nova?

619 Views 8 Replies 8 Participants Last post by bridgeburner, Dec 3, 2005

skibumgsxr

Discussion Starter · Nov 25, 2005

i have been hunting since i was 8 (now 20) im new to skeet and dont have much to spend on a gun. a nova sounded pretty good this would be my first pump, but i thought i would find out more before i buy it. i have a few questions about it. i saw somthing on tv what i think was a nova i think it was tom knapp he had a attachment or somthing to throw his used shells out infront of him so he could shoot them, sound familiar? what is a better gun 12 or 20??? any recomendations im 5'7 145 and kick doesent realy bother me. any advice would be of great help.

thanx
andy

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Cleric

· #2 · Nov 25, 2005

Yup, Tom Knapp shot 8 clays at once with the Nova (2 seconds or something like that).

I have no idea about skeet, so don't think any of my comments go that direction.

The Nova is a great pump. Some people have stated that the 12g is a little front-heavy. I am split on the issue. It seems to have a good enough swing that the weight it worth it. At any rate, many people have commented that the 2-g is a much more balanced gun.

You need to decide what your primary application for the gun is going to be to decide what gauge you want. I don't know if skeet is done with a 20.

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junkman

· #3 · Dec 2, 2005

skibum,

I got a Nova about 1 month ago and used it for turkey in NY for fall season. Patterns good, points well and appears to cycle anything I throw at it 2 3/4 thru 3 1/2 turkey loads. I chose the 12 ga. for versatility (ducks/geese). Recommended.

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hogfan81

· #4 · Dec 2, 2005

Ok, you lured me in. I have a nova 12 gauge, 26 inch barrel, Max-4 and all. Let me first say that I doubt Tom Knapp's gun is a bone-stock nova off the shelf. Let me also say that Knapp is not what you'd call an average shooter, either. He has to throw the clays in the air by hand, then hit all of them with single shots. He's done this with an M2 auto before, and recently shot 9 or 10 this way with the M2. I've shot skeet with the nova, and it works, but it's a little long, a little heavy, and the rotating bolt head tends to make a fool out of me. I've also used an older shotgun that was lighter, shorter, and had a standard bolt and did better with it. That said, the nova is just about perfect for a duck/deer/turkey scattergun. If you were solely concentrating on skeet/trap/SC I would suggest something more along the lines of an 870. If you want to hunt and play, then get the nova and practice, practice, practice. Hope that helps.

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texokla

· #5 · Dec 2, 2005

i'm thinking about getting a nova--i just hear good things about them. i think i'm going to get a 20 gauge.

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skibumgsxr

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 2, 2005

thanks for all your help with this info will make my decision alot easier

thank you
andy

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crazyhair

· #7 · Dec 3, 2005

whats the big deal about the rotary bolt head slowing you down?
Ive seen what knapp can do, so why can't you?

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deadapair

· #8 · Dec 3, 2005

crazyhair said:
whats the big deal about the rotary bolt head slowing you down?

I don't get it either. It actually makes the gun faster to cycle.

BTW, while Benelli like to make big hay of their rotating bolt head, it is not exclusive to them. The Winchester 1200 and 1300 pump guns were using a rotating bolt head back when all Benelli made were scooters and motorcycles.

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bridgeburner

· #9 · Dec 3, 2005

"Let me also say that Knapp is not what you'd call an average shooter, either. He has to throw the clays in the air by hand, then hit all of them with single shots."

Actually, Tom Knapp doesn't shoot as well as the average shooter on a sporting clays course and isn't very good at trap or skeet. He's a trick shooter. Almost anyone could do what he does with enough practice. The only reason Herb Parsons didn't break as many clays 50 years ago with a Model 12 was because they didn't have magazine extensions back then.

I've read a few of these posts now about Benellis and most say something about Tom Knapp and multiple birds in the air, etc etc. What does this have to do with the quality and longevity of the gun?

I really don't think anyone has re-invented the wheel with the Nova. Model 12s, Model 31s and 870s long ago reached points of perfection. I guess that for nimrods (here I go again - LOL) plastic guns with goofy looking molded forends are the cat's pajamas, even if they are relatively unproven. At least when the Nova stops working, half of it can be recycled. :wink:

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