I don't know why, and maybe it all comes down to personal choice, but I have a side-by-side for waterfowl. Maybe because it is "classic".

My take is that it will come down to how the feels, fits, and probably something in each of our DNA.

Now, for upland hunting, including deer, I'll go for a pump. But, I have never shot an autoloader. I do have two I inherited and might be interested in using the Remington that is of the old Browning design. For pheasants, quail, and doves I seemed to need the third shot but two seems to work well on waterfowl.

There was one particulalry stupid dove that took six shots.