Experimental slope efficiencies of 72% to 76% are achieved for a pulsed Rb-methane optically pumped alkali metal vapor laser with pump intensities up to $120\mathrm{kW}/{\mathrm{cm}}^2$ . Measurements characterizing the temporal dynamics, spectral width, beam diameter, and $M^2$ values of the $795\mathrm{nm}$ laser beam are presented. $M^2$ values indicate that the $795\mathrm{nm}$ laser beam is 10 to 20 times diffraction limited. The laser system’s response to changes in the pump’s spectral width, the Rb number density, relaxant concentration, and pump intensity are examined with a broadband time-dependent one-dimensional rate equation model. The experimental data and the modeling results are shown to be in good agreement for a wide range of experimental conditions.