Another advantage to the pump, not covered above, is that it is equally useful for folks who shoulder the gun on the right or on the left, and it has has quicker follow-up than say a falling block, which is also ambi but only single-shot.
Deer rifle: Bolt or Pump actions
- Thread starter BryceMedeiros
- Start date
Another advantage to the pump, not covered above, is that it is equally useful for folks who shoulder the gun on the right or on the left, and it has has quicker follow-up than say a falling block, which is also ambi but only single-shot.
I use both. For pushing and strolling I use the pump. Sitting in the blind\stand I use a bolt. I would love to hunt with a BLR at least once. No matter what you use the key is to practice your cycle. Do it sitting on the couch. The first thing to go through your mind after pulling the trigger is "chamber another round " !! Nothing will make you feel quite like watching a downed animal get up an run away and not be ready for it. Or a big 10 pt runs up to your dead doe and you scare him off racking the action.
I like them all: bolt, pump, auto, single shot , double barrels etc etc . But I took a small Rem 7615 deer hunting last fall because the forecast was heavy rain ... and I have seen a wood stocked bolt action rifle swell significantly around the butt plate after 6 or 7 hours of rain. When you hunt in weather like that (or dump a rifle in river or lake from a canoe) .... you must dismantle it to get all the metal surfaces dry and lubed or suffer the inevitable consequences .... the wonderful thing about a Remington pump - particularly with a synthetic stock like the 7615 is that you can remove the magazine, punch out two cross pins in seconds and drop the trigger group and then you have complete access to every surface on the rifle - to dry, spray lubricate and reassemble. Nothing is more easily stripped for field service than a 7600, 7615, Model 6 . They were designed and built for hunters more interested in the hunt than fussing over their rifle. And most shoot (for various reasons including a 'full floating barrel' ) very well! Check this old Remington video out https://youtu.be/c_oduKvZots .... starting at 22:45 ... personally I would watch the whole video.
Not sure what would be ridiculous about using a pump action 270 in Region 4?. A pump would not be my first choice for platform (I prefer stainless synthetic) but the few 7600's I've owned are more than accurate enough (some very accurate) out to 300+yds, they carry nice and are reliable.
I've hunted / hiked a lot in that area over the years and see no major disadvantage to using a pump.
Boomer provided unbiased sound advice at the start of the thread.
In the areas you are hunting bolt actions are fashionable and that is what you will see 90% of hunters using. There are plenty of good reasons the bolt action is so common here, but a pump will down game too. A pump will excel as fast shooting in thick cover. A bolt will be better, in my experience, in literally every other situation. My biggest issue with a pump is the difficulty/awkwardness working the action while shooting prone/off a pack and when using a sling as a shooting aid.
In the areas you are hunting bolt actions are fashionable and that is what you will see 90% of hunters using. There are plenty of good reasons the bolt action is so common here, but a pump will down game too. A pump will excel as fast shooting in thick cover. A bolt will be better, in my experience, in literally every other situation. My biggest issue with a pump is the difficulty/awkwardness working the action while shooting prone/off a pack and when using a sling as a shooting aid.
I've never used a pump so I can't comment on it. But for bush I take a lever. Most of the deer I've shot in the woods were at about 100 feet. I used to use open sites but I find a Leopold 2-7 is useful as my eyes are getting older. Helps me pick shapes out in the thick stuff. I have used several Browning blrs in different calibers for deer and this year I'm giving the 45/70 marlin a try for deer/elk/bear
