[cvc944]

Of all the action types available, pump action rifles are the ones I've seen the fewest of while hunting. I don't know why people choose to hunt with a pump, because I've never met more than a handful who use one. I did have an uncle who used one for many years and did well with it. His only reason for using it was "Because I like it." - surely all the reason anyone needs, but I would be interested in knowing why you other slide guys use yours.

 

[shane256]

My dad loves his Remington Model 760 in .35 Remington. He had one he bought back when they came out brand new (1963, IIRC). It got stolen in the early 1990s and wasn't found so he bought another one. That's pretty much all he uses. As far as I know, he likes it because he can shoot it very smoothly and fast (about as fast as a semi-auto when shooting for accuracy) and a pump is pretty reliable... if something like a jam does happen, it's not hard to fix.

I owned a Model 7600 in .30-06 (got stolen at the same time as his 760) and I loved it. Those were my reasons. I had previously owned a Model 742 in .30-06 that had the ejector problem which caused stovepipes just about every shot (effectively a single shot rifle) and it was annoying.

 

[slim 60]

when i think pump ..i cant help but think ists misnamed.. the guns power
doesn t depend on the ammt of pumps.. i know the action is a forward an back action similar to a pumps action.. but it just seems like back an forth action or something,,might be better.. now the only pump i have is a 20 ga shotgun.. so don t be annoyed at my observation.. ignorance is bliss.. im blistered.. slim

 

[big dan]

in my mind the remingtons are quite accurate and i think that a lot of the people that have them are probably 870 owners. speed and ease of cycling is certainly a plus, not to mention the fact that in tight quarters the only action that would be simpler to use would be an autoloader. i've got my eye on one in Belle Fourche, SD in '06... it shows a lot of use but the price is right and i've wanted to play with one.

 

[kdub]

My understanding is folks in your neck of the woods aren't allowed to hunt with semi-auto's, so the choice is either bolt, lever or slide. Apologies to those with single-shot break actions. According to those with the slide actions, they considered them faster on the second following shot than the bolt or lever guns. In the normal heavy cover of most Pennsyltucky country, the second shot is a desired item.

 

[Tnhunter]

Not that it matters (it really doesn't) but the 760 in .35 Rem premiered in 1952, I believe. I have a first year production that's still a really nice rifle. I think Pa. is the only state that doesn't allow semi-autos for big game hunting, so pump actions are popular there(and likely the only reason they are still even made). It still surprises me that as many people that use a pump shotgun, it doesn't transfer over to their likes in a big game rifle. Seems odd to me.

 

[New-2-Levers]

Not that it matters (it really doesn't) but the 760 in .35 Rem premiered in 1952, I believe. I have a first year production that's still a really nice rifle. I think Pa. is the only state that doesn't allow semi-autos for big game hunting, so pump actions are popular there(and likely the only reason they are still even made). It still surprises me that as many people that use a pump shotgun, it doesn't transfer over to their likes in a big game rifle. Seems odd to me.

I still want a Remington 141 in .35 Remington. My friend's father hunts with one in .30 Remington, essentially the equal of the .30-30, and the gun is famous in his neck of the woods for how many animals it has dropped.

 

[shane256]

Not that it matters (it really doesn't) but the 760 in .35 Rem premiered in 1952, I believe. I have a first year production that's still a really nice rifle. I think Pa. is the only state that doesn't allow semi-autos for big game hunting, so pump actions are popular there(and likely the only reason they are still even made). It still surprises me that as many people that use a pump shotgun, it doesn't transfer over to their likes in a big game rifle. Seems odd to me.

Ah, cool. I hadn't heard of them being that early.

 

[hillestadj]

Pump actions are real slick when you need a fast follow up shot. I know several guys that use 7600's in .30-06 as their drive guns. That said, for me anyway, 7600's point just about as good as a 2x4 and I dont really find the open sights on them to be that great. I once passed up a NIB BPR (Browning Pump Rifle) and regret it somewhat. For those who arent familiar with them working the action was a bit different than what most pump gunners are used to. Instead of sliding straight back and forth the forearm cams down and back towards the reciever.

 

[Jakeway]

I grew up in Soutern Michigan, where centerfire rifles aren't allowed for deer hunting at all. So we used the same shotgun for squirrels, ****, pheasants, ducks, and deer when we hunted near home. The only time we'd shoot a centerfire rifle was Openning weekend of deer season, when we went North to the rifle zone.

Since the pump shot gun in general was the most popular, and the Remongton 870 was the most popular pump shotgun, many guys just liked the Remington pump rifle because it felt so familiar.

 

[leverite]

Not that it matters (it really doesn't) but the 760 in .35 Rem premiered in 1952, I believe. I have a first year production that's still a really nice rifle. I think Pa. is the only state that doesn't allow semi-autos for big game hunting, so pump actions are popular there(and likely the only reason they are still even made). It still surprises me that as many people that use a pump shotgun, it doesn't transfer over to their likes in a big game rifle. Seems odd to me.

Aren't they aka "the Pennsylvania Machine Gun"?

I have a 760 in 358 Win and a 7600...light, well balanced and quick to the shoulder. Love my 30-06 carbine.

 

[Tnhunter]

Of course, the biggest proponents of the classic 760 30/06 Carbine are the famous and very talented Benoit family. Their exploits in the northern New England (and Canadian) woods with their 760 '06 Carbines have fueled several books worth of stories about them taking monster bucks with them. The bucks in this area are NOT called big because of their racks, but instead, because of their weight. Maine has a "Big Bucks Club" whose membership would not be guaranteed by a 160 B&C buck, but ONLY by a buck whose certified weight was at least 200 lbs (dressed) on certified scales. In six or seven seasons of hard hunting I was lucky enough to bag one that made the grade. I feel very fortunate, believe me.

The books, written by Larry Benoit and also gunwriter Bryce Towsley, are like instruction manuals as to how tracking whitetails through endless tracts of woods can lead to huge bucks. It's a lot more work than you could believe, but simply great when you read about it. I can promise no disappointment, if you buy and read one of these books. I think the original was titled: "How to Shoot the Biggest Buck of Your life".

http://www.wildernesstrader.com/Benoit Info/benoit_remington_commemorative.htm

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=i:stripbooks,p_27:Bryce Towsley&field-author=Bryce Towsley&page=1

I've always thought that a .35 Rem rechambered to .358 would be a great rifle. Mr. Towsley has had a couple, he rechambered to .35 Whelen! (obviously before Remington started chambering one).

 

[mattsbox99]

I also really love the old Remington 41/141s. Used Remington 760s/7600s are super cheap around here, they normally go for $300 or less.

 

[Perferator]

I like my Savage 170 in 30-30

 

[nimrod375]

You see some shooters using them out here now that auto's are a thing of the past. With a 10 shot magazine they offer decent, quick firepower, bearing in mind that much of our game such as pigs are feral and there are no bag limits, in fact the right thing to do is shoot as many as you can. The Remington 7600's are exhibiting good accuracy too, although the triggers are a bit lousy.

I prefer a traditionally styled lever action, but that's just me. I find pumps are a bit rattly when stalking.

 

[leverite]

You see some shooters using them out here now that auto's are a thing of the past. With a 10 shot magazine they offer decent, quick firepower, bearing in mind that much of our game such as pigs are feral and there are no bag limits, in fact the right thing to do is shoot as many as you can. The Remington 7600's are exhibiting good accuracy too, although the triggers are a bit lousy.

I prefer a traditionally styled lever action, but that's just me. I find pumps are a bit rattly when stalking.

The triggers are easy to make OK...not great. I hear ya on the rattle.

 

[ruger700]

I grew up using a Remington 870 for duck, dove, rabbit and squirrel hunting. When deer hunting became an option; the 7600 was a natural choiice since it is based on the 870. It works great and is very accurate.

 

[broom_jm]

I guess it all depends on what you grew up using, but the guys who are used to pump shotguns would be making an easy transition to a pump-action rifle. I don't think I fired a pump gun of any kind until my early 20's when a buddy invited me to go duck hunting with him. I bought a Mossberg 500 and have used it to learn all sorts of new cuss words while missing everything from quail to goose. I have never gotten used to cycling the action automatically, despite shooting more than a few rounds of trap with it and it has always felt awkward, in my hands. I much prefer a semi-auto, O/U or single-shot.

Also, the bolt-action rifles I grew up using, both 22LR and the bigger center-fire stuff, were just so accurate, I couldn't imagine sacrificing that for a faster follow-up shot. In fact, I must confess to only taking one rapid 2nd shot in 25 years of hunting. I was 16 years-old that fall and was shaking like a leaf when a giant of a buck (that's how I remember it!) stepped out at less than 100 yards. I proceeded to miss that deer four times and if I'd had a pump or semi-auto, I would have missed him twice as many times!

I think the reason the majority of big-game hunters these days use a bolt-action is the same reason you see so many break-action single-shots being used by the TV hunters...the only shot that matters, 99% of the time, is the first one. I suppose it has to do with HOW a person hunts, and certainly still-hunting does lend itself to shorter guns with faster follow-up shots, but few people have enough land available to them to hunt that way. Also, it is more effective to hunt white-tailed deer, our most common quarry, from some kind of stand than by trying to sneak up on 'em. That makes for shooting opportunities where the first shot can be carefully placed, greatly reducing the need for a second shot.

 

[Chief RID]

I love my 760 30.06 carbine. It is the most accurate rifle I own.

 

[Wazz13]

My $.02

Growing up is SW New York one of the reasons we liked to hunt deer in PA was that we NEEDED a different gun to do the job. My part of NY is still shotgun only. Like alot of people, I grew up w/ the Remington 870. So it made sence to go w/ the Rem 760/7600. I have taken several deer thru the years in PA with that gun. It still goes out w/ me today. Sure I now have a few other rifles that will do the job, bolt actions and break actions that are much better @ printing small groups on paper. But there is someting about using your "first rifle". It helps me remember why I started hunting, and who I was with.