Pump Rifle

[Elkeater]

I have a rem 760 pump in .30-06. It was my grandpas. Grandma bought it for him on their first wedding anniversary in 1954 I believe. It has a metal butt plate and it isn’t the most comfortable thing to shoot. Grandpa gave it to me (I was the first grandson) when I was 12. I was able to legally use a rifle for deer at 14 and I shot my first buck with that rifle that year. It’s accounted for too many whitetails for me to remember and grandpa sure put a bunch in the freezer. Growing up in the big woods of northern Michigan pumps and levers were popular.

My particular rifle will shoot 1-1.5” groups at 100 yards with factory loaded 180gr Remington corelokts. I haven’t hunted it in years but maybe the next year I’ll have to pull it out of the safe.

 

[Odinsraven]

Strange to say got to hold my first pump centrefire this last week - Excellent a 223 Rem 760 -

Absolutely pointless for Iceland with little or no practical application - but an interesting piece.

In Europe on the whole pumps are not popular either dedicaded semi auto hunting rifles or indeed by law Bolt action only.

However I could be convinced if I still shot a lot of European boar - but again a semi auto 9.3x62 dones the job very efficiently.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have my dad's 760 given to him a few days after I was born in October 1952, the first year they were marketed. I have Dad's diary recording when he received it. He gave it to me I think 1997. It didn't shoot very accurately ... until I discovered the barrel was loose! The early model 760s had sling swivel through the end cap of the slide tube (which is NOT telescoping!) ... which anchors the barrel to receiver. I suspect sling swivel movement loosened the slide tube = loosening the barrel = massively inaccurate. After tightening the tube, target groups improved significantly.

I suspect one reason these rifles sometimes suffer from inaccuracy is they lack free floating barrel. But when the 760 was made free floating barrels for consistent harmonics was virtually unknown technology (or unappreciated) The good news is it certainly appears to me that a few minutes with a Dremel tool could make my gun's barrel free floating. The bridge that "connects" the barrel with the end of the slide tube really doesn't connect anything. The slide tube and its base are very substantial construction and essentially free floating. I would use a Dremel tool grinder to put some daylight between the barrel and disfunctional tube bridge. Might require a bit of trimming in the fore end track. I see mine is just touching one one side at the end. My gun now wears synthetic because Dad cut the wood stock off for my mom.

This would NOT be my choice for a "jungle gun". I just spent a couple hours disassembling and reassembling mine for a through cleaning. Hands down that 760 is the most difficult gun of any sort that I've ever taken down and put back together (including my Browning A5 which requires certification in neurosurgery). And the 760 has COUNTLESS areas that can trap moisture and dirt. Also, properly cleaning the barrel (or any gun barrel) requires cleaning it from the breech. Cleaning from the muzzle just shoves all the crap into the chamber. The only way to clean a 760 from the chamber end (with cleaning rod anyway) requires completely disassembling the rifle. I prefer to use a shotgun brush in a drill for cleaning the chamber so I usually want the barrel removed.

This rifle goes to my daughter and her husband today (Christmas). It wears an old Weaver K4 sitting on a funky Bausch & Lomb detachable base. I've ordered an old Weaver base and new Warne QD rings. They can look for a new scope. The adjustments on this adjustable base have messed up the scope tube. Also scope sits way too high. I have to hunt for crosshairs. To find the irons with the scope off I have to peek under a crossbrace that locks the scope down.

 

[Jim Golden]

I have a Winchester Model 1897 made in 1899 pump 12 gauge. I don't have a pump rifle. I do have a Springfield M1A National Match with a Leupold 3x9-50 on it. I've dropped two deer in two seconds with it. I love my M14! Best of luck to you 760 guys....I have an old 782 autoloader but never had the pump

 

[Flbt]

I have my dad's 760 given to him a few days after I was born in October 1952, the first year they were marketed. I have Dad's diary recording when he received it. He gave it to me I think 1997. It didn't shoot very accurately ... until I discovered the barrel was loose! The early model 760s had sling swivel through the end cap of the slide tube (which is NOT telescoping!) ... which anchors the barrel to receiver. I suspect sling swivel movement loosened the slide tube = loosening the barrel = massively inaccurate. After tightening the tube, target groups improved significantly.

I suspect one reason these rifles sometimes suffer from inaccuracy is they lack free floating barrel. But when the 760 was made free floating barrels for consistent harmonics was virtually unknown technology (or unappreciated) The good news is it certainly appears to me that a few minutes with a Dremel tool could make my gun's barrel free floating. The bridge that "connects" the barrel with the end of the slide tube really doesn't connect anything. The slide tube and its base are very substantial construction and essentially free floating. I would use a Dremel tool grinder to put some daylight between the barrel and disfunctional tube bridge. Might require a bit of trimming in the fore end track. I see mine is just touching one one side at the end. My gun now wears synthetic because Dad cut the wood stock off for my mom.
View attachment 734987
View attachment 734988
This would NOT be my choice for a "jungle gun". I just spent a couple hours disassembling and reassembling mine for a through cleaning. Hands down that 760 is the most difficult gun of any sort that I've ever taken down and put back together (including my Browning A5 which requires certification in neurosurgery). And the 760 has COUNTLESS areas that can trap moisture and dirt. Also, properly cleaning the barrel (or any gun barrel) requires cleaning it from the breech. Cleaning from the muzzle just shoves all the crap into the chamber. The only way to clean a 760 from the chamber end (with cleaning rod anyway) requires completely disassembling the rifle. I prefer to use a shotgun brush in a drill for cleaning the chamber so I usually want the barrel removed.

This rifle goes to my daughter and her husband today (Christmas). It wears an old Weaver K4 sitting on a funky Bausch & Lomb detachable base. I've ordered an old Weaver base and new Warne QD rings. They can look for a new scope. The adjustments on this adjustable base have messed up the scope tube. Also scope sits way too high. I have to hunt for crosshairs. To find the irons with the scope off I have to peek under a crossbrace that locks the scope down.

I do not recommend this.
But for here your over thinking the cleaning.
Can brake cleaner spray through the action and the rem spray rem oil after.
Seriously have seen all kinds of leaver action and pumps clean that way.

 

[Scott CWO]

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

Back to the original question. Yes, I think it would work well in the jungle for bongo, forest sitatunga, GFH and YBD if you could keep it clean. The jungle is a wet, dirty environment. Shots on bongo can be very close - five to twenty-five yards.

 

[MS 9x56]

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

Works pretty well in mountain laurel thickets. Should be good in the jungle.

 

[MS 9x56]

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?

Not that I have ever seen.