Which more likely - pump short stroke or semi malfunction?

[Youngster]

They're also very expensive. I've never had any experience with the guns listed above and I likely never will due to their price. For that reason alone, I'm sticking with my Nova for home defense.

It's only a matter of a few hundred dollars difference, well worth it for the extra capability.

 

[Jason_W]

It's a few hundred dollars difference between a nova/supernova/870/500 and an 11-87 or 930. Jump into the realm of Benelli M4s and your looking to double or triple the cost over a pump gun.

 

[Youngster]

It's a few hundred dollars difference between a nova/supernova/870/500 and an 11-87 or 930. Jump into the realm of Benelli M4s and your looking to double or triple the cost over a pump gun.

It's still not a lot of money considering the technical advantages and build quality difference, and if you're not comparing the likes of the 870 Express, Mossberg 500s and cheap import pumps with the M4 and Tromix Saigas, the cost difference isn't so dramatic.

 

[Owen Sparks]

I am a competitive shooter and shoot tactical matches in both pump and auto divisions. I have seen more malfunctions with pumps than with autos. This is NOT because the pumps are unreliable but because people under pressure tend to short stroke them. A good quality pump like an 870 is mechanically 100% reliable YOU are the weak link. How much stress would you be under if someone were shooting at you?

Most auto malfunctions occur because the shooter does not have his auto firmly shouldered. I remember one instiance at a matck where an 11 year old boy was shooting a 20ga Remington 1100 and had jam after jam. His portly father shot a stage with the same gun and it ran 100%. The 90 pound boy just did not have enough lead in his butt to provide enough resistiance to make the auto cycle. The same thing can happen when a grown man does not have his auto firmly shouldered. This is similar to "limp wristing" a 1911.

 

[Girodin]

Jump into the realm of Benelli M4s and your looking to double or triple the cost over a pump gun.

Its more but when you consider consumable costs such as ammo and training. Plus factor in the service life of a gun its a pretty insignificant difference to me. Now if one really doesn't shoot much or use it in a way that makes the most of the auto loaders advantages then maybe it starts to get harder to justify the price difference.

 

[70extreme]

I am a competitive shooter and shoot tactical matches in both pump and auto divisions. I have seen more malfunctions with pumps than with autos. This is NOT because the pumps are unreliable but because people under pressure tend to short stroke them. A good quality pump like an 870 is mechanically 100% reliable YOU are the weak link. How much stress would you be under if someone were shooting at you?

In my mind, the above statement answers the question once and for all. Human beings under stress are less reliable than quality semiauto shotguns.

 

[Fred Fuller]

I'd say with all else being equal (operator, ammo, maintenance etc) that reliability rates for high quality modern designs in either action would be approximately equal too.

lpl