Which is more reliable: Pump action shot guns or Semi Automatic?

Question

I shoot ducks with a Winchester 20 guage pump action. But lately it has been jamming up when I eject the shells. I have considered buying a semi automatic but don't want to spend useless money if it isn't more reliable. Please help

Answer 1

spend the money and buy a Benelli Super Black Eagle II it will give you a lot of versitility i.e. 2 3/4",3" or 3 1/2" shells and it will give you years of reliable service without a ton of time cleaning it. i have several Winchester pump guns and i leave them all at home in favor of my Benelli. (no comparison), you get what you pay for.

Answer 2

Yeah it really sounds like an ammo problem. I have lots of problems with federal shells in the 870 and another shotgun I have, the Mossberg 500 has no problems. The federals do shoot well in a Remington and Beretta semi-autos I have. I use remington shells alot and they do not jam. A pump sometimes will jam do to not alot of force being used to pump it, but that probably isn't a problem for most people. The semi-autos have more to go wrong with them. I like the Brownings especially the a-5s but I am still a pump man myself and prefer the 500 to anything else. There should be no reason why the pump is jamming unless it isn't clean, but my winchester never has jammed and has been really dirty before. Don't spend the money, your gun should do fine, mine is a winchester 20 gauge and I have no problems except for the pump wearing away the bluing on the receiver. I fixed that now. The mossberg m-1 and Browning shotguns are reliable and so is the Benelli with that different action. I still recommend a pump for reliability as there is no gas chamber to have to clean and a lot of less parts.
But definitely change the ammo, sometimes the cheap stuff just doesn't work, when dove season hits in AZ there are tons of cheap shells going around that jam the guns, I have good luck with winchester and remington but have had a few bad boxes. I am thinking the same might happen with duck hunting. Just a guess. Hopefully this helps you out.

Answer 3

Bound's hubby here:

Given the right conditions, any type action can jam ... I have experienced this with pump actions (Winchester Model 97's & 12's & Remington 870 Wingmaster), semi-autos (M1 Garand, Browning A5s & Gold), bolt action rifles ('03 Springfield, Remington 700, & Mossberg 144), and lever actions (Winchester Model 94).

Most times, these jams were avoidable.

The pump actions jammed (typically) because the forearm was "over-torqued" while cycling the actions (Note: the Remington 870 with twin bars are harder to jam this way!).

The semi-autos jammed (typically) because the projectile weight exceeded the "adjustments" affecting the timing of the action, or critical timing parts were worn out of acceptable tolerance.

The bolt actions jammed because too much lift was applied to the bolt handle and torqued the bolt body to bind on the rails.

The lever action jammed once because the loaded shells exceeded the standardized length of the loaded shell, and once because the "teet" on the bullet carrier that blocks shells in the tubular magazine was broken, allowing the magazine to push shells under the carrier (lifter).

Therefore ... it is important to make sure that your firearm is properly cleaned, maintained, and inspected for damaged parts, and that ammunition is manufactured within standardized tolerances!

Good luck!

Answer 4

As far as reliability goes, pump action - hands down!

There is simply much less to go wrong with a pump action.

I'm not trying to be flippant, but how often do you give your pump action a complete cleaning? I'm not talking about just running a rag through the barrel. I'm talking about complete breakdown, cleaning, and lubing.

Also, what kind of shells are you shooting? Some of the hotter loads have a tendency to swell a bit at the base when fired. You might consider trying out a different brand or load.

Answer 5

I would go with a semi-auto for the simple fact that you will still have the correct aim and accuracy for your second shot if the first misses. The pump actioin of the pump can throw off some people. I have never had problems with any semi-auto that I have shot.

Answer 6

i have a Remington 870 express 12 that will not shoot federal 3in shells. I can shoot other brands fine. It is as others say the brass end swells. Probably due to the brass or barrel small.large. My father can shoot the federal loads in his 870 fine.

I would clean up your gun real well. And try another brand of shell.

Answer 7

Any type action will function w as long as it is kept clean and free from fouling and dirt. Pumps are favored by the military due to them getting real dirty in action,

Using modern plastic shells both action types are about100% reliable if you keep them cleaned.

Answer 8

An Over/Under... Try cleaning your gun and try to find where the shell is hanging up. Factory loads should not jam.

A pump should be more reliable, but if the gun is clean both are good.

Answer 9

The duck hunting environment is pretty wet. My personal experience has me going with the pump-action.
If it is jamming up, check the quality of your cartridges. Use only plastic casings. Also keep the gun as clean as possible, and lubricated.

Answer 10

i have a pump and my dad has a semi-auto , his jams all the time and the semi-auto deosn;t really help if you know how to shout a pump because you can reload faster with a pump or at lease i can