos.
I vote the Ithaca 37!!
Tell me you like to slam fire without actually telling me you like to slam fire!
Love classic shotguns.
Your Marlin shotgun is very nice. My personal favorite pump is a Browning Pump Shotgun (BPS) bottom eject.
Remington 870 Bestseller all time.
I grew up on a 870 made in the early 80's its still in the safe and love it! Not like the shoty Remington made in the last 20 years they are crap and not even close to the older better made ones.
I bought mine @ K Mart in 1975 for $ 170.00 and walked out the door with it. Still have it, it's in mint condition, killed a few pigs with the slug barrel as well.
I’ve never shot anything but a Remington 870 but I love mine and I’ll never part with it.
Remington 870! I have my grandfather’s Winchester Model 97, which I love also! They can be fired by slam fire. Pretty neat. I love pumps!
Great video Mike, as usual. You mentioned the model 37 and it surely IS the offspring of the Rem. model 10. I haven't fired the Remington but grew up on a model 37 in 16 gauge. I own a modern and a 1960's Ithaca model 37 in 20 gauge. Both terrific guns, no issues, light and fast. The 870 I also love but, in 12 gauge, it's a bit more load to carry. I find the interchangeability of the 870 barrels a big plus and I have a couple of options for it. Keep up the good work, Mike and stay safe.
Ithaca Model 37 IS the offspring of the Remington Model 17, not 10. Model 17 is a different design from the Model 10. Model 29 was an improved model 10.
And the the browning bps comes and continues the tradition
I also grew up on a model 37 16g!
I got a super slick shotgun , stevens savage 77c , and it has a 30 inch full choked barrel. It has a longer pump than the corn cob grip but still looks very cool. My new favorite shotgun.
Great video, great guns. I just bought a Winchester "SXP Black Shadow" in 20 gauge. Now made in Turkey but same design with rotating bolt. And you said it best, go to the gun store and try it on. I found it a perfect fit for me. In 20 gauge, it's light, slim and comes up to mount perfectly. I use it for trap shooting. Price is right too. I got it in 20ga as I already have a 12ga Beretta. but with the current ammo shortages, I am usually able to find 20ga target loads if I can't find 12's. The Winchester is becoming my favorite. Thanks for another great informative video.
Mr.USOG- I enjoyed your video on these older pump action shotguns, although I have no experience with most of them. My own favorites have been the Winchester Model 12 and Ithaca Model 37 guns as I shoot these the best. Although I cannot consider myself as a true pump action shooter, as I prefer side by side double guns for my own use.
The Winchester model 97 was the ultimate for me and I have dozens of them in all lengths and weights - nothing since then gets my attention.
How well do they function ? I've seen people say the model 97 is the most common for Negligent Discharge and the stock is weak at the wrist. I really want a 97
Here is a kind of long story about two Remington 700 CDL classic left hand rifles.I got one in 1971. In 1995-96 my son mowed yards and saved to get his same model same .270. Both were topped with the high end $40 Tasso 3x9 lol. I don't know if it matters or not but both rifles were " broken in" with at least 10 shots- mine way and his as it was new. One shot, scrubbed and cleaned etc etc. I had been reloading for a few years and had found the right recipe for mine. Here's the good part- my son's rifle shot my load perfectly. I'm talking bench rest at 200 yards and calling the shot to hit a quarter. I still have them. Also, there were wind flags at 100 yards on 1/4" steel rods. We each called the shot at cutting those with a bullet. I went first and hit it hard on the right side. He shot and hit the rod dead center. I still have that rod. The old gun shop owner told me back then I should write Remington and tell them the story as it shows their ability to make awesome rifles. We both still have them and they are our go to rifles when we are serious about getting done.
I love that Winchester with the rotating bolt head and the Iron Sights.! The Perfect all season hunting gun if you could have only one.!
Of the shotguns featured in this episode I like the looks of the Remington Model 10 and the hammer Marlin the best.
Personally, I think the Winchester Model 97 is the best pump shotgun. They are reliable, good looking, and have nice handling. They also have THE pump shotgun sound when cycling the action! They are an experience akin to seeing a steam locomotive running. Today there are certainly more modern pump action designs, but how many of their makers have claimed to have taken a random production example and shot it over 1 million times? I don't know the answer to that question, but I only know of one advertisement that makes such a claim. A 1943 ad for Winchester features a Model 97 that had been shot 1,247,000 times, had only a firing pin and spring replaced once, and still passed the pattern requirements that new Winchester shotguns had to pass.
I did not know that about the mode 97 (although i mist admit im not surprised)
@@ryannelson2162 Normally I would think such a claim to be advertising hyperbole, but after also reading where the U.S. military used it as recently as the Iraq War (and that means they were using shotguns that had been used in World War II, Korea, Vietnam) I think the Winchester claim is not hyperbole.
My first pump was a 37 Featherlight. I carried it for probably 20 years and it never failed. Had a friend who had a 37 Superlight with the aluminum receiver. After one session shooting ducks, it was never the same, with frequent jams. After the pump fell in love with SS's. Many friends had "give away" 870's from the early 70's from buying trucks or banking specials. Since have collected Mod 12's the all time best of the pumps.
I think I should have said Ultralight.
To pick a good shotgun I like to close my eyes, get a comfortable grip on the firearm, and pull the shotgun up as if to shoot at an aerial target. When I open my eyes I should be looking perfectly down the line of site. A shotgun you can aim instinctively is a good shotgun. My favorite bird guns are a Rem 870 super mag in 12 ga, and a Savage Fox SxS model B in 16 gauge.
I'd like to have my 870 SPS-T back but since 1996 it's been very hard to own a pump or auto shotgun in Australia.
12 & 16 gauge Remington
It's a bit more difficult being left handed but I'd say the Browning BPS is great but I have to confess I also have an love for the Winchester model 12, especially the 16ga and 20ga versions with the smaller relievers. There's nothing more satisfying than to go to the woods with a Winchester 71 348 rifle for game and a Model 12 for grouse. Best feeling there is.
I agree Aaron - the 71 is fantastic - same goes for the 12.
I don't know if they ever improved it but I had a new Model 870 in the late seventies and it turned me off to them forever. I was hunting waterfowl in the salt flats which we shared with the large Brown Bear that can be prevalent. This makes it imperative that a shotgun function flawlessly. My standard practice was to carry three slugs in the high shell pockets on my vest. This of course requires you to clear the gun and reload the slugs. My 870 time and again would jam a shell under the bolt with another in the chamber because as a very good gunsmith told me, the springs which held the loads in the tubular mag would lose or never have the spring action required to snap back after one shell went past. I asked him if it was something he saw a lot of. He told me it was pretty common. Well the only way to clear the gun was to remove the barrel, strip the action clearing the jammed shell, reassemble it (having asked Mr. Bruin for a 'Time Out") and hope it got off at least one shot before doing it again. The gunsmith was an older fella working for the biggest gun shop/sporting goods store in downtown Seattle at the time so he had a load of experience to draw from. At the time I believe Remington had sold more than three million and billed it as "the most reliable shotgun.." Dumped that piece having told the new owner of its problems and bought an A5 Browning as my standby which has never failed to function properly. No, I will take a large pass on the 870. Any comparison with other weapons does them no good service!
Did a lot of pheasant and bunny hunting in my youth. We would even push fields on our way to high school, ditch our guns and coats and be on time for class. My grandfather passed on his Winchester model 12 16ga. with a mod. choke, which I loved to carry and could carry all day long without fatigue. I own several other shotguns that I could part with but never my sweet 16. P.S. most of those fields are now all developments that were apparently deemed necessary 🙄
I liked the fields better; but I guess the 12 in 16 carries the memory. It's happening everywhere.
Thanks for sharing your videos and keep them coming please.
I know a lot of people don't like the 97 Winchester because of the hammer , But thats the reason i liked it , 50 years ago i had a close call with my brother and a shotgun with a safety on the trigger guard , he thought it was safe but it wasn't , our fathers constant preaching about not pointing a gun at anything you don't want dead saved me , the 12 gauge went off pointing to the ground , two boys 12 and 14 learned a great lesson that day !
I'm glad you and your brother are still here....and I agree - hammers are fine....and safe.,
My pick.. jc Higgins/ high standard. Smoother than my Winchester.
Always enjoy your insight in your videos.
Got 2 ,actions for a factory gun is hard to beat
Growing up, my father gave me his pre-war Ithaca 37 16ga. Fastest gun I ever shot. Not to many rabbits got away with that gun in my hand.
My first firearm was also a model 37 16gauge. Still my favorite gun i own.
Hi Mike thanks for another great upload I have used one of those French pumps made in St Ettienne apparently the centre of the gun trade in France lovely old gun also I owned a Savage Stevvens model 66 with a 25 inch barrel and a polychoke both worked well with no problems (put meat on the table) regards as always from beautiful north Wales
The High Standard Flite Kings are pretty slick actions
I Love Pump Actions Wish I Had The Model 10 Remington You 1st Shot 😮😲😮😀😊😊😊 Thanks USOG Great Video
Great video thanks!
I love the model 12.
Interesting video..great to see some 'classic' pump shotguns. When I was shopping for a pump shotgun back in early 1980's my father and brother in law recommended Ithaca Model 37. Both of them had several Ithaca Model 37's and they swore by them they had many years of dependable use of them and took much game from deer to small game. So I bought a brand new Ithaca Model 37 in 12 gauge back in 1982 and never regretted it has been a dependable game-getter over the years. And as a side note: The Ithaca Model 37 was indeed based on the Remington Model 10 shotgun design. My dad had a Winchester Model 1200 in 16 gauge from mid-1960's vintage..it was the first shotgun I ever fired I spotted one exactly like his a few years ago at our local Cabela's store and just had to have it. It too is a very slick excellent shotgun.
Great review as usual! I have 2 Winchester model 120 which is from the late 1980s and the model 1300 home defender which is probably from the 1990s. All made in New Haven Connecticut USA. There’s no question that Winchester has super slick action for whatever reason.
Love the old marlin ! I picked up a Model 19S last year for $250 bucks at a local gunshop. It had sat on the rack since 1988 !!!!! It looked so lonesome I just had to take it home . Lol... So glad I did . Also , it's a takedown Model. Very cool ... Great job with the videos btw...
Hi Dan - Super buy!!! They are so great - just love them
I have had several 870 remington pumps. I have usedethem for hunting trap skeet and nra 3 gun. . i have never been let down and use them for home defense also.
Beautiful scenery. Beautiful shotguns. Thank s for the education
I have a Ithaca model 37 mp it’s my favorite pump action shot gun it has the bottom ejection action like that Remington model 10 excellent shot gun
I really like the Franchi pump. I will keep an eye out for one now.
Really enjoyed your pump action video Mike. Those are some fine shotguns. Pump actions are fun to shoot and I have enjoyed hunting with mine. Thanks again.
I've never been a pump action man myself.That being said I have owned a couple and shot a few and my favorite has to be the older Ithica 37's and the newest ones made in Sandusky, Ohio. I know they aren't as fast as some but their simplicity is amazing. Of course the Model 12 Winchester is there too. Built like a tank, and with no exposed screws they are beautiful to look at!
Ithica 37 simple? Compared to what?
I love the model 10, in my mind its the perfect ambidextrous shotguns. As a lefty its perfect to have a gun with the safety in the front of the trigger guard and bottom eject.
"We may not get away with this..." !! That was classic! Lol!!
😂
As the old saying goes Mike. The old ones are the Best. Cheers.
Great video Mike. I owned a Mossberg 500 pump action and a Winchester 1200 shotgun in my younger years. I really enjoyed the Winchester 1200 for what it was and for the retail price at the time. The Mossberg also was quite a slick pump action. I could go on but thanks for sharing!
Yep ! Indeed, the French love weapons, and more particularly those manufactured by Manufrance for hunting and shooting: Robust, Ideal, Falcor, Rapid, Simplex. So many beauties to collect. Thank you for talking about French armory.
Hi Enzo, France made and makes so many great guns ....and cars as well...yet sadly we don't get most of them. I drove a Peugeot in Mexico...what a superb car and when I was young I loved all the Renaults. Thanks for the note
Nice job as always! Bit of a fan of the old Ithaca model 37. Popular slug gun in NYS back in the day. Bottom load and eject- a good gun to fill the pot!
Remington model 10, then model 29, then model 31 and last the 870 WM. Some where in there was the model 17 (only in 20 ga I think). The Ithaca 37 was based on the Remington model 17. I think the model 31 is the most well made of the bunch. It's kind of weird that the Mossberg shot guns and the old High-Standard guns had some bolt features like the Remington Model 31.
I'm liking my Stevens Model 320. (I bought the Combo Kit.) Thanks for the share!!
Try a Stevens model 520 for comparison. Browning patent, unique breakdown design, looks a little like an A5. Heavy but great gun!
If you have a Remington model 31 I would love to see a video on that
Getting one now in almost mint condition for 380$ it's even got a old Remington Polly choke on it
I like the outdoors videos Mike, thanks for the shooting demo. I've never owned or even shot a pump, but they interest me. That "Frahnkie" looks cool.
Hi Petro - Thank you! Once in awhile I escape the buildings : )
Thank you. I was trying to figure out how to spell Franchi so it would be the way it is pronounced. Good job. You got it right.
Frawn-key
there you go shoot some of these relics. Love it.
Mike, I know you made a minor verbal faux pas there.
You meant to say it was quite a bit like the *Ithaca* 37.
Of course, that's because the Ithaca is essentially the same gun made by Ithaca, made possible when Remington's patent (yes, designed by John Browning) expired.
My family has four Ithaca 37s, with me now having a 20 gauge, and it's a fantastic shotgun.
Thanks PinkOld - I thought people would know what I meant : ) Great you have the Ithaca 20! Thanks for the note.
I highly recommend the Remington Model 31. It's the final evolution of the Pederson Model 10 design that Remington made before switching to the 870.
Thanks Mattias - I like them a lot - will try to get one for a video.
Benelli Nova is my favorite as of now. I do however miss my mid 70's Remington 870 that was stolen.
Great pump actions ,
I missed an oportunity to buy a Frachi semi auto used about 10 years ago
It was a beauty , nice blueing and nice wood
I snoozed on that one
Hi Nerrad - Those are excellent - but I've left many guns on the trail of life 😁 ....mostly ....I get another chance.
@@UnitedStatesOfGuns I understand that ,lol
second time there is no hesitation !
I have Remington model 10's. They are really good guns, but not something you want to take apart. Most of them I got cheap because somebody did take them apart! I have Marlin 1898 hammer shotguns and later series too. No problems with them either. I think the bad rumors are a result of Winchester starting them. I have never seen one Marlin that was blown apart or had a major failure. Not one. I have seen five or six '97 Winchesters that had the right rear corner of the receiver either torn out, cracked, or welded up. I have one Stevens 520 with a cracked receiver but it can easily be repaired. Good old guns.
So true - the affection people seem to have for taking their guns apart. I rarely do - but I often have boxes of parts to assemble from the previous owner's adventure in gun dismantling.
Mike, Remington had a model 31 pump shotgun that was made between the model 10 and the model 870. You hardly ever see one. Thanks for the tour.
for you all watching, his Patron is worth the little monies.
That shotgun you said was made in France, I have a Westernfield that I bought 60 years ago from Montgomery wards and it looked like the one you shot.
Hi Jim - That's great - not many people owned one. Actually, not many people know they exist. Although made in France they were sold by various stores under various brand names. All the best.
@@UnitedStatesOfGuns I got the old shotgun out today and I was wrong. bought it from Montgomery Wards but it is actually has the name HAWTHORN on the barrel and stamped Made in France.
I'm left handed so like a shotgun that loads in the bottom ejects out the bottom like my Browning BPS and Ithaca model 37 featherlite....have several other pumps...will look into the Remington model ten....thank you really enjoy your videos...looks like your in the Pacific Northwest too....see those Douglas Firs in the background near that rock pit.....Shoe in SW Oregon
I love your channel ,especially all the old pump shotguns
My 1st was a Mossberg 500 persuader 7+1, 2nd Browning BPS 7+1 very rare but a pleasure to shoot, now I have a 870 Wingmaster made in 1970
all great guns ,but would love to have a Winchester Defender as I would consider Winchester the most beautiful of them all .
Please keep the videos coming and thank you for taking the time to make them.
P.S. Franchi is pronounced FRANKI , ch in Italian is a K sound.
All the very best from Northern Ireland Mike.
What a terrific video, I hope you do more like it, where you actually fire the weapons. 👍👍
Hi Arthur - Thank you! I will do my best to get out there more often. I always prefer nature...just getting there is my problem for now. Take care arthur.
I’m a huge fan of a Winchester 1300 XTR. Super fast pump action and beautiful finish.
Most people found it the smoothest of all. Also - amazing value.
Another great SHOTGUN video! 🤠🙌🏻
Hoping you were going to mention model 12 they were popular in trap shooting nothing test a gun than that. Good pointers
Hi Rick - The 25 is the 12 but the 25 is not a takedown - super shotguns both.
I've had Winchester pumps for decades, smooth guns. However you need to try the old High Standard pumps, they even beat the Winchesters for smooth action!
There were a lot of odd name brands made by major companies too. My favorite snowshoe hare shotgun is a Western Auto .410 bolt action.
Yep.. the JC Higgins model 20 is the smoothest shotgun ever. Made by High Standard for Sears and Roebuck. Realized it was a big seller then they marketed it under their own name as the High Standard model 200. I have three of the old JC Higgins model 20s and absolutely love them.
Pump action shotguns are among my least favorite segments of the gun world. But I knew if presented by USOG, it would be entertaining and informative, so I watched. I was right!
I couldn't agree more. Give me a quality over and under any day.
I haven't owned too many pumps, (having one hand isn't conducive to running pumps well 😁) but I have always had a soft spot for the 870. To me they are the everyman gun. And I've always pronounced Franchi as Fff-Ron-Key
Love the videos!
Bps for the woods mossberg 590a1 for the hoods
You are a great advocate in in declining world........I wish I could say more..
Thank you Big Red 🙏
That rotating bolt head has been produced by Winchester under a bunch of different names but regardless of what it's called it's always been very smooth. I'm more of a Simi auto kinda guy but I do own an old Winchester ranger ( rotating bolt 3 in. Mag) turkey and duck gun and a Remington model 31 in a full choke 20, a fine rabbit gun.
Thanks !
Great job thank you !
If you can hold the gun vertical and hit the action release and it opens, it's smooth. The smoothest shotgun is the J.C. Higgins model 20. Toughest and in full choke an outstanding trap gun.
That gun was manufactured by High Standard. It's a direct copy of High Standard Model 200 and was made up until 1962. Was available from Sears & Roebuck Co. from 1908 till 1962.
@@timeverett7828 I know that. I own seven of them and two model 60's and one 66. Your not correct on your dates.
Great stuff
Another great video!! I like the fact if you don't know something you say so & ask for feedback. I still have a Winchester 1200 from the 70's that I paid either 79 or 89 CAD brand new back then. It evolved into the 1300 & I think now is the XLR or some similar designation. Like the idea too of external hammers on all firearms. Cheers.
S&W PUMP made by Howa Japan. Need to find some SKB Pumps. They're amazing!
Hey there boss man‼️
Awesome video some amazing beautiful shotguns‼️
Thanks Jose!
Thank you sir! Great show
I have two older pumps, an 870 and a 37. Both great pump shotguns. But for my money, I think the Model 12 has the smoothest action. Kinda like grease on ice.👍
Love the description Mike!
The winchesrer is great. Its a 1200 fixed chokes 1300 has interchangeable chokes. I believe the 1300 was the last built in usa. It was replaced by the sxp which is no longer made in usa. When you shoot it the action half works itself and you are only pulling back a small amount before cycling forward. The 1200 is my goto shotgun in 20 gauge. I believe stevens now makes it in synthetic only furniture. Its a chinese gun but you can puck up a new one for under 300 bucks. They have a compact version so if you are looking for a gun for a little one that gun is under the radar.
Cool video thanks.
Hey my friend you really need to get a Winchester model 12 worked into one of your videos. But anyway great job as always
Thank you. I think we filmed at least one Model 12 video. I'll make a new one : )
thanks for the interesting video
The problem with those old Marlins is that they can fire without the bolt being locked, so you can imagine where that bolt would end up if you fired it in that condition. Check out anvil he did a video on how that happens. Great video!!!
Thanks Daniel!
Could you do a video on the Stevens 520? The action on mine is quite smoother than my Winchester model 12. Thanks!
Hello. First gun I ever fired was a very used Stevens Model 520, 20 gauge. My Grandpa sent it to me. Iirc, it was made about 1921. { I was about 9th grade when he sent it to me. Mom was an anti-gun lunatic and had a hissy-fit when the shotgun arrived via a Greyhound Bus from her Dad-in-law . { Most kids first gun experience is with a .22 rimfire ( often a single-shot ). Not me. }
Dad took me to a Trap & Skeet Range and He rented / borrowed a Rem. model 1100 from the Clubhouse. We shot a round of Trap. I hit 11 birds out of 25. :-) That Stevens 520 was truly a "PUMP" action, not a "Slide-action". If I did not not PUMP it very hard and rapidly the mechanism would not eject the spent shell.
@@gusloader581 That’s excellent
Double humps forever!
rem 10 are great .left handers love the gun
I agree Chris
enjoy ur vids as always .. i agree . the winchester will almost eject the round for you .. very fast shooting..
Thank s
Their is a lot of ol pump shotguns out there that are great guns. Taking dads old jc Higgins with a Power Pac choke system on it, out this fall for pheasant season!
Perfect!
Would be interested to hear your thoughts on the Mossberg 590A1 “Retrograde”
I wouldn't buy a mossberg.
We just sold our 3 years old Mossberg 500 because it was sh*t.
Shells got always stuck inside the barrel after firing, so it was basically single-shot shotgun lmao.
Now i have only european quality shotguns and rifles.
@@trumpjongun8831 cool story bro
@@j.rob.5943 Pretty common problem if you search from the internet.
Americans have a long history of making firearms, but they produce junk like that...
Lower quality standards/control ?
I had a SKB years ago wish I had never traded it off lite quick handing gun I have not seen one in years
my best pump action is my only pump action ... a Ithaca DS Police Special Feather Light
Perfect
Model 37's never jam. Extremely reliable and bottom eject.
ide take a mod 97 with a 20 inch cyl barrel! i love the mod 97