Finally got to handle an IMI Timberwolf .357 pump

Supposedly the IMI Timber Wolf was designed in 1981 and ended production 1989 with about 500 exported to the USA (the editor who updated Wikipedia used an IP number (no name account) and cited no reference sources). I remember gun magazine ads, commentary clips, but never saw one in a gun store. But I thought it looked like a cool woods walking gun, or a small rifle more powerful than .22 LR to take along to the mountain just in case of attack by coyotes or empty cans.

My thirst for an IMI Timber Wolf as was slaked somewhat in 2005 when I found a .22 mag Taurus Model 72 pump (16.5" barrel, ten round tube). Ballistics by the Inch tested CCI .22 MaxiMag 40 grain bullet at 1980 fps from a 16 inch barrel, which calculates out to 350 foot pounds muzzle energy. Not exactly .357 from a carbine barrel ballistics, but I have a Rossi-made Legacy Sports Puma for that.

Dave DeLaurant said:

They are even harder to find now, but IMI did offer a matte plated version:

View attachment 1079564

Click to expand...

Looks a lot like the Remington 14 carbine except the finish.

They're ugly IMO.

It's like someone gave a 10 year old the directive to use circa 2003 photoshop to blend a Remington model 12/14/25, an 870 Express and a 10/22 into a single firearm.

A pump .357 to me would be ideal, if it worked really well and was not so expensive. Nothing against lever guns, but shooting a pump is my preference.

The stainless steel rifles are quite difficult to find being the least produced, somewhere around 500. Only in 44/44mag, none in .357mag. Designed as a patrol rifle to pair with the then common revolvers that police carried they mis-timed the introduction just as the era of wonder nines happened. There were around 10-12 thousand made in .357 and about 1k in 44mag. Importers were Action Arms and IMI.

Test the slam-fire idea today, nope.

Side note, the barrel outer diameter is the same for .357 and .44mag. Differences are mag tube, bolt and associated small parts. Butt stock can be adjusted for iron sights or scope use easily.

Ugly Sauce said:

Yes. You will be shot at dawn. What would you like to be shot with?

But seriously, a half cock AND a safety???? I respectfully ask why. !!!

Click to expand...

A .45-70, of course !

Why, because I am accustomed to the use of the CBS, it is nice to have because the rifle will absolutely not fire if dropped (from a tree stand for example) or on a rock (from a fall on a scree slope) and it makes dropping the hammer absolutely safe when employed and because it makes cycling the action to unload a round(s) again absolutely safe. Half cock is not absolutely safe, a CBS is. And once trained, the muscle memory (muscles do not really have memory as such, I know) it is no big deal. I like them. And for those who must, they are easy to remove or deactivate and far superior to rebounding hammers and transfer bar baloney .

The IMI rifle is not ugly, that plated one is okay looking, I would still prefer stainless. As far as ugly, I dunno, a little re-work here and there, and a hammer, it could look purt nice I should think. I really would like a pump action pistol caliber rifle.

3C

Dave congrats on the pump 357. I did not even know they made pump pistol calibers besides 22's. Nice gun!

MachIVshooter said:

They're ugly IMO.

It's like someone gave a 10 year old the directive to use circa 2003 photoshop to blend a Remington model 12/14/25, an 870 Express and a 10/22 into a single firearm.

Click to expand...

They might not be pretty, but they appeal to me anyway due to the basic utilitarian design. Kind of like an old school single cab long bed pickup truck with steel wheels and a bench seat.

View attachment 1079751

Jeez. I remember being at a gun show where the guy had half a dozen new .44 mags for $400 a pop.
I didn’t get one ‘cause I wanted the .357. Never saw one till a few years later and I passed because I wasn’t impressed with the build quality. Foolish man.

They were featured in one of the first gun magazines I bought as a young teen ('89ish). I must have read that article hundreds of times.

.455_Hunter said:

They were featured in one of the first gun magazines I bought as a young teen ('89ish). I must have read that article hundreds of times.

Click to expand...

I just found this thread. I always wanted one as well. I know this design most likely won’t come back due to lack of demand. However, if a manufacturer was going to copy it I would think Henry would. Just a thought.

I should also note about my earlier post, I wish I could have afforded the $1000 price the 44 fetched 10 years ago.

I could afford a Marlin 44 though and bought one not long after. The 1894SS I got has also certainly skyrocketed in price since then so I guess it was a wash. Like the Timberwolf would have been, the 1894 has been a treasured hunting companion and has seen some….vigorous…use.

The slam fire business is interesting; John Browning was a fan of such; have a Rossi gallery gun ('06 Winchester?) and a '97 Winchester, and it is fun to make empties.
But the '97 will back you up when you do it.
Earl, I have the blued version of your .44, had it whacked back to trapper length, and it has taken a bunch of deer over the years. Wonderful brush gun.
Not sure I even knew they were made in stainless.
Moon

easy said:

The stainless steel rifles are quite difficult to find being the least produced, somewhere around 500. Only in 44/44mag, none in .357mag. Designed as a patrol rifle to pair with the then common revolvers that police carried they mis-timed the introduction just as the era of wonder nines happened. There were around 10-12 thousand made in .357 and about 1k in 44mag. Importers were Action Arms and IMI.

Test the slam-fire idea today, nope.

Side note, the barrel outer diameter is the same for .357 and .44mag. Differences are mag tube, bolt and associated small parts. Butt stock can be adjusted for iron sights or scope use easily.

Click to expand...

One in a 9mm wouldn't be something to sneeze at either.
I like pumps. But I really like lever guns. I would snatch one up if the price was right. But I don't need it.