My Pump-Action Shotguns

canuck87

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if pump-action shotguns are popular or even common in Europe, but here's my collection so far:

Finally got the venerable Winchester Model 12 and Ithaca 37 Featherlight in my collection. M12 is 1955, full choke, 30 inch barrel. M37 is 1948, full choke, 30 inch barrel, aftermarket recoil pad.


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I'm amazed by the build quality on these shotguns. The M37 is the smoothest, and ejects shells several feet. It also is the lightest at 6-7 lbs and balances the nicest. For upland she will be good. The M12 is solid, heavier, and is quality. About 7-8 lbs, the balance is good, but not as good as the Ithaca. The stocks are thicker than the sleek Ithaca. Compared to my Mossberg, they are about the same weight, but balance much better. Even with the Aluminum receiver on the Mossberg, the steel barrel up front makes it muzzle heavy. The balance point is not at the receiver. Also, I think Mossberg's barrel is thicker and has the ventrib. It is also a more compact design as you will see in the pictures.


I'm also intrigued that the Mossberg takes some of the best qualities from both of these shotguns. For example, the dual extractors, shell elevator staying up like the M37, bolt release similar to Win 12, Barrel attachment system, Mossberg's receiver holes are exactly in the same spot as the Ithaca. I'm sure there are more similarities. The bolts, bolt slides are also similar to the Ithaca.


Pictures from top to bottom (1948, 1955, 2008):


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Due to the Police etc seeing any such shotguns as Gangster, Like Al Capone, of weapons for a mass murderer. Cowboy wannabes etc they are somewhat frowned upon here in the UK and as a result back in 1986 they made those that can hold more that teo cartridges in the magazine Section One the same as rifles and pistols which were still allowed back then.

I used to shoot one and used it to also compete in Practical and Combat Shotgun and again back then there was also the Combat Shotgun Society who held/hosted competitions with layouts for such repeating shotguns. My own was a Mossberg Slugster 8 shot with slug, smooth bore, barrel and rifle sights. I also used it for rough shooting and clays which helped one get used to normal mounting and shooting plus a quick reload whilst still in the aim.

The drawback of the skeleton shell lifter in the Mossberg is that with 65mm ( 2 1/2") cartridges when shooting over head clays for instance the cartridge could drop down through the lifter so it was hanging by the rim. 70mm (2 3/4") cartridges did not do this but the 65mms were cheap to practice with on clays and unless one had over head "Birds" it was not an issue.

Now to turn up to a Pheasant shoot with a Pump would most likely get an invitation to leave :rolleyes:.................................. that is how they are seen by the majority of shotgun shooters here in the UK. No matter how safe nor even how proficient a shot turn up with a pump and your condemned out of hand. On the other hand turn up with a best London gun and your one of the chaps :thumb:. Even if you cannot hit the barn door from inside the barn. Excuses will be made and accepted. sadly over the years have seen to many of these who were downright dangerous :-| like the old chap who pulled in his SxS then spun round and fired at the retreating clay over the heads of those waiting for the stand. This happened on the Colemans Hatch Sunday shoot in Sussex some years ago on more than one stand. It took the promise from several to drop him first before he got the message. As the organisers were not interested we stopped attending that shoot. Shame as it was in a lovely woodland too.
 
i've always fancied a pump gun there is something about them i really like, never actually bought one though. I suppose its the fear that the novelty would wear off and it would just be wasted money as i have a semi-auto for pigeons
 
I'm not sure if pump-action shotguns are popular or even common in Europe, but here's my collection so far:

Finally got the venerable Winchester Model 12 and Ithaca 37 Featherlight in my collection. M12 is 1955, full choke, 30 inch barrel. M37 is 1948, full choke, 30 inch barrel, aftermarket recoil pad.


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I'm amazed by the build quality on these shotguns. The M37 is the smoothest, and ejects shells several feet. It also is the lightest at 6-7 lbs and balances the nicest. For upland she will be good.

Gad Man! How tall are you???:D They should go straight to the ground, right?~Muir
 
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Gad Man! How tall are you???:D They should go straight to the ground, right?~Muir

Haha I actually wanted to see how far they would eject so I held the gun at an angle that would launch the shells, and well it goes down the hallway about 6-7 feet. Watch your feet if you're not wearing shoes because the force ejects the shell hard and the brass end can hit your sensitive toenails haha. Don't ask how I know.

These guns have the slam fire feature, which means pull the trigger and slide the action and it will fire continuously.

Germans in WWI opposed the top two guns in trench configuration as it was barbaric to hit somebody with 9 pellets of 00 buckshot (.32 calibre each!). However, the Germans did gas us which is perfectly fine.

@Brit

The Ithaca 37 is the perfect upland shotgun as it's light, smooth, and in a 20 ga frame is pleasant to shoot. Plus you can take down more birds with it's higher mag capacity at 5. SXS and O/U are nice. But us North Americans are strange and really like plain utilitarian designs that are reliable and durable and go bang every time the trigger is pulled. Unfortunately that has been taken to the extreme in today's society.

One reason I like these guns is because John Browning designed or had patents in them. And I like his designs very much. He's revered as a deity in the firearms communities over here.
 
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I inherited a Mossberg 12 Gauge pump Gun when a mate went to live in the States. Its a numb thing with a bulbous adjustable choke device thingy on the end of the Barrel. Was fun when it was a multi shot but had to have it altered to two in the mag after Hungerford.
Takes up space in the cabinet and only comes out for a `play` at the odd informal clay shoot.
Yorkie.
 
Ahhh canuck,

T'was not me dissing the Pumps just telling it how it is here. I had to sell mine due to the stupid restriction placed upon it's use as at that time mid 1980's I was residing in this county. In fact they were so daft i could not really even use r shoot it so I sold it to a member of the local club who also had on his FAC solid slug and brought a S&W 586 instead.

A few years back I replaced the pump with a Browning Auto Five of the mid 50's vintage. Again die tot eh stupidity it had to be restricted to two rounds in the magazine but this was done. Now that one is a classic J.M. Browning design. I had lusted after one since I was a teen either the Browning or the Franchi Hunter. As mentioned I got the browning in the end. Only a few decades late.


Yorkie that's a C'lect choke on your Mossberg.
 
I know you weren't dissing them pumps :p I realize how difficult and annoying the laws are. Trust me, we have some bizarre ones in Canada as well.

Are you celebrating the Jubilee today?

My uncle has a A5 Magnum made by Miroku, it's a nice cycling gun. Too bad, the friction rings need to be adjusted to fire 2 3/4'' shells.

P.S. My BSA CF2 is done, putting a scope on it tonight. I have some Williams Guide sights en route, so completed pictures by next week :)
 
Ahhh canuck,

T'was not me dissing the Pumps just telling it how it is here. I had to sell mine due to the stupid restriction placed upon it's use as at that time mid 1980's I was residing in this county. In fact they were so daft i could not really even use r shoot it so I sold it to a member of the local club who also had on his FAC solid slug and brought a S&W 586 instead.

It is worth pointing out that, unlike handguns, at least you can still acquire higher capacity shotguns for practical/target on an FAC in the UK. The post Hungerford fallout was a bit before my time, but I use a 10 shot s/a Benelli conditioned for practical/target shotgun (and flocking birds/clays). Yes there are more hoops to jump through but if you are passionate about practical shotgun (and it is great fun) then you can still do it and acquire firearms to do it.

And if anyone is worried about the 'Tackleberry' image then they really need to go and watch a competition. What you will see is a light hearted but competitive atmosphere, plenty of banter and safety that is by the book. No camo or 'SWAT' wannabes in sight! :D
 
Not really it's just another day here. The old man is too miserable and petty minded to celebrate.. I really wonder why I bother with him at times. He has made it very clear he does not think much of me or my help. In fact I am wondering why I bother with him at all right now.

Of course as he requires help to move from place to place even chair to chair if I go out it all falls to Mother who is in not fit state herself to lift and help him so for the time being I am stuck here.

Meanwhile I will raise a glass to her majesty a bit later a White Rum and Coke wil do nicely. Have both to hand.

Ahh yes I got new springs and washers for mine just after acquiring it and the smith fitted them when the restriction was carried out. despite it's age and use he said I need not have bothered as they were fine so I have a spare set now. I have a #73/74 export P-H catalogue en-route from downunder. That should arrive towards the end of next week with a bit of luck.











Sorry am a bit peeved right now.
 
I use a benelli nova (unrestricted) for a work gun, I found it more workable when jumping on and off quads etc. also got fed up with jams etc in numerous semi autos. (probably because I never clean them!)

Good reliable gun, also like the 3.5" chamber, can't afford the shells but always have the option!
 
Hi Canuc forgive but I thought the pumps used in WWI were Winchester Model 1897. They are pump guns with a hammer.
I have two a 32" and a 26"black diamond model.When I was a lot younger and was wildfowling hard from back in the sixties up until the banning of lead shot, we used to shoot anything we could get our hands on that we considered reliable.We got everything covered in mud and occaisionly got autos to freeze up in the cold weather, before the cold weather bans came in. They were about the best. They were good to keep in the punt for using as a cripple stopper.
I managed to get hold of mine quite cheap back then.
I was totally hooked on them after reading about the market gunners that shot out of the Chesapeke Bay in Maryland,shooting many thousands of ducks.They even had magazine extentions that would take upto10 or 12 cartridges
 
Yes it was the M97 in WWI predominantly but the M12 is essentially the same action with an internal hammer.
 
I cleaned the M12 and M37 today and oiled them up. The M12 is much smoother now, and the M37 is super slick.


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It was sunny out so I took some close ups:


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Well I must say they cleaned up rather nicely didn't they :thumb:. There is often an elegance about guns of this vintage something that seems to have been lost in a lot of Modern guns.
 
Heading over to a relative's to have a BBQ eating his moose steaks, then after dinner, scoping the BSA with a Leupold 3-9x40, then loading up some 6.5x55 SE rounds for a range trip next week!

P.S. Will toast her Majesty at dinner as well ;)
 
Had a Mossy 8shot pump with a C-Lect choke for 40 odd yrs, comes out every Feb for organised drey destruction shoots.
Loaded alternately with BB,s and 6,s it’s a great tool and hope never to part with it.

Willowbank
 
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