Why are pump action rifles not popular any more?

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BCRider

BCRider

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I see them around but only on the used tables at gun swaps.

I can see the issues for center fire what with the cumbersome tube mags being time eaters to load and unload. But the grin generating pump action rimfire rifles are also gone. At least I only know of one maker still offering a pump action for sale. Namely Henry.

I've managed to build up a nice pump action rimfire armory of my own. A Rossi 62 clone of the original WInchester and THREE Remington 12's. And that's fine for those of us that don't mind the risk of buying used. But it's pretty slim pickings for those that like to purchase new.

On the fun factor scale I have to say that it would be a tough call to rate the pump and lever rifles for fun. It would be a CLOSE ranking for first and second between these two for myself with bolt actions and semi autos well below.

So let's hear it from all you pump action fans. Or is it true that pump rifles simply don't have a large enough popularity base any longer?
 
I believe the pump or "gallery gun" as they were referred to way back when (at the turn of the century), was the highlight of the local Carnival or Traveling Circus. When is the last time you saw an honest to goodness "Shooting Gallery" ? That "fast action" type shooting, carried over into the field, in the tight hardwoods of the East where the levergun was king. The "pump action' caught on because it was easy to cycle the action while shouldered and maintain quick follow up shots. The pump action by design does not have the lock up strength to handle the highest "Magnum" pressures and therefore is not as desirable, as most marketing is promoting "shoot em from this county to the next" ! People want the latest, greatest, fastest round! Traditional "get in close hunting" seems to have fallen into Archery and Muzzle-loader seasons rather than modern firearm cartridge hunting seasons.
This is all purely my own opinion, and I'm sure I have offended somebody at this point! :neener:
But these are just my observations. I would love a pump gun in 358 Win or 35 Whelen :D
 
Remington still makes the 7600.

Pump actions rifles were fairly popular deer rifles when I was a kid in rural Vermont during the 80s and 90s. Anywhere the woods are thick, shorter, faster handling rifles will be more common.
 
Most folks would rather have a bolt, semi auto or lever. I know in Pa. you cannot hunt deer with a semi auto and at one time the pump was pretty popular.
 
I personally don't like them because they are a pain to cycle from any position other than standing, i.e. any position where you are resting your support side elbow on anything.
 
I never knew that pump rifles were popular. Pump shotguns, yes. Probably most people never owned one in a caliber greater than 22 rim fire.
 
henschman said:
I personally don't like them because they are a pain to cycle from any position other than standing, i.e. any position where you are resting your support side elbow on anything.
Click to expand...

I agree. I think the percentage of people that shoot from a rest risen drastically over the last few decades. I can barely stand using a lever gun from a rest, let alone a pump action.
 
RC, thanks for the link. I've never seen any in stores up this way so I must admit that I didn't go looking very hard to find any that are available as new. But after looking at the prices even from Cabela's ? ! ? ! ? ! :eek: Apparently nostalgia is EXPENSIVE ! ! ! !

Henschman, the rimfire rifles aren't bad at all. I shoot mine from prone quite often. The short stroke makes this very doable without undue gymnastics. But for a longer stroke such as needed for a center fire rifle cartridge you do have an excellent point.
 
I have one of the Remington field master pump .22's, cost me $180.

Complexity adds to cost to manufacture that adds to MSRP that reduces interest that stops production.

It may seem silly for Ruger, for example, tojump into the 1911/AR15 market where there are already tons of others that make them. However, the bean counters figured that there was more money down the beaten path than cornering the market with pump rifles. I suspect they are correct in that assumption.
 
As has been pointed out, PA does not allow hunting with semi-autos. So pump actions are still popular in PA. I took my first deer with my father-in-law's 760 in .30-06. I still have a 760 Carbine in .308 in the safe. Agree completely that pump guns are not the best from the bench, but they are great when shooting offhand or from field expedient rests.

Not the point of the thread, but it is too bad that so many restrict their shooting to bench rests. I use the bench to get sighted in, but as a hunter, spend a good bit of my practice shooting from field expedient positions. More hunters should, too.
 
Remington 760, and 7600's have been the favorite of lots of deer hunters for 50 years or so. They also make a tactical version. They come in popular modern cartridges. Also many 742 actions have been converted to 760's. I don't see many at gun shows either.
 
Legionnaire said:
Not the point of the thread, but it is too bad that so many restrict their shooting to bench rests. I use the bench to get sighted in, but as a hunter, spend a good bit of my practice shooting from field expedient positions. More hunters should, too.
Click to expand...

Urban sprawl has urbanized many shooters that used to be in the far reaches "of the county". Plus the vastly increased cost of the hunt, in places where almost all land is private land, has taken its toll as well.

I'm one of many that is a victim of both. :(
 
Understand that. While I have access to private land, there is lots of public land in PA and NY ... so much so that if you want to make the effort, it is possible to get off the beaten track.

Don't get me wrong; I do a lot of bench shooting, too ... and that is where bolt actions shine. But no plans to give up my 760 any time soon.
 
I wonder if the pump action AR will gain in popularity in some of the states with "assault weapon" bans? I saw a post somewhere recently for a conversion kit that had a sliding hand guard and a fixed rod that replaced the gas tube to cycle the action. And unless I'm mistaken at least one AR manufacturer has produced a complete rifle in pump action.
 
The only downside to a pump in a hunting rifle is that you completely disrupt your view. So does a bolt only arguably to a lesser degree. So does a semi auto only to the degree of the recoil.

I have shot pheasant for a long time with a pump and it works great. I personally prefer a bolt to a pump for a hunting rifle but with practice you could minimize your aim disruption. I have found a lever surprisingly easy to keep on target thru cycling.

It gets down to practice. With enough practice, and maybe not too much, a pump could be a great hunting rifle. For some of the great classics out there at such good prices it may not be a bad idea to try one.
 
Darn things rattle. I would not buy one unless I had to, because of stupid state hunting laws.
 
Personally?
I don't like pump shotguns & center-fire rifles.

But I have a gun cabinet half full of old Winchester .22 pump rifles.
1890's, 1906's, 62A's and such.

They are just a hoot to shoot, and more reliable then your average anvil!

As for a small game hunting rifle?
They don't get more better then that!

rc
 
I like my 760, but it's bothersome shooting from a rest. Its contours dig in and make it uncomfortable when slung over the shoulder. Lever guns and certainly bolts carry a bit easier.
 
Remington's 7615 is one of the guns on my 'wow, that's neat, kinda want to have one' list.

I see a lot of vintage pump .22s at my LGS, a lot of them chambered in .22 short only. My guess is they were old carny shooting gallery guns. I think they are fun plinkers, but I like obscure and strange, especially for plinking. Love my AR, but semi auto is kinda boring.
 
The finest .22 rifle ever made is the Browning designed Winchester Model 1890 (1906--62) rifles. About a million were made and so many go on making big smiles on faces today. By the way Henry has a nice little pump .22 that does not get enough exposure.
 
With center fires there are more negatives than positives. When you are dealing with center fire recoil there is no real advantage in the speed of repeat AIMED shots vs a bolt rifle. They are heavy, less accurate, clunky and noisy.

I sorta see the concept in a 22 and understand that at one time they were quite popular. My guess is that cost is the main reason for them being less popular in 22 caliber. A semi is simpler and cheaper to build. Most folks are going to buy a semi every time given the option, especially when it is cheaper.
 
Building a pump centerfire rifle is almost as complex (and costs almost as much) as a semiauto rifle and you don't get the advantages of a semi. Plus pumps are much harder to work quickly prone than semiauto rifles.

With rimfire, pump rifles cost more to build than blowback operated and suffer the disadvantages of requiring human operation.

BSW
 
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