870 for me. Ithaca is a very solid mention and I have never handled a model 12 or Browning but know they were nice shotguns.

Nothing is smoother than a 70yo Ithaca with electrical tape holding the stock together.

Remington 870 Wingmaster. I need a .410 & a 28 to complete my collection.

That's a Winchester.

Spencer / Bannerman - most of you probably never seen one.

Winchester 97 is a No Go.

Remington 870 is most likely the Best. (dual action bars)

"old model" Ithaca Model 37 is a close second.

This thread could have stopped there.

Winchester model 12

Agreed.

Older Wingmaster 870

I know. It’s a 12.

Who's got a Winchester model 12 I can take apart and reassemble?

Anybody notice anytime there's one of these threads, there's suddenly a flurry of similar items in the classifieds? Currently this morning there are no less than 3 pump action shottys on the first Firearms page.

Older 870 Wingmaster.

Remington 870 Wingmaster. It’s no secret why other manufacturers adopted twin action bars once the 870’s patten expired. The Browning BPS is a close second. It combined the best features of the Ithaca model 37, the Remington 870 and added a top tang safety making it truly amber dexterous.

Older Wingmasters - best bang for the buck when it comes to shotguns.
I owned a BPS and it was nice. I didn't shoot it much but not a fan of the enclose chamber. I have a habit of sliding shotgun actions open a bit to visually verify if there is a shell chambered when I'm hunting. Easy with an 870 but a pain to flip that BPS over and look in from the bottom.

Back in the '70s, my Dad went through Coaches Training with the late, great John Satterwhite. Part of Satterwhite's exhibition for the coaches attending the course included most of what's in the attached video.

Satterwhite used a variety of 870s for his demonstrations, until he reached his "eight birds at one time" gag...where he moved to a Model 12. After the shooting day concluded, Daddy quizzed John about why he shot 870s for 99% of his work and then traded to the Model 12 at the bitter end. Daddy said that Satterwhite grinned and told him that, for the amount of shooting that he did, NOTHING held up as well as the 870 with its dual slide bars. He swapped to the Model 12 when there were eight targets in the air simultaneously as (with no trigger disconnect) he could cycle the action holding the trigger back and fire the shotgun simply by closing the slide when he wanted.

Satterwhite also told Daddy that the toughest part of that gag was learning how to throw eight targets such that they'd separate in mid-air!

Rest in Peace, John...you were a Scattergun God!

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...514695A50DD3F8BD6F73514695&FORM=VIRE

Ithaca Model 37

Model 31 Remington only been mentioned once. This tells me not many on here ever shot one. Take my 31 over my model 12s and wingmasters any day.

The Model 31 was brought out by Remington to compete with the Model 12, and lost big time. Remington got smart and benched it in favor of the 870 due to it being much less expensive to manufacture….and it was its low price that gave it the top spot in the market. To date it is the most popular pump (based on sales) ever created. The Model 12 never lost its following as the ‘best’ pump on the market as it was the #1 choice of both Trap and Skeet shooters before the O/Us (and single shot break opens in trap) became popular. There are still quite a few Model 12s in use in competitive Trap.

You mean model 1200 ,or 12 guage? Cause the Ted Williams is not a model 12. But they are damn good

They didn't make very many of them and they quit production so long ago that people have forgotten about them. You'll hardly ever find one for sale much less find someone shooting one of them.

Wish I could sat the same about my Ithaca 37. Dad bought it for me new in the early 80's and it's been nothing but a jam-o-matic. Been to 3 different gunsmiths and back to Ithaca twice. I think the last gunsmith that worked on it may have fixed it but I'll probably never take it on another hunt because I dont trust it. Sucks because I really like it. Model 37 Ultra featherlight.

I've shot a Model 31 a few times, it's a very nice gun. But the Model 12's have had so many shells through them the actions are polished like glass and run so smooth.

The model 12’s were from an era where every part was hand fitted. No slop and no burs or grit. That attention to detail was more expensive to build and why they were discontinued in ‘64. The safety, unlike an 870, is in front of the trigger guard where it belongs and you finger rides it naturally. The trigger is the best I’ve experienced on a pump or auto loader. It has no disconnect. If you hold it down it will fire as fast as you can pump the action. The overall smoothness of the model 12 in my estimation is unparalleled in a pump gun.

Smokey: I agree and would add that they had no stamped parts.

That's one reason why I collect them.