Why Aren't Pump Action Rifles Popular?

[Ranger30-06]

I've been thinking about this, and it seems that you could have a platform that's more reliable than an AR or other semi auto, with a wider range of calibers, legal in every state, and with less components than a comparable semi-auto.


Now I know Pennsylvania loves those pump action .270's and '06's, but I'm more so talking about a pump action in short action calibers like 6.8mm, .300 Blackout, .458 SOCOM, .50 Beowulf, or pistol calibers like 10mm, .50 AE, and even little stuff like 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP.


I think the main reason the .223 Remington 7600P failed is because the caliber was too small for that rifle. Why didn't they beef it up a bit to take other calibers that fit in AR-15 magazines?

 

[rule303]

Horrible triggers, and less than stellar accuracy for one. Also the cost has risen to the point where you can buy an auto for about the same money, or a much more accurate bolt action for less.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

99% of pump actions are sloppy, inaccurate, too damn light for cartridge which makes them kick like pissed off mules, action jamming, pieces of crap. I've owned a few and couldn't get rid of them fast enough. 760 game master in .30/06 that almost kicked me out of a tree stand comes to mind here. The ONLY pump style long gun I will ever invest in again is a shotgun. Period. Lessons have been learned.

 

[TexAg]

Because Remington quality isn't that great right now. Because they're often not very innovative. Because a lot of those calibers you listed are niche calibers anyway. Because ARs are reliable. Because of rattling fore ends. Because if you want a rifle, you may as well get a rifle caliber. A lot of reasons why not. Another company could probably pull it off. Maybe Remington could fix some things. I wouldn't mind some options out there in pump rifles, but there are some obstacles.

 

[rduchateau2954]

I have a buddy that has a pump remington. I have shot it a few times. I didn't care for it but it wasn't horrible. He has never had a problem with it, but he is one of those guys who only shoot 3 rounds a year the week before deer season.

 

[leadcounsel]

Hard to get off follow up shots if you're laying prone or using a bench.

 

[critter]

I once had an old Rem 760 in .270 Win. It was very reliable and very, very accurate! The only thing I didn't like about it was that primary extraction was not very strong and that it rattled a lot which made it loud carrying it hunting.

 

[rcmodel]

It is very very unlikely a pump of any kind would be any more reliable, if as as reliable, then a properly built AR-15.
Or as accurate.

They just don't get much more reliable then that.

rc

 

[shaggy430]

I've got a 7600 in .270 that is very accurate. I like it a lot.

 

[Skylerbone]

Aside from the limited options I think many prefer a good, quiet, smooth, reliably fed lever action. Compact, lightweight and accurate so ponder why more don't offer that particular action, especially with the trash that now passes inspection at Marlin.

 

[Legionnaire]

Now I know Pennsylvania loves those pump action .270's and '06's ...

Yes, but primarily because PA does not allow hunting with semi-automatics of any type. I'm willing to bet that if PA changed the regs, there would be a flood of Remington 760s and 7600s on the used market. That said, I like my old 760 .30-06 that I inherited from my father-in-law. It is only about 2MOA accurate, but it's a workhorse. I took my first deer ever with it. But a pump's advantage is a fast follow-up shot on moving game, usually by someone who is stalking rather than sitting on stand. That's a pretty small population.

 

[jeepnik]

I blame it on Jimmy Stewart and his shooting the Revenuer!

 

[Ranger30-06]

Ok, so if someone say took a pump action rifle, smoothed out the trigger, and chambered the gun in a more intermediate caliber, do you think there would be more of an appeal? I know pumps are very accurate because of the locking system, but if the whole gun was tightened up and sold at a reasonable price, you could have a good gun or at least something to compare to a cheap entry level AR.

 

[6x6pinz]

I have used a Remington 760 in 30-06 and 270 for years. To date the 270 is the only rifle I have with a scope other than my 22's of course. My pumps have never given me any problems and work much better in the freezing rain than the semi auto have. It is amazing how fast an AR will stop working once a little water gets in and then freezes.

I really think the problem is most average hunters are worried about a follow up shot and how quick they can get it off rather than placing the first shot where it counts. One of the down falls for the pumps is there weight. The autos of today are light and for the most part reliable in most conditions. Still a good bolt action is the ultimate for hunting.

 

[Don357]

I've seen one and only one, pump action AK chambered in .223. I don't see how the thing even fired as I couldn't get the bolt/slide to lock in battery. I was told it was made especially for Kaliforistan.

 

[lowerunit411]

this reminds me is the thread about semi autos for deer and follow up shots......how many times have you taken a follow up shot?...........a bolt can be operated as fast or faster than a pump and a semi cycling aint that much hotter, but the real question is...follow up shots???? spary and pray....not my idea of hunting or marksmanship. ive made 2 in 50 years of hard core hunting.

 

[KevininPa]

Don't know about popular but........

.....they sure are fun. I have a 7615P that I got in trade and everyone loves playing with that thing. One of these days I want to get a couple of twenty rounders for it. If Remington didn't ask that ridiculous price for it when they introduced them I think it would have been more popular. Makes a good camp gun for the wife while I'm hiking around in the woods. She doesn't like the Saiga because she doesn't like to deal with thinking about the controls. And the .223 doesn't kick much in that rifle. I'm not sure about long range accuracy because I only have the ghost ring sight. Never tried 100 yard shots but I can bust clays at fifty with it. Very slick action. My buddy picked it up by the forestock and stopped sudden like,....yep, you guessed it, it racked a round. We were both surprised and all we said was "Whoa!". I heard Remington spent more time on their Police issue stuff and I believe it now. Sometimes I'm always half tempted to get rid of it but everyone has a lot of fun with it when I get it to the range so it'll probably be a keeper. One day I'll scope it and check the longer range accuracy. Wish I could find a wood stock for it.

 

[eastbank]

well here are four rem . pumps and all will do 2 inches or better with the right loads and they are not noisey. one,7600 in 3006 with 1.5x5 verix 111 leupold.two, 7600 in 260 with 2x7 leupold veri x 11. three, 7600 in 280 with 3x9 leupold veri x 11. four, 760 in 3006 with only open sights for close up brush shooting. for deer shooting we pratice shooting at a tire with a piece of cardboard put in the center and roll it down a hill in the local quarry, guess what rifle puts more holes in the cardboard in the shortest time? and the first two guesses don,t count. a bolt can be fired as fast as a pump or semi-auto, give me a break. the first thing that comes to mind is that you don,t have to take your finger off the trigger or realine your sights and you can pump as fast or as slow as you want, my four remington pumps will not jam,if pumped fast or slow,as a matter of fact when pumped slow the case is ejected forcefully out and away from the rifle. eastbank.

 

[nipprdog]

.....they sure are fun. I have a 7615P that I got in trade and everyone loves playing with that thing. One of these days I want to get a couple of twenty rounders for it. If Remington didn't ask that ridiculous price for it when they introduced them I think it would have been more popular.

Agreed. I love mine;



What's not to like? Slick action, fixed, free floated barrel, 4lb trigger, 100% reliable.

I already had plenty of mags and ammo.

Kevin, I bought 5 20 rounders from Brownells for mine. They're currently on sale for $9.99.

 

[Ranger30-06]

So the general consensus then is that if they were reasonably priced with a decent trigger and in decent calibers (aka intermediate calibers) they would be liked then, right? I totally agree about the 7615P price though; $700 was WAY too much...

 

[JHenry]

the pump grip area(not sure what you call it tbh) isnt always the sturdiest hand hold, so when your trying to line up a shot and it keeps shifting on you could be a bit of a problem.

 

[surfinUSA]

It is only about 2MOA accurate, but it's a workhorse.

Its only on the internet where the average rifle regardless of action type or caliber is more accurate than 2MOA

 

[nipprdog]

a bolt can be operated as fast or faster than a pump

 

[rule303]

There was also the original Colt Lightning, and modern copies by Beretta and Taurus. You sure don't see those setting any sales records, although they are pretty neat.

 

[R.W.Dale]

this reminds me is the thread about semi autos for deer and follow up shots......how many times have you taken a follow up shot?...........a bolt can be operated as fast or faster than a pump and a semi cycling aint that much hotter, but the real question is...follow up shots???? spary and pray....not my idea of hunting or marksmanship. ive made 2 in 50 years of hard core hunting.

Get offin yer butt in a stand or blind and hunt on your own two feet like a man in the bushes and you'll understand.

Last weeks doe that I jumped carrying my blind in got two bullets sent. Guess which one put meat on the ground? Yep it was the followup. In my case from a. 450bm ar15 carbine with an eotech.

A bolt as fast as a semi or pump..... OK keep living in that fantasy land

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