Hello all.
I am the new owner of a 12ga pump shotgun, which has recently broken on me. I'm not mentioning the manufacturer or model, but suffice it to say it falls in the category of a well known value pump shotgun.
I'm getting back into shooting after 5+ years away, and my previous experience was with my .410 single shot and a 16ga bolt action (yes, a rarity). I purchased myself a pump. After about 400 shells, most of them target loads, I went to shoot with some friends to shake the gun down. Shooting slugs, target loads and 3.5 inch duck loads, I managed to break the pump away from the action.
I'm not sure what happened. I think either myself or one of the other guys didn't anticipate what the 3.5" shell would recoil like and my have held the pump forward during the recoil, or perhaps I have been too rough or have been carrying it wrong. I thought it best to consult the group of experts here.
I carry my gun usually with the chamber open, with my right hand on the pump, with the muzzle down. When I shoot, there is not much pressure on the pump forward. When I pump the action, I do so strongly, but I don't think excessively so - just enough to ensure that even with a hot barrel, I'm removing the shell and chambering a new one without much hesitation.
Anything here sound out of the ordinary?