Pump center fire rifles

C

Curtis Simmons

Inactive
I am thinking of looking for a used pump rifle and wanted to hear your opinions and knowledge of the different ones out there. I know the Remington but thought Savage, Mossberg, and maybe some others made pumps at some time but can't find any information on them. If someone has a source or knowledge of any of these your help would be appreciated. Curtis
 
Savage offered a pump-gun in .30/30, based on their shotgun actions, IIRC.

I think the model number was 170 (and maybe 170C for the shorter barrel)?
 
Browning and Savage used to make pumps but no longer.
To the best of my knowledge Remington is the only one still making a pump center-fire. Well.........Uberti and Taurus may still make a copy of the old Colt Lightning in 357 and 45 colt, but I don't know if they are still making them either.
I have known a few men that bought the new "lightnings" be none said they were very impressed.
For a hunting rifle I am pretty sure Remington is the only option.
 
I have never fired a center fire pump rifle, but lots of fond memories with pump rim fire and pump shotguns over the last 50 years.

I know where there is a rem 270 pump for sale:)
 
My dad has a Rem.pump in 35 Whelen.Beautiful rifle with all the checkering,fairly accurate too.Only problem with it is that it has quite a bit of recoil.I think it kicks just as much as my 338wm.I think one in 30-06 would be downright sweet,the actions are smooth and fast and recoil is much more managable than the 35.
Buy one,and I`ll bet you never get rid of it!
 
I've a little experience with several of the Remingtons. For fast off hand shooting they are right with a semi-auto in the same caliber, much faster than a lever, and in better calibers. Accuracy can be surprisingly good. The triggers are usually not nearly as good as a bolt rifle and that is probably the only thing making a bolt rifle more accurate. While not as reliable as a bolt rifle they are typically much more dependable than hunting style semi-autos.

Downsides:

They are heavy. A bolt gun will be considerably lighter. While they are fast for offhand shooting the pump forend makes it difficult to shoot off an improvised rest in the field, use a bipod or any other type of support. They don't have as strong an extraction or ejection system. There are a lot of hotter hand loads I'd have no issues shooting in a bolt rifle that I'd not shoot in a pump because of this.

I've shot guns belonging to others and have thought a lot about buying one myself. For a guy wanting a fast shooting woods gun they are really a better alternative to a lever gun.
 
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Centerfire Slide/Pump Action Manufacturers/Models

Colt:
Lightning 1884 - 1904 (Three frame sizes - Small/Medium/Large )

Remington:
Model 6 - (1981-1987)
Model 14
Model 14 1/2 ( 38WCF & 44WCF)
Model 25 (25-20, 32-20)
Model 141 - Gamemaster
Model 760 - Gamemaster
Model 76
Model 7600
Model 7615 - .223 Rem

Savage:
Model 170 & 170C in 30-30, 35 Rem. (aka: Western Auto/Revelation 260, Springfield 174, CIL 871, Westpoint 474 and Cotter & Co. 474)

Beretta: Stampede (Goldrush)

Taurus: Thunderbolt - M45 - 45 Colt

Israel Military Industries (IMI): Timberwolf - .357, .44 Mag.

American Western Arms (AWA): Lightning

Browning:
BPR - 243, 308, 270, 30-06, 7mm Rem. Magnum, 300 WM (1997-2001)
Dualis - European version of the BPR

EMF (Early and Modern Firearms Inc.): Lightning - .357, 44/40 & 45 LC

USFA (US Fire Arms): Lightning

Uberti: Lightning

Marlin: Model 27 & 27S - (25-20 32-20)

Navy Arms: Lightning 44-40

Universal Firearms Corp: Vulcan Model 440 (.44 Magnum conversion of the "M1 Carbine".

Standard Arms Co: Rifle - (Gas semi auto/pump combination)

Krieghoff: SemPrio (2010) - Backwards pump action, takedown design - .243, 308, 7x64, 30-06, 300 WM, 9,3x62, 8x57JS

Predator: Tactical PT 500 - 500 S&W



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i have shot a BPR in .308 and it was sweet if you can find a used one they are worth looking at but even used they will make your wallet scream for mercy :rolleyes:
 
I can kick myself for not picking up a Timberwolf when they were $350 or so. I now have a Taurus Lightning in .45 and actually like it a lot. Mine is reliable and accurate enough to hit a Post-it note at 50 yds. You can pump-fire it but you can't hit anything doing it.
 
My brother has a remington 760 in .30-06. It is the carbine length rifle. It is a handy woods gun, and I cannot say or havent heard a bad thing about them.

That being said, they dont fit me. While it my have a faster second shot than a levergun, I will take my Marlins all day long.
 
Dirty_Harry said:
That being said, they dont fit me. While it my have a faster second shot than a levergun, I will take my Marlins all day long.
Click to expand...

I had that same problem with a Remington 760 in .30-06, and a quick trip to the gunsmith solved it by cutting the stock and installing a nice recoil pad to fit my rather short length of pull. I didn't keep that rifle long because my adult son made off with it. He shoots it regularly, speedily and well.

The Remington pumps are the only ones I have any experience with, and they shoot extremely well. In the nature of ~1" from any reasonable rest. I've always got my eye out for another one in the used gun racks, and I'd pick one up in a heartbeat if the price was right.
 
The fit for me is more the cheek weld. Every remington stock (even my 870) seems almost too fluch with the receiver. It just doesnt "feel" right.
 
All the hunters in my son-in-law's family have Remington slide action rifles in 30-06. Same as thousands of other guys who hunt the forests and foothills for deer & bear. This is a very popular rifle among the guys I know. The trigger is easy to master with a small amount of practice. It has a little creep but no big deal at all. They're often found for sale on the used racks of these local shops:
- Mussers Outdoors 717 738 4800
- Richland Shooters Supply 717 866 4246​

Savage 170 was introduced in early 1970's and sold new for $99.99 which was low for even back then. They're known for accuracy. But spare parts will likely be a major problem and for that reason alone I'd pass.

Jack
 
i fired 200 rounds of GI 3006 ammo in a rem 760 with a 4x leupold scope on it, over a 5 week period with out cleaning it with out a bobble(no f t feed, f t fire or ft eject), the only thing you had to make sure was that the magizine was latched in. it did need a good scrubbing to get the copper out. i would like to say it shot MOA,but it never had before and this was no exception but i still could hit a 12oz soda bottle at 100yds from a rest with no misses after the 200 rounds. my favorite rem pump is a 7600 carbine 3006 with remington model 6 wood with the high cheek piece for using a scope. eastbank.
 
At one time I looked very hard at the Remington pump and semi auto for a hunting rifle.

Accuracy is not tack driver, but at the time there was always a possibility of a bear encounter either separately or in conjunction with a kill (and I spent one scary night doing just that though no bears, two miles away a bear took away a moose from a F&G guy who did not want to shoot it out, in our case our back was to a creek with no way out and...,.) If you have ever seen a grizzly move you know with a bolt action you have one shot.

Anyway, for the use the pump or the semi auto are fine as you do not need tack driver accuracy for hunting (nice but not needed).

Limb saver or the equal solves the recoil problem. My brother put one on the 7mm Mag (hardest kicking gun of any I have shot and that includes 375 H&H and the 338WM). It tamed the 7mm right down to just fine to shoot.
 
RC20, you are lumping Remington pumps and autoloaders into the same category. While they may look similar they are distinctly different - especially when it comes to accuracy and dependability. I wouldn't advise their autoloaders to anyone. However, the pumps are very accurate and very reliable. My 760 is easily as accurate as any bolt action I have ever owned. Every other one I've ever personally seen was the same way.
 
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