Best Combat Pump?

[Panzerschwein]

What do you think is the best combat pump in terms of durability, reliability, accuracy, quality, etc. etc.? Currently available for new.

 

[Mn Fats]

I like the Mossberg 500 Tactical. 8 shots. Checks all the boxes on your list at an affordable price imo.

 

[FL-NC]

Without a doubt (to me) the Remington 870. We had the Moss 590's (standard mil issue) with the 20" barrel, but the 870 can be had with barrels from 14" (which we used for ballistic breaching on pistol grip guns) to as long as you want, with mag extensions that are easy to work with. Also the accessories available for the 870 (stocks, side saddle ammo carriers, barrels, dedicated forend lights, etc.) are extensive.

 

[Charliefrank]

All the accessories you could want are available for the 870 and 500. Both great shotguns. I heard some horror stories concerning the new 870's though.

 

[bannockburn]

Cooldill

Ordinarily I would say a Remington Model 870 or Mossberg 500 would be the two top candidates for Best Combat Pump but you might also want to consider the Benelli Nova Tactical shotgun. A friend of mine has had one for quite a few years now, has put it through it's paces, and it's still going strong without any problems. He really likes the ghost ring sights and how quick and easy they are to acquire on target.

 

[cdb1]

I’d go Benelli Nova.

 

[entropy]

I prefer the 870, but there's nothing wrong with the 500/590 except the plastic safety-easily fixed.

 

[hq]

The first requirement of a COMBAT pump shotgun: auto sear. Keep the trigger depressed, pump and it'll fire. I'm not sure if other current production shotguns than Mossberg 590 meet that criteria. It's one of the reasons I like my 1897 trench gun so much.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I prefer the safety on the Mossberg.

 

[Ironicaintit]

The first requirement of a COMBAT pump shotgun: auto sear. Keep the trigger depressed, pump and it'll fire. I'm not sure if other current production shotguns than Mossberg 590 meet that criteria. It's one of the reasons I like my 1897 trench gun so much.

Model 12 Winchester. It's not current production, but can still be found. My favorite!

 

[Panzerschwein]

The first requirement of a COMBAT pump shotgun: auto sear. Keep the trigger depressed, pump and it'll fire. I'm not sure if other current production shotguns than Mossberg 590 meet that criteria. It's one of the reasons I like my 1897 trench gun so much.

I had a Winchester 12 that would do that. Seems useful in some situations, but not many. I think if it was such a valuable feature for a combat gun, it'd still be around on the military's Mossberg and Remington shotguns, which it isn't.

 

[Klint Beastwood]

I second the mossy 500. The Remington 870 and the 1100 isn’t bad either.

 

[Big7]

I prefer the 870, but there's nothing wrong with the 500/590 except the plastic safety-easily fixed.

I love the 500's safety. (position) Not the plastic so much.

It's where ALL SAFETY'S on long guns SHOULD be with very few exceptions.

The 870 locks up a little tighter though.

In my perfect world it would be the 870 with the 500 safety.

Just sayin'

 

[hq]

I had a Winchester 12 that would do that. Seems useful in some situations, but not many. I think if it was such a valuable feature for a combat gun, it'd still be around on the military's Mossberg and Remington shotguns, which it isn't.

It's gone the way of giving doughboys a suit made of cotton, a steel helmet and telling them to clear a trench. In a safety-oriented armed forces of combat soldiers wrapped from heel to toe in aramid fiber and other exotic composites, operating on thermal, aerial and motion detection intel a weapon that has two separate but interconnected firing functions has been all but abandoned. When 1897:s and 12:s were still issued it wasn't uncommon to have your squad buddies peppered by accident in high-stress situations.

Safety first, deadly but functional features second. Even if that means handing GI:s shotguns instead of combat shotguns.

 

[RecoilRob]

My vote goes for Mossberg 500 series, mostly due to them loading easier than the 870's. Under stress and possibly while on the move, getting rounds into the 500 doesn't require pushing the lifter out of the way like on the 870 or other Italian guns...which sways my opinion. Most modern shotguns work just fine and it's the little details that distinguish one from another. My 'go to' shotgun is a 500 20" 8 shot with Magpul furniture and metal trigger/safety. Like it a lot.

 

[Fiv3r]

The first requirement of a COMBAT pump shotgun: auto sear. Keep the trigger depressed, pump and it'll fire. I'm not sure if other current production shotguns than Mossberg 590 meet that criteria. It's one of the reasons I like my 1897 trench gun so much.

One of the cool things I like about my old Ithaca 37 DSPS.

 

[CaptTripps]

I have a 18.5 cylinder bore 590A1, that is with the metal trigger group, metal safety, heavy-wall barrel. That I like quite a bit. It has duel extractors, duel action bars, the magazine tube hanger is silver soldered onto the barrel, very secure. It has rifle sights which I'm not sure I like but they are well made, the front sight base is silver soldered to the barrel and the blade is a dovetail type. I can put a tritium dot in there if I want. It is also drilled and tapped for a sight base. With Hornady Critical Defense buckshot it holds 6+1 and with a 4 shot buttstock cuff, it weighs under 8 pounds with wood stock set.

PS: I'm not sure if all 590s or 590A1 have it or not, but Ive got a small proofmark right in front of the rear sight, top dead center of the barrel. Maybe its the OF Mossberg proof? I'm not sure, if anyone can chime in on that

 

[Jimmy Ward]

Get yourself an older Remy 870 and send it to Vang Comp and let them do their magic.

 

[JO JO]

I can personally recommend REM 870P , REM 870 MCS , while more expensive they are workhorses

 

[strangelittleman]

I wouldn't know "what the best would be" but there is very, little to find objectionable about the 590, 870 or Nova...

 

[JO JO]

I will toss another one out here but have no experience with it the FN SPAS 12

 

[hq]

I will toss another one out here but have no experience with it the FN SPAS 12

Franchi SPAS 12, I assume? Of the 30 odd years I've had one, it has spent 29.999 of them gathering dust in the safe. It looks great but is extremely prone to malfunctions with most ammo, heavy, slightly awkward to shoot (NOT a natural pointer) and I still haven't figured out why people pay a couple of grand or more for them these days. I much prefer Benelli M3 for a pump-semiauto combo gun and in spite of that, pure pump guns have a slight reliability advantage which is crucial for combat firearms.

 

[Youngster]

New build? An 870 from one of the "tuner" shops like Vang Comp.

However I'd take a Benelli or Beretta semi over any pump gun for defense these days.

 

[WrongHanded]

I wouldn't know "what the best would be" but there is very, little to find objectionable about the 590, 870 or Nova...

I agree with this. I prefer a 500/590, but that's mainly due to the position of the safety. I have never tried reversing the safety cross bolt on an 870, but on a Nova it's pretty fiddly.

 

[WrongHanded]

This is my choice.