OK what about the BPS vs 870?
Ok what about the BPS vs the 870? I like the idea for a bottom eject. Have two sons, one right handed the other left handed. Im I going to give up some quality if choseing the BPS?
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I am left handed and like the BPS and I've never had a problem. Also, if hunting in a blind, the person to your right would probably also appreciate the bottom eject.
Getting different barrels aren't as common or as inexpensive as an 870 and they do cost most than an 870 Express.0 -
didn't see this until I posted in the other thread but I have both and I like the Browning better 0 -
Will you give up quality by choosing a Browning BPS over an 870?
No WAY!
BPS is a very nice shotgun.0 -
The Browning BPS is a cross between the Ithica Model 37, and the Winchester Model 12. It has great handling characteristics, and is a good choice for ambedextrious user's, and those of the southpaw configuration.
It has its drawbacks over the 870, and has its advantages over the 870. They come to weigh in about equal, so it is not a bad choice.
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I have two major complaints regarding the Browning BPS 12 and 20 gauge shotguns. Yes, I have owned both models. My 20ga BPS is currently the upland special version with the 22 inch barrel and straight English stock. Fit, finish, overall quality, and machining work was excellent on both shotguns. Really nicely figured walnut on both. Now, on to my complaints. As most of you probably know, or especially if you've ever seen a photo of John Browning, well, he was a very tall man, or at least, much taller than the average man. And he had long arms and a long neck. And he designed all his guns for men of similar build, IMO. I am short and stocky, and have short arms and no neck. (5'6", 160 lbs, with no neck, and a fat face) When I shoot bottom eject BPS pumps (or Ithaca 37's, for that matter), spent shells will often get hung up on my left hand, which is working the forend, and trying to eject the fired shells. Doesn't happen every time, but happens often enough that I had to go back to the side eject 870 actions because I was missing the opportunities for second chance shots, because of spent shells hanging up in my hand, which effectively momentarily prevents a new shell from loading. So, in my opinion, if your sons have short arms, say less than 18-19 inches from front of chest next to armpit to end of wrist, with the arm stretched straight out front, there is a good possibility that fired shells might hang up in his forend hand as he works the action to eject the spent shells. NOTE: Browning does make a shorter stocked version for youths in the 20ga. Length of pull is about an inch shorter.
Complaint #2 - John Browning designed the BPS shotguns with a heavily downward tapered sighting rib/plane. So your actual perceived line of sight when looking at your target (as your eye naturally aligns itself to look down the heavily tapered rib) will be well below the true bore axis path. If you like to shoot grouse in the head at 5-10 yards away, you will almost always shoot completely above their heads due to this alignment error, and be shocked that you could miss such a close target with a shotgun pattern. Same problem for waterfowl hunting. If you sight/look 'straight down the rib', most of your pattern will be above your perceived target. When hunting ducks at 35-40 yards out, I have to mentally remember to have the whole bird 'above' the rib by a couple of inches, or they don't drop. Basically, because of the strongly downward tapered ribs, I need to remember to 'shoot under the ducks' to hit them consistently. It is just a bad rib design, IMO, for a shotgun, in general, as they are typically a short range gun, i.e. under 40 yards unless you go to super full tubes. Ithaca 37 vent ribs and Remington 870 vent ribs run much more parallel to the true bore axis. More importantly, Ithaca 37 and Remington 870 vent ribs start out pretty much flush with the top of the receiver. This keeps their sighting planes more flat and true with the shotgun bore. On my 20ga BPS, the vent ribs start out about 5.3mm of an inch above the top of the receiver, and tapers down from there. You can see the severe downward slope of the sighting plane down below. I still like my Browning BPS shotguns. I just had to 'adapt' to the tapered rib design, as they shoot a lot differently than my 37's and 870's. If you want your kids to be able to aim fast and just put the bead 'dead on' when shooting at both close and far away gamebirds and waterfowl, I would go with the 870 design, hands down. I would not recommend the BPS for quick shotgun bead pointing 'dead on' shooting because of the rib design. Hope you found my experiences helpful before making your purchase decision. I've never heard or read about others having similar complaints, though...
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I love my BPS pump. it is my go to shotgun for Turkey Waterfowl and as a loaner gun. bottom eject will fit both left and right hand shooters Magazine cut off is good for training young shooters, BUT Most of all I really like a TANG safetyIMHO a shotgun needs to come to point and taking off safety as a natural instinct . Not something you need to Think about doing. I grew up and still hunt upland birds with either SXS or O/U shotguns all of them have tang safety . I have never been able to get the hang of trigger guard safeties they seem unnatural to me . YMMV 0
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