does anyone still hunt with ww1 or ww2 rifles

[220yotekiller]

l've been one a wwi and ww2 kick lately, does anyone one here hunt with the iron sighted enfields, springfields, mosin's mausers, ect... just curios how these old war horses do in a modern setting with modern ammunition.

 

[nhenry]

l've been one a wwi and ww2 kick lately, does anyone one here hunt with the iron sighted enfields, springfields, mosin's mausers, ect... just curios how these old war horses do in a modern setting with modern ammunition.

Incoming OntarioHunter with his springfield

 

[OntarioHunter]

I have hunted with a WWII Springfield 30-06 since 1962. But it's far from original equipment. Dad mail ordered two of them govt surplus and then he and a gunsmith coworker sporterized them at the maintenance shop inside Hungry Horse dam. He originally stocked it with a roll-over cheekpiece piece of junk walnut from Herters and mounted a cheap 4x Bushnell Banner scope. Ten years later I threw the scope down a mountain west of Kalispell. Dad picked up a 3x Weaver for it which was all I needed to kill more than a hundred animals. Back then I was primarily a stalker tracking deer, elk, and moose in snow. Rarely needed to shoot even a hundred yards. Circa 1981 my horse rolled on me and broke the Herters stock. I replaced it with a quality Monte Carlo style stock probably made by Bishop. Six years ago I started hunting deer in eastern Montana with my brother and decided I needed better glass for my old eyes. Replaced the Weaver K3 with a Nikon 3x9x40 BDC scope. The gun began to shoot inconsistently and investigation revealed the barrel's bore was corroded. I replaced the barrel last year. I also added quick detach rings, a rail, Timney trigger, a better safety, and optional iron sights.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Incoming OntarioHunter with his springfield

Sorry to keep you waiting.

 

[NEWHunter]

My grandpa grabbed a couple of M1 carbines on his way out the door after WWII. My dad took one to the deer blind for a few seasons when I was a kid but never got anything with it. He called it his brush gun given the open sight and a 12ish round clip. They seen to shoot fine. Although my personal range is limited by the front post and rear peep.

 

[NDGuy]

I'm gonna shoot something with my 1942 Garand sometime.

 

[Kentucky Jack]

I'm fascinated by older military style weapons. So I'm really glad you started this thread and look forward to seeing others with successful hunts using these type rifles. Here is the only one I have a photo of. I used this Austrian Steyr to harvest this buck a few years ago. I did some work on 8mm Austrian Steyr and refinished the stock, added a butpad, and found an old simmons scope and rings that tilts to give enough room for the stripper clip to be loaded. Extremely happy with it. Used to be able to find these rifles under $300 not sure the price now. I've got several others like a mauser k98 and british lee enfield that I've taken a few does with. Of course I normally don't do any modernization to them because I don't want to devalue them. But having two steyrs since I got them so cheap I wanted to try my hand at one it turned out pretty good I think.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I'm fascinated by older military style weapons. So I'm really glad you started this thread and look forward to seeing others with successful hunts using these type rifles. Here is the only one I have a photo of. I used this Austrian Steyr to harvest this buck a few years ago. I did some work on 8mm Austrian Steyr and refinished the stock, added a butpad, and found an old simmons scope and rings that tilts to give enough room for the stripper clip to be loaded. Extremely happy with it. Used to be able to find these rifles under $300 not sure the price now. I've got several others like a mauser k98 and british lee enfield that I've taken a few does with. Of course I normally don't do any modernization to them because I don't want to devalue them. But having two steyrs since I got them so cheap I wanted to try my hand at one it turned out pretty good I think.

Very nice buck. Interesting idea using the tip off rings. Can the gun be loaded without a stripper clip? What caliber is that Steyr?

 

[Kentucky Jack]

I'm fascinated by older military style weapons. So I'm really glad you started this thread and look forward to seeing others with successful hints using these type rifles. Here is the only one I have a photo of. I used this Austrian Steyr to harvest this buck a few years ago. I did some work on 8mm Austrian Steyr and refinished the stock, added a butpad, and found an old simmons scope and rings that tilts to give enough room for the stripper clip to be loaded. Extremely happy with it. Used to be able to find these rifles under $300 not sure the price. I've got several others like a mauser k98 and british lee enfield that I've taken a few does with. Of course I normally don't do any modernization to them because I don't want to devalue them. But having two steyrs since I got them so cheap I wanted to try my hand at one it turned out pretty good I think

Very nice buck. Interesting idea using the tip off rings. Can the gun be loaded without a stripper clip? What caliber is that Steyr?

Yes it can be loaded manually without the stripper clip I just like using them plus it's faster and easier. The straight pull bolt is also another feature I like, makes for quicker reload and faster follow up shots if needed. It's chambered in 8mmx56R. Pretty hard to find rounds so I have reload everything. It's possible to make your own rounds by re-necking down a 300!

 

[buffybr]

I killed my first elk with a sporterized .30-40 Krag that I borrowed from my Uncle. I didn't know how to hunt back then, and he was so far away when I took my first shot that the bead on the front sight completely covered him. Thirteen shots and probably a mile later, there were 2 bullet holes in his antlers, several bullet creases in the hair on top of his back, and finally a couple in his chest.

Since then I have not shot at any animal farther away than 350 yards.

 

[Don Fischer]

There is a thing about rifles I think most don't seem to get. It ain't the rifle or the cartridge that get's the job done, it's the shooter. My elk rifle is a custom 1903 built in 1945 by Paul Jaeger. Amazing but it still kills as dead today as any rifle or cartridge if I do my part right! Hard to believe but I understand even black powder rifles will work today! Rumor has it even a bow will get the job done. Just depends on the user!

 

[Don Fischer]

l've been one a wwi and ww2 kick lately, does anyone one here hunt with the iron sighted enfields, springfields, mosin's mausers, ect... just curios how these old war horses do in a modern setting with modern ammunition.

Only did that post above to put in a photo of my 1903 and with luck tic off some guy's I don't get along with. That original question ask's a question about "modern setting's". My own question about modern settings would be, when it come's to ability to kill, what has changed?

 

[shrapnel]

I have been doing it for years with unaltered 1903-A3, M-1 Garand, BAR and 30 carbine...

 

[44hunter45]

All my sons started on a Mauser 6.5x55 M96 known affectionately as the "Ugly Stick". When it was time to put my granddaughter behind it, it got a makeover. It is still at the gunsmith's becoming a flamed maple Supergrade clone.

 

[Kentucky Jack]

All my sons started on a Mauser 6.5x55 M96 known affectionately as the "Ugly Stick". When it was time to put my granddaughter behind it, it got a makeover. It is still at the gunsmith's becoming a flamed maple Supergrade clone.

The 6.5x55 swede is a great caliber. My father in-law carries one and it's a great shooting rifle.

 

[OntarioHunter]

There is a thing about rifles I think most don't seem to get. It ain't the rifle or the cartridge that get's the job done, it's the shooter. My elk rifle is a custom 1903 built in 1945 by Paul Jaeger. Amazing but it still kills as dead today as any rifle or cartridge if I do my part right! Hard to believe but I understand even black powder rifles will work today! Rumor has it even a bow will get the job done. Just depends on the user!

Don, does it have a 3-position safety? Hard to tell from the photo.

 

[Ben Lamb]

@shrapnel - the BAR seems like a little much gun for bunnies.

I've got a custom 1917 P14 Winchester in 338WM that's a heavy rifle to pack, but a good shooter. Love that rifle. Little much for bunnies too.

 

[220yotekiller]

Only did that post above to put in a photo of my 1903 and with luck tic off some guy's I don't get along with. That original question ask's a question about "modern setting's". My own question about modern settings would be, when it come's to ability to kill, what has changed?

when l say modern settings l mean there is a difference between using milsurp because that's what you have and using one because you want to. when l think of milsurp rifles l think of ''minuet of man'' accuraccy not moa, l'm sure that modern hunting bullets and even factory ammo are light years ahead of where they were when many of these guns were manufactured.

 

[OntarioHunter]

@shrapnel - the BAR seems like a little much gun for bunnies.

I've got a custom 1917 P14 Winchester in 338WM that's a heavy rifle to pack, but a good shooter. Love that rifle. Little much for bunnies too.

I have a P17 butchered junker from my late wife's grandpa's homestead in Sask that I should do something with or send to the scrap heap. It's. 303 British. Any ideas on caliber change? What's involved in stepping it up to magnum?

 

[Ben Lamb]

I have a P17 butchered junker from my late wife's grandpa's homestead in Sask that I should do something with or send to the scrap heap. It's. 303 British. Any ideas on caliber change? What's involved in stepping it up to magnum?

I think you'd want to test the heat treating to make sure it can happen, but other than that, all you need is the appropriate bolt face and ejector to make it happen. It may work with the 303, as you could turn it into a 30 Super pretty easy - same rim IIRC.

Or a 375 H&H. it's got the box room for it.