Pump Shotgun

Springfeildkid585 · Jul 17, 2011

I noticed an ad for a bottom eject pump shotgun(this one was a Stevens 350, which I have learned is a copy of an Ithica 37)recently. I was wondering if this provided any advantages other than being more friendly to left-handed and ambidextrous shooters. Disadvantages and any other info in regaurds to bottom eject shotguns is also welcome.

A10 · Jul 17, 2011

I shoot left handed and use an 870, don't have a problem.

Texas Star · Jul 17, 2011

They've been advertised as being more weatherproof. However, the few such designs made suggest that the public is more concerned with having the loading convenience of a side-ejecting gun.

Almost no one shoots bottom-ejectors at the clay target games.

This said, the M-37 and the Browning BPS are good guns, probably bought mostly by hunters. The Remington M-17 fathered the M-37, but they are pretty old to be a first line gun now.

kshock · Jul 17, 2011

The Browning BPS has a short throw and is very fast to cycle. I think the Ithaca was also a short throw but it has been so long since I used one I don't remember. The BPS also has a tang safety which I personally like.

Springfeildkid585 · Jul 17, 2011

Texas Star said:
They've been advertised as being more weatherproof. However, the few such designs made suggest that the public is more concerned with having the loading convenience of a side-ejecting gun.

Almost no one shoots bottom-ejectors at the clay target games.

This said, the M-37 and the Browning BPS are good guns, probably bought mostly by hunters. The Remington M-17 fathered the M-37, but they are pretty old to be a first line gun now.

I'm thinking home defense. My grandfather hasnt owned a gun in his life, and his neighborhood is getting ugly around him. He's decided it's better late than never. He has a pretty limited budget and this Stevens seems pretty affordable. I was just makeing sure the bottom eject wasnt going to cause him any problems.

jkc · Jul 18, 2011

Springfeildkid585 said:
I'm thinking home defense. My grandfather hasnt owned a gun in his life, and his neighborhood is getting ugly around him. He's decided it's better late than never. He has a pretty limited budget and this Stevens seems pretty affordable. I was just makeing sure the bottom eject wasnt going to cause him any problems.

Not unless you regard having a bunch of slippery roller-bearings accumulating underfoot as a problem...

MarineSgtjimh · Jul 18, 2011

It is a John Browning design. What could be wrong with it?

s&wchad · Jul 18, 2011

Texas Star said:
Almost no one shoots bottom-ejectors at the clay target games.

In all the shotgun games, you need to keep the action open and the gun unloaded until it's your turn to shoot. To load a bottom ejecting gun, you have to rack the slide handle forward to close the action before you can feed a shell into the mag tube. You then depress the slide release and rack the shell into the chamber (pump it both ways). With a gun like an 870 or a Model 12, you just drop the shell into the open action thru the ejection port, rack the slide handle forward and say "PULL"!

Replacement parts could also be an issue.

Maximumbob54 · Jul 18, 2011

I will be buying the new Stevens model as soon as I drop enough $20 dollar bills in the jar from each payday. I won't own an aluminum frame shotgun again since my Mossberg had the stripped out by the factory butt stock bolt fall out. I only want steel and don't feel like paying for Remington 870's since they are slowly filling them with plastic and yet still making you pay full brand name price for them.

truckemup97 · Jul 18, 2011

Maximumbob54 said:
I will be buying the new Stevens model as soon as I drop enough $20 dollar bills in the jar from each payday. I won't own an aluminum frame shotgun again since my Mossberg had the stripped out by the factory butt stock bolt fall out. I only want steel and don't feel like paying for Remington 870's since they are slowly filling them with plastic and yet still making you pay full brand name price for them.

You can buy a nice, used 870 or 500 for less than you can buy a new, plastic, poorly assembled, barely blued one.

Yeah, you have to look at a few clunkers to get a good one, but that's half the fun.

29aholic · Jul 18, 2011

Truckem is right, search the gunshops and find you an old 870 with a long fixed choke plain barrel, then cut to a hair longer than then legal minimum. If you are left handed (I am) you can get a left handed safety for it. I paid $135 for an old beater 870 from an LGS bought a used 7 shot extension and cut the barrel to 18 1/2"...no problems.

gregintenn · Jul 18, 2011

I'm left handed, and think the Ithaca 37 is among the finest pump shotguns in existance. I don't know anything about the Stevens. I do prefer my shotguns to have two barrels, however.

2152hq · Jul 18, 2011

I think the Stevens offering is made in Turkey or some other import. Norinco used to sell an Ithaca 37 copy like it a while back but the ban on arms imports from China cut those off.

Personally, I'd just buy a decent 12ga Ithaca 37 and be done with it if bottom eject is necessary.

I've owned Ithaca 37's, Remingtom Model 10's and one Remington Model 17. The Ithaca 37 is the most reliable. Plus it's the newer design and parts & service are easily found.
The 10 & 17 are mostly collector vintage guns though they still do well in the field.
The rarely seen Mod29 is a redesigned Model10 but can still suffere from the same feeding problems in a worn gun.

Pump Shotgun

Springfeildkid585

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A10

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Texas Star

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kshock

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Springfeildkid585

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jkc

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s&wchad

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