Military Rifles

[hueyjazz]

Anyone use military rifles for whitetail hunting?  If so what's your ammo and if you hand load, what's your round consist of.

Anyone scoping there's>  I'm a purest so I don't alter my guns from anything that can't be put back the way it was. 

I have been using a Swiss K31 with a scope with fire  formed brass, with a 308 hornady SST   Very accurate

[Pygmy]

I  have used my Garand M1 ( Springfield 1943 receiver)  a few times preseason for several years...I reload 150 grain spitzer soft points ( currently Sierra Game Kings)  with H4895, to duplicate ( or nearly duplicate) the load that the M1 was designed for..

I use the issue sights...I carried my 1938 Oberndorf K98K  in Pa a few times years ago, but my with my old eyes the Mauser type open sights don't work well any more...No problem with the aperture sights on the M1...Yet...

I do most of my hunting out of an enclosed tower blind, so I often have the Garand and one of my scoped rifles with me, with plans to use the M1 for closer shots and the scoped rifle for shots from 100-300 yards..Most of my shots from that blind are 150-200 yards, and so far I have only taken shot ( and killed one deer) with the M1...    

One of my hunting buddies intends to scope  his M1 to use from my tower next season..I have not seen his setup yet, but I know it is one that does not require alteration of the rifle, which is good, because it is a beautiful Winchester, with all Winchester parts...

Another buddy has several K 31s and he loves them...He is an excellent marksman and can consistently ring a 20 inch steel plate at 300 yards offhand with his K 31s..

 

Edited January 9, 2020 by Pygmy

[Daveboone]

1933 1898 Oberndorf Mauser in its original 8x57. It was somewhat sporterized when Dad got it in the 50s with an excellent aperture sight on it, but over a period of years I modernized it with a low swing safety and scope mounts. It wears a 1.5 x 5 VX 3 Leupold. The old 8 mm is tough to beat, and loves to be handloaded. I load 175 gr. Sierra Game King spitzers. The gun is in far from its original condition...in what I read the  year it was manufactured, was just before Germany really started to gear up its military, and these were manufactured actually to civilian specifications to bypass treaty limitations. As well as the scope and safety, it has a Timney trigger, upgraded firing pin and spring, alloy trigger guard with button release magazine The barrel had been turned down pre Dad, and front sight removed, with a synthetic stock added (Dad had put it in a Herters birdseye maple stock, in his configuration the gun weight over twelve pounds! Now it is closer to 7 1/2. I am pretty much done with it, but I need to give it new paint...still unsure of what, but probably a matt ceramacoat. 

She takes my deer (including my first buck in 1983) and two moose so far, and I hope to take it to Africa in spring 2020.

I actually have another model 98 (1943 Steyr armory, as I recall). A friends dad paid 50 bucks for it in the mid 70s, I acquired it about 5 years ago. It was also wearing a Herters stock, plain walnut but was already drilled and tapped. I decided to try to keep it in the same character..a 1950s era sporterized Mauser, thus lightly done. I am leaving the stock, but bought a new dropped handle bolt to better use with the scope, a low swing safety and put a Redfield 4 power vintage 1950s scope on it. I shoot the same load. I hope to hand it off to my friends younger generation some time, but none are interested t this point. bummer.

[Rattler]

I occasionally hunt with a customized 7.7 Jap Arisaka and a custom M1 Carbine. 

The Jap had already been modified when I got it and I finished it the way it deserved to be finished.  I hand load 150 grain boat tail bullets @ 2500 fps for it.  It's very accurate, but could use a Timney trigger to really get the most from it.  It sports a 2x7 Leupold scope.

The M1 is a Plainfield Machine version made in the 1960's for sale to law enforcement or civilians, so there is no military collector value in it.  It's a nice light, moderately powerful, short range hunting rifle that is a joy to hunt with.

Both retain the best aspects of their military heritage, but are more suited to the hunting fields now.

[Chef]

I  have used my Garand M1 ( Springfield 1943 receiver)  a few times preseason for several years...I reload 150 grain spitzer soft points ( currently Sierra Game Kings)  with H4895, to duplicate ( or nearly duplicate) the load that the M1 was designed for..
I use the issue sights...I carried my 1938 Oberndorf K98K  in Pa a few times years ago, but my with my old eyes the Mauser type open sights don't work well any more...No problem with the aperture sights on the M1...Yet...
I do most of my hunting out of an enclosed tower blind, so I often have the Garand and one of my scoped rifles with me, with plans to use the M1 for closer shots and the scoped rifle for shots from 100-300 yards..Most of my shots from that blind are 150-200 yards, and so far I have only taken shot ( and killed one deer) with the M1...    
One of my hunting buddies intends to scope  his M1 to use from my tower next season..I have not seen his setup yet, but I know it is one that does not require alteration of the rifle, which is good, because it is a beautiful Winchester, with all Winchester parts...
Another buddy has several K 31s and he loves them...He is an excellent marksman and can consistently ring a 20 inch steel plate at 300 yards offhand with his K 31s..
 

Is it a m1 D or C rifle that already has scope mounts. If not you have to tell me how he does it. I would do it to my Springfield but not my Winchester


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[Pygmy]

It is not a C or D.... I'll get the details and let you know...At one time  he  had access in Canada  to some M1 Ds ( along with others)  at a good cost and did a brisk business selling them to Americans until  US import regs shut him down...I do know that he has only the Winchester left and whatever mounting system he has does not alter the rifle in any way...

[Pygmy]

Chef...I believe it is an S&K  mount....I'll confirm that next time I talk to my buddy and let you know...

[GreeneHunter]

I'm thinking about heading out this February or March with an old M1 Carbine and trying it out on some coyote's …. if I can call them in !

[hueyjazz]

Pygmy

I hope it isn't the S&K mount.  Pretty much crap and good luck holding a zero.  In fact, most clamp on scope mounts aren't worth the space they take up.  They just aren't rigid enough.  But there are a few exceptions.  The St Marie mount designed for the Swiss K31 works very well and is as solid as they come.  The Darrell scout mount for Mosin Nagants also works well if you care for a scout mount.  (Using pistol scope with extended eye relief) 

But this does hit on the common problem of hunting with a MilSup rifle.  The open sights were design for battlefield and not deer or whatever.  I do have a few military rifles that have a peep sight.  My 1917 is one and it's extremely accurate but heavy as sin and I hate taking historic weapon out in snow and rain.  (Yeah, I know battles are fought in snow and rain but this is my only one)

I've also put a ghost ring on a Finn M-39.  I would consider hunting with that except the safety on a Mosin didn't have anything in mind with being quick and easy.  My safeties are always on until I'm ready to take a shot.  Anyone that's own a Nagant knows what I'm talking about.  Its the safety from hell. 

It like owning a Garand and knowing about Garand thumb.  If you don't know what that means you soon will.

Enfield, what beauties.  These are the fastest operation bolt guns ever made.  In the hand of an experience operator they do have good fire power.  I own a few of these with my Long branch being my favorite.  I love the smell of Cordite in the morning.

[Chef]

Pygmy
I hope it isn't the S&K mount.  Pretty much crap and good luck holding a zero.  In fact, most clamp on scope mounts aren't worth the space they take up.  They just aren't rigid enough.  But there are a few exceptions.  The St Marie mount designed for the Swiss K31 works very well and is as solid as they come.  The Darrell scout mount for Mosin Nagants also works well if you care for a scout mount.  (Using pistol scope with extended eye relief) 
But this does hit on the common problem of hunting with a MilSup rifle.  The open sights were design for battlefield and not deer or whatever.  I do have a few military rifles that have a peep sight.  My 1917 is one and it's extremely accurate but heavy as sin and I hate taking historic weapon out in snow and rain.  (Yeah, I know battles are fought in snow and rain but this is my only one)
I've also put a ghost ring on a Finn M-39.  I would consider hunting with that except the safety on a Mosin didn't have anything in mind with being quick and easy.  My safeties are always on until I'm ready to take a shot.  Anyone that's own a Nagant knows what I'm talking about.  Its the safety from hell. 
It like owning a Garand and knowing about Garand thumb.  If you don't know what that means you soon will.
Enfield, what beauties.  These are the fastest operation bolt guns ever made.  In the hand of an experience operator they do have good fire power.  I own a few of these with my Long branch being my favorite.  I love the smell of Cordite in the morning.

I believe the s and k mount for the garand is not clamp on it fights in the rear sight housing


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[squirrelwhisperer]

Does my AR-10 7.62/.308 count? Haven't used it hunting yet but plan to take it down by my brother in North Carolina for some hog. Never hunted my AR-15 5.56/.223 either. May use it for some yotes if I ever go lol. My M1 Garand (Springfield Armory) 100% original, only got shot at the range a handful of times. More of a collector's item for me. Too concerned with the history of that one. 

[Pygmy]

6 hours ago, hueyjazz said:

Pygmy

I hope it isn't the S&K mount.  Pretty much crap and good luck holding a zero.  In fact, most clamp on scope mounts aren't worth the space they take up.  They just aren't rigid enough.  But there are a few exceptions.  The St Marie mount designed for the Swiss K31 works very well and is as solid as they come.  The Darrell scout mount for Mosin Nagants also works well if you care for a scout mount.  (Using pistol scope with extended eye relief) 

But this does hit on the common problem of hunting with a MilSup rifle.  The open sights were design for battlefield and not deer or whatever.  I do have a few military rifles that have a peep sight.  My 1917 is one and it's extremely accurate but heavy as sin and I hate taking historic weapon out in snow and rain.  (Yeah, I know battles are fought in snow and rain but this is my only one)

I've also put a ghost ring on a Finn M-39.  I would consider hunting with that except the safety on a Mosin didn't have anything in mind with being quick and easy.  My safeties are always on until I'm ready to take a shot.  Anyone that's own a Nagant knows what I'm talking about.  Its the safety from hell. 

It like owning a Garand and knowing about Garand thumb.  If you don't know what that means you soon will.

Enfield, what beauties.  These are the fastest operation bolt guns ever made.  In the hand of an experience operator they do have good fire power.  I own a few of these with my Long branch being my favorite.  I love the smell of Cordite in the morning.

I have an Enfield #4 Long Branch circa 1944...Good shooter....I'd take it up in my tower blind and feel confident on shots at deer out to 100 yards or so, but it is currently on display at a local legion post...

[hueyjazz]

Chef,  Pygmy

I stand corrected. 

I see S&K now has a different design that more a milled block that goes into sight base.  This is a design I've used before for other guns and it did work.  The St Marie is of this sort except Garand puts scope to side.  The previous S&K design I was thinking of was a formed sheet metal thing that cantilevered from side to top .  Go online and you'll see both examples along with the B Square mount. 

I'll admit, I'd give the current S&K design a try over the other designs.  Problem with Garand is top ejection and clip loading.  Scope has to be offset to side.  I bet there's a scout mount that could go on Garand that used sight base.  Never liked a scout mount over scope though

[hueyjazz]

Squirrelwhisperer

Don't you know you can't use those evil black guns for hunting???

And It somewhat counts but only because the AR-15 was originally purchased by Air Force before AR-16 came into being.  Curtis Lemay ordered them

[Pygmy]

P.S.  I learned about M1 THUMB in basic training...Hehehe... When I attended  Navy Boot Camp in 1970, WWII small arms were still standard issue...I trained on the M1, BAR and Thompson SMG.. Never even saw an M 14 or an M16...

The destroyer I served on from 1971-1973  had the following  firearms in its small arms locker,,,,Perhaps a dozen M1s, 3 or 4 BARs, half a dozen Thompsons,,half a dozen parkerized Win M 12 trench guns complete with ventilated hangguards and bayonet lugs, perhaps a dozen M1911 45s, one air cooled m1919 Browning .30 cal. and ONE M1 carbine.... I guess the carbine was there for whatever officer that was to lead a boarding party...Hehehe...

[squirrelwhisperer]

Squirrelwhisperer
Don't you know you can't use those evil black guns for hunting???
And It somewhat counts but only because the AR-15 was originally purchased by Air Force before AR-16 came into being.  Curtis Lemay ordered them

They are very liberal in North Carolina. Def wanna take it to Texas for hog.


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[squirrelwhisperer]

I learned about M1 Thumb the first time I took her to the range. Ouch! It bit me!!


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[Chef]

I learned about M1 Thumb the first time I took her to the range. Ouch! It bit me!!


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My grandfather warned me about m1 thumb as a young kid. Said his m1 was the closest thing he had to a girlfriend from 1942-1945 and that was as her way of getting mad at him.


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