Classic military rifles for hunting

[tgomez]

Anyone have an original military rifle or sporter they use or have used to hunt with? Would love to see some pictures.
Here is my Smith Corona 1903a3 30-06. This rifle has original receiver, bolt, floor plate, and barrel. It was built in August of 1943. Love this 30-06 even more than my 700. Buying some new glass for it end of this month. Going to drop a bear and buck with it this year!

[Bill W]

No pics but I hunted with a sporterized .30/40 Krag and an as issued 1903-A3 in the 60's.   The Springfield (03-A3) was one my uncle got from the DCM for about $20.  I have it now.

[wheels]

have a3 o3   had to get new barrel for it

[Alchase]

I would put it up on the wall in a place of reverence, love old wood guns. We are loosing the old classics every day because they were built to be used.

Still nothing better then an old rifle with the patina of years of history and stories behind it, especially if they belonged to a loved one who has passed.

[NRA4LIFE]

My first 3 or 4 deer were taken with an old German Mauser in 8mm, iron sights only.  It's the rifle I learned to shoot with.  I believe the rifle is 100 years old this year. It was my grandfathers first rifle, my dad's and mine.  I haven't fired it in a while but I bring it along on hunting trips, mostly for the memories. 

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Used a A3-03 for many years.  It was a very common hunting rifle.  My granddad used it in it's military form for many years before he could afford to sportorize it.

[hunterclark]

1943 mosin, good steady rifle.

[hunter399]

1943 mosin, good steady rifle.

Got to plus one  +1 I got a 1944 m44 carbine ,mosin are great hunting rifles.

[JL]

I hunted with this Yugo M24/47 8mm Mauser for 3 years or so. They were about $250 when I picked it up (w/o bayo). I’m pretty sure they’ve gone up in value slightly, especially in this condition. Man, it shoots straight. A bit heavy lol, but so is most of my milsurp gear I regularly use to hunt with. The gloss you see is just polished boiled linseed oil. What a great action.

[lazydrifter]

Here is a small ring mauser my dad gave to me when I was 12.  7mm original caliber.  Had it rebarreled to 257 Roberts.  B&C Medalist stock.  Leupold scope. Bold Trigger. This will be the 1st year hunting it.

[Pathfinder101]

I had a buddy I used to hunt with that had a sporterized .270 built on a Mauser action he got from his grandpa.  No markings on it anywhere (we thought).  One morning we were hanging out in his living room waiting for it to get daylight and we started inspecting it closely.  It looked like it had a marking on the action that was mostly covered by the stock.  When we took the stock off we found a Nazi Iron Eagle stamped on it. 

[Okanagan]

My first scoped rifle was an 03-A3 30-06 and the only rifle I owned for 20 years of steady hunting.  Barrel, action and all metal stayed the same except for a right side safety, a Timney trigger and drilled for scope mounts.    I put a semi-inletted Fajen stock on it and shaped the stock to my body, best fitting stock I've ever shot.  I liked the parkerized finish and grew to like the shark fin front sight because it would grip and not slide off when leaned against a tree trunk etc. 

Mine was made in 1942 (? early in the war).  The outside metal was a little rough and it had lathe marks on the outside of the four groove barrel.  The rifle shot like a dream, well under MOA with several hand loads.  It would shoot 165 grain Sierra game kings into a 5/8" hole all day long.

 It was heavy.  I got a stupid idea that I wanted a newer rifle and sold it.  Biggest mistake I ever made with a firearm.  I have tried to buy it back.  My son wants it if I ever get it back.  I have gone through several Remington 700's and a Savage and never have found a rifle that shoots as well. 

[CP]

I’ve hunted with a few of the years, M1 Carbine, 1903 Springfield, Lee Enfield 303.  I no longer own any of them and frankly don’t miss them.  They all did the job but the M1 was under-powered with marginal accuracy and the others were heavy and awkward to use.

[lokidog]

No pics, but shot a deer in WI with my Finnish Mosin Nagent, all original condition.

I wish I could use my M1 Carbine out here for our close range hunting.

[WSU]

I used to have what I guess was a modified 1903.  My dad had it and I used it in high school.  I never put any thought into what make or model it was but did shoot my biggest buck with it.  It ended up getting stolen when my house was broken into.

[CP]

Back in the day, you could get a “sporterized” 1903 for $20.  Many companies bought warehouses of mil surplus rifles and cut the stocks and barrels and sold them to the hunting public.  Very common and effective rifle.

[WSU]

Looking at photos, the action was certainly a 1903.  The barrel and stock were totally different than original.  My dad's equipment was largely old and cheap, so I would imagine it was one of the $20 varieties you mention.  I didn't know the difference and neither did the deer.

[DOUBLELUNG]

When I worked for Wyoming Game and Fish, I was issued a "new" (still in the original Cosmoline, manufactured in 1969) Springfield Armory M-14 that had been modified to semiauto only for surplus to state agencies.  It was my go-to truck gun for years, a joy to shoot and extremely accurate.  I also have a small ring Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55 sporterized by Kimber of America, and a sporterized Lee Enfield No 4 Mk 1 in .303 British that belonged to my father-in-law and will one day go to my son.  Haven't fired the last one, but know that he took many animals with it in Wyoming before upgrading to Weatherby .25-06; the former two have killed numerous deer and antelope.

[tlbradford]

I shot a single deer with a friends 6.5 swede on a mauser action.  That was a great rifle.  I don't remember the make, or model, but it was military surplus made in the 40's.  It was my go to rifle when I needed to borrow one for an impromptu coyote hunt.

[CP]

I wish I could use my M1 Carbine out here for our close range hunting.

What is stopping you?

[WSU]

I'm surprised how spendy they are on gunbroker.  What's a normal price for a run of the mill 1903?

[Bill W]

normal "as issue" 1903 starts around $500.  Remember 03 and 03-A3 are different.

[Okanagan]

I shot a single deer with a friends 6.5 swede on a mauser action.  That was a great rifle.  I don't remember the make, or model, but it was military surplus made in the 40's.  It was my go to rifle when I needed to borrow one for an impromptu coyote hunt.

Great little rifle and IMO the perfect bore for deer.  I bought a very nice WWII era military surplus made by Husqvarna and bought a stock, safety, reloading dies and even a batch of 129 grain Hornady bullets... and then procrastinated till I never finished the project.  I finally sold the whole works cheap to a friend who finished it into a sporter and loved it.

I shot one black bear with it, right after I bought it.  It was a nuisance bear that had been hanging around the kids' bus stop and following them home.  Every dad in the rural community was keeping an eye out for it.  I was on my way home after first test shooting the rifle and checking the zero of the open military sights, when the bear stepped out on a side grassy lane 60 yards from me and 300 yards from the bus stop.  Bear season was open and I had a tag but was annoyed to have to use it that way.

Anyway, 6.5 Swede is a delightful rifle and cartridge.

[jmscon]

Used my dad's 1891 Argentine Mauser for a couple of years. He bought it in the '60's at a surplus store in Seattle and sporterized it.
I didn't like to use it because I couldn't adjust the sights and, because of the bolt, I couldn't put a scope on it. Also, the only ammo I could find was Norma and it was $45 a box in the late '90's early 2000's. Keep thinking of using it for a brush gun though.

Still has the 2000 meter sight on it!

[Pathfinder101]

I think I'd have to try out that 2,000 yard sight...  Have you?

[tlbradford]

I shot a single deer with a friends 6.5 swede on a mauser action.  That was a great rifle.  I don't remember the make, or model, but it was military surplus made in the 40's.  It was my go to rifle when I needed to borrow one for an impromptu coyote hunt.

Great little rifle and IMO the perfect bore for deer.  I bought a very nice WWII era military surplus made by Husqvarna and bought a stock, safety, reloading dies and even a batch of 129 grain Hornady bullets... and then procrastinated till I never finished the project.  I finally sold the whole works cheap to a friend who finished it into a sporter and loved it.

I shot one black bear with it, right after I bought it.  It was a nuisance bear that had been hanging around the kids' bus stop and following them home.  Every dad in the rural community was keeping an eye out for it.  I was on my way home after first test shooting the rifle and checking the zero of the open military sights, when the bear stepped out on a side grassy lane 60 yards from me and 300 yards from the bus stop.  Bear season was open and I had a tag but was annoyed to have to use it that way.

Anyway, 6.5 Swede is a delightful rifle and cartridge.

Great story.  I loved that little rifle.  It changed hands one to many times, that I am not sure which of his grandkids ended up with it.  I keep quizzing the family members so I can try to buy it.  Same with his old Panther Bowie.  My dad tried to buy that knife off of him for years.  I just want either one as a keepsake to use and honor his memory.

[jmscon]

I think I'd have to try out that 2,000 yard sight...  Have you?

Haven't tried it out. The thing is the sights are off by 6 moa, so at 2000 yards that would be 120" off! I guess with the naked eye at 2000 yards you wouldn't be able to aim at a small target very well anyway. 

Bolt action spray and pray!

[JimmyHoffa]

I think I'd have to try out that 2,000 yard sight...  Have you?

Haven't tried it out. The thing is the sights are off by 6 moa, so at 2000 yards that would be 120" off! I guess with the naked eye at 2000 yards you wouldn't be able to aim at a small target very well anyway. 

Bolt action spray and pray!

It's for volley fire in trench warfare.

[quadrafire]

I still occasionally pack a sporterized 8mm mauser. I've thought about using is as a build but probably never will get to it.
It shoots great even with the 4 x Jason scope with a broken reticle.

[lokidog]

I wish I could use my M1 Carbine out here for our close range hunting.

What is stopping you?

We are firearm restricted, never mind that the muzzle energy is way less than a .454 Casull revolver which is legal here....