Talk to me about Pump Action Rifles

SAX, the rem 7600 was made in the 35 whelen and its very close to the 9.3x62. the 35 whelen uses a .357-. dia 358 bullet and the 9.3x62 uses a .366 dia bullet and both will kick a 250-260gr bullet at 2500-2600fps. last year i shot a cape buffalo in africa with a old 9.3x62 MS with a solid copper bullet with no problem at all. eastbank.
 
I don't know lads. I inherited my grandfather's pump actioned, detachable box magazine, Remington after my dad passed. Never have shot the thing. But watching grand dad shoot the thing was impressive. The man was a remarkable shot with a revolver, having won Detroit Police Department competitions for many years (I guess you got extra days off if you won). Watching him shoot a revolver was poetry in motion. Watching him shoot a rifle at game was really something. Always pump actions did he like. He would fire the shot, work the action, and then see what effect the shot had. I never saw him need more than one shot, but if he did, that rifle was ready to go.

The manual of arms so-to-speak seems very similar to a Remington 870 shotgun.

The rifle is in like new condition. I haven't really examined it all that much, and probably should clean and lubricate it at some point.
 
I have a Model 12 Winchester 12ga and a Remington 760 30-06. Both shoot well and have bagged plenty of game. Never a problem and I have had them for nearly 60 years.
 
Not a fan of pumps myself, but you guys are right. Semi-autos are not legal to hunt deer in PA and in some areas the pump was king for years. Other areas it was the lever guns. Hard to say why. As far as accuracy goes, they are just as good as a bolt gun in the thick north east woods. Back when live turkey shoots were legal, the guys with pump .270's and .06's were really impressive.
 
I have an older acquaintance who is cleaning out his safe b/c he isn't shooting much. A lifetime of collecting and inheriting. Originally from PA. Last week were going over what he has to see if I was interested. He seemed pretty open to most everything, including family guns, until we got to his Remington pump 30-06. He just gave me this look like "You can go right to hell if you think I'm going to sell that before I die." I was a little surprised. Couldn't have been his first rifle, his first deer kill, his first anything I could think of because he must have been 30+ when he got it. Recoil must be stout. I never saw those pump rifles as heirloom pieces. Not of particular interest to me anyways, so I didn't push the matter.
 
I think an area where the pump shines is for those users who cut their teeth on pump shotguns.

I've never been able to completely warm up to a semi-shotgun, and I love pump shotguns.

I'm a bolt-action guy when it comes to rifles (except my AR), but a pump rifle feels good to us pump shotgun guys.

From my understanding the 7600 series can be VERY accurate rifles. I'd take one and not feel outclassed in the woods.
 
The only concern I've ever had about the Remington pump is that the pump rattles on it, and I was concerned that it would make noise when carried. Not sure if it's a valid concern though. Otherwise I'd love one in .243 Winchester for deer.
 
My observation about Remington pump 760s and 7600s over 50 years of hunting, is: To really get the maximum performance out of a pump rifle, you have to be of above average intelligence.

Specifically, no hot rodding by handloaders. Factory pressures or below.

Be able to follow the following sequence under pressure: pull trigger, pump back, pump forward, aim, pull trigger.

Shooting skeet doubles with an 870 pump is good training.
 
I got to take my ~30 year old 7600 to the range yesterday for a good breaking in. Yes, breaking in a 30 year old rifle because it only had 3 rounds through it.

I put a timney trigger in it, added a Boyd's thumbhole stock and a 4-16x scope. After getting the scope sighted in at 100 yards I was hitting 6" steel plates at 200 every time with only a few inches of hold over. I ran 2 boxes through it, 150gr and 180gr corelokt. Even with a hot barrel, and many consecutive shots it made fist sized groups at 200 yards.

The pump is very intuitive if you use a pump shotgun. There is zero learning curve.

The 7600 in 30/06 does kick like a mule but a 1" pad helps a lot. I ended the day shooting 10 rounds of trap, also with a pump gun and my shoulder is not happy with me today.

Totally worth it.
 
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eastbank,

The reason that I am planning to have a long-action 760 re-bored to 9.3x62 is that the 9.3 is ACCEPTABLE for "dangerous game" by African game departments & the .35 Whelen is NOT.

I also am considering having a 760 re-bored in .375 Whelen Improved or .400 Brown-Whelen Improved .
(IF you've never shot one, the .400 BWI does NOT really "kick"; instead, it just PUSHES the shooter. - In a 8# rifle, I find the .400 to be MORE comfortable to shoot on the range than a equal weight pump .30-06 is.)

Btw, 400 grains of bullet at >2,200FPS equal to the power of the well-regarded .404 Jeffery, with the 380 grain .375 OR the 287 grain 9.3x62 not far behind in "practical killing power".

In the hands of "a cool shot", I regard all 3 calibers as "suitable for any game, Worldwide" AND none of the 3 calibers as "too much gun" for WT when loaded with a 180-220 grain GCCB at 2000FPS.

A slightly "off topic comment": My "little brother of the heart" created me a .30-06 SMALL GAME LOAD that is PURE DEATH on squirrels/rabbits/etc. & does NOT ruin much edible meat. - The load is a PBCB at about 800FPS & deadly out to 60+M.
(GREAT practice for big game season, too when the "target" is a running swamp-bunny/jackrabbit).

yours, satx
 
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