Action Pistol matches continue to be the most popular recreational use of handguns, and gunmakers are not shy about providing competition-ready models. Among the new additions for this year are pistols in various calibers and configurations, ranging from .22 rimfires to .40 S&W.

CZ 75 Shadow SAO
The 9mm CZ 75 Shadow has earned high marks from competitive shooters in its original DA/SA operating action for its ergonomic handling qualities and accuracy. This year it will be offered in an SAO (Single Action Only) version that will appeal to those shooting IDPA, USPSA, and Steel Challenge who prefer a crisp single-action trigger.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval on June 13 vetoed a bill requiring background checks for gun sales between private parties, telling the Las Vegas Sun that it “imposes unreasonable burdens and harsh penalties upon law-abiding Nevadans, while doing little to prevent criminals from unlawfully obtaining firearms.”

Sandoval said the bill had a number of worthy elements, including prohibiting the possession of guns by anyone judged mentally ill. He also applauded a section that required courts to speed up reporting of mental health adjudications.

A pump shotgun is like your old hunting truck. It might not be fancy. It might not have a lot of frills. But when you turn the key, it always gets the job done.

That’s why many hunters have chosen a pump shotgun as their first shotgun, and it’s why many have chosen one as their last shotgun. A pump is simple, reliable, holds more shells than a break-action and can be had at a reasonable price.

On the subject of price, you could pay a lot of money for a pump with glossy walnut and gold inlay. But that’s sort of like putting chrome rims on your johnboat trailer. A pump, rather, should be used and abused. Yes, you get a lot for your money when you buy a pump shotgun. To give you a better idea of just how much you can get, we put together this list of the best pump shotguns for less than $500. Many of these guns can also be purchased used for hundreds less, but if you’re headed to the local gun shop, here’s what five Benjamins will get you.

Remington 870 Express and Express Super Magnum

The Remington 870 is the greatest shotgun of all time. Period. And while higher-grade versions of the 870, such as the Wingmaster, are available, it’s the Express that continues to make the 870 the first and last choice among legions of outdoorsmen.

For long-range precision rifle work I’ve come to favor optics with some type of milling reticle in the first-focal plane (FFP) that have .1 mil corrections on the windage and elevation turrets. The ability to estimate range with these reticles and the ease with which the shooter can make adjustments for follow-up shots give FFP/mil-mil scopes a huge advantage over other systems.

That said, even companies that specialize in these expensive “tactical” optics, such as Nightforce, sell way more scopes that are MOA based.

There are a number of reasons for this, but the biggest factor is tradition. Most shooters in America were taught on MOA scopes that have ¼-inch click adjustments at 100 yards and anything that deviates from that seems odd. Likewise, most of those scopes have reticles in the second focal plane, so the first time a person looks through a scope where the reticle seems to grow and shrink as the power setting is changed, it doesn’t feel right. Plus, there’s also the very practical issue of cost. Second-focal plane scopes are less expensive to make and simple duplex reticles are also cheaper than fancy milling reticles with all kinds of hash marks, scales and reference points.