My buddy has talked me into giving pheasant hunting a shot (pun intended). I'm looking at a 12 guage Benelli Nova pump and would like to hear any opinions that are out there. Looking at the Remington 870 Wingmaster as a "close second".

Either gun will get the job done. The Remington 870 Wingmaster is more common than the Benilli - but that doesn't make it better. The 870 Wingmaster and the Winchester Model 12s(no longer made) are the most common.

Some other guns that I commonly see in the field are the Browning BPS and the Mossberg 500.

Glad to have you aboard!

If it helps any there have been more 870 pumps manufactured and sold than any other pump gun ever. I have several of them and have never had a problem with one of them. I don't see any problem with the Ben pumps either but have never personally owned or shot one. Many people swear by one and swear at another. My choice would be the 870 because of the good results I have had with them since the early 50s.

I shot my buddies Nova a few weeks back. He has the synthetic stock. I have an 870 Super Magnum that I picked up for $219 - saved about $150. The Nova had a lot more kick, even with a recoil reduction kit. My vote would be for the Remington, but that's just my 2 cents.

I have both the Benneli Nova and the 870Rem. wingmaster . I prefer the 870 Rem. I don't have a problem with either one ,its just the difference in the way they feel .

I have a benelli nova and my brother has an 870 (3in), and I used to have a 870 20ga youth (traded it & money for my nova). The thing I like about the nova is I can take my nova all apart to clean it without tools. And it's all like big pieces so I took it apart and put it together without looking at a book. If you just wanted to shoot 2 3/4 shells you might get the wingmaster, I held my friends today and it was real light and swung well. But if you want to be able to shoot like geese and stuff too you could get a nova or an 870 that shoots 3 1/2's. The nova doesn't kick too hard. Shot some 3 1/2 today and I'm not hurting. But I was wearing 3 shirts. The nova will cost you a few more bills but I think my nova was like 50 to 100 bucks or so more than the 870 express mag(shoots 3 1/2's). But I think the nova was camo but the 870 was black. Both are very good guns but if you wanted to save some cash you could get the winmaster

I ended up going with the Wingmaster. It was a tough call, but I'll be using it for pheasant, chucker, etc. rather than duck/geese hunting. The 3" should suit me for a while. I like the feel of the Wingmaster. Entirely a personal, subjective thing, but you gotta make a some point. Guess that's why there are so many out there.

I plan on putting a rifled barrel on it at some point. Some of the pig hunting areas out here are shotgun/bow only. Oh well, another toy to buy!

Congrats on the new shotgun ,as I said in my post the Remington just feels better . Good luck with your hunting .