I'm guessing, because of the lack of an ejection port to load through after the mag is shot empty, the "tactical" version of the BPS would be less desirable? I don't know, I'm not into ninja training with ninja guns, but just a guess.
Well described AB. I was considering adding a 16ga BPS to my assortment until I picked one up at a Bass Pro shop recently. It didn't do anything for me, felt more like a twelve.
Well, a lot of 16s over the years were simply 12s chambered for 16. Same is probably true of 28s and 20s. The 16 gauge guys have a thing for finding "true" 16s.
When I shot pump shotguns, I had two BPS (12 and 20) and liked them a lot. I liked the tang safety and the bottom eject. They were a bit heavy but I was younger. Better, smoother actions than Mossberg, at least as good as Remington.
People speak of smoothness as if it's a constant. When I got my 500 new, yeah, it was a little rough, especially compared to a Browning. After 20 waterfowl seasons, it is slick as a baby's butt now days.
They do polish themselves over time. As a functional waterfowl gun, there's not a thing wrong with the Mossberg or the Remington Express if you'd prefer those things with their awful ergos. One shining quality I like about these guns is their lack of expense. Both will last a hunter forever, but if they do get rusted up in the salt marsh, you really don't care so long as they shoot.
If I get a more expensive shotgun, I won't often use it for waterfowl. Hell, my Winchester auto was a cheap gun, $255 new in around 1990 dollars, but it's wood and blue, looks relatively nice, and I like it and don't wanna mess it up.
That may be a little stupid, really, but I know what the marsh and boat rides on the bay can do to a nice gun. The Mossberg and the Express are rugged enough and cheap enough to replace. The Express is a bit of a rust magnet. If I wanted one, I'd sand blast it and paint it with black paint. Many guys I know do that to 'em to keep the rust monster at bay. Get one in camo like my 500 and that's not necessary.
