pump for the reliability factor..

Get a pump, it's much easier on your wallet, and a great gun to start off with. The remington .887 or .870 express are great in .12 gauge, and can be used for almost every type of bird hunting. You can also get slug barrels for deer hunting as weel

Pump would be best for beggining and reloads pretty nicely.

I believe in it so strongly that I'm gonna go buy a Benelli Nova Youth Model Pump next Monday. I have owned almost every kind of shotgun except the Benelli's. I had to sell my last two to pay for emergency veterinary care. I'm taking decades of experience and $359 to go buy it from a local discounter. To start with, people nearly never hit on the second shot. I wanted a single-shot, but the Nova has 10 times the quality (at least) at only twice the price. The short stock and barrel and light weight (6.4 lbs)make it an easy-to-carry, fast-handling gun. The stock doesn't seem short in hunting season because of heavy clothing. Many people find that they shoot best with their eyeball as close to the receiver as possible. And it clears your clothing when you rotate it up. Finally, I read every evaluation online that I could find and never, ever, saw a negative comment. They advertise it as the most ergonomic shotgun you can lay your hands on, and it looks the part. Learn how to shoot, and then go for the SBEII or the Vinci. Of course, I am old. After a lifetime of shooting, I have chronic shoulder pain and am more than half deaf. No regrets. But I know from experience that, with a little patience, I can get get the limit of everything from Doves to Mallards with a 20 gauge, and not take the pounding or the thunder..

Pumps are good, may have a slight edge in reliability, but a man that knows his gun can shuck a dud shell out of an auto just about as fast.
Autos may have less recoil, due to gas operation, and using some of the recoil to cycle the action. I like autos, 'cause that's what I grew up on, but also have pumps, and I like them too. Really, it boils down to personal preference.

if you are like any other hunter starting out...price is an issue...so 100% a pump is the way to go...but if you are like every other hunter that you like to have a new/nice gun to hunt with a semi auto is the way to go...just my opinion, but if you are going with a pump...remington 870 is a gun that will never quit...semi-auto...depends on your money situation...the cadillac is the benelli SBE II

Hunter Education courses generally stress that autoloaders and lever actions are not the best action types for new hunters and shooters. Pump shotguns and bolt rifles are inherently safer and less complicated to operate safely. Price is generally lower also.

I have been hunting 50 + years and I still hunt about 50-50 with autoloading and pump shotguns even today. Saw a couple of guys cussing and struggling to fix some malfunctions (including my son) on Sunday. So as not to offend anyone's brand loyalty and family heritage, I will just state that they were not Remington pump guns.

my first was a semi now i have both. you could go either way!

870

I agree with WAM - for safety sake, best to start off with a pump. It is much too easy to inadvertently trigger off a 2nd or 3rd shot with a semi-auto. Same goes for rifles and single action pistols. I've seen accidental shots with semi-autos a few times. Luckily, none drew any more blood than from cut fingers.

Besides reliability and fast action, pumps are also easier to clean than gas-operate guns. We got frustrated with a friend who often had to stop and work on his sacred 1100, while nothing stopped our Model 12s.