I bought a Nova last week and it seems great (although I'm a novice shotgunner). Yeah there is play in the forearm, which will rattle if you shake the gun, but this doesn't appear to have any impact on the function of the action and is designed to be that way. I ultimately bought the Nova mainly because I was told by a couple of people who really know their stuff, that it was a great gun, and one of the best pump action shooters around. I guess if the rattle bothers you either dont shake the gun, or buy an 870 (which are also I'm told, great guns). Certainly no complaints here so far though.