16-Sep-2026
The pump-action shotgun has never had the glamour of a Beretta over-and-under in Britain, but look at the listings and a different picture emerges. Remington 870s, Mossberg 500s and 590s and Winchester SXPs are among the most searched-for shotguns on Rightgun.uk every week, bought by wildfowlers who want a gun that shrugs off salt water, pigeon shooters who want a third shot, practical shotgun competitors and anyone who simply wants a tough, cheap, reliable 12 bore for rough work.
This guide ranks the best pump-action shotguns sold in the UK by budget, from Turkish entry-level guns to the American and Italian classics, and explains the one legal point every UK buyer needs to understand before they choose.
Pump-action shotguns and UK law: 2+1 or Section 1
Before the guns, the rule. A shotgun held on a shotgun certificate must have no magazine, or a non-detachable magazine that holds no more than two cartridges. That is why most pump-actions sold in the UK come restricted to “2+1”: two in the magazine, one in the chamber. A pump-action with a larger magazine capacity is a Section 1 firearm and needs a firearm certificate with good reason, exactly like a rifle.
In practice, this splits the market. Section 2 pumps, restricted to 2+1, are the guns most buyers want and the ones this guide concentrates on. Section 1 versions, typically with five to eight-shot magazines, are sold to certificate holders for practical shotgun, some vermin control, and collecting. Listings on Rightgun.uk state which is which, so check before you fall in love with a gun you cannot hold on your current certificate.
Browse: Pump-action and other shotguns for sale · Remington 870 · Mossberg 500 · Winchester SXP · Benelli Nova
Under £350: Turkish pumps and the used bargains
The Hatsan Escort is the gun that dominates this bracket. Turkish-built, plainly finished and offered in synthetic, camo and tactical-style trims, it is the cheapest route to a new pump-action in the UK, and it works. Fit and finish are basic; the action is heavier than the American guns, but for a hide gun that lives in the truck it is hard to argue with. Stoeger’s P350 sits in similar territory with a little more polish.
Secondhand, this is where the older American guns become tempting. Winchester’s 1200 and 1300 pumps were sold in Britain in large numbers in the 1970s and 80s and are still around at low money; they are quick-cycling guns with a rotary bolt and, if the bore is clean, will outlast their new owner. A tired Mossberg 500 or an early 870 Express can also slip into this bracket if you are patient.
Browse: Hatsan Escort · Hatsan pump-action · Stoeger P350 · Winchester 1300 · Winchester 1200
£350 to £600: Mossberg 500, Maverick 88 and Winchester SXP
This is the heart of the pump-action market. The Mossberg 500 is the world’s best-selling pump for a reason: an aluminium receiver keeps it light, the tang-mounted safety suits left and right-handers equally, twin action bars make it smooth, and barrels swap in seconds so one gun can be a 28-inch pigeon gun in the morning and a short-barrelled practical gun in the afternoon. The Maverick 88 is Mossberg’s budget version of the same design with a cross-bolt safety and fewer frills.
The Winchester SXP is the modern successor to those 1200s and 1300s and keeps their party trick: an inertia-assisted rotary bolt that makes it one of the fastest-cycling pumps made. It is lighter than a Mossberg or Remington, comes in field, waterfowl, and defender trims, and is very popular with UK wildfowlers who want something that will not mind a morning in the mud. Mossberg’s 835 Ulti-Mag, built for 3.5-inch loads, is the specialist option for goose shooters.
Browse: Mossberg 500 · Mossberg Maverick · Winchester SXP · Mossberg 835 · All Mossberg shotguns
£600 to £900: Remington 870 and Mossberg 590
The Remington 870 is the pump-action by which all others are judged. Its steel receiver makes it heavier than a Mossberg, and many shooters prefer exactly that: the extra mass soaks up recoil and steadies the swing. The Express is the working-grade version, the Super Magnum handles 3.5-inch cartridges for wildfowling, and the Tactical trims are what practical shotgun shooters reach for. The 870 has been through changes of ownership, and quality has varied by era, so on a used gun, look for smooth cycling and a clean chamber rather than assuming every 870 is the same.
The Mossberg 590 is the 500’s heavy-duty sibling, with a thicker-walled barrel, metal trigger guard and safety, and a magazine that can be cleaned from the muzzle end. Originally built to a military specification, it is the most robust pump in this bracket and the most popular Section 1 pump in UK listings, though 2+1 versions are also sold. Mossberg’s Hushpower conversions of the 500 and 590, with integral moderators, are a British speciality worth knowing about for quiet vermin control.
Browse: Remington 870 · Remington Wingmaster · Mossberg 590 · Mossberg Hushpower · All Remington shotguns
£900 and up: Benelli SuperNova, Wingmaster and the specialists
Spend more, and you buy refinement rather than reliability, because the mid-price guns are already reliable. The Benelli SuperNova is the pump-action for shooters who own Benelli semi-autos and want the same feel: a steel-skeleton polymer receiver, a rotating bolt head, ComforTech recoil reduction on some models and the ability to shoot 3.5-inch cartridges. The standard Nova is the lighter, cheaper version and still one of the nicest-handling pumps sold in Britain.
At the top of the used market, a Remington 870 Wingmaster with a polished blued finish and walnut furniture is the pump-action as a proper sporting gun, and clean examples are sought after. Benelli’s M3, which switches between pump and semi-auto operation, is the specialist’s choice for practical shotgun and appears in listings from time to time as a Section 1 gun.
Browse: Benelli SuperNova · Benelli Nova · Benelli M3 · Remington Wingmaster · All Benelli shotguns
Buying a used pump-action: What to check
Pump-actions get used hard, so inspect harder than you would an over-and-under. Cycle the action a dozen times with dummy cartridges and feel for any hesitation or grinding; worn action bars and bent shell latches show up here. Check the magazine tube for dents, especially on guns that have been carried in a truck, and confirm the capacity matches what the listing and your certificate allow. Look down the bore for pitting, which is common on wildfowling guns that have seen steel shot and salt water, and check the chamber length against the cartridges you plan to shoot.
Barrel availability matters too. Mossberg and Remington barrels are plentiful and interchangeable within their families, which makes those guns easy to adapt; Turkish and older Winchester barrels are harder to find. Finally, ask why it is being sold. A pump that has been in a wildfowler’s hide for ten winters will be honest about its scars; one that has been “hardly used” and has a rusty magazine tube has been stored badly.
Browse: All shotguns for sale · Mossberg 590 · Remington 870 · Gun safes and cabinets · Find a gun shop near you
Frequently asked questions
Are pump-action shotguns legal in the UK? Yes. A pump-action restricted to a two-cartridge magazine (2+1) can be held on a shotgun certificate. Larger-capacity pumps are Section 1 firearms and need a firearm certificate with good reason.
What is the best pump-action shotgun for wildfowling? The Winchester SXP, Mossberg 835, and Remington 870 Super Magnum all handle 3.5-inch loads and stand up to salt water. The SXP is the lightest and fastest; the 870 the steadiest.
Remington 870 or Mossberg 500? The 870 is heavier, with a steel receiver and a smoother feel; the 500 is lighter, has the ambidextrous tang safety, and is cheaper. Neither is a wrong answer, which is why both have sold in the millions.
Can you use a pump-action for clay shooting? You can, and plenty of people do, but the third shot is of no use on most layouts, and a pump will not swing like a dedicated sporter. They are best thought of as field, hide and practical guns.
Whatever the budget, the right pump-action is in the Rightgun.uk listings now: browse new and used Remington, Mossberg, Winchester, Hatsan and Benelli pump-action shotguns from dealers and private sellers across the UK, compare prices and capacities, and find a gun that will still be working when everything else has gone home.
Further reading: Remington 870 UK buyer’s guide, Mossberg 500 vs 590, Shotgun law in the UK, Understanding Section 1 and Section 2 firearms, Shotgun chamber lengths explained and Best semi-auto shotguns UK by budget.
