The best pump action shotgun. Review of pump-action shotguns for self-defense

Everyone who is going to buy a gun (and not only) is faced with the problem of choice and makes it every day. We are attacked from all sides by advertising, and everyone is trying to sell their product.

This article is an attempt to understand the situation in the pump-action shotgun market; Moreover, this attempt will be based on ten years of personal experience and shooting more than 50,000 rounds, and not on any speculation or marketing texts.

The idea for our publication arose when I remembered how difficult it was for me to choose my first gun. At that time, the Internet contained a lot of contradictory information, and only on English-language resources was it possible to find a grain of truth. As a beginner, I couldn’t understand where the truth was and where the frankly custom articles were. Now I will try to make it as easy as possible for you to choose your first gun.

For greater clarity, we will divide all available guns into groups, based on their cost:

• entry level: Hatsan Escort;
• mid-price range: Remington 870, Mossberg 500/590, Fabarm SDASS/Martial;
• above average: Benelli Supernova.

I. Budgetary

The most popular pump-action shotgun in Ukraine currently is the Hatsan Escort. It is most often chosen as the first firearm. This is understandable: it is inexpensive, and has been on the market for more than ten years. The Hatsan Escort has earned its reputation as the hard worker you'll find at any shotgun training session. The cheapest version costs only 6,290 UAH, and a Combo with two barrels will cost 11,310 UAH (taking into account functionality, this is practically nothing).

Hatsan Escort Aimguard TS

Without exaggeration, we can say that Hatsan Escort has significantly changed the attitude of Ukrainian shooters towards Turkish weapons for the better.

Design and features

The receiver of the Hatsan Escort is aluminum, which is quite common. If the shot of the gun is not measured in tens of thousands of shots, then the strength of the aluminum alloy box will be quite enough. The advantage of such a receiver is also called rust resistance - but you need to remember that the magazine tube and many other parts of the gun are made of steel, and therefore require regular maintenance and lubrication to counteract corrosion. It is also worth noting that due to the light receiver, the balance of such guns is slightly shifted forward, which must be taken into account.

Telescopic stock, long forend and magazine extension out of the box

What sets this inexpensive gun apart is its chrome-plated barrel. The barrel bore, coated with a layer of chrome, makes cleaning much easier and better resists corrosion - this is a definite plus.

The Hatsan Escort safety button is standard, located in front of the trigger guard. The disconnector is also typical, located behind the bracket. There are no special features, everything is simple and clear.

Hatsan is available for both left-handed and right-handed people, which is extremely rare! As an instructor, I know very well how difficult it is for left-handed shooters. For the left-hand Hatsan Escort, everything is simple and clear; the safety button and the cartridge ejection window are on the left side. I’m very glad that there are not only scissors for left-handers, but also guns.

A simple design that has been tested by thousands of Ukrainian shooters

In addition to the basic version of Hatsan Escort, models are also available in other versions. It is possible to choose the type of stock, the length of the forend and the type of sights. The base is equipped with an extension cord and swivels for attaching a belt.

Tuning and additional accessories

The Hatsan Escort is a popular gun, so a large number of additional accessories and tuning elements are produced for it. These are, for example, pistol grips, stocks (folding or telescopic), magazine extensions, flash suppressors, choke constrictions, barrel extension chokes and even additional barrels. Moreover, they all cost much less than similar accessories for more expensive guns. It's similar to the world of cars: for lower-priced models, accessories and maintenance cost less.

Experience of use

According to statistics, in Ukraine the Hatsan Escort is the most popular pump-action shotgun, and it is used for almost any purpose. It is chosen by both hunters and beginning dynamic shooters. Most often, of course, this gun is bought for self-defense or “just in case.”

The design of the Hatsan Escort has been tested, the gun is produced in thousands of units, and spare parts for it are always in stock. This is an important factor, because everything breaks, especially if you shoot a lot. Minor breakdowns occur, but are easily fixed.

conclusions

Some consider the excessive simplicity of the Hatsan Escort to be a disadvantage. However, everything about it is functional and reliable, as it should be in a weapon, and the additional advantages of a chrome-plated barrel and an extended magazine are not always found even on expensive guns.

The price-quality ratio is excellent. This gun is highly recommended as the first weapon - or the only one if you are choosing an inexpensive gun for self-defense. The positive experience of thousands of Ukrainian shooters speaks for itself.

I also recommend watching the episode of the Zbrojowa School program, No. 38. During filming, we subjected the Hatsan Escort to the most severe tests - and it still continued to shoot.

P.S

In recent years, other, cheaper models of shotguns have appeared on the market. However, the cost often comes as a surprise. My opinion is clear - I would never buy an untested weapon. Wait a few years (so that during this time the new product has at least several thousand users) before drawing conclusions. You should not trust your life to an “object that looks like a weapon.”

Types of pump-action weapons

Conventionally, all pump-action shotguns can be divided into universal and tactical; we will analyze their differences further.

Universal shotguns

Most often they have a classic-shaped bed, which is made of wood or plastic. To adjust the optimal shot cone, there are replaceable choke constrictions. Sights - ventilated rib and front sight - are the best choice for bird hunting. Such a gun will allow you to fully hunt both “by the feather” and on large ungulates. There are models with barrel lengths from 510 to 750 mm, so it is realistic to find a compromise between combat range and ease of carrying.

A good example of a versatile pump shotgun is the Huglu Atrox A pump. This is a light (3.1 kg), flexible, unpretentious and very affordable “pump”. It is equipped with four replaceable chokes and an under-barrel magazine extension. Charge capacity – 5+1.

Shotgun Huglu Atrox A pump synthetic 12×76 510mm 19,999 ₽

Shotgun Huglu Atrox A pump synthetic 12×76 510mm

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Tactical shotguns

Designed for practical shooting, self-defense, home defense. They can be used in hunting, but the stock with a pistol grip is not as convenient for throwing as the classic versions. Most often, such guns have a short barrel of 450-540 mm without a choke (cylinder). It is optimized for slug and buckshot, but performs modestly when used with buckshot. Tactical shotguns have elements of military weapons: a muzzle brake-compensator (flash suppressor), a Weaver Weaver

— a weapon strap for attaching special optical sighting devices. More details for installing red dot sights, a telescopic buttstock similar to the AR-15.

Sights - front sight and adjustable rear sight - are best suited for precision shooting with a preliminary insert. There are several options for attaching the belt.

All of the above characteristics correspond to the legendary Italian shotgun Fabarm SDASS, which has been produced since 2005 and is used by law enforcement forces in different countries, in particular Portugal. In the cinema, SDASS appeared in the hands of Angelina Jolie’s heroine in the film “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”.

The weight of the gun is 3.3 kg, the charge capacity is 7+1.

Shotgun Fabarm SDASS Pro Telescopic 12x76 RUR 100,890

Shotgun Fabarm SDASS Pro Telescopic 12x76

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II. Reliable

We can talk endlessly about the legendary American shotgun Remington 870. I myself have already dedicated three detailed articles to him, which were published in the magazine “World of Hobbies: Weapons & Hunting” - to learn more about the Remington 870, try to find and read them.

Remington 870 Tactical

This pump-action shotgun is the most popular in the world: at the time of writing this article, over 12 million copies have already been sold. Its cost in Ukrainian stores starts from 19,600 UAH, and the Combo version starts from 25,810 UAH.

Design and features

Probably the most important and famous feature of the Remington 870 shotgun is its steel receiver. This is almost the only pump-action shotgun in the world in which the receiver is milled from a single piece of steel - which, in turn, ensures strength and rigidity of the structure, as well as incredible durability. I know of guns of this model with 100,000 rounds of ammunition! Also, due to the steel, the Remington 870 receiver turned out to be elegant, and not bloated, like “aluminum” guns. Some consider the slightly larger mass to be a minus, but its increase is not so noticeable as to create any inconvenience for the shooter. If we talk about numbers, then the difference in the weight of the receiver, for example, with Mossberg shotguns is only about 300 g - you must admit, this is not such a value that even the average shooter would experience at least some inconvenience.

Smooth and strict lines make the Remington 870 extremely elegant

The Remington 870 is said to have a "hard" chamber that requires polishing to handle poor quality or overloaded ammo. This actually happens, although not for every instance. Sometimes polishing the chamber may be necessary - but the procedure is simple and does not require much time or effort. Also, if you plan to shoot with a self-roller, you can always install a reinforced extractor for more reliable operation.

The Remington 870's safety button is located, like most shotguns, in front of the trigger guard. After installing the enlarged button, removing the safety occurs intuitively - simultaneously with the shooter placing his finger on the trigger. The disconnector is located behind the bracket - a standard location typical of most shotguns.

Picatinny rail with integrated rear sight

Controls are in place

the muzzle constriction can be replaced with a nozzle for knocking out locks

There are so many modifications of the Remington 870 that we can only talk about them in a separate article, which is what I did at the time. For now I will only say that a wide variety of stocks, barrels of different lengths, configurations with two interchangeable barrels, special police and marine options are available for choice.

Tuning and additional accessories

The world's most popular pump-action shotgun will always be a priority for accessory manufacturers. For example, Magpul released its “body kit” - a stock, forend and additional accessories - first for the Remington 870, and only then for other guns.

There are countless options for tuning the Remington 870, and you can adapt your gun for any purpose and purpose. Therefore, each owner prepares a gun for himself and his tasks, and manufacturers are constantly updating the line of available accessories.

Read more about tuning in the article “Remington 870 - a designer that will never get boring” in the magazine “World of Hobbies: Weapons & Hunting”, No. 6 for 2022.

Experience of use

As someone who has already fired about 30,000 rounds of ammunition from the Remington 870, I can note its phenomenal durability and reliability. Breakdowns are rather an exception. The only failure I observed was a broken ejector spring on my friend's gun; however, even this did not prevent the gun from working - simply the ejection of the cartridge case became weaker.

Personally, over the course of 30,000 shots, I only once had to replace the firing pin spring - a mere trifle. All other work that was carried out was tuning and preparation for practical shooting competitions. I am sure that my Remington will fire more than tens of thousands of rounds.

conclusions

The Remington 870 shotgun is used by police and military forces around the world. It can be found both in the car of a US police officer and in the hands of a member of the French special forces GIPN.

The Remington 870 is a very reliable shotgun that can be used for any purpose - from self-defense to hunting and even practical shooting! It will also serve your children and grandchildren - the resource of the steel receiver is enough for everyone.

Modifications MP 133

The shotgun was produced in several versions. The buyer could choose the material of the forend and butt - walnut, beech or plastic. In this case, the butt could be folding.

A modification with a pistol-type handle without a butt was very popular in security companies. There are carbine models with interchangeable choke tubes for different types of shot - lead or steel.

MP-133 smoothbore shotgun with pistol grip

Modification 133 C is intended for use by private security services. It features a 76mm chamber.

Modification 133 K has a box-type under-barrel magazine. The length of the 133 K chamber is no more than 76 mm.

III. Eternal rival

The Mossberg 500/590 is the second most popular pump-action shotgun in the world. It is used as widely as the Remington 870, but still lags behind in the number of copies produced - by a million. Also produced in the USA.

Mossberg 590A1

The cost of the simplified version of the Mossberg 500 in domestic stores is approximately 19,000 UAH, the price of the standard version of the Mossberg 590 starts from 20,500 UAH.

Design and features

The Mossberg 590 receiver is aluminum, like most other shotguns. It was already noted earlier that this is not a problem if there are no large “shots” - however, it has its own nuances.

A unique feature of this gun is the presence of two extractors, which means improved extraction of inflated cartridges. In fact, if the cartridge case is seriously blown, you will still have to run for a cleaning rod.

The fuse is located on top of the receiver

Mossberg 590 tray does not require pressing when loading cartridges into the magazine

The play immediately attracts attention, which is why the Mossberg is sometimes called a “rattle.” Some justify such tolerances by military acceptance and the need to work in any conditions - even with dirt, but other guns have successfully passed tests without such tolerances.

An indisputable advantage of the Mossberg 590 is the hidden tray, which is always raised and does not require pressing when loading cartridges. This makes life easier for beginners who do not yet know how to properly load a gun. However, this tray also has disadvantages. Firstly, it has weak points - there have been cases when the tray burst, which immediately put the gun out of action. Secondly, to use short cartridges (for example, Praktika bullets), an additional protrusion must be welded onto the tray for trouble-free operation. The edges of the loading window on the Mossberg 590 are quite sharp and need to be polished.

The Mossberg 590 chamber may also require polishing. In Ukraine, I met the owner of the Marine version, who had blown cases and problems with extraction - after polishing the chamber, all these problems disappeared.

A regular front sight is installed on the barrel; on some models there is a magazine extension in the base

The Mossberg release lever is located on the left side in front of the trigger guard; this way, the shooter can press it without changing the position of the hand holding the stock - for some this will be an advantage. The fuse is located on top, in the rear of the receiver. It will be convenient for both left-handers and right-handers, but the unusual location also has disadvantages - after installing the pistol grip, to operate the safety, you will have to remove your hand from the grip or turn the safety on/off with your left hand. This is already a serious drawback. Another well-known nuance among owners of Mossberg shotguns is the safety screw that unwinds (and gets lost) - due to which, under the influence of the recoil of the shot, the safety can turn on independently.

It is useful to sand the sharp edges of the loading window

Another issue with the Mossberg 590 is that the tubular magazine, magazine spring, and feeder are susceptible to corrosion. Therefore, when servicing guns, they need to be given special attention, regularly disassembled and lubricated.

The budget modification, Mossberg 500, does not allow the installation of a magazine extension - this is important to remember when choosing a weapon for self-defense or sports.

Experience of use

For this review, I shot a teammate's Mossberg 590. The firing amounted to about 20,000 rounds. Immediately I noticed the serious gaps - they are initially characteristic of Mossberg shotguns, and with use they only become more noticeable. There were also jams when feeding a cartridge into the chamber (I never found out the reasons for this).

I already mentioned the burst tray. I also saw a burst firing pin washer, which disabled the gun so much that it could only be disassembled in a workshop.

conclusions

The Mossberg 590 is a popular shotgun used all over the world; however, it has its own characteristics that need to be remembered. The Mossberg design includes unusual design solutions that have both advantages and disadvantages. This gun is not suitable for all purposes: for example, we can say that the Mossberg direction in practical shooting has died out - due to loading features and the lack of suitable configurations.

Advantages of pump action shotguns

Reliability.

The pump-action shotgun is simple in design. It does not have a gas engine, which can fail due to low temperature, untimely cleaning or lack of lubrication. The “pump” does not have problems with non-reloading and the spent cartridge case getting stuck in the ejection window, which happens with a semi-automatic machine.

Omnivorous for ammunition.

A pump-action shotgun can shoot low-quality cartridges, with a small amount of gunpowder, “self-rolling” from novice shooters. Even factory-made traumatic cartridges with rubber buckshot will work properly with a pump-action shotgun. “Semi-automatic machines,” especially inertial ones, require a high-quality cartridge for trouble-free shooting.

Multi-charge.

It is not a unique quality of “pumps,” but in this parameter they clearly outperform traditional double-barreled shotguns. The under-barrel magazine holds 5-7 or more rounds.

Accuracy.

This figure is higher than most double-barreled guns. Making a block from two perfectly parallel trunks is technically very difficult. In practice, many horizontal and vertical guns have different average impact points for each barrel. Pump-action and semi-automatic shotguns have one barrel, which makes the hunter’s task easier.

Use in hunting.

Among Russian hunters, there is a disdainful attitude towards pump-action shotguns, sometimes they are accused of strange “disadvantages” such as the clanging of the bolt when reloading, but the rattling noise of the semi-automatic bolt does not frighten anyone. In fact, pump-action shotguns perform well for hunting: in the United States they can be found much more often than double-barreled shotguns.

IV. Elegant

The Italian arms company Fabarm is quite famous, and its guns are popular all over the world.

The receivers of Fabarm shotguns are made of aluminum alloy, but it is not a simple alloy. "Ergal" (ERGAL - Extra Refined Grain Aluminum) is the trade name of one of the alloys of the 7075 group, which are the most expensive aluminum-based structural alloys and at the same time the most durable. Not all manufacturers undertake to use “ergal”, because it is much more difficult to process. The Fabarm company is deservedly proud that the boxes of their guns are made of “ergal”; other manufacturers usually do not provide detailed information about the materials from which their guns are made.

Fabarm MARTIAL OD GREEN

Thanks to the use of “ergal” as a material for the receivers, Fabarm shotguns are lightweight with more than sufficient strength. The company produces two lines of pump-action shotguns - SDASS (Special Defense and Security Shotgun - “special gun for security and defense” and Martial, which translates as “military”; we will consider both of these models.

The cost of Fabarm pump-action shotguns in Ukraine starts from approximately 21,500 UAH.

Design and features

In addition to the special alloy, Fabarm shotguns have other interesting features. For example, all guns are tested with an overpressure of 1630 bar - so that the owner has complete confidence in every shot, even using cartridges with the maximum load. Also, the barrel shank is made elongated, which provides additional structural strength. It should be noted here that in Hatsan shotguns the barrel shank also has an increased length, but in Mossberg shotguns it is quite short.

Standard design and controls for pump-action shotguns

Some Fabarm models have improved protective coating and additional accessories

Fabarm shotgun barrels use proprietary Tribore HP drilling. The internal profile of the barrel in this case has a variable diameter, which ensures significantly less deformation of the peripheral pellets in the charge, which makes the shot sheaf less stretched and the distribution of pellets in it more uniform. As a result, with excellent sharpness of the battle, a uniform scattering of shot is also ensured without thickening and “windows”, which makes shooting more effective. The process of creating a barrel with a Tribore HP drill is longer and more labor-intensive, but definitely worth it.

Fabarm pump-action shotguns are available in many modifications, among which you can find different stock options, different protective coatings, shortened barrels, and a variety of sights. The coating of the barrel and receiver of Fabarm shotguns differs from the protective coatings of the “Americans” from our review. This is not just a simple bluing - it not only looks better, but also provides greater wear resistance and better protection against corrosion.

Protective heat shield, high front sight and flash hider

Picatinny rail with rear sight (you can install an additional sight on it)

The safety of Fabarm pump-action shotguns is located traditionally

“Pumps” of the SDASS and Martial series are designed for self-defense; they differ in size and accessories. For example, the shortest shotgun, Martial Ultrashort, has a total length of only 96 cm, has a polymer barrel casing, and the barrel itself has ports in the muzzle to compensate for toss when shooting. The guns are available in a variety of interesting configurations, so be sure to add the Fabarm to your list of guns to check out.

Experience of use

Fabarm shotguns have been on the Ukrainian market for quite a long time and have proven themselves to be excellent. Of the breakdowns, I saw only a burst firing pin, which was easily replaced; I didn't notice any other problems.

At trainings and seminars, I came across a wide variety of versions of Fabarm shotguns - from the simplest to the tactical; they all worked predictably and without surprises. Especially with pump-action "Fabarms" we are pleased with the smooth movement of the fore-end - it is felt that the rods and the inner surface of the receiver are polished to perfection. Also, on these guns you will not find sharp edges and edges that are common with cheaper “pumps” - here the edges of the loading window and all other edges and edges are rounded and polished.

conclusions

Fabarm pump-action shotguns are more expensive, but have many interesting advantages - from the receiver material and high-quality coating to specially designed barrel drilling.

Versions with a short barrel are usually purchased for self-defense, and versions with a long barrel (or two) are purchased for hunting.

Be sure to hold such a “pump” in your hands, evaluate the coating and try out the movement of the fore-end - you will be pleasantly surprised.

The most popular hunting pump-action shotguns

If history is to be believed, pump-action shotguns were conceived from the very beginning as hunting weapons, and not at all as military or civilian ones. The same story claims that the first pump-action hunting rifles appeared at the end of the 19th century. The “pump” began to turn into a military weapon with the beginning of the First World War.

There are probably even more versions of hunting pump-action shotguns produced than those shotguns that serve self-defense purposes. As a matter of fact, almost every well-known company in the world that produces pump-action weapons strives to make purely hunting versions of their products, as well as civilian pump-action weapons and similar weapons for military purposes. Here we will talk about the most popular pump-action brands for hunters, and domestic brands, since a lot has already been said about foreign “pumps”:

• Pump-action shotgun IZH-81. This is one of the examples of Russian pump-action hunting shotguns. In addition, this gun is the first domestic pump-action weapon. Its production began in 1994. From the very beginning, the weapon was very inferior to foreign competitors in terms of its characteristics. However, for some time it was very popular in the country - primarily as a means of self-defense. In addition, private security guards were armed with guns. The caliber of the gun was 12 (18.4 mm), the barrel had three lengths - 560, 600 and 700 mm. Trying to somehow improve the characteristics of the gun, its developers released several modifications: IZH-81K, IZH-81M, IZH-81KM, IZH-81 “Jaguar” (this version was produced with a pistol grip and without a stock), IZH-81 “Fox Terrier” (this version differed from others in having shortened barrels and a folding stock). At this time, the weapon is not produced, but it is quite common on the secondary market: people go hunting with it, it is used for self-defense. At the same time, its price is very low, which is primarily due to its relative imperfection;
• Pump-action shotgun "Bekas". This is another type of domestic pump-action shotgun. Moreover, this gun is much more advanced than the gun of the previous brand. The first modification of this gun was released in 1997. A little later, an improved modification appeared - Bekas Auto. The first version uses 16-gauge charges; Bekas Auto is designed to fire 16-gauge charges as well. Currently, many new versions of Bekas have been produced. Weapons are used for both hunting and self-defense.

In addition to the above-mentioned brands of domestic pump-action weapons, Russian gunsmiths have recently released several new brands.

V. Innovative

The Italian pump-action shotgun is structurally constructed completely differently than the other shotguns from our comparison. The receiver of the Benelli Supernova is made of injection molded plastic, inside which a thin steel frame is hidden. The X-ray image clearly shows many holes made in the steel part to reduce weight and provide greater strength to the connection between the polymer and metal elements. This design has pros and cons, but more on them later.

Benelli Supernova

In domestic stores, the Benelli Supernova version with a short barrel costs a little more than 28,000 UAH, and with a long barrel - 31,000 UAH.

Design and features

Innovation in the form of a plastic receiver with a steel frame reduced the weight of the gun, but also led to the emergence of disadvantages. For example, due to insufficient rigidity, the Supernova receiver “swells” after about 10,000 shots. Inflating the box leads to barrel play and double feeds. All shooters who actively use Supernova know that it can and should be “seated.” To do this, the receiver is clamped in a vice, heated with an industrial hair dryer and gradually compressed. You can easily find detailed instructions for this procedure on the Internet.

Plastic receiver with steel frame

The Supernova handguard is long and plastic. The design is non-standard - steel rods are fixed with screws in a plastic forend. If we take, for example, a Remington 870 or a Mossberg 590, then the steel rods are attached to a steel pipe onto which the fore-end itself is placed. Modern polymers are, of course, durable - however, I managed to break the rod with a piece of plastic while reloading.

X-rays of the Benelli Supernova receiver

The USM base is plastic, which allows you to modify it without problems; this is necessary for practical shooting - more precisely, for quick loading. But this also has a disadvantage - the metal cutters that are attached to the plastic quickly become loose, which leads to double and triple feeds. The problem is solved by replacing the cutoffs and adding washers. Over time, the trigger will require replacement.

The Supernova's chamber is 89 mm long, resulting in a very large loading window, making it easy to load the gun two rounds at a time (Load-2 technique). But the stroke of the forend has become longer, and this reduces the rate of fire - therefore, for practical shooters, special rods are produced that reduce the stroke of the forend.

Long plastic forend and high ventilated rail

Due to the use of plastic, the receiver has an increased thickness

butt with a soft butt plate. additional “cheek” installed by the shooter

The “sticky” tray is another hallmark of the Benelli Supernova - you only need to press it in when loading the first round, then it stays in the up position. This is a very nice feature that makes charging easier.

Experience of use

I've been using the Benelli Supernova for a long time, firing about 20,000 rounds through it. This gun requires technical knowledge, so I have accumulated extensive experience in tuning and troubleshooting.

The Supernova action differs from other shotguns in that it uses a rotating cylinder. The shutter is quite easy to disassemble. The firing pin is held in place by a pin with a rubber seal. This pin must be carefully checked when cleaning the weapon - if it comes out of the groove, you will cut it off with the movement of the forend; This has happened to many shooters many times. The firing pin itself is made of a fairly soft metal, so over time it will develop hardening. It is important to regularly inspect this part and remove the hardening in time - for example, with a Dremel; otherwise, this can lead to jamming of the firing pin in the forward position and inertial puncture, which once happened to one of the Ukrainian shooters. My firing pin spring also broke, so inspect it regularly.

The trigger spring and its cap require replacement every 5-8 thousand shots, otherwise undershots will occur: the spring quickly sag and weakens, and the spring cap is pressed through.

The problem with Benelli Supernova shotguns in recent years was the disconnectors bursting. Sometimes they broke after just a few weeks of use. The problem has surfaced not only in Ukraine, but also in other countries.

The Benelli Supernova barrel has a high ventilated rib and has a chrome-plated bore and chamber. Problems with extraction are rather an exception here, but there were problems with feeding the cartridge into the chamber. The reason for this is the sharp right edge of the chamber. In this case, the problem can occur on both new and old guns. The edge sharpens, and when feeding the cartridge you feel a blow - the cartridge does not go in, but a clear semicircular cut mark appears on it. The problem can be "cured" by polishing the sharp edge of the chamber with sandpaper. However, this point, combined with the design of the gun, led to the well-known problem of bolt locking, when when feeding, after the cartridge hits a sharp edge, a jam occurs. In older guns, this could be solved by resting the butt against your hip and pulling firmly on the forend. In the new ones, the bolt jumps off the guides - and it is impossible to unlock the gun without disassembling it.

conclusions

Benelli Supernova is a high-tech and very interesting gun, it has a lot of unusual design solutions. However, all these solutions have both positive and negative features. To shoot successfully and a lot from the Benelli Supernova, you need to know its design features and have a supply of spare parts.

Also note that older Supernova shotguns do not have some of the problems that have become common with newer release shotguns.

Let's sum it up

If a gun is bought to be kept in a safe, then it makes no difference what exactly you buy. But if you plan to actively use it, then it is better to take your time and choose a quality item.

Each gun in our comparison has both pros and cons - you just have to weigh them and make the right choice.

The most important advice I can give is to hold the weapon in your hands, do not make your choice based on pictures on the Internet. Come to the store and twirl each model in your hands, feel it, check the smoothness of the forearm, the uniformity and trigger force, and examine the barrels. It may happen that you choose a gun not even from this list; the main thing is that it suits you.

Vitaly Pedchenko