The single barrel pump action shotgun has been around since the late 1800s and has always been popular. When the abilities of pump action shotguns are considered, it comes as no surprise that it’s still in constant use today.
What Is A Pump Action?
A pump action firearm is one that cycles fresh rounds into the chamber via the sliding fore end located underneath the barrel. This action allows a shooter to fire repeatedly without having to move either hand to reload.
The magazine is also located under the barrel and is what the handrail slides over when chambering a new round.
Advantages
Pump action shotguns are quite reliable, especially when compared to other repeating shotguns, like the semi-automatic. This action can easily handle a wider variety of ammunition, even non-lethal rounds.
It’s not difficult to learn how to shoot a pump action as there are few controls a shooter needs to learn. This makes a pump action an excellent choice for home defense. Cleaning and maintenance are simple, and the reliability of a pump action allows you to cycle through a large number of rounds before requiring maintenance.
There isn’t the same fear associated with a pump action as there is with a semi-automatic, so it’s placed under fewer checks and restrictions. Finally, knowing how to shoot a pump action is like knowing how to drive a stick shift. If you can drive a stick, you can drive any vehicle.
Disadvantages
Most of the disadvantages of a pump-action shotgun have more to do with emergency or tactical situations, as opposed to what simple home use would require. We will try to separate the two so that you can see the differences yourself.
For home and hunting, reloading takes practice, particularly if the shooter is rushed. Some new shooters will short-stroke it, meaning they don’t work the pump fully before trying to fire. The recoil hits very hard on a pump action, and it’s difficult to fire multiple rounds, so hunters need to understand this nuance.
On the more tactical side, a shooter is limited to how many rounds fit in a pump action’s magazine. While a pump can also be with one injured hand, it’s more difficult than with a semi-automatic. The average shotgun will fit between four and eight rounds, plus one, which is a big difference when compared to a rifle with a thirty round magazine.
Shotgun shells tend to be bulkier and heavier than rifle rounds, and it is difficult carrying a lot of ammunition for a shotgun.
Hopefully, this has better prepared you for what to expect when you look at a single barrel pump action shotgun for sale in your area.
