Advice - Rifle vs. Shotgun

[patmac]

First post here, glad to find the site.

I am hoping to get back deer hunting this year after a few years off. The place we hunt in NY just switched from Shotgun Only to Shotgun/Rifle.

My question, I have always previously used a 12ga. 870 with Slug Barrel. My brother was recently given a rifle he is going to lend me (British 303).

Any thoughts on wether I should stick with 12ga. or try to sight in the 303 over the next month to use. Pretty thick cover where we hunt. I would say 100 yards would be a very long shot.

I have never hunted deer with a rifle before.

Thanks,

Pat

 

[RCL]

I'm in the same situation down at this end of the state. However, I'll be using the rifle I've used in Pennsylvania for the last 25 years.
I would get both guns sighted in, spend some time shooting them, then take the one you had the most confidence in. At that range either should be just as effective.

 

[sumpnz]

What's the overall length of the SMLE compared to the 870? Will you be hunting thick brush or somewhat open forrest? If it's the jungle carbine it would probably work very well regardless of the vegatation, but if its the long barreled infantry rifle you may find it rather unwieldy in the brush. Some of those WWI, WWII rifles had really long, 29.5" tubes on them and are up to 52" overall. I would hate to have to hunt in the thick stuff with something like that, though open forrest or from a tree stand would not be a problem.

The .303 will kill a deer just as dead, just as fast a 12ga slug provided you do your part. I just killed a large cow elk last Friday with a 6.5x55mm chambered rifle, and that's a smaller round than the .303 with the elk being a whole lot bigger than a deer.

The rifle will shoot a lot flatter, and with less recoil than the shotgun. If you get good at working the bolt you'll probably be able to get off a second aimed shot faster than with the 870 - more becuase of the lighter recoil than anything else. But you would have to practice working that bolt from the shoulder. Good news with that is the bolt handel sits behind the trigger in the SMLE's, so if you use your left hand to keep the rifle against your shoulder it's a very fluid motion to bring your right hand back to the handel, lift, pull back, push forward, and lower the handle and then the right hand naturally moves back to the trigger. Supposedly much faster than most other bolt actions that have the bolt handle forward of the trigger.

Finally - WELCOME TO THR!

 

[patmac]

The rifle is a Gibbs - 303 Jungle Carbine. I would like to give it a try in the woods now that we are able to use rifles.

I did read some negative posts on Gibbs. I think I will take it to the range and decide for myself.

Thanks for the feedback,

Pat

 

[Art Eatman]

Welcome, patmac! Glad you're here!

RCL's notion about sight-in and comparison sounds good to me, for all that I'm a rifle guy...

Art

 

[JShirley]

I've often used a shotgun (with appropriately shorter buttstock) for prowling through the woods for deer. Have had pretty good luck with it, too. (WITH SLUGS.)

I'd say the big advantage could be in a snap shot situation, if you're used to that shotgun. OTOH, at longer ranges (say, 50 meters) the nod will probably go to the .303.

Let me also welcome you here.

John

 

[killzone]

a good call,

If it's the jungle carbine it would probably work very well regardless of the vegatation, but if its the long barreled infantry rifle you may find it rather unwieldy in the brush.

I agree with that a lot and I also think that you'll have much more fun going to the rage and getting used to pulling that bolt and watch the shell fly after you see that deer go down.

 

[Sunray]

Hi. Play with the Gibbs after checking the headspace, but stick with the 870 until you know the bubba'd rifle is safe to shoot. There's no question that a .303 will drop deer(along with anything else) like a ton of bricks, but you need to learn how the rifle shoots before you hunt with it. The felt recoil is stout out of any No. 5, but Gibbs assembled rifles out of assorted receivers. A real No.5 'jungle carbine' it ain't.
"...with less recoil than the shotgun..." You've never fired a .303 have you?

 

[patmac]

My brother who is a Captain in the 82nd Airborne is going with me to the range to show me how it shoots. If I get comfortable with it I may give it a try some AM when I spend a few hours sitting.

For still hunting, and hiking I think I will probably stick with the 870 this season. As noted before, I'm comfortable taking a snap shot with the 870, not sure I will feel the same with the .303 after only a few weeks practice.

Thanks again

 

[GunGoBoom]

Since it's really thick, I'd stick with the 12 ga slug, in case you hit a little twig or leaf - it will deflect less. In more open areas, however, I'd switch to the rifle.