12 Ga. pump vs. auto?

rich scheffer

rich scheffer

Well-known member
Flew up to the farm in north Dakota saturday, this was a quick, travel light, trip. I didnt bring much with me, even left my trusty benelli home. I have a New England firearms 12 ga camo pump I took in trade for an old outboard, that I leave up there as a backup or a loaner. Well I was pleasantly surprised, I will admit I missed a bunch of birds, pulling the trigger while nothing happened. All in all the low dollar backup gun felt real good to me, I even started to shuck the thing without having to think. Heres the kicker the pump gun seemed quieter than my benelli auto. Is that possible? I actually found it less fatiguing to shoot, My ears never rang (I know I should wear ear protection) Lets hear from you guys out there. Does the closed chamber on a pump channel all the noise out the barrel? does the cycle of the auto let some of the noise out just under yout ear? Or am I just getting old? By the way I shot a nice mixed bag of divers on goose lake Redheads, bluebills, buffelheads, no cans yet, I hunted in a t shirt yesterday! even got a couple gadwals and mallards. Rich
 
I love pump guns, not sure on the noise, but they are reliabe, and I found when I switched from an auto to a pump over 20 years ago, I shot better, took my time and made shots count. I doesn't take long to make the cycle without a thought.

Chuck
 
SBE's are loud. I always set my boat and spreads so that I am to the left of my buddies that shoot them. It seems to me that sound comes out of the ejection port not just the muzzle. I find it earsplitting. It probably isn't as bad to the shooter but is part of why I haven't made the switch.
Glad you enjoyed the pump.
 
I like my nova but haven't really shot much of anything else, at least for ducks, took a few shots with a browning A5 and silver hunter a time or two. Shot an over/under at a field trial this past weekend, I really liked that. The over/under definitely seemed louder to me than the pump, that is the sound of the shot, not the racking the shell part. Not sure why that is. You would think they would sound the same.
 
My buddy used to shoot a ported 835. that thing was extemely loud. Was damn glad when he bought a Berretta 390 and started leaving that 835 at home.
I used to shoot pumps, never really liked them. Once I switched to my 390, there is no going back...
 
I love my 870 Express-it's everything I love in a waterfowling gun. Simple, Durable, Reliable, and Cheap. As far as being louder, my buddy's SBE2 with a Patternmaster ported choke had a high-end crack to it that was really tough on the ears!
 
Sam, your thoughts are exactly what I experienced. When you shoot the auto, the ejection port is right under your right ear. If i wear ear plugs or muffs I feel disconnected from the whole scene. The pump sounds like a pop gun compared to my benelli auto. Last year I bought my son a new camo 870 to replace my old Ithaca 37 that he has been using for some time now. The dealer gave me such a good deal I bought myself one too. I think I am going to give my trusty old friend Mr Benelli a rest and use the 870 more. By the way one of my buddies uses a ported SBE, it works great but it will drive the rest of us out of the blind. my God is it loud! Rich
 
Rich,

I use both a Rem 11-87 and a Browning BPS. The BPS is my personal favorite for ducks. The bottom ejection doesn't hit the guy next to me with the empty and the top safety is a lot easier when wearing gloves. The 11-87 cycles quickly and shoots softer. I never noticed a difference in the noise.

Bill
 
I think it's mostly a personnal preference and comfort. I've hunted with a lot of different pumps, Itacha 37's, Rem 870's, Win 1300, Moss. 835 and 500, and Benelli Nova. They all had their time and place, now I shoot an Xtrema or SX, mostly for the fact that I shoot a lot of 3-1/2 shells and want the recoil reduction the auto's have. But when upland hunting or bunny hunting I'm back at it with Ithaca 37 pump. And pumps can sing as fast as auto's in the right hands. Glad you had a nice trip.

.
 
Rich,
I like the pumps, but I have had plenty of times I was mad about short cycling or a bad scratched up shell follower in the mag tube. If it gets salt water on it I am not out much.
I would love to find a nice old Ithaca for the bottom eject.
I am shooting a lot of mouse fart shells now and dont need the magnum actions. I own a 10 ga for that stuff.

A model 12 would be the cats a.. just because I live in the state they were made in. If a beater with a 28 inch barrel shows up I just might grab it.

The kids are shooting the 1100 autos for the recoil reduction. I am sure a 3901 beretta would work as well but are twice the price.


Bob
 
Nova all the way, rugged and basically indestructable. Its ugly and a tad bit fat around the grip but it kills ducks and cycles everything. If I want a pump that I enjoy shooting it would be the Winchester model 12.........Is there a better pump? My model 12 16ga with a 28" barrel is a dream to shoot. But you cannot shoot steel out of them.
 
I love my 870, used it solid for 15 years. Hit stuff guys said couldn't be hit. Noise was fine...then I started doing more field hunting, shots above my head or slightly behind.....talk about short shucking or tough 2nd shots. I changed to Berretta Extrema II, talk about nice...I have not shot the 870 since....I don't find it any louder.
 
As someone struggling to get used to hearing aides necessitated by severe high end hearing loss caused by years of shotguns and power tools, All shotguns are too loud and will eventually bite you in the acoustic nerve. We should all be using hearing protection of some kind so that the grandkids don't eventually have to yell to tell us that there are teal coming from the left.
 
Rich,
I am sure a 3901 beretta would work as well but are twice the price.


Bob


As far as I can tell, the Walmart (and maybe now Dicks, too?) Beretta 390's are equivalent to the 3901, and still under $550 at my local walmart. If you are looking for a cheap auto, you could do a lot worse. I can't see spending a lot of money on a duck gun that's going to sit on the bottom of the canoe, get dropped in salt marsh mud, and get splashed with salt spray 2 months of the year. Since I got it my 870's been relegated to back-up status.

As for sound, I don't notice a difference, but I don't shoot the 3.5 inch roman candles, either.
Click to expand...
 
I would have a hard time believing the report of a benelli or any autoloader comes out the ejection port, but I've been wrong once or twice before.

The noise level is dependent upon length of barrel and/or ports. (And of course, which direction the muzzle is pointing for a bystander . . . should be pointing the same way all the time for the shooter!)

I prefer 30" barrels on most guns and I can tell you the difference between a 30" and a 24" is definitely ear splitting to a bystander. Ports also direct the sound in bad directions.
 
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