which pump shotgun will last the longest?

[Super-Dave]

Assuming you clean the shotgun when needed:


What pump shotgun will probably shoot the most shells before something breaks?

[colostomyclown]

Ithaca 37.

[w_houle]

Ithaca 37.
+1

[jmr40]

The 870 has the track record none of the others have. I suspect that the Benelli may prove to be the toughest design. Get back to me in about 50 years.

[oneounceload]

Any of the above will last a long time if properly maintained....(and most likely even if not properly maintained)

[zippy13]

The Closet Queen.
You know, the HD gun that's shot once and put into perpetual storage. It might come out to add some new tacti-cool device and then returned to the closet to be kept in a "like new" condition.

[colostomyclown]

The 870 has the track record none of the others have. I suspect that the Benelli may prove to be the toughest design. Get back to me in about 50 years.

- JMR



Ithaca 37

Designer John Browning and John Pedersen
Designed 1933




Remington 870

Designed 1951



just sayin'.

[mike4]

depends on how they are kept and rate of usage. I've seen many banged up ,old 870's in many police cars and weapon rooms.
Mossberg is a lighter biult sg. Winch's have also showed longevity. I'm a benelli enthusiast but have all brands and really have'nt seen any very old ,battered nelli's. My m4 definately feels like it could last straight into my grandson's grandson's life. Btw my grandson is not born yet.

[Maser]

As much as I love the Mossberg 500 because I got mine when I was 12 and I feel it's the best pump gun ever made, I have to go with the Ithaca 37. I have seen some really beat up 37s and they function flawlessly in spite of their cosmetic flaws.

[noyes]

On my Mossberg 590 the magazine follower looks like the part that will wear out first.

[Danielcan]

I like the remington 3 and a half inch with the synthetic stock, and id get the rifled barrel too. but i like the silent operation of my hundred year old parker side by side,

[the rifleer]

if you keep it clean and well maintained i don't think that you will live long enough to wear any of them out.

[jhgreasemonkey]

Okay I will agree, my ithaca 37 is from the 1950's and still as solid as ever. Solid steel, no alloy or plastic. My answer though is "the one you take care of".

[johnwilliamson062]

I think any of these properly cared for could easily go through several generations. I am willing to be there are people here with shotguns that weren't as well made as these and weren't taken care of that have lasted several generations.

[jmr40]

Colostomyclown,

Not disagreeing with you, but the Ithaca is not on the poll.

The Ithaca, 870, as well as the Winchester 12 (also not on the poll), have proven they can stand up to well over 100,000 rounds, some have documented over 200,000 rounds through them. While not used as much today,they were all used by high volume trap shooters back in the day.

None of the others have that kind of record to back up the claims.

Most of us will never shoot any of them enough to wear them out, but that was not the question. With the aluminum receiver the Mossberg would probably be the 1st to die.

[Dragon55]

I voted Winchester 1200 because I still hunt with it and bought it in 1972.

Skeet shot with it for years. So I guess it's gonna outlast me.

[SEHunter]

Remington model 870 is the standard in pump shotguns.

Negative comments towards the model 870 will clearly show
these persons have no knowledge of firearms, shotguns or the
shotgunning sport.

[earlthegoat2]

ALL Of THE ABOVE

[darkgael]

They are all good guns. Given proper care they should all last a loooong time.
How could you forget the Ithaca 37?
Why is it that so often in polls like these the Ithaca gets left out? Not in production?
One of the finest pump guns ever made - look at how many votes it got without being included.
Pete

[Super-Dave]

Its left out because it is not common. There is not a gun store within 100 miles or more of here that sells any Ithaca shotguns.

[oletymer]

They are in production. You can order one directly from Ithaca if you have no dealer close to you.

[hogdogs]

For anyone with the "BANK" and desire to find out, I offer to find out for ya...

One of each and an open $$$ account for the ammo...

I will document the ammo consumption of each to the shell... I will also include the session time frame and type of shooting be it high speed shooting and reloads or more typical shooting.

I bet I have a hard time finding a major failure in any of the well known designs.

After a pre-determined amount of shells, 100K or 200K, I will no longer give the guns any maintenance and we will see if that finds a weakness and when.
Brent

[USMCGrunt]

I also agree that the Ithaca 37 has stood the test of time. However, out of those listed, I voted for the Mossberg. Now I know folks will cite the aluminum receiver not being as strong as the steel receiver of the 870 but I will cite the shell latches and ejector that are staked in place in the 870 receiver. We had a couple old 870s in our armory that were restaked several times over the years and they were one or maybe two more restaking jobs at best away from having to be returned to depot as unrepairable. Any time you have to do something with restaking, there is going to be a finite number of times you can do it before you run out of metal and here is where that issue exists on the 870 that is often overlooked by non-armorer types.

[hogdogs]

Grunt, I also point out that there is that Murphy feller in the field...

Not only the finite number of times a repair can be done, You also have gunk, grunge and other nasty cooties that can get behind both staked items and a full cleaning behind is very difficult under controlled conditions and impossible under stressed conditions... Give me some good ol' cover fire and 10 minutes and I can strip and clean YOUR 500 in the heat of battle and return it ready to go back to work! If an action bar failed, and one is still there, I will remove the failed one and return the gun ready work with a single bar...

I ain't a 'smith but I arz a redneck!
Brent

[noyes]

With the aluminum receiver the Mossberg would probably be the 1st to die.

Lets start a list of aluminum receiver guns.

M 16
AR 15
Beretta
Browning
L1A1
Remington


Feel free to add more aluminum receiver guns & shotguns to the list.