Centerfire pump action rifle considerations

[Bassics]

I'm kind of wanting a pump rifle. No real reason except I don't have one. Under consideration:

Taurus thunderbolt 45LC. I like the round except I don't think I would like the stock or the lack of aftermarket customization options. On the one hand the least likely candidate on the other perhaps the most likely.

Rem 7600 in 243, 270 or (leaning towards) 308 (nickel and synthetic for me).

Rem 7615P in 223 (not a caliber I am interested in really but this uses Pmags)

Browning BPR, but not real likely from the prices I've seen

Any thoughts on this pool of choices? Are there any others in this budget range? I don't have a rifled slug gun and that is a possibility, as is a towner 500 (if they were cheaper).

[Zippo]

From personal experience I can tell you I had a Remington 760 in 270 and that was the worst felt recoil I've ever experienced in any firearm in that caliber. Just my .02 worth

[Bassics]

That's definitely a concern for me. a few weeks ago I fired my dad's krag and due to stupidity I did not nest the butt right and felt it for a couple days. And that isn't a hard kicker.

[Zippo]

That's definitely a concern for me. a few weeks ago I fired my dad's krag and due to stupidity I did not nest the butt right and felt it for a couple days. And that isn't a hard kicker.

In 243 it may be ok, but I personally wouldn't consider it in 270 or 308, I have a 7mm mag that doesn't come close to what that old 270 felt like. Maybe the stock design was to straight or whatever, but it honestly hurt to shoot it.

[Bassics]

so taking a chopsaw to the barrel and butt (in the event of a zombie apocolypse of course) would be strictly a hollywood move....



Seriously, good info, I didn't think about the felt recoil much other than assuming 308 would be stouter than the rest. One of the reasons I like handguns, no (or little) real felt recoil in the right designs.

[Baron Von Crowder]

In 243 it may be ok, but I personally wouldn't consider it in 270 or 308, I have a 7mm mag that doesn't come close to what that old 270 felt like. Maybe the stock design was to straight or whatever, but it honestly hurt to shoot it.

I have a rem700 in 243 and it will beat my shoulder up pretty good, after a dozen shots my shoulder looks pretty rough.

[ceyko]

I'm a Browning fan and the pump 30-06 if fiddled with from Rem just did not feel too good.

I know you've probably already thought of this and did not ask my opinion - but I had a hard on for a pump 30-06. I shot one a lot in PA that my Dad's best friend had. To me it was a cool concept and a few months ago I had my mind made up to buy one. It occurred to me that whether in the TX dust, northern ice/snow/rain or whatever - the weapon is just that more complicated to f' with and clean. So, I quit looking at them and got another bolt.

Just wanted to throw it out there. They are cool as hell though in my opinion.

[DallasSleeper]

My Dad has the 760 in 30-06 and I sold mine in 270. Some great shooting rifles. Mine was my first deer rifle and I honestly do not remember recoil being that bad.

[Bassics]

I'm a Browning fan and the pump 30-06 if fiddled with from Rem just did not feel too good.

I know you've probably already thought of this and did not ask my opinion - but I had a hard on for a pump 30-06. I shot one a lot in PA that my Dad's best friend had. To me it was a cool concept and a few months ago I had my mind made up to buy one. It occurred to me that whether in the TX dust, northern ice/snow/rain or whatever - the weapon is just that more complicated to f' with and clean. So, I quit looking at them and got another bolt.

Just wanted to throw it out there. They are cool as hell though in my opinion.

That actually is a concern; I believe the rem can't be disassembled without removinbg the barrel, not sure about the BPR.

And 30-06 is not out of the question. No centerfire caliber is really, although 223 doesn't seem useful to me especially out of a short barrel.

And yeah something about the coolness factor for me too.

[CJ]

pump action rifle... I've never seen one before, would be interesting to see one. I would imagine looking through a scope and then pumping a rifle would be rather peculiar.

[Sleeper]

Friend has a pump .243 He loves it for some reason.

[Bassics]

pump action rifle... I've never seen one before, would be interesting to see one. I would imagine looking through a scope and then pumping a rifle would be rather peculiar.

The marketing angle is that they are a natural transition for wingshooters who move from a 12g to a rifle, and I think they are most popular in PA where semiautos are not legal.

The same angle is used to sell the 7615P to LEO armories with the idea being that qualifying is no different than with the issue pump 12g. That one is kind of neat as it is a 223 in carbine length and takes STANAG NATO magazines. I've heard of some minor issues with them though, and really I don't think a 223 in a 16" barrel exploits any of the round's limited hunting potential. Cool though.

The Lightning (not thunderbolt as I originally wrote) is a tube feed in 45LC that dates back to the 19th century, it was Colt's answer to winchester's leverguns at the time. Some CAS people swear by them, others have said the pump action doesn't translate into the higher scores that you would expect; I don't shoot CAS so that isn't on my short list. (Edit: correction, the Thunderbolt is the odern Taurus reproduction, sorry my bad)

There is also a towner model tube feed in 500S&W, they were made in Lubbock, and I think an improved version was made after they moved to Arizona, but I don't see any for sale. I'm thinking a rifled slug gun in 12g would be comparable, if not as cool.

And back in the 60s and 70s i think everyone had one of those slide action 22s, those really are nice but pretty collectible these days.

Also just found references to the timberwolf, IMI made them, 44 mag and 357 mag, but there again I don't think I want a tube feed anything nor a pistol caliber rifle.