Lever guns have been the big thing in the past couple of years. Pedersoli is modernizing another older repeating rifle mechanism, though with their pump action Jackal 44.
Pedersoli’s Jackal 44 is based on the 1884 Colt Lightning platform. It’s built from modern materials and is strong enough to handle the .44 Magnum cartridge. It’s a pump-action rifle with a side-loading gate and top ejection. The Jackal has an exposed hammer and a tang-mounted safety. They’ve basically taken a 140-year-old design and updated it for the 21st Century.
The Pedersoli Jackal 44 has a 19-inch barrel with 5/8” x 24 threading. It’s equipped with an adjustable fiber optic rear sight and a fiber optic front sight. The barrel is tapped to accept a Picatinny rail for optics mounting. It uses an under-barrel magazine tube that holds six rounds.
Materials and Finish
The rifle has a stock and forend made of walnut, with a matte oil finish. There’s checkering at the grip and on the pump for a positive feel. The stock has a high-profile comb suitable for use with a red dot sight. The stock is equipped with a Microcell butt pad. The receiver is Cerakoted, and other parts appear to be blued.
A New Wave of Modern Pumps?
I’m a fan of pump-action rifles. They’re generally fast and easy to handle. I always wanted one of the old Israeli Timberwolf pump rifles, but never managed to snag one. I like the Remington 760 pumps, too. In fact, I had one as a loaner on a recent camping trip in Montana.
The new Pedersoli Jackal 44 is a welcome entry into the field. I like that it has that old 1884 Lightning character, but with a modern caliber and sighting options. Details are a little slim right now, and it looks like the English page on the Pedersoli website is a direct translation from Italian. So, it reads a little odd to a native English speaker.
It’s a good-looking rifle, though, and I’m anxious to hear more about it. No MSRP is listed yet, or shipping dates, but I’ll be keeping an eye out for updates.
Jackal 44 Specs
| Caliber | .44 Remington Magnum |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Weight | 3.5 Kg – 7.7 pounds |
| Barrel Length | 483 mm – 19 inches |
| Total Length | 927 mm – 36.5 inches |
