Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire BPS OR 870?

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.