I am looking at getting a pump shotgun for use in knock down steel matches. I am interested in the Remington 870 and I have a few questions:

 

1-What length barrel would you recommend? I was thinking about the 26" or 28" as it would allow me to add a large magazine extension to the end of the barrel. btw: I won't be using this for clays as I would eventually like to get either an over/under or side by side for that.

 

2-I am assuming the more shells that the magazine can hold the better (from the speed of reloading sense). But will too long a gun with too many shells make the gun too front heavy?

 

Any other thoughts/suggestions will be appreciated.

A few false premises I fear.

 

1) All things being equal most people shoot a semi-auto faster.

2) The additional capacity of a pump is broadly meaningless when you look at the total number of shells you have to feed it. You may have lets say 5 extra shots, but they are 5 extra shots only once. It is going to be slower to shoot for every single shot. The slower shooting will add up to override the additional capacity.

3) longer barrel are harder to transition quickly, I say stay at around 24", maybe even less

4) Personally I think the 870 as currently produce is one of worst choices. I would suggest a Benelli Nova, or maybe a Mossberg, but really I wouldn't buy a pump.

Vlad, you beat me to it.   Vlad is on target here, but I feel your pain if cost is a big factor here. If I was limited to a pump because of funds I would choose the Benelli SUPER NOVA. For the additional money over the Nova, the SN provides some great features such as a the Comfort Tech Stock that reduces recoil as well as allows adjustments for drop for a better fit. The loading gate stays up when pushed making reloading the tube easier.  You can also rack out an empty out of the chamber without dropping a new shell on the lifter from the tube.  Well built and reliable.  A 24" barrel is best.  An aftermarket extension tube and follower and your ready to go.  The receiver is drilled and tapped also if you desire to go side saddle or optics route. 

A few false premises I fear.

 

1) All things being equal most people shoot a semi-auto faster.

2) The additional capacity of a pump is broadly meaningless when you look at the total number of shells you have to feed it. You may have lets say 5 extra shots, but they are 5 extra shots only once. It is going to be slower to shoot for every single shot. The slower shooting will add up to override the additional capacity.

3) longer barrel are harder to transition quickly, I say stay at around 24", maybe even less

4) Personally I think the 870 as currently produce is one of worst choices. I would suggest a Benelli Nova, or maybe a Mossberg, but really I wouldn't buy a pump.

 

We are limited in NJ to 6 shells in a semi-auto so I figured you would be loading more times than a pump that say holds 10 shells. is that not the case? if loading a shell takes the same amount of time in each gun, then wouldn't we be loading almost two times more often with the semi?

 

What is wrong with the 870? I had looked at the Benelli but the action seemed "loose" and it rattled.

Ok, so lets say you are shooting knockdown steel, with stages of if say 30 targets and crank some math. For the purposes of this conversation, the pump and semi load just as fast, which may or may not be true.

 

Lets also assume you can reload 1 shell per second on the average. I'm using that number because it used to be the golden standard before quad loading become a thing which pushes the numbers to 0.5seconds per shell, but most people never get to that.

 

In the outlined scenario your Pump with 10rd to start has a 4 seconds heads up over the semi auto because over the entire course of 30 rd it only needs to load 20rd, to the 24rd the semi need to reload. So right now all, other things being equal you are 4 seconds faster.

 

Except you are looking at a semi shotgun that cycle in less then 0.5 seconds vs the 1sec or more you will need to cycle a pump, assuming you are not short stocking it going when you try to go fast. over those same 30rd course, the semi would be picking up 15 seconds over the pump so those 4 "free" seconds you get from starting with more rounds are no longer so hot, are they?

 

Finally let say you are running a pump gun fast enough to keep up with a semi, you are now still dealing with more felt recoil and hence a lower recovery time from shot to shot. 

 

and 870 quality has been really poor lately, I see lots of people having problems with them.

You know I have a nice 1100 that could be the base of a nice comp shotgun

 

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I'll second that I wouldn't buy a new 870. If you can find an older one then go for it. The mossberg and benelli are much more solid and reliable then the 870 I bought(which I sold)

 

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^^^  x3 on the 870, I also have handled both and I like the Mossy - you dont need a 590 with the heavy wall barrel, the 500 is just fine - sturdy and reliable