# 870 or Browning BPS??? I have had it with the Nova



## TenPtr (Jan 20, 2010)

I have just recently sold my Benelli Super Nova pump because I simply could not stand that gun.  I know people love them and swear by them but it just did not suit me well.  It was bulky and had too much going on for my likings. I know it sounds crazy to some but I swear that gun patterned high and right...never seen or experienced anything like that before.  I like a simple gun, the 870 and BPS are by far the best feeling and pointing guns that I have held.....Im getting one or the other without fail and I will likely be buying it before next Friday....I plan to christen it at the expense of some ducks that weekend.  Gotta warm it up a bit before March.  

Any info or opinions on which of these tends to pattern the best for turkeys would be appreciated.  What kind of choke and shells have proven to be a good setup for you guys that shoot an 870 and/or BPS??  I have always been rather primitive with my turkey guns in terms of the best chokes and shells to maximize the pattern quality.  I killed my first 20 birds with an over/under Ruger Red Label and a full choke on top with mod on bottom.  It was not until I got the Benelli with the comp-n-choke and extended range shells that missing became a factor.  I missed/rolled 6  birds with that thing and killed 7.....it does not take a genius to realize that is horrible.  Either we were the worst match up of all times or that gun truly patterned high right as I observed on the occasional target/plate and missed birds....always convinced myself it was me and not the gun but Im done trying to figure out what could have possibly happened as a long beard is flying off into another county and Im staring at two 3.5" hulls on the ground beside me....I once saw 3 empties and a bird on the run. I was able to run that wounded bird down and fold him with a hickory stick upside the noggin.....what was a 10" beard had become a thick 3" with a few long strands remaining thanks to the 3rd shot which was a failed attempt to body shoot the nimble woundee......I missed high and right of the shoulder- go figure.
Has anyone else had/heard of this problem with the Super Nova??  I have seen a few similar reports but would like to hear more for peace of mind.  Mine almost found its eternal resting place at the bottom of a lake in Early county 2 weeks ago after several chip shot woodies passed by without ruffling a feather....I swore I would never use it again last year but just had to give it another chance, history repeated itself and thoughts of slinging the actual gun, the case, and its choke tubes at the next ducks to pass by were 3 misses away from becoming more than just thoughts....thankfully no more ducks came by so that saved me some $$
My friend that I sold it too loves it but hes not a big hunter.  Its what he wanted so thats what he got.....I felt like I sold someone a car with a faulty steering wheel and no brakes but hes happy with it and Im delighted to see the empty space in the corner of my room where it spent most its time.


Im leaning towards an 870 but could go either way at this point....60/40.  I would just shoot my over/under but I want a gun I dont mind beating up a bit.
Thanks for any help/info.


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## Wacenturion (Jan 21, 2010)

Don't think you could go wrong with either one, although I prefer the 870 SPS-T SuperMag.


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## short stop (Jan 21, 2010)

870s  are  idiot proof and solid ..  

    A   Good  shotgun  GunSmith   could  straightend / bend   your Nova barrel   out   in a matter of  mins  with  a   vice  and some    arm power   . Youda been  dead on  for less than  $10- $20 . Ive had   it done to sevral diff types of guns  that  shot   off the mark .   Just something to ponder on   nextime  before you  decide you  need  a  new gun


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## Sloppy_Snood (Jan 21, 2010)

Either is fine but admittedly, there are many more customization options for the 870.  I am a Browning shotgun afficionado so I will plug for the BPS.

Why?  Bottom-ejection is really nice, especially for southpaws.  No more chuckng empty hulls into your duck hunting buddies chest/face in the blind. 

Weight.  Some like the lighter sub-7 pound turkey shotguns and others like myself prefer 7 to 9 pound shotguns.  The BPS is built like a tank and the chunk of metal called the BPS receiver is the reason.  This is not a bad attribute IMO.  The added weight really helps with recoil management.

"The Rattle Factor":  One thing you may want to do if hold each shotgun in the gunshop and literally shake it.  Listen to which one rattles more.  That rattle will be in the turkey woods when you are not gripping the forearm of the shotgun.  See which shotun rattles less.

If you select the BPS (brand new shotgun), know that its Invector + bore (.742") and longer choke tube tapers tend to be a bit less finicky than the .729" 870 bore (870 SuperMag is a totally different animal though).  Either shotgun is easier to find a decent shotshell/choke combination than the Benelli's .722"-.723" bore (i.e. really tight).

Just some items to consider.....


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## Turkey Comander (Jan 21, 2010)

I'd go with the 870....out of the box they will out shoot the Browning BPS.


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## mojo02 (Jan 21, 2010)

Personally, I never could get my 870 Super Mag to pattern well.  I tried numerous choke and load combinations.

I currently shoot a BPS 10 ga.  With a Rhino choke and some Nitros, the pattern is great.


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## Turkey Comander (Jan 21, 2010)

Did you try a Rhino ?


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## Booner Killa (Jan 21, 2010)

Zack, I shoot an 870 and have for the past 5-6 yrs. Mine is nothing special to look at but is light as a feather, I can use it as a club if I need to and it just keeps on it shooting again and again without fail. I shoot a kicks .665 outta mine and want to pair it up with some Nitros to maximize my group and range but have a hard time coming off the hip that much for shells that much. Past 40 yds with mine is a gamble and as you well know, that's where "big boy" is gonna hang up. Personally, IMHO there will never be a better pump shotgun than an 870! It's tried and true! Good luck w/ your decision! Oh yea, and I wish I could've seen you throw your gun at ducks....I'm gettin a visual now and it makes me chuckle!!!


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## Huntinfool (Jan 21, 2010)

I've loved my 870 for a lot of years.  I'm going with my little 20 this year.  But the 870 has never failed to kill a turkey when I pulled the trigger.


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## TenPtr (Jan 21, 2010)

Booner Killa said:


> Zack, I shoot an 870 and have for the past 5-6 yrs. Mine is nothing special to look at but is light as a feather, I can use it as a club if I need to and it just keeps on it shooting again and again without fail. I shoot a kicks .665 outta mine and want to pair it up with some Nitros to maximize my group and range but have a hard time coming off the hip that much for shells that much. Past 40 yds with mine is a gamble and as you well know, that's where "big boy" is gonna hang up. Personally, IMHO there will never be a better pump shotgun than an 870! It's tried and true! Good luck w/ your decision! Oh yea, and I wish I could've seen you throw your gun at ducks....I'm gettin a visual now and it makes me chuckle!!!



Thanks for the great info.  I wanted to hurl it into oncoming traffic last spring when I gave a haircut to an old nemesis of mine that you might be familiar with  Yep Im talking about the old Sesbania tom that worked me over time and time again so when the chance presented itself to remove him from my hit list so I could start sleeping again and get on with my daily life.....Watching him fly off to make #6 on my clean whiff resume was more than gut wrenching.  It was like having a clean shot at Bin Laden and missing him then watching him retreat back down into foxhole never to resurface again.    A few weeks later you might have saved my life but certainly my sanity when you smashed him right there in his own backyard.  The Benelli was killing me rather than the gobblers.  I will be buying an 870.  Thanks for all the useful advice guys, much appreciated.  

Brian- I have new bird picked out for the hit list at Vidalia. We have seen him several times and its a no brainer which one he is....he has had a broken leg since early fall and almost drops down to his chest each step cause the limp is so bad.  He should have some kind of crazy strut issues, will be insterested to see how it works out for him


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## Gut_Pile (Jan 21, 2010)

Both are great guns. And both can be absolute turkey killers. I shoot a 870 supermag and I shoot a Kicks GT and Fed Heavyweight #7's and i'm getting 200+ pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yards.

My dad shoots a BPS with a Kicks GT and Hevi-13 #6's and he is getting a great pattern as well. I will say, you wont find a smoother action than the BPS, that thing is silky smooth. It is a little heavier though. I have put my 870 through everything and I haven't had it fail me yet. You wont be disappointed in either. Pick up both and see which one feels the best to you. Thats the best thing to do IMO


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## creekrocket (Jan 21, 2010)

Dont rule out the Moss 835. They throw a sick pattern as well. Good luck dude


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## SHMELTON (Jan 21, 2010)

With my experiences the 870 has less recoil then the BPS, but the BPS is a better gun.  I shoot an 870 and love it, also the aftermarket parts are much easier to obtain for the 870.


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## dfhooked (Jan 21, 2010)

just buy something before next weekend or i will bring you my 870 that is a backup gun. If i have to watch you paddle into the "spot" and unload your gun not cutting feathers on the hundreds of ducks, to only make my yellow dog really mad, I am not sure what will happen. Never seen ya play tennis but a big ol racket might do ya better than ol Nelli'.


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## Canesfan (Jan 21, 2010)

I have a Remington 870 16 ga pump that I inherited from my grandfather and a Browning BPS 12 ga. Both are excellent guns, and you will do well with either one. The advantage the Remington has over the BPS is that it is very easy to disassemble. My recommendation is to ask friends if you could test fire one of  theirs to determine which one you find easier to shoot. I recently bought a used BPS based on the advice of a friend.


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## nhancedsvt (Jan 21, 2010)

I have had several 870s and so has my family. I don't have any experience with the BPS but from my experience it's tough to beat an 870. Those things are tough!


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## DonArkie (Jan 22, 2010)

Turkey Comander said:


> I'd go with the 870....out of the box they will out shoot the Browning BPS.



theres nothing wrong with the old relieable 870, it prooved its self over & over...but if I had a choice bewteen the 2, Brownings BPS, it is built more solid.  That Browning (.742") bore vs Remingtons , .729" Browning Invector Plus combined with .742 back boring within the barrel produces consistent patterns with uniform densities. Hands down better shotgun out of the box shooter than the Remington


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## Turkey Comander (Jan 22, 2010)

DonArkie said:


> Hands down better shotgun out of the box shooter than the Remington



Over the years I've owned several BPS's.....

One an all custom by Tom Choke in Lousiana. (ever hear of them). 

I tried a couple more over the years....even a big 10 ga. Tried most every brand of ammo and choke in them known to man.

You couldn't run fast enough to give me another BPS for turkey hunting.


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## DonArkie (Jan 22, 2010)

Never heard of Tom Choke, your intitled to your views Frank, I rather have a over bore than a .727 or .729 bore


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## Turkey Comander (Jan 22, 2010)

'Tom Choke' was a custom turkey gun builder in the 1980's he was in Lousiana.....he built turkey guns Bansner could only dream of.

Being only a few miles from Louisiana I would've thought you had heard of him.


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## DonArkie (Jan 22, 2010)

Turkey Comander said:


> 'Tom Choke' was a custom turkey gun builder in the 1980's he was in Lousiana.....he built turkey guns Bansner could only dream of.
> 
> Being only a few miles from Louisiana I would've thought you had heard of him.



No I cant say I have. I'm up in the foothills of the Ozarks 28 minutes of the MO. State Line.


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## trkyhntr70 (Jan 22, 2010)

I have several 870's there great guns, but the Invector + guns I have had outpatterned the Remington bores and seemed like it was easier to get good patterns from them, Only negative about the BPS is its a lil on the heavy side imo.


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## georgiabuckbuster (Jan 22, 2010)

both are great guns and i have shot both of them if i had to pick one to hunt with it would be the 870 they are lest costly and great all around guns that are built solid and like someone above said they are idiot proof just my .02


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## Hawken2222 (Jan 24, 2010)

I own two 870's and they just about indestructable.


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## Brad C. (Jan 24, 2010)

Turkey Comander said:


> I'd go with the 870....out of the box they will out shoot the Browning BPS.



Now what makes you say that let alone think it?  That's silly.

I would pick either one that fits you the best and the one you seem to like better for looks as well.  They both will shoot well and function flawlessly for the most part.  Both have been very good guns over the years.


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## Brad C. (Jan 24, 2010)

creekrocket said:


> Dont rule out the Moss 835. They throw a sick pattern as well. Good luck dude



The best shooting shotgun that I know of on the market right there.  

Some say they aren't reliable.  I'll put mine up against any 870, 1300, BPS, or Nova for overall reliability.  No other shotgun I have shot or owned will out shoot the 835.  Every 835 I have shot was a pure shooter with their .775 backbore barrel.


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## Sultangobbler (Jan 25, 2010)

I ownwed a 835,it shot ok but was a rattle trap.I found a sucker to unload it on!
I had one of the first 11-87 SPS-T Remingtons.I sold it because I couldn't get another barrel for it at the time.The TRU-GLO sights wouldn't come off the barrel.It wouldn't shoot 2 3/4" shells even with the gas ring they sent me.It patterned ok.Wish I still had it.
Have a Browning Gold now and I am having jamming issues.It patterns awesome!
Thinking of going to the 870.I think either the 870 or BPS would be a great choice.Here's some food for thought brought to you by the NITRO man himself:
Mossberg 835 & 935 (12GA. 3.5")  
Regular Turkey Loads With A .680 2" Extended Rhino Choke
501L #5 Nickel 130-170 pellets
501L #4x5x7.5 Copper 220-250 pellets
Economy Turkey Load With A .680 2" Extended Rhino Choke
501L #4copper x 5copper x 7hevishot® 290-320 pellets
Hevishot® Turkey Load With A .695 2" Extended Rhino Choke
                                             or a Primos Jelly Head .690 Choke
H517 #4x5x7 or #2x5x7 Hevishot® 280-320 pellets

Browning BPS (12ga. 3.5")
Regular Turkey Loads With A .660 2" Extended Rhino Choke
501A #5 Nickel 130-150 pellets
510A #4x5x7.5 Copper or Nickel 180-200 pellets
Economy Turkey Load With A .660 2" Extended Rhino Choke
510A #4copper x 5copper x 7hevishot® 190-200 pellets
Hevishot® Turkey Load With A .670 2" Extended Rhino Choke or a Primos Jelly Head .670 Choke
H510C #4x5x7 or #2x5x7 Hevishot® 230-270 pellets


Remington 870 & 11-87 (12ga. 3.5")
Regular Turkey Loads With A .660 2" Extended Rhino Choke
501L #5 Nickel 140-165 pellets
501L #4x5x7.5 Copper or Nickel 200-225 pellets
Economy Turkey Load With A .660 2" Extended Rhino Choke
501L #4copper x 5copper x 7hevishot® 250-270 pellets
Hevishot® Turkey Load With A .660 2" Extended Rhino Choke or a Primos Jelly Head .660 Choke
 H517 #4x5x7 or #2x5x7 Hevishot® 280-320 pellets                                        
H517 #4x5x7 or #2x5x7 Hevishot® 280-320 pellets


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## BornToHuntAndFish (Feb 4, 2010)

Even though I own a Browning BPS & am partial to Browning, in your case & after more that I've learned recently, I would be leaning toward the Remington 870 which is what my father & his friends use.  Sure would be even better to have a tough ole Benelli that have that long lasting endurance that you can even take out in bad weather or long days of tons of shooting, that can last longer than the avg. hunter, like in those South American bird hunts bagging game in the 1,000's & have to tape up your fingers, shoulders, & cheeks/jaw to be able to hunt the next day like the stories from our land lease owner reports.

There's got to be some special things about over 10 Million Remington 870's since the 1st one made in 1950, over 60 years ago, according to the Outdoor Wire press release at the web link below where the SHOT Show 2010 was auctioning the 10,000,001st Remington 870 in a glass case on gunbroker.com web site, but here's the news item web link:  

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/story/1261102191j07tyt2b49r

Remington Collectible 870 Is 2010 SHOT Show Shotgun

"Reaching the 10,000,000 production mark in April 2009, the Remington Model 870 pump action shotgun is the most popular shotgun ever made. And now, the 10,000,001th Model 870 will be featured as the 2010 SHOT Show shotgun as the Model 870 begins its march towards its next milestone."

AND

"Remington is America's oldest gunmaker and has proudly manufactured the Model 870 since its introduction in 1950 and every year since then."


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## blong (Feb 4, 2010)

I would go with the browning. I have killed around alot of birds with my 870 and plan on killing alot more with it but sometimes it jams and the hull gets stuck in the barrel. I know if it was shiny clean that this probably would not happen but turkey hunting is an all in sport in my opinion and my gun gets filthy thru the season. I clean it when I can hear grit in the action.


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