I have both a Marlin model 29 and a Remington 12a for this role...
They both work, but are getting too fragile and valuable to take to the field. I was wondering if the those that know would suggest a more modern variant that is reliable and accurate with the shorter 22 rounds... a tube fed magazine is probably best
I recently acquired this Winchester M-1890 "Gallery Gun". It's a shorts only rifle that I will only shoot CBs in....
The trick (from what I have been told) is to find one with a good bore. Many rounds of black powder were sent down the barrels of these rifles (not all, but a large number). Many we're not properly cleaned and have dark bores.
A few weeks ago I picked this old girl up at a local gun show. I bought it with the expectation that the bore would be poor. The seller told me it was poor. He should have cleaned the bore before he went selling. The bore was perfect (just a single swipe of the Bore-Snake proved that when I got home). I'd rather be lucky than good!
Anyway, if a noodle head like me can literally stumble upon such a rifle, so can you. I've been told the guns manufactured after smokeless was introduced are more likely to have a decent bore.
This one is just a shooter. But it's action is tight, it's got some nice patina and my wife giggles when she shoots this gun because at 25 yards, she hits everything she aims at! I guess I'll admit it, it "used" to be "my" rifle.
Most are tube fed, but Savage, Marlin and BSA have made magazine pumps at one time or another.
From what I can find Marlin never made a box magazine pump - the only box magazine pump 22's I can find are the Savage 1903 & 1909, the Febiger No 3 (actually could be switched from pump to semi-auto), the unmarked Baker No1 & No2 (Febiger based), the early BSA, and the SPORTCO 90 & 93.
If you want a pump just for CB's Marlin made the Model 25 & 25-S that were marked "22 SHORT OR CB ONLY" in the early 1900's - but they were tube fed.
Most are tube fed, but Savage, Marlin and BSA have made magazine pumps at one time or another.
From what I can find Marlin never made a box magazine pump - the only box magazine pump 22's I can find are the Savage 1903 & 1909, the Febiger No 3 (actually could be switched from pump to semi-auto), the unmarked Baker No1 & No2 (Febiger based), the early BSA, and the SPORTCO 90 & 93.
If you want a pump just for CB's Marlin made the Model 25 & 25-S that were marked "22 SHORT OR CB ONLY" in the early 1900's - but they were tube fed.
You're right, I misread the caption on a photo and what I thought was a Marlin pump with a magazine was a Savage. I stand corrected.
I also discovered there's an Australian 22 pump with box mag, the Sportco Mod. 90A.
Natman, I mentioned the SPORTCO 90 & 93 - there was the 90, 90A, 93A, 93B, & 93C. They all used the same basic action design with just a few differences. The 93's were had more 'modern' styled wood and one significant change to the receiver - the trigger group housing was changed from a white metal casting to a molded plastic; the plastic used would harden and get brittle with age and crack so few, if any 93's are still functional. The only fix seems to be swapping in the metal part from a 90, either way one gun ends up non functional. I have been looking for one of these for years without much luck.
Here are some good choices for a vintage 22 CB only rifle -