Milsurp Deer Hunt

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SmellyShooter

New member
Has anybody ever used a Milsurp rifle to hunt for deer and other game? I killed my first deer last year with my SMLE and I'm curious if anybody else has had success with milsurps.
 
First deer I ever killed was with a M1917 that I borrowed from my landlord in college. That was back in 1982.
 
I'm glad to hear about another late starter on hunting. Where I grew up, it seemed like everybody started hunting as children so my start at 24 feels ancient. Have you killed many more deer since '82?
 
I've taken a mil-surp on quite a few hunts.
But other than for some small game, I've never had a mil-surp in my hands at the right time to fill a tag with one.
Same deal for my brother that borrowed my Yugo 24/47 for a few years while I was bouncing around 3rd world countries: He popped a couple coyotes with it, and missed a shot on a deer, but never did fill a tag with the rifle.
 
IMO, it's not the gun; it's the use of appropriate ammo.

A fair number of deer have been killed with an SKS, for example. Soft-point ammo.

SMLEs, Enfields, Springfields, Mausers: They've been used by millions of hunters since the bring-backs began after WW 1.
 
Using 100% "stock military rifles" I have killed deer with an M1 Garand, a "Standard Model" M98 Mauser in 7X57, a K98 in 8X57, A Lithgow SMLE in 303, a US Springfield M1903A1, an AK47, an FN-FAL and I used the same M1 Garand to kill an elk once too and one bear.
 
My former father in law loaned me his M1 Garand one year. Exwife was using my Savage 110 in 06'.

Did fine with Federal Premium 165gr Ballistic Tips.
 
I've deer hunted with trap doors, Krags, O3s, 98s, Mi carbine and worst mistake in my life a M-1. I was young and dumb to drag that thing around for a week. Managed to get my deer
with all them. One time down in WVa I saw a guy take a deer at 150yds with a full dress jap
6.5mm. It wasn't a accident saw the guy shoot some oil cans at 100yds. He brought rifle back from WW2 himself. I was impressed because I never had a jap that shot well enough in 6.5 or 7.7 to bother with. At the time a box of Norma 6.5 Jap cost about what the rifle was worth.
 
My first purchase. {deer rifle} a 7.65 Argentine Mauser. It consumed expensive Norma ammo that was Steel jacked PSP 150 gr. Don't know for sure but I thought at the time the cartridge was near the 270 win stats in velocity and like the 270 the 7.65 too had outstanding long distant flat accuracy with its original battle field sights. As far as deer count I shot with the 7.65?
"I don't really know. If I were to speculate? >Allot "
 
M-1

I've carried my M-1 on numerous occassions, but a shooter Bambi never shows up when I've got the old war horse. The darn thing sure is a good bit heavier than a sporter.
 
I got my first deer with a Type 99 Arisaka Japanese military rifle. It had been slightly modified to be able to close the bolt on an empty magazine and it's fitted with a recoil pad.

For many years it was my only center-fire rifle and the high cost of 7.7x58 ammo is what got me into reloading...

Tony
 
A old M1917 was my primary deer weapon for 40 years. It was like hauling a log around in the woods, but it was accurate as 'ell and very dependable. I also didn't care if it got scratched or got submersed in the swamps I hunted. I did sporterize it a bit with a different stock and sights/scope. Nice thing was due to it's weight, you could shoot it all day at the range and never bruise your shoulder. Iffin' I hadn't gone to strictly using revolvers for deer a decade or so ago, I'd still be using it.
 
I have harvested several deer with an M48 Yugo, one deer with a G98 made in Danzig in 1914 and a buck with a Chilean Mauser in .308.
 
I shot my 1st deer with a stock 98k 8x57. My BIL shot his 1st with a stock 303.

My Dad hunted exclusively with an 03 for close to 50 years.

My FIL hunted with a 98K for 35 years but it had a cut down stock, otherwise, it was stock condition.

I loaned a 03 to a young man that needed a rifle to hunt with. The 1st year he used it he bagged a buck, doe, turkey and one hog.

They work and they work well when properly loaded.
 
I didn't kill anything, but the 1st centerfire rifle I hunted with was a borrowed sporterized 03 Springfield.
 
My first moose rifle, was, is a Win. Mod.of 1917. That was before I became a milsurp aholic:rolleyes:

Fifteen years or so ago I saw an add for an Ishapore .308. The general store in our village wouldn't order it so I got a C &R license and got it, in the mail! I hunted with it but never killed a moose.

I have six boys and two daughters, milsurps were cheaper then, so I started getting them moose rifles, for when they were older.:) I got some Enfields: a couple of No. 4 Mk2's, a Mk4 No1, a Mk4 No.1*, Mk4. No 1/3 Longbranch a couple of Jungle Carbines, an M1 Garand from "The Garand Guy" and a Smith Corona 03A3.

We have used them all hunting moose.

The Garand is a blast to hunt with. I installed a Shuster Adjustable Gas Plug to use commercial ammo and not worry about breaking it.
My favorite lately is the 03A3 with 200 gr. Nozler Partitions.
 
I've killed deer with a Remington Lee 30-40 Krag, Arisaka Type 38 in 6.5 and M1917 30-06.

I had a #1 mark 3 Enfield that I was going to us but sold it to a friend to buy another Arisaka and he bagged a deer with it.

I also have an SKS that I've been planning on using for deer at least once but the M1917 is way more accurate. Hard to care about semi auto when the first shot does the job.
 
I took an 1898 Krag Carbine sporter deer hunting this year. No deer but did take a nice bobcat at 100 yards with the peep sight. I was supremely confident hunting deer in the range of the round. That was 185 yard 3” point blank range. The 30-50 Krag to isn’t a powerhouse from a 20” barrel. So you have to know the limitations of your round. I was tuned in to the trajectory of the round.

FYI- it is a beautiful sporter but I bought it that way. The peep sight was just awesome.
 
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