RE: 12 Guage pumps???????????
I'll disagree about the Ithacas. We use them in the Sheriff's department I work at. The wood stocks all have a tendency to crack around the area where they connect to the receiver, plus, they only have one slide rail. Remington 870's have two. That adds for strength and duability.
Get a Remington 870, super magnum. It can chamber 2 3/4", 3", and the newere 3 1/2" shells. Ithacas cant do all three. Right there, that gives you more options.
You can hunt everything from upland game to long range goose hunting and steel shot. The 3 1/2" inchers are compared to a 10Ga load. Bitchen gun. I own 6 different 870's and one Ithaca. Love them Remingtons and their capabilities.