for a quail gun,comments/suggestions appreciated.

thanks

Their both excellent choices. If you are left handed, the BPS would probably be the better choice since it ejects out of the bottom. The left handed 870's are hard to find. I only say this because I am a lefty and have 2 left handed 870's. I've shot the BPS and think it is a great gun. It is however more expensive than the 870 express and I think a little cheaper than the 870 wingmaster.

I think my favorite quail and upland game gun is my side by side 12 because it is light and quick. Something else to consider if you don't mind the side by sides.

BPS Upland special, cause Remington doesn't make the Special Field anymore. Besides I prefer the tang safety.

http://www.browning.com/products/ca...alue=011B&cat_id=012&type_id=216

oh I like um,but they are pricey............

FWIW:

I have both (a BPS and a RH 870). Loading the 870 is automatic mentally. Fifteen years later, I still have to stop and think about operating the BPS.

It's a LH conundrum. Unless you used a LH straight out, it's more natural to use the RH backwards than switch.

I saw the upland,it looks like it would handle nice

If you have short arms, the reach on the BPS forearm can be a little long.

Both are reliable, so the deciding factor would be which one fits you best.

I would pick an Ithaca 37 over either of the two.

can you still buy Ithacas?

Ithaca 37

I started with an 870, bought a couple more, can still shoot well with any one that somebody hands me. Switched to a Beretta auto.

Wife is a lefty, bought her a BPS, she shoots it well.

Picked up a 60 year old Ithaca choked super extra double full, 20 guage, its my favorite backyard screw around gun, classic gun, looks good, lightweight.

I don't think you could really go wrong with any of them. Find the one that points the most naturally for you and go shoot some stuff.

If you ever need additional barrels such as a rifled slug barrel, the 870 sure has a lot of aftermarket goodies.

The ithaca 37's are basically the same as the BPS if memory serves me right. They are hard to find and expensive, but very desirable from a collectors standpoint.

anyone have any 28 gauges?

I have 2 870s and 3 BPS. The BPS are a 12 ga 3 1/2 and two 10 ga 3 1/2 whereas the 870s are just 3", so you can take this for what it is worth. I think the 870's have the smoother action, but then they have been shot a whole lot more than the Brownings. Other than that, I don't have any complaints about either, and it just comes down to your preference.
Now if you were asking about a Mossberg 835 that would be a different story. I can give you the approximate GPS coordinates for a free one in the bottom of a saltwater marsh if you want it. I threw that sorry piece of scrap metal as far as I could, drove to Houston and bought one of the 10ga BPS to finish the goose hunt.

glad to get the info, I had wondered about the MOSS......

A couple of years ago, there was a company that was producing Ithaca 37's. I don't know if they were able to make a go of it or not. Their prices were about double what an 870 Wingmaster or a BPS would run.

But, it is not hard to find used Ithaca's in 12ga &20ga. in good condition in the $250-$300 dollar range. 16ga. 37's are a little harder to come across.

I currently have a mid-70's 37 20ga lightweight (steel receiver), with a 26" improved cylinder choke. The 1970's guns are generally considered by Ithaca aficionados to be of lesser quality than the earlier guns, but I have found this one to be much slicker and better machined / finished than any BPS or 870 I have had.

On the 28ga. note, I'm not aware of any pump 28ga. that wasn't built on a 20ga. frame, so the only thing you would be gaining is a slightly smaller barrel diameter, and much more expensive ammo.

I bought an older Polychoked Ithaca 37 in a 16ga and you are right, it is a really nice gun with a smooth feel to it. I can't say a whole lot about it because outside of a few rounds of trap, I've never really shot it very much. But it fit well and shot great!

I have 870s, 37s, and a BPS... Any of the three would be great. For quail the BPS would be fine because of the lighter loads typically shot. The BPS stock lends itself to kicking you around more than an equal weight 870 or 37... The safety location and bottom ejection make it the best choice, by far for a leftie shotgun, though. The magazine cut-off can be a nice feature when predator calling and changing around loads for expected critters...

Or messing with someone.

If you choose a 870, and are a lefty like me, the safety can be reversed.

I have used an 870 for over 30 years but if I was going to buy one today, I'd take the BPS.

Have both in 12 ga., prefer the BPS upland. The 20 ga. upland BPS is REALLY sweet. The only reason I don't have one is I shoot a lot of ducks, and need a 12. I'm kinda short, and left handed. The 12 BPS has a recoil pad (which I removed), and the 20 does not. The recoil pad was catching on my shoulder on the way up. Much better without it.

I bought a brand new Browning BPS three weeks ago (12 gauge NWTF 3" chamber). In the first 23 rounds I experienced four misfires (hammer dropped, no ignition); I started by using some cheap R-P dove loads (first misfire), then had three misfires using both Federal Premium and Winchester Supreme Turkey loads. I tore the gun down, cleaned it, checked the parts, etc., reassembled and went out to the range again. I had one misfire in 34 rounds fired. I am getting ready to send the gun back to Browning and maybe they will get it right on the first trip.

My greatest frustration has been trying to get any help at all out of their service department. I called to ask what the OAL of the firing pin was and what the proper protrusion of the firing pin was. John, the guy I talked to last Thursday told me he had to research the answer and he would call me back - as of this minute I have not heard back from him. I called and talked to Rudy yesterday - he told me the info I wanted was proprietary information. I questioned him about that and expressed my frustration, he did try to find out if someone else was authorized to answer my question and eventually sent me to the parts department. Friendly Laura there told me she had a ruler and the pin was maybe an eighth of an inch less than 3"! I am frustrated because this is the second time I have had to deal with a new product of theirs not being right and you get damn little help from Browning. The last gun took four months to get back and I never got a returned phone call until I started raising hell at the very end of that time period.

Browning offers some good products, but their service sucks. By the way, I own a 22" BPS upland and it functions great; but buying a Browning product anymore is a crap shoot. I will turkey hunt this spring with my Mossberg 535 - a cheapo shotgun that has been flawless in its operation.

I have a 20 gauge Ithaca and my son has a 12 gauge ithaca. We love them for the light weight and slick action. Mine has a left hand safety. Currently I am planning on getting a 16 gauge Ithaca or the BPS in 16 gauge. The 16s are built on the 20 gauge frame, so they are really light and handy.

well i like them both but i would lean to the BPS. it costs less and does the same job while looking just as good as a wingmaster.

just so happens that the shotgun that fits me best is a mossberg. and until one of those fails me i am ok with a $249 shotgun.

....but i really want a BPS.

No complaints from me on the Mossberg. It may not be pretty, but you can't break one. They go afield every year and bring back the game. My nephew has one and it shoots really well,

they can't be that bad, they were THE shotgun the military used for years and they passed every test thrown at them.

Actually the only Mossberg I don't have any use for is the 835 Ultra Mag. I bought it to shoot 3 1/2" and it never was reliable on feeding. Called Mossberg and they asked me to send them the barrel. I did and recieved a new one. That didn't work so they asked me to send them the gun. I did and that didn't work. Sent it back to them and they sent me a new gun that they said they had tested thourghly. That one worked on a duck hunt, so I took it to the coast on a goose hunt. First flight of geese it jammed. Cleared that, shot one shot at some more geese and the barrel lug broke lose. I took the expensive steel shot sells out of it, and slung that sorry piece of painted steel as far as I could. I will compliment Mossberg's service department, they were very nice and always willing to help.

The irony in all of this is that at the next Friends of NRA banquet I went too, danged if I didn't win a 835 Ultra Mag in one of the drawings. It's still NIB in my safe.

I have two BPS's, 20 ga.Upland Special and 12ga. BPS Pigeon Grade, I'm a lefty and love these shotguns. I also won an 870 Express, gave that one to my son, it's a functioning shotgun but pretty rough in it's fit and finish. I've shot some very nice Wingmasters and would love to own a lefty in it but not enough to pay the going price. My first new shotgun was a 12ga. Model 37, also an excellent gun, but never could get to like how it looked.
I'd highly recommend the BPS or a Wingmaster, stay away from the cheaper versions of the 870.

I'd take an 870 100 times out of 100 over a BPS. I've never had problem with an 870. I have a 20ga, that has somewhere near 1000 rounds through it over the years. No mechanical problems. It even has the j-lock safety.

I've shot countless rounds of trap, grouse, rabbits, turkeys, squierrls, foxes, and "other stuff" with that thing, it's like an extention on my hand.

Of course, even my hand misses sometimes.

Had a BPS. Currently have an Ithaca 37.

Both eject downward.

One is built like a tank. The other, like a magic wand.

For blowing things away with heavy charges of shot, I'd go with the BPS.

For dainty little, fast-flying birds, I'd go with an Ithaca.

- Tom

I have both... I'd take the 870 hands down any day. No problems ever, while the BPS works fine some days, and others it wont' chamber a round, double feeds from the mag and so on. It aggravates me so much I"m looking into replacing it as soon as I can afford a gas version either Rem or Browning.

I would too, but ONLY because the BPS is a genuine PITA to reassemble after removing the trigger group..

The 870's a piece of cake..

But both will perform well...

I have had both an 870 Express in wood and a BPS synthetic. Both shot w/o problems or failures. The 870 had a much better "feel" and finish. The BPS had the advantage of a 24" bbl, but the gun rattled wherever I carried it -- especially when using a sling. It wasn't a loose bolt kind of noise, but more of the fit of the slide.

If I get around to purchasing a new pump, I'll fork out the extra money for a Wingmaster w/o doubt.

Does anybody know for a fact if the Ithaca 16 gauge is built on a 20 gauge frame, a 12 gauge frame or does it have it's own frame?

I like the idea of the 16 gauge but the only reason for it is to get a little bigger shell in a smaller frame. If a 16 is built on a 12 frame then there doesn't seem to be any reason not to just go with the 12.

Looks like used Ithaca's are a bargain - perusing gunbroker last night it looks like a lot of them are selling for well under $500, most in the $250-$400 range.

I was going to PM you but for some reason it wouldn't let me, I have Browning BPS Upland Special 16ga FS and I may also sell my 12ga BPS Upland Special, if you're interested, shoot me a PM.

Thanks!

Military armorers will tell you a different story... Mossbergs do not handle the dirt the way an 870 does. They develop feeding issues because field stripping the magazine tube is a PITA compared to the 870.

They are no nearly as reliable. Just because the military buys it does not make it the best... Sad, but true.

Jim- The 16ga. 37 is built on a 20ga. frame. The earlier guns (pre-1970, I believe) also have a shorter receiver. The later model 20ga. receivers were lengthened to handle the 3" shell, and the later model 16ga.'s used the lengthened 20ga. frame.

The Browning BPS 16ga. is also built on a 20ga. frame. Remington, in yet another of it's bonehead blunder's, built the 16ga. 870's on 12ga. frames.

870

Thanks, that's good info to know. Did not know about the Brownings either.

Being a leftie I found that most shotguns have some cast off so you end up looking down the right side of the barrel. The Remington 1100, the one 870 I had, the Winchester Model 12 and the Ithaca 37's are about the only shotguns I know of that seem to be neutral. At least when mounted I'm looking down the barrel properly.

Had two Brownings, a Citori 12 and a BSS 20 and though both were fine shotguns I couldn't hit diddly with them.

does anyone remember the old 40 inch marlin pump?