Me and My Browning BPS

Me and My Browning BPS

Wild Turkey Hunting

I’m what they call a southpaw, more commonly called a lefty, I am left-handed. It’s not a disability, well, at least not physically but since only 7-10% of the world’s population is left handed, there tends to be a very limited choice of products which are adapted for use by those of the left-handed persuasion. Growing up, I was the kid who always smudged his homework by dragging my left hand over the ink as I wrote. In high school andcollege, the positions I could play on the varsity baseball team were limited to just a few. Finally, when I began to really enjoy being in the outdoors and took up hunting, finding a shotgun, rifle or bow that I truly liked was also a bit of chore. I began my Wild Turkey hunting passion with an old Remington model 870 Wingmaster and can still remember shells flying past my eyes as I ejected them. If I missed on the first shot, second shots were a bit more frustrating for more than just the miss. Then I found it, the shotgun that has become my all purpose gun of choice, and although it is not built specifically for left handed persons, it could not have been designed better for me. Its’s the Browning BPS.

I’m not going to go into the various models of this amazing
gun, although it does come in a variety of styles, barrel lengths and colors,
(I own the Mossy Oak Break-up pattern). I also will not go into detail about
the choice of choke tubes available for this shotgun that basically turns my
one shotgun into several specialized guns. I will instead discuss how this
shotgun is the perfect Pump Shotgun for the left-handed shooter. There are some
high priced models made companies such as Benelli, which are wonderful guns,
but if price is an issue or if you don’t want to take chances with guns made
for right-handers (Benelli manufactures left handed models too), the Browning
BPS is a great choice.

The Saftery on the Browning BPS is on top, great for right or left handed shooters.

OK, to start, my preference is a pump shotgun. Cost did come into consideration, but I also feel they are a bit more reliable and easier to maintain. They are very simple with probably less chance of malfunction. I have also shot many semi-automatic
shotguns, mostly right-handed, as that’s all that was available to me, and I did not like the blast and shell ejection in front of my eye. This is why I now only use shotgun’s specifically designed for lefties. I do feel there is less recoil experienced
with the semi-automatic, and they are also a bit quicker to get back on target after a missed shot.

This article is about what I like about my Browing BPS so lets get back on track. This shotgun is a bottom feed and bottom eject, which is the feature I absolutely love, this gun is perfect for either lefties or righties. The safety is located on top and is easy to work while also being very quiet. Many times I will go hunting with my best friend who is right handed and does not own a shotgun, I can allow him to use mine and because of the bottom eject and top safety. If you are going to be a one shotgun family and have both right-handed and left-handed shooters, this definitely helps. The bottom eject is also nice when I am sitting with my buddies dove hunting, as I always seem to be getting hit with spent shells from their shotguns, not so with my BPS.

 

I hunt a lot in the swamps of South Florida and in the mud of Central Wisconsin and I can get a shotgun
pretty darn dirty. This gun is very simple to break down for thorough cleanings. Just like any weapon, you may need to practice breaking it down onceor twice but after that it should be easy.

So, do I have any negatives on this shotgun? Not really, some say it’s a bit heavy, but to find a gun of similar quality and function would be significantly more expensive. Yes, I would love to have a left handed Benelli semi-automatic, but not so much that I am willing to spend almost twice as much for it. My Browning BPS has taken Turkey, Pheasant, small game and Wild Hogs and will continue to do so for some time. If you are a left handed hunter in search of a great gun that works well for the “Southpaws” and is in an affordable price range, than look no further than the Browning BPS. Whether you are left handed or right-handed, this is a fine Shotgun for all seasons!

About the Author

Noah Van Hochman

I'm a sweet natured, inexplicably irresistable Outdoors and Waterman trying to solve the world's problems with opinions on everything!

1 Comment

  1. Robert D.

    I was going crazy trying to figure out what type of shotgun I could get because I am left handed and my dad is not. This article solved my problems! Thanks!

    Reply

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