Hunting With Milsurp Weapons- 2010 Edition

[gunner]

Hey jmoore, didn´t expect that you´re cooking meals for old toothless warhorses! Hahaha, yummie!

[U-712]

I know that an SKS can work just fine in a pinch with a bear. Though not my first choice, one does not always have the option of selecting a different firearm when a bear decides to charge you in the bush.

[Rumpelhardt]

I have deer hunted almost exclusively with bolt action rifles for 40 years. I have used a Model 70 Winchester in 30-06 that has been fitted with various 3-9 power scopes for the last 26 years. Before that I used an Interarms Mark X commercial Mauser in 30-06. I started out with a sporterised military Mauser chambered in 8mm that wore a Weaver 2 1/2 power scope that my grandfather let me use because my father hated guns and wouldn't let me have one. This coming year I plan to use one of my No. 4 Enfields at least some times.

[jmoore]

I know that an SKS can work just fine in a pinch with a bear.

So you've had a close encounter that you weren't expecting? Welcome to the forums, BTW! (I often miss the post counts...)

old toothless warhorses

I'm getting there!
Actually, one meal had about 30(?) participants! However, the ribs were reserved for a smaller crowd, maybe 10-15(? hard to tell, some folk got to eat both times and others had to have a few held back) and were split into two shifts about eight hours apart. Only had four sets! Fortunately, larger deer- lots of meat- surprising to those that hadn't had them before.

This coming year I plan to use one of my No. 4 Enfields at least some times.

The .303 Br round works fine! Oddly, deer only get in the way of my P'14 with the BSA scope. Scoped a small buck w/ a No.4 Mk.I (T), but not enough rack to be legal. No results w/ SMLEs yet, either.

[lawrence_n]

I cut my teeth on the Lee Enfields. Up here, they were the iconic Canadian hunting rifle. Every rural home had one, ammo was inexpensive and plentiful (both milsurp & soft point), and the rifles themselves were very inexpensive whether they were in untouched military dress or sporterized. I nailed my first deer with a No.4 at about 150 yds, open sights. One clean shot through the lungs and she went about 20-30 yds and dropped. Over the years I've had many pass through my hands, some I've restored, some sporters I've customized for me or my buds, and some were abused beyond salvage as anything other than "parts" rifles. It has it's limitations as a modern hunting rifle, but it's mechanically simple to maintain, and with the right ammo it's a consistent game-getter. Don't get me wrong, I love a good commercial sporter. My M77 Ruger .308 HBar has put lots of game on the table so I'm not slavishly dedicated to milsurps as hunting rifles, but there's something satisfying about carrying a piece of military history into the woods and coming home with meat on the table.

[TX0303]

I've deer hunted the past 10 years with a sporterized Swedish M38 using handloads. Sweet shooting rifle, very accurate. I hunt on my own land and wanted a round that would not go far on a pass thru or ricochet. There are neighbors thru the woods and they have animals right across the fence so I did not feel comforable using my 30-06.
I've also killed one deer and one hog using a ChiCom SKS with handloads. Great gun for thick creek bottoms when used open sights.