Pump Rifle

[Kharn]

Thoughts on a synthetic short barrel .30-06 pump action as a dedicated 'Jungle Gun'?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I’m down for it. Pump action rifles are pretty nice.

 

[Woolley Bugger]

I’ve always been interested in them as a lefty but have the conception that they wouldn’t be as accurate as a bolt action. Is there such thing as a sub-MOA pump?

 

[ZG47]

I’ve always been interested in them as a lefty but have the conception that they wouldn’t be as accurate as a bolt action. Is there such thing as a sub-MOA pump?

You won’t be shooting bunnies in the head @200 yards with it! Context is everything. Two to three minutes of angle was plenty for annual qualification shoots with our military rifles. Soldiers are smaller targets than most of the game that you would be hunting.

That being said, the most important thing to do, is:
make sure that the barrel can expand without trying to drag the hanger for the pump mechanism along with it, in the same way that the tubular magazine mounts for lever-action rifles have to be made or modified; to allow for heat expansion of the barrel.

A rifle barrel will always expand in line with its axis, as it heats up. That is why the barrels on the Gewehr 98, the Kar98, etcetera are machined with parallel surfaces that step down, in a carefully determined manner, instead of being tapered. It is easy to machine a full-length stock channel for such a barrel.

Try one out, see if you like it. Any gunsmith fettling would be minimal.

 

[Bandera]

I have my Grandfather’s Remington 760 in 30-06.
It has been hunted a bunch. From tree stands to stalking through the thickets.

I think the short barreled pump for a jungle gun would be the ticket.

I may have to break the 760 out this deer season.

 

[gillettehunter]

My dad had a 760 in 30-06. One of the few things that didn't show up when dividing the estate. I used it a couple of times. He told me once " it doesn't shoot well on paper, but it gets the meat". As a "jungle" gun it should be great. My dads probably grouped 3 MOA on a good day. Very fast for follow-up shots. Bruce

 

[rookhawk]

Those Remington 760s were "can't give 'em away" status about 20 years ago. There is a storied family from Maine, USA that wrote a book about how they hunted deer called "The Benoit Way" and that is the only weapon they use.

Now Rem 760s go for huge money in the USA, and 2x of Huge Money in New England.

To be accurate about their utility, New England is very small pieces of land and small forests where most shots are 35-50 yards. Pump rifles probably have their best utility under their conditions.

 

[Altitude sickness]

The 760 carbine is a coveted rifle in many northern “big woods” hunting circles. The guys that Still Hunt and get on a track and track an individual deer have always loved those rifles.

It’s misfit brother the semi auto jamomatic never quite cut it

 

[Boyd Brooks]

My buddy has 2 Remington 760’s in 35 Whelen, a short barrel and a long barrel. They shoot sub 2” at a hundred yards. Great all weather moose rifle. If you hunt birds with a pump shotgun a pump rifle can be just as easy.

 

[mark-hunter]

Not my cup of tea, but will follow this. Maybe I will learn something.

My guess, it is not in maimstream interest, thus not priduced so often.
Only few models available.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

I have shot several of the Rem 760s the newer ones have a free floated bbl & the ones I have shot were shooting 1" 3 shot groups at 100yds. I wouldn't hesitate to use one.

 

[schmijar]

I don't know as much about jungle.guns as I do north woods guns. But I've got one on my lap as I type this

 

[Nosler guy]

My dad was an old time gunsmith, custom loader who worked up and loaded for dozens of other guys, center fire pump guns. More repairs, headaches and pie plate sized groups than all the other actions put together. Couldn't even fathom taking one across the big pond to the dark continent ... just my two bits.

 

[CurtisDees]

My dad shot one for years killed tons of deer and javelina and a dessert big horn sheep i am 63 he only shot this rifle for big game he laughed at me when I bought a bolt action it's still in the family

 

[7x57Joe]

I had a friend who used a 760 in 6mm Remington for deer and he killed several deer with it every year. Since he was color-blind and couldn't follow a blood trail, he head shot them and didn't seem to have a problem with accuracy.

 

[roklok]

The 760s and 7600s can be accurate rifles. They can also be disappointing accuracy wise. The barrel is slip fit into receiver and if the tolerances are loose it can cause issues. They are not the easiest rifle to shoot tiny groups from sandbags, with the moving forend. It is entirely possible to have one shoot sub MOA, but a more realistic expectation is 1.5-2 MOA with ammunition they like. They are dependable with factory ammunition or properly prepared handloads, may take a bit of magazine lip tweaking to achieve dependability. I have two 7600s and one 760, my 760 is a switch barrel with 30-06 and .35 Whelen barrels. A very hard rifle to beat as a practical hunting rifle for the woods, but not limited to close shots if you have an accurate one. They are extremely popular in the NE US, and Pennsylvania in particular. Here is my 7600 Carbine in 30-06 and two three shot groups fired at 212 yards. You can see one is under MOA, and the other is maybe a bit over MOA (the lines on target are spaced at an inch). This is with a 7x scope and random factory load. So quite acceptable accuracy wise.

 

[Tgood1]

My 7600 .35 whelen easily shoots 1" or a tad better at 100 yards. Fun gun to hunt with

 

[Flbt]

Thoughts on a synthetic short barrel .30-06 pump action as a dedicated 'Jungle Gun'? View attachment 728168

I knew a guy that used a pump carbine in 30-06 as his bear rifle.
He said it was faster than a bolt more reliable than a auto and stronger than a leaver action ( mostly 30-30 and 35r at that time) going on hand and knees in bear/hog paths in the swamp
He like the rem 220 gr loads.

 

[Flbt]

I had one in 358 I sold it after I got the blr in it.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

A tip for those using a 760 particularly a .30-06 or .308: use a small base sizing die & a lot of problems are avoided.