Hunting with C&R guns.

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Hunting with C&R guns.

Posted: 8/3/2007 6:18:36 PM EDT

I’m thinking about giving deer hunting a shot this year, but instead of using a modern scoped gun, I thought it would be fun to use a C&R rifle instead. I know that most milsurp ammo isn’t suitable for hunting, so I would probably have to hand load whatever I shot. All of the most popular C&R guns seem to be powerful enough to shoot a deer without problems with a properly placed shot, but what gun and caliber would you choose? I was thinking about using a K98.

Posted: 8/3/2007 6:58:46 PM EDT

[#1]

A k98 would do very nicely for a deer rifle, I would think.

I've seen 8mm hunting ammo at the stores so you should have a good selection.

If you have an 03, you can buy ubiquitous 30-06 hunting ammo.

Posted: 8/3/2007 7:07:03 PM EDT

[#2]

The hunting loads in 8mm from Winchester, Federal, and Remington are a little anemic (170 gr at 2300 fps).

Hornady has a 196 gr at 2500 FPS, as do Norma and most of the Eastern block ammo companies.

I've taken a couple deer with my K.31 and Hornady ammunition. The performance of the 150 gr SST and 168 gr Amax are well known, so there's no doubt as to its performance.

Posted: 8/3/2007 9:58:02 PM EDT

[#3]

K 31

Posted: 8/3/2007 10:06:32 PM EDT

[#4]

I actually had my K98 out last year during deer season. Didn't get a chance to use it. I'd have no problems using my K98, 03A3, K-31 or MN 91/30 for hunting. I handload for everything I shoot so I wouldn't be using milsurp ammo.

Posted: 8/3/2007 11:20:04 PM EDT

[#5]

Since you are a reloader, just pull some bullets from milsurp and replace with a hunting bullet of similar weight.

I have 2 K98s that will be going into the woods with me this coming season. I haven't ever used a bolt gun for deer hunting before. I am looking forward to murdering a big doe with a K98. I got my first deer, a 6 point buck, with my M1 Garand!

Posted: 8/4/2007 9:45:30 AM EDT

[#6]

I'm thinking about trying 180 Gr SP in my Mosin M38 this fall.

Posted: 8/4/2007 12:02:54 PM EDT

[#7]

The last time I went deer hunting, about 5 yrs ago, I took my Enfield No.4mk1. The same one from the other thread about best bolt battle rifle.

Mine has the milled venier styled rear. I had dialed it in to 200 yrds and kept it folded down. When I saw the doe she was about 140 yds out. I slowly knelt down, checked the setting on the sight scale and flipped the sight up. Dropped down a couple of clicks, flipped off the saftey and shouldered the rifle. Lined up the sights and squeeze the trigger.

Not only is the Enfield No.4mk1 the best bolt action battle rifle but it's also a damned fine deer rifle as well.

I also reload all my .303 ammo using Sierra 180gr Spitzers at around the same speed as the surplus .303 stuff. Don't recall just what that is right now.

Posted: 8/4/2007 12:03:47 PM EDT

[#8]

I have a friend who swears by his M/N m38. He uses some surplus heavy lead core ball, and assures me that it kills the deer dead.

He's kind of the definition of New England red neck though. He refers to the atlantic ocean as 'the big water', and lets just say that not all his deer have been taken in season, or from outside his truck. Still, it's proof that old guns tossing a big chunk of lead can do the job, if not as elegantly as a new A-bolt or something.

Plus, if you hunt with a M/N carbine, if you don't hit the deer with the bullet, at least you have a chance of the muzzle blast knocking him down.

Posted: 8/4/2007 12:18:27 PM EDT

[#9]

M1 Garand

Posted: 8/4/2007 1:40:15 PM EDT

[#10]

I plan on scoping my K31 and using it for deer hunting this year, I used it last year for the doe season the first week in january, although I didnt get any shots off, dad just used a bullet puller and reseated a.308 soft point on it

Posted: 8/4/2007 8:37:29 PM EDT

[#11]

It's nice to hear that these guns are fairly popular in the field. I didn't know so many people used them for hunting. How closely does the 7.62x54R round compare with the .308win as far as speed goes? I haven't seen much reloading info on it yet.

Posted: 8/4/2007 8:40:55 PM EDT

[#12]

There are actually commercially available SP loads for most military calibers. I have hunted whitetail with a mosin m44 or m38 3 of the last 4 years, no opportunities for a shot but they are capable. This year it will be a M24/47 I've made into a scout-type rifle. I'm putting the final touches on it and will post a write-up in the next few weeks. Again, plenty of good hunting loads out there.

Posted: 8/4/2007 8:44:51 PM EDT

[#13]

8mm is PLENTY for deer. Hornady 150g SP over 46g H-4895 lit with a CCI mag primer in a Win case. 2700 fps and potent medicine for deer.
I was going to work up some light loads for Javalina, but didn't get drawn.
If you are hunting in a brushy area, you might look at the Hornady 170g SP round nose. Its supposed to "cut" brush better. The 150g bullets at 2700fps may destroy meat, so place your shot well.

Posted: 8/5/2007 8:47:31 AM EDT

[#14]

height=8

Quoted:
It's nice to hear that these guns are fairly popular in the field. I didn't know so many people used them for hunting. How closely does the 7.62x54R round compare with the .308win as far as speed goes? I haven't seen much reloading info on it yet.

The 7.62x54r is comparable to the performance of the 30.06, 303 Brit, 8mm Mauser. Its plenty of power for North American game.

Posted: 8/5/2007 9:03:24 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:
It's nice to hear that these guns are fairly popular in the field. I didn't know so many people used them for hunting. How closely does the 7.62x54R round compare with the .308win as far as speed goes? I haven't seen much reloading info on it yet.

The 7.62x54r is comparable to the performance of the 30.06, 303 Brit, 8mm Mauser. Its plenty of power for North American game.

EVERYONE used them for hunting in the old days!

You have a great advantage now -- with modern slow powders and a huge bullet selection.

Posted: 8/6/2007 10:52:25 AM EDT

[#16]

I've had success with my Norinco SKS, Enfields No.I Mk5 and No.4,MkI, Arisaka Type 99, M1 Garand and M1 Carbine, and an M38 Swede. All were does taken with crop damage permits when my folks had a farm. All handloads except for the Norinco-I used Norinco 123gr softpoints, and the M1 Carbine, with which I used Winchester 110gr. hollowpoints. All had enough power to get the job doe-shot placement being more critical with the carbine.

Posted: 8/6/2007 10:56:15 AM EDT

[#17]

My Garand is still my primary hunting rifle

Posted: 8/6/2007 12:09:15 PM EDT

[#18]

I am going to go with my scoped K31 for deer season, using some Wolf Gold/PriviPart 7.5 SP ammo from AIM.
Although I am tempted to take one of my 98k's with some serbian 196gr SP pills in it...choices, choices, choices...

Posted: 8/6/2007 6:24:00 PM EDT

[#19]

I've used both my Garand and my 03a3 for deer hunting with hand loaded '06. Shot at a nice buck with the Garand and got a nice doe with the 03. That damn Garand gets heavy after a while

. Just something about being out in the woods with a quality reliable WW2 rifle compared to the fake looking sticks people use today.. just my .02

Turk

Posted: 8/6/2007 10:44:47 PM EDT

[#20]

Wolf Gold (Prvi Partisan) and a Finn-captured 1917 Remington M1891 Mosin did the trick for me last year.

Posted: 8/6/2007 10:55:16 PM EDT

[#21]

k98

Posted: 8/7/2007 3:30:37 AM EDT

[#22]

A k98 is all I had to hunt with in my early years, my brother used it before me, we took several deer with it.

Posted: 8/7/2007 4:32:08 AM EDT

[#23]

Last year I shot my buck with my Garand, the year before that I used my Mosin 91/30, and the year before that I used my K98. These old rifles are deadly deer slayers and will kill just as well now as they ever have. If you use a K-98, use Wolf Gold softpoints or some other European ammo because the American companies as mentioned above download the 8mm to rather anemic pressures and don't utilize the full capabilites of the cartridge.

Posted: 8/7/2007 6:24:58 AM EDT

[#24]

I used this Swede M96 to hunt everything from Coyotes to Elk for quite a few years. In those years, she never let me down. It did take a re-zero at the range and remembering the drop for my different hunting rounds though. I think the iron sights on the Swede are some of the best of the period. Shots on Mule Deer out to 350 yards were pretty easy. Longest shot with her was @ a nice doe at 365. Dropped her where she stood with a 140grn Sierra Prohunter.

89 years later she still looks great and shoots like a house 'o fire.

Although I did retire her this year. Replaced her with a nice Rem 700 CDL in .270. Now she can rest in the safe and shoot steel plates at the range.

In 2001, I took a nice, and very tasty, forked-horn muley buck with this M1 as well.
Dropped him in his tracks using a handloaded 150grn PSP bullet over some IMR4895.

Posted: 8/9/2007 8:39:54 AM EDT

[#25]

i have a all matching k98 that used to be grandpas unfortunitly it was sportorised so i use it for dear hunting should make and great gun

Posted: 8/10/2007 8:40:55 PM EDT

[#26]

8mm Mauser has probably taken more African game than any other.

Posted: 8/14/2007 6:54:14 PM EDT

[#27]

Nice looking Svede you got there! Currently I hunt with my Finnish m39. I have dies and reload most of the time. But sometimes I just buy a box of SP's and go out in the woods for a nap, I mean hunting!

And I also have a sporterized Turk my pal Fred made for me at LowTech. She's still 8x57, and she likes 170gr SP's. If I may add the 196gr bullets do quite well too!

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/dogolden/shooting%20with%20fred/PICT0139.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/dogolden/shooting%20with%20fred/PICT0136.jpg

And this is me zeroing her in after her 2nd overhaul 2 years ago:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/dogolden/miscellaneous/PICT0004.jpg

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Hunting with C&R guns.

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