A pump action rifle is a rifle where the forend can be moved forward and backward in order to eject a spent round of ammunition and to chamber a new one.
Pump-action mechanisms are often regarded as faster than a bolt action and somewhat faster than a lever action, as it does not require the trigger hand to be removed from the trigger while reloading.
Most pump actions do, however, have a firing mechanism using a hammer,[citation needed] which leads to a longer lock time than the hammer-less mechanisms found on most bolt rifles.
Furthermore, pump actions often have little or no mechanical leverage in order to aid in chambering and primary extraction, as opposed to a traditional turn-bolt action.