With the recent interest afoot in the deer hunting forum,I was curious. Just what sort of accuracy can one expect from a good pump rifle? Are they best left to factory ammo,or do you hand load for them? Are they troublesome to load for? Just stuff I've been wondering about. I've never owned one,but the Remingtons feel good in hand to me. Might be a winter project in this. Thanks!

My 760 will throw any 180 grain factory load I have put through it into about an inch and a quarter group.

I tried some 165 grain federal trophy copper and they shot under and inch


But for the price I couldn't see any practical difference from the 180 power points

They will commonly shoot better than 1 1/2" with some I've seen shooting below an inch. They're generally as accurate as many bolt rifles. I reloaded for mine but preferred Small Base dies or extraction was sticky.

IME any Remington pump I've played with shows accuracy as good as required for the intended use. Some shoot as good as bolt actions.

I hope to hunt with mine but will use factory ammo.

Most I've used will shoot around an inch, some even better. I killed deer with my 760 06 last year with handloads and factory ammo. They are no problem to load for.

My 35 Rem is 1.5" or less

I've experimented with them some. Came to the conclusion I don't like them. But the ones I've shot were near 1" guns and with a better trigger could probably match most bolt guns.

But getting a trigger to match a bolt gun ain't gonna happen. They are about 1 lb heavier than my bolt guns and I can't get off AIMED repeat shots any faster. When using any type of rest or shooting sticks they are single shots.

I like my pump shotguns, but shotguns are pointed, rifles are aimed. The pump action just doesn't offer many advantages in a rifle.

James Earl Ray's .30-06 760 was accurate enough.

You ain't never hunted with one in the big woods have ya

My old Remington 760 in .300 Savage was capable of sub-MOA with handloads and 1.5 inches with factory fodder if I remember correctly. That old rifle has not had much for factory stuff run through it since the 60's when I bought it. My son has the rifle now....

As far as loading for it, never an issue.

depends on the model. i have or have had a bunch of all the models and calibers. the older ones in 25, 30, 32 and 35 rem are 2 MOA with scopes. probably more a function of the round than the gun. the 14's and 141 triggers are pretty stiff but break clean. my dads 1938 141 in 35 rem is the most accurate. it will shoot into 1 hole at 50 yards with 200 gr CL's. the 760's are MOA accurate with factory ammo and stock triggers but the trigger pull is stiff and 870-like. the 308's and 243's are especially accurate. the 7600's triggers are pretty horrendous but can be easily cleaned up to be acceptable. i found a factory carbine in 35 whelen a few years ago and sent the trigger group out to Accuracy Systems in colorado and had the match trigger job done. it is my most accurate pump gun. the 3 shot group in the orange dot is what i can expect with factory 200gr CL's if i can do my part. i've actually shot all into one slightly ragged hole but don't have the pics to prove it.

Rem 760 in 6mm. 100 grain Fed factory blue-box Power-Shok stuff. Not a Jewel trigger, but not bad. 25 year-old Leupold 3-9x in Leupold steel mounts. I think it's rather attractive, if you like the '70's look.
Bob

Otter,

I had a 760 in 270 that was an easy 1.25 MOA, IIRC, without any trouble. The trigger was heavy as mentioned but Timney has the 'solution'.

It had the corncob fore-end. I tried to give the brush guard some more clearance, and ended up just removing it all together. The barrel wasn't floated with the guard the way it was.

Jason

Pump rifles are hunting guns and the ones I have had experience with were pleasantly hunting accurate. I wish Remington would make a stainless, straight synthetic stock, 20 inch barrel, short action pump guide gun.

He can't shoot offhand to save his life....

My 760 shoots about 1 1/4" (3 shots) average group size at 100 yards with my handloads. They are easy to load for. Follow up shots are quick and easy. Trigger is not bad at all, but you need to know how to make them better. No need for me to buy a Timney for it. ..

That trigger assembly can be re-bushed to remove most creep....helped me a lot.

My 760 30-06 groups 1" or less and my 7600 7mm-08 groups 1"-1.25". The 760 is more forgiving at the bench. The 7600 is picky on how it's held at the bench. I shoot reloads.

With a Remington 760 or 7600 it'll be better than your bolt actions.

I like the 70s look. Good looking rig there Bob. Good shooting too.

+1. Looks damn good.. Otter, you need to get yourself one of those. I drug my feet for a long time and finally got one last year. It's a lefty and I really like it. I'm a huge 870 fan though..

Thanks 141r. Pretty sweet shooting there. Especially with factory loads. Nice!

No problem with feeding or extraction on a Model 6 in .243 with FL dies.

Cool idea. What would you want it chambered in?

Otter, mine is pretty worn and was copper fouled when I bought it. I was contemplating having it re-bored to 35 Whelen, but figured I'd shoot it first and see what kind of accuracy it was getting. For an old worn out rifle it doesn't do too bad. If the rifling were sharper it would do much better:




After zeroing it in, I shot 5 rounds offhand as quickly as I could get back on target. These were not even the most accurate loads. It seemed to prefer the 52gr charge, so that's what I settled on. :


After that, I took it to the field with no luck in western Oregon last year:

I've never had a problem with the triggers and I've used at least ten of these rifles.

I would want a 358 Win

Got my 35 Whelen the other day!
Finally set her up. 2x7 Nikon scope with BDC. I installed the swivels for sling carry and lastly I changed the sear spring with a lighter spring and honed trigger to a 2.75 lbs pull.


I loaded 200 grain accubond with H4895 and the 200 gr TSX with RL15. Both the most accurate in the nosler barnes manuals. We will see.... only 35 caliber bullets I had on hand.

BTW 15gr of Unique with 125 XTP is awesome grouse coyote and varmint load!

My oldest son is a leftie, and he really liked the Browning BPS shotgun we got him, so for his first deer rifle, we got him a 7600 in .270. It was a very accurate shooter, even with the downloads we started with. But he hated the clip. It was really hard to seat. So after a few years we traded it in on a Ruger M77 stainless laminated LH in .270. He was much happier. I liked that 7600 a lot more than he did but I already had a deer rifle.

A deer rifle?!? As in one? Not many people on here that have one of anything, let alone a deer rifle!

Mine is a 5/8" gun at 100 with pretty much any load so I run H4350 and a 165 NPT. It will keep 5 shots inside of 2.5" at 300.

Normally thought of as a WT gun but killed many a mulie and a few antelope with mine. Great if you can shoot over a pack or something like that but not a bipod gun if that is your thing.

Those left hand stocks are hard to find.....I know a local shop that has a nice one just like that.

338 Federal. It would have been my go to gun when I was stationed in Kodiak. As it was I swapped back and forth between a 7600 35 Whelen and a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun. I often thought back then that blending the two would render an ideal guide gun.

That'd get it done!

I stumbled across this one at the LGS and it had to come home with me. I was there to look at a sporterized M1917 with a custom left hand stock. I damn near took both of them home that day, but told my buddy at the gunshop that the m1917 would probably sit on the rack for a long time and I'd be back for it one of these days...

Amen!

Rechambering my 760 35 Rem to 358 Win is on my list of things to do one of these days.

Five of the 6 we have owned have been 1.5 inch rifles or less. My son's 270 is a sub-MOA shooter with the only ammo we tried, Federal Blue Box 130s. The 6th (a 308) was a POS right out of the box and the best I could do was 6 inches with either a scope or open sights.

Years ago I had two. One was a .270 Winchester and the other was a .223 Remington. I never really shot the .270 for groups just used it as a hunting gun where it did everything I asked of it.

The .223 would shoot under an inch with a variety of bullets, even some hand made from used .22 rimfire cases. This was in the days where my shooting ability was not as good as it is today.

I agree the triggers could be better. I had mine smoothed up by a smith and they were good for my purposes.

Jim

Never had a bad one as far as accuracy. Farthest deer I killed was around 250 yds, 18 inch carbine with round nose bullets in 06.

An 18" barrel @ 250 yds is a pretty good poke. Nuttin like a good old round nose ought six. And a pump gun to boot. Cool.

Yeah, guess I didn't have enough time to think that particular combo is not ideal for hunting fields, good thing for me the deer didn't know either. I actually didn't think he was that far until I paced it off. I also had a solid rest.

IIRC, Layne Simpson wrote a good article on the 760/7600s in either Shooting Times or Rifle/Handloader that might be worth looking into.

I have a Model 6 in .243 which needed a trigger job and it is now the most accurate rifle in the safe. I never would have believed it until I shot it myself.

Interesting topic and, for me, very timely. Saw nephew yesterday and he showede me the rifle he planned to bring elk hunting this year (his first such hunt). it is a Rem 762 in .30-06 with a Simmons 3-9x scope mounted in see-through rings.

I told him it would be more than adequate provided he could shoot it well. Since he has never shot it over 150 yards neither of us were sure what to expect at longer ranges. If it shoots anything like those mentioned above it will take elk at any range where he should be shooting.

Convince him to ditch the see thru rings

I've had 760's and 7600's in '06 and .270. They were goofy accurate shooters.

Problem is if he does that he will have to remove the rear sight as well. I think that is the case even with the highest rings available.

Of course he could get a different scope that doesn't have a 50mm objective lens.

I'm inclined to leave well enough alone. The rifle and scope combo is something of an heirloom. If he were to change anything I'd suggest he get a new bolt rifle and smaller scope.

everybody should own at least one 760/7600 with see-throughs. my old 270 still has them and comes right into focus when i pull it up. it goes with my leisure suit.

Pretty much spot on. I remember both. I looked smooooth in that suit too.

My 7600 35 Whelen groups consistenly under 1.5" at 100yds. A friend has an old 760 270 with the corn cob fore end that groups under an inch. I handload for the Whelen with standard RCBS dies , never had an issue.

Agreed. When I was a teen my see through mounts put my Bushnell 4x on my 760 30-06 right where I needed it and those 150 Core-Lokts often found their mark. Those were good days and I'll always miss them.

I just checked the zero on mine today, getting ready for Pa. red tag season. Three shots all touching. 180 gr. round nose core lokt 308 Winchester. The group could have been covered by a dime.

What the hell is Pa red tag season?

Per chance, is your nephew from WI?

When I was in college I worked at an archery/gun shop. Each year I'd show at least a dozen guys how I could twist/move the scope atop of their rifle when scope resided in "see-trus". Once in awhile it'd register with them but most times not.

Crop damage tags. But I thought you could use them year round?

I had a Sportsman 76in .30-06 that would group winchester factory 180s plain jane ammo into an inch for three shots. Good enuff for 50 yd woods gun, never shot anything else in it. Gun rattled like a mason jar half full of pebbles but it shot.

It comes in February 1st and goes out May 16th.

The game commission is doing their level best to destroy Pa.'s deer herd!!

Here is best group with my Rem 7600 35 Whelen



I have a Rem 760 in 06 and it is very accurate with about any load. From original Barnes 250 gr to 165 gr. loads.

You can, but we've always referred to them as post it note tags

Well, the red tags at least control the population where the problem is and not on SGL or State forest.

How on earth do you figure that.


Christ farmers have been killing deer for crop damage for a hundred years if not.more.


The quality of the Deer in Pa have never been better

12, You or visit with guys up north that hunt for a week and never see a deer track.. The state game lands being managed for timber rather than game.. Glad you like it and are happy with it.. Most folks I know are not too pleased.