Pump Rifle

[atrious]

I have a 760 in .270 that I picked up cheap. I've just got peep sights on it but it shoots pretty well. Someday I'll get around to putting an actual recoil pad on it.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have a 760 in .270 that I picked up cheap. I've just got peep sights on it but it shoots pretty well. Someday I'll get around to putting an actual recoil pad on it.

I will buy that stock if you want to sell it. Very hard to find those old 760 rifles with original metal butt plate and "corncob" fore end. I'd love to restore my dad's 1952 Remington 760 that he chopped off short and added a recoil pad for my mother.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

I have met many who claim such, but have never seen the target to prove such.

This was over 20 years ago, I don't have the targets, but I remember zeroing rifles for people at our gun clubs hunter sight in day. I shot several 7600s zeroing for people that shot 1" groups, some a bit smaller. They are not bench rest rifles, but more than accurate enough for hunting! Don't count them out for hunting.

 

[LWPhunt]

Lot's already said, my add is when I bought my pump 760 50 years ago, the gunsmith said hunt with what you use regularly, at the time a pump shotgun as well. I for certain could shoot faster than an auto could with decent accuracy and never felt that I was anything but 1" MOA at 100 with practically any factory ammo. Still love the gun, but like most, sucked into the bolt world. Cheers

 

[roklok]

To Ontario Hunter's point, yes, there are a few items to be careful of when and if disassembly is required. The cam pins, particularly the small one on the backside, can and do fall out when the barrel, forend assembly and bolt assembly are removed. Not a big deal if you know to watch for it and are not in the muddy trenches so to speak. I have a 760 set up as a switch barrel with 30-06 and .35 Whelen barrels, so regularly pull it apart. I do not feel it is a overly complicated or troublesome mechanism, though it is certainly more so than a bolt action. I have not had the magazine latch spring part ways with the trigger group, though I am sure it is possible.

I grew up in Pennsylvania around large quantities of the 760s, and 7600s, and I doubt if more than a few had EVER been disassembled. They tend to work even when neglected, and I saw a lot that were neglected, just another tool for the farmers, loggers, or weekend warriors that carried them. The action is fairly well sealed against the elements when closed. The locking lugs and their recess in the barrel can be cleaned to some degree through the ejection port and magazine opening.

The issues I have seen: The later 760s and 7600 (SIX and 76 as well) have a "rubber" O ring in the action tube assembly that can dry out and stick or break. I prefer the older 760s with a full length action tube without the O Ring. Here is a video I made showing how to lubricate the O-ring.

As Ontario Hunter stated, a loose action tube will cause accuracy issues, particularly if scoped.

The magazines can cause some issues, the feed lips may require a bit of tweaking. The older all steel magazines are better than the later production with plastic bottom. Care must be taken that the magazine is properly seated, if it is not it will cause malfunctions or fall out and get lost.

Improperly resized ammunition can and will also cause issues as these rifles do not have the camming and extraction power of a bolt action. Factory ammo is rarely an issue, but care is warranted with handloads. Small base dies are a good idea.

I have also seen a group of hunters, the majority of which carrying 760s, return to their pickup trucks, unload rifles as required by law, start another hunt in a different section of mountain and mistakenly grab each others magazines laying about the truck in a different chambering.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

To Ontario Hunter's point, yes, there are a few items to be careful of when and if disassembly is required. The cam pins, particularly the small one on the backside, can and do fall out when the barrel, forend assembly and bolt assembly are removed. Not a big deal if you know to watch for it and are not in the muddy trenches so to speak. I have a 760 set up as a switch barrel with 30-06 and .35 Whelen barrels, so regularly pull it apart. I do not feel it is a overly complicated or troublesome mechanism, though it is certainly more so than a bolt action. I have not had the magazine latch spring part ways with the trigger group, though I am sure it is possible.

I grew up in Pennsylvania around large quantities of the 760s, and 7600s, and I doubt if more than a few had EVER been disassembled. They tend to work even when neglected, and I saw a lot that were neglected, just another tool for the farmers, loggers, or weekend warriors that carried them. The action is fairly well sealed against the elements when closed. The locking lugs and their recess in the barrel can be cleaned to some degree through the ejection port and magazine opening.

The issues I have seen: The later 760s and 7600 (SIX and 76 as well) have a "rubber" O ring in the action tube assembly that can dry out and stick or break. I prefer the older 760s with a full length action tube without the O Ring. Here is a video I made showing how to lubricate the O-ring.

As Ontario Hunter stated, a loose action tube will cause accuracy issues, particularly if scoped.

The magazines can cause some issues, the feed lips may require a bit of tweaking. The older all steel magazines are better than the later production with plastic bottom. Care must be taken that the magazine is properly seated, if it is not it will cause malfunctions or fall out and get lost.

Improperly resized ammunition can and will also cause issues as these rifles do not have the camming and extraction power of a bolt action. Factory ammo is rarely an issue, but care is warranted with handloads. Small base dies are a good idea.

I have also seen a group of hunters, the majority of which carrying 760s, return to their pickup trucks, unload rifles as required by law, start another hunt in a different section of mountain and mistakenly grab each others magazines laying about the truck in a different chambering.

Interesting. I did not know Remington switched to the "telescoping" slide system in later model 760 and the 7600. Besides "fixing" the noisy slide issue, I suspect it might have helped with accuracy by making the barrel essentially free floating ... if the fore end didn't touch the barrel. And it doesn't appear it did. My older 1952 760 now wears 760/7600 aftermarket plastic and there is plenty of clearance between fore end and barrel. As to noisy slide issue, it never was an issue for me when hunting. The rifle was either slung on my shoulder when tracking or in my hands during final stalk. Any potential rattle was muffled by my body or my left hand. The bigger problem was the sling on my 760 making noise. During the final approach with my Springfield, I tuck the sling between my left palm and fore end to keep sling from swinging. Swinging sling swivels can rattle and squeek (if not properly greased - forget about oiling swivels - it doesn't last). Sling also can make noise rubbing against frosty clothes or getting caught in brush. But with 760 the sling cannot be tucked under my left hand because that hand needs to be free to work the slide.

Curious about your thoughts on making my early model 760's barrel free floating by carving back some of the bridge/brace at the end of its stationary slide tube ... that does not appear to actually provide any real support to either the tube or barrel.

 

[coyote wacker]

Up here in Michigan been around 760-7600 since the late 60's. They might not be the most accurate gun made but if kept clean will put meat on the table. About the worst thing about them is not that good of a trigger. For a person that has a pump shotgun its just second nature working that second or third shot in thick cover that I grew up hunting in.
I was sort of hoping Remington-Ruger would start producing a new version of the 7600. For the still hunter theres never been a better rifle made.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

To Ontario Hunter's point, yes, there are a few items to be careful of when and if disassembly is required. The cam pins, particularly the small one on the backside, can and do fall out when the barrel, forend assembly and bolt assembly are removed. Not a big deal if you know to watch for it and are not in the muddy trenches so to speak. I have a 760 set up as a switch barrel with 30-06 and .35 Whelen barrels, so regularly pull it apart. I do not feel it is a overly complicated or troublesome mechanism, though it is certainly more so than a bolt action. I have not had the magazine latch spring part ways with the trigger group, though I am sure it is possible.

I grew up in Pennsylvania around large quantities of the 760s, and 7600s, and I doubt if more than a few had EVER been disassembled. They tend to work even when neglected, and I saw a lot that were neglected, just another tool for the farmers, loggers, or weekend warriors that carried them. The action is fairly well sealed against the elements when closed. The locking lugs and their recess in the barrel can be cleaned to some degree through the ejection port and magazine opening.

The issues I have seen: The later 760s and 7600 (SIX and 76 as well) have a "rubber" O ring in the action tube assembly that can dry out and stick or break. I prefer the older 760s with a full length action tube without the O Ring. Here is a video I made showing how to lubricate the O-ring.

As Ontario Hunter stated, a loose action tube will cause accuracy issues, particularly if scoped.

The magazines can cause some issues, the feed lips may require a bit of tweaking. The older all steel magazines are better than the later production with plastic bottom. Care must be taken that the magazine is properly seated, if it is not it will cause malfunctions or fall out and get lost.

Improperly resized ammunition can and will also cause issues as these rifles do not have the camming and extraction power of a bolt action. Factory ammo is rarely an issue, but care is warranted with handloads. Small base dies are a good idea.

I have also seen a group of hunters, the majority of which carrying 760s, return to their pickup trucks, unload rifles as required by law, start another hunt in a different section of mountain and mistakenly grab each others magazines laying about the truck in a different chambering.

When removing the trigger group for cleaning, one must be VERY careful that the magazine retaining lever on the side of the assembly isn't pushed or caught on something. It just sits freely on its pivot. If pushed/knocked off the pivot, the spring flies off to parts unknown. This is very easy to do without knowing it even happened. The trigger group is reassembled and then when attempt to load it in the field there's nothing to keep the magazine locked in the gun! Make that first shot count ... because it's all you've got! Perhaps this issue was addressed in later models? Should have been an easy fix making a keyway in the lever and a key on the end of the pivot shaft so lever cannot remove itself unintentionally.

 

[roklok]

That "bridge" (I can't remember what Remington called it) on the front of the early action tube is non-essential. It need not contact the barrel. I believe its main purpose is to keep debris and branches from getting between the barrel and action tube, a carry over from the 14 and 141 pump rifles with tubular magazines. I imagine if the barrel or action tube were out of spec it could be essential for maintaining proper spacing and clearance between the parts, but I have seen 760s with this part missing. Here you can see the analogous part on a Remington 14. On a 14 or 141 it does not touch the barrel, but close.

 

[MS 9x56]

This was over 20 years ago, I don't have the targets, but I remember zeroing rifles for people at our gun clubs hunter sight in day. I shot several 7600s zeroing for people that shot 1" groups, some a bit smaller. They are not bench rest rifles, but more than accurate enough for hunting! Don't count them out for hunting.

At 100 yards?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

To Ontario Hunter's point, yes, there are a few items to be careful of when and if disassembly is required. The cam pins, particularly the small one on the backside, can and do fall out when the barrel, forend assembly and bolt assembly are removed. Not a big deal if you know to watch for it and are not in the muddy trenches so to speak. I have a 760 set up as a switch barrel with 30-06 and .35 Whelen barrels, so regularly pull it apart. I do not feel it is a overly complicated or troublesome mechanism, though it is certainly more so than a bolt action. I have not had the magazine latch spring part ways with the trigger group, though I am sure it is possible.

I grew up in Pennsylvania around large quantities of the 760s, and 7600s, and I doubt if more than a few had EVER been disassembled. They tend to work even when neglected, and I saw a lot that were neglected, just another tool for the farmers, loggers, or weekend warriors that carried them. The action is fairly well sealed against the elements when closed. The locking lugs and their recess in the barrel can be cleaned to some degree through the ejection port and magazine opening.

The issues I have seen: The later 760s and 7600 (SIX and 76 as well) have a "rubber" O ring in the action tube assembly that can dry out and stick or break. I prefer the older 760s with a full length action tube without the O Ring. Here is a video I made showing how to lubricate the O-ring.

As Ontario Hunter stated, a loose action tube will cause accuracy issues, particularly if scoped.

The magazines can cause some issues, the feed lips may require a bit of tweaking. The older all steel magazines are better than the later production with plastic bottom. Care must be taken that the magazine is properly seated, if it is not it will cause malfunctions or fall out and get lost.

Improperly resized ammunition can and will also cause issues as these rifles do not have the camming and extraction power of a bolt action. Factory ammo is rarely an issue, but care is warranted with handloads. Small base dies are a good idea.

I have also seen a group of hunters, the majority of which carrying 760s, return to their pickup trucks, unload rifles as required by law, start another hunt in a different section of mountain and mistakenly grab each others magazines laying about the truck in a different chambering.

I lost the original magazine for my 760 (fell out in the field ... not uncommon) and had to replace it with a new plastic bottom plate model. It does not like that old gun! I have tried tweaking it but that magazine simply will not push in. The locking lever must be unlocked before the magazine can be inserted and locked. A nuisance but probably not a bad thing. Ensures the box is actually locked in place. Definitely a hindrance for fast reloading but if fast reloading is required, the "hunter" is probably just wasting ammo or animal. Give it up and go home!

I presume the plastic bottom plates on those new model magazines are removable for cleaning but danged if I can figure out how. Can you help?

 

[roklok]

I don't know about removing the baseplate on the newer mags. I don't use them, make a point to buy the older all steel mags when I can find them without paying an arm and a leg.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

At 100 yards?

Yes at 100yds.

 

[Rafiki]

I would think a pump in a decent DG caliber would be great!

 

[jruby]

I have a .270 model 7600 and its a tack driver. Very nice, very practical rifles.

Mine is as well. I inherited a 7600 BDL in 270 win from a close friend, my old gunsmith. He passed 10/11/2024. I think it is an excellent rifles for deer hunting and hope to use it someday. The OEM magazines are getting hard to find and thier prices are going up.

 

[Betterinthebush]

I consulted @Hunter-Habib and told him my hunt plans. Told him everything. He was so gracious and forthcoming and complimentary, and went to lengths to help me with specific loads and what to expect. It was truly an honor to take in wisdom from a successful and experienced hunter of his stature.

Fellas, it’s none of my business what you do, but, if you’re not reaching out to the guys that have gone before you.., why are you here?

Listen to wisdom. Learn from your elders. You’ll get to pass it on to posterity.

 

[jduckhunter]

The first gun I ever bought was a 760 in 30-06. I bought it from a friend's grandfather who was unfortunately going blind. It was 1971 and he had bought it in 1965, it was in like new condition, and he was asking $150 for it. When I went to pick it up, he threw in a spare magazine, 2 boxes of bullets and a carrying case. I was one proud young gun owner! That gun was my primary all around big game rifle until 1988 when I bought my first bolt action 30-06 rifle. With handloads she was almost a tack driver and got better after I filed down the piece between the barrel and the slide tube to relieve the pressure on the barrel. When I took it to Alaska for a Dahl sheep hunt in the mid 80's I darn near got laughed out of camp. The guys up there had never seen one before and were certain that it wouldn't work but work it did. I got a ram the first day up on the mountain and a few days later one of the other fellows in camp ate a lot of crow after falling and breaking the scope on his rifle and asking me to borrow mine. He also got a ram the next day with my old pump gun. I still have that old gun and once in a while I'll get her out for a quick deer hunt and she never disappoints.
As far as using it for a jungle gun, I would say probably not. There are a lot of better choices.

 

[Flbt]

The first gun I ever bought was a 760 in 30-06. I bought it from a friend's grandfather who was unfortunately going blind. It was 1971 and he had bought it in 1965, it was in like new condition, and he was asking $150 for it. When I went to pick it up, he threw in a spare magazine, 2 boxes of bullets and a carrying case. I was one proud young gun owner! That gun was my primary all around big game rifle until 1988 when I bought my first bolt action 30-06 rifle. With handloads she was almost a tack driver and got better after I filed down the piece between the barrel and the slide tube to relieve the pressure on the barrel. When I took it to Alaska for a Dahl sheep hunt in the mid 80's I darn near got laughed out of camp. The guys up there had never seen one before and were certain that it wouldn't work but work it did. I got a ram the first day up on the mountain and a few days later one of the other fellows in camp ate a lot of crow after falling and breaking the scope on his rifle and asking me to borrow mine. He also got a ram the next day with my old pump gun. I still have that old gun and once in a while I'll get her out for a quick deer hunt and she never disappoints.
As far as using it for a jungle gun, I would say probably not. There are a lot of better choices.

I don’t see a reason not to use it as a jungle gun.
They are popular or were in fl especially down around Arkida and the swamps there are not much difference than a jungle. Up in the panhandle one of the wma is used for jungle training.
I knew quite a. Few that used them for bear hunting that was Oct. in fl. Hot and wet humid

 

[MS 9x56]

The Remington pump rifles were designed for fast shooting in heavy terrain and are excellent at such hunting. They were not designed as target rifles and are perfectly adept at the purpose they were designed for. The 760 and 7600 series were improved versions of the original model 14 and 141 with more cartridge choices. I love my model 14 and still use it for its designed purpose.

 

[steve white]

My nephew has his Paw-Paw's model 14 in 35 Rem. He plans to be buried with it. Any mention of how many deer it has killed would probably mathematically prove a poaching history as well.
Great woods gun, and the 35 just slams things to the ground. I think it would do the same for humans in combat, much like the greater frontal area of any 45.