miltary for hunting

[Bezoar]

as its AWFUL close to season, and i want to get something quickish so i can get out shooting heres some questions.

1. sights, m1 garand versus 1903a3

basically the same style, adjustable rear peep. But what has easier acquisition?


2. since i can legally only have 5 round sin my rifle when hunting, does a garand offer that much advantage at least when hunting?

3. If a sporterized 1903a3 pops up, just how costly is it to get it back into a semblence of military shape?

 

[XD 45acp]

I've hunted with the 03a3, and a M1A. Both are excellent. I found that the sights on the 03 was pretty darn good, and wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

 

[TIMC]

I've hunted with both but a 1903A3 with optics is much easier to do than the Garand. When I hunt with my Garand I do it with open sights. The 1903 I have was a sporter that I brought back to right. With optic, rifle and replacement stock I have a total of about $800 in it.


it started like this...



The Garand does work too!

 

[Swampman]

It depends on how you hunt, if you're gonna be carrying it around very much, Garands get HEAVY!
On the other hand, I do like their balance better for offhand shooting.

Both are excellent rifles and capable of taking pretty much anything in North America.

Keep in mind however that Garand hunting ammunition will need to approximate the pressure curve of service rifle ammo. There's a lot of match ammo available loaded to the proper specs, but I have no idea about hunting ammo. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will speak up.

Just something to think about if you don't reload.

 

[Bezoar]

i hears good about the handling of the 03 family. and the ammo thing is important to me.


Just what was entaled in fixing that back from bubba status?

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

I stay away from older military rifles...I always carry and use regularly on hogs a Springfield Armory M1A standard....after all these years, and I am 60, I am still deadly with it open sights past 300 yards

 

[morcey2]

I have a stack of primary guns from a sporterized (very well, by the way) 1903 to a Savage 110 in 30-06 to a bunch of Mausers in 7x57, 8x57, and one in 257 Bob. My backup is either my 1903 w/ a C-Stock or my M38 mosin. Either one of those out to 150 yards. The M38 is a little lighter and quicker, but the 1903 is a little more accurate.

But to answer your questions, the Garand will have a little quicker acquisition because it's a much more awesomer rifle. They're almost identical in that respect.

If you're limited to 5 rounds in the Garand, there are 5-round clips available.

The sporterized-to-original question is a little tricky because it depends on the condition of the "victim" rifle. My 1903 came to me with a bad bolt, chopped and sanded stock, and an excellent barrel. I replaced the bolt (which is now a paperweight at work), added a C-Stock and hardware from Sarco, and it turned into one of my favorite shooters. The stock/handguard was about $150, I think and the hardware was another $50. I paid $150 for the rifle and spent about 6 hour total on the stock doing cleanup and refinishing. I stripped the stain that was on the stock and gave it 6 coats of BLO and a top coat of Toms 1/3 mix. I can shoot it pretty well, but my son-in-law has shot it several times with his much younger eyes and it'll do 1" 3-shot groups all day long.

Matt

 

[GRIZ22]

1. No difference between the 2 AFAIC.

2. You can get a 5 rd clip for the Garand but dont know if that will make it legal where you're hunting. IMO the 03A3 is generally a bit more accurate. Not enough to make much difference. You dont have to do anything to be ready for your second shot if you need it.

3. A minimum of $200 if its only the stock and furniture. That with good used parts which are getting harder to find. If you need a barrel, refinishing, and other stuff the price can go up from there depending on how much of the work you can do. TIMC did a nice job building that A4 for $800.

 

[desidog]

I think, depending on your hunting terrain, and if you actually stalk game instead of sitting in a stand, that weight is a key concern.

I've hunted with my M1A, and i wouldn't do it again...heavy, and if you put it on your back there's a mag sticking into your side.

In order of preference, here's the Milsurps i hunt deer with (in New England):

1891 Carcano - it's the size of a 10/22, and 6.5 SP's drop deer no problem.
K31 - for longer ranges, its accurate, and i use it on skis biathalon style, with it's muzzle cap for snow being helpful and short stock works well with a thick jacket.
No.4 Enfield and 1903A3 tie for third...

Funny, now that i look at it, my list is also in order of price point...cheapest being first. Take a look at Carcanos; i have about 5 and paid 150$ at most. You can find them for 75$ sometimes.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

For several years - and before they became too valuable to beat hell outa - I used a Garand and later a "Tanker".

3 and 5 round clips satisfied the badges and modifying the original sights into a form of open and buckhorn went a long way towards making them easier to line up. I especially liked using International Harvester front sights for their exaggerated ears.

 

[Bezoar]

carcanos cold be fun if you had the enbloc to use them as a repeater should be used.


but the springfield 1903 family is getting nicer by the day.

 

[maxxhavoc]

I rebuit my 1903 from a sporter. It was a high-number Rock Island, luckily it wasn't drilled and tapped for a scope.

Before:


After:


The CMP stock and hardware set me back about $300. It took a lot of looking, and I ended up sending a lot of non-spec replica parts back. It also took a great deal of work finishing the stock, fixing the drilled barrel and re-bluing the barrel. Still, to me it was a worthwhile investment.

 

[henschman]

On a hunting rifle, I'd prefer notch sights to aperture sights. Aperture sights block out a lot of light, since you're looking at the target through a little peep hole. Animals come out in low light (pre-dawn or late evening). Try dry-firing that aperture sighted rifle in a dark room on a small target like a wall outlet screw or little smudge/mark on a wall. You will see pretty quickly why almost every hunting rifle that comes with irons has notch sights of some flavor. Using a 6 o'clock hold with a notch, the target is not obscured by the sights at all.

 

[Kaeto]

I'd use my Turkish K-Kale Mauser in 8x57 mm. Was getting 1.5 inch 5 shot groups at 100 yds using the standard military sights this past summer.

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

I just throw handloaded hunting ammo in the Mosin or Gewehr 88/05.

The Gewehr 88/05 is about 1.2moa and the Mosin is sub-moa, but how much do you really need?

Either can take pretty much anything in North America, excepting (maybe) the big bears, and that's debatable.

Here in Indiana, I'm limited to using them for coyotes and the like.

Josh

 

[Furncliff]

http://www.realguns.com/Commentary/comar107.htm

 

[wombat13]

It would help to have a little more information on your priorities. If you want a good hunting rifle fast, then you should just go buy a modern hunting rifle. If you want to own an old military rifle and then take it hunting, you should buy the military rifle you want and then adjust your hunting to the capabilities of the rifle. My FIL has a sporterized 03 and I have hunted with my Garand. Here's how they compare IMHO:

Sporterized, Scoped 03: Fine hunting rifle. I can place 3 shots in 1/2" at 100 yards and I'm no champion marksman. I'm sure the rifle could put more than 3 in 1/2", but I can't. Just like hunting with any modern hunting rifle. Sporterizing reduces weight. Adding the scope, of course, is a big advantage. An original iron sight 03 would still be a fine hunting rifle, provided you can use the irons well. The bolt action is very nice for hunting.

Garand: More than capable as a hunting rifle, but IMHO, the peep sights and semi-auto action are not ideal. I've taken a buck with the Garand, but it was not easy. The first time I took the Garand hunting, I missed an opportunity at a doe because I pulled the trigger on an empty chamber. You're supposed to let the bolt slam when you load a Garand, but I didn't want to make too much noise after climbing into the tree stand, so I controlled the bolt and it rode over the top round in the magazine. Also, it was raining that day and I had to keep blowing water out of the rear peep. Slamming the bolt and blowing water out of the peep both make noise I prefer not to make when hunting.

Two years later I took the Garand hunting again. This time a buck approached my stand just after legal light. It was dark in the forest and everything - the buck, the trees, the leaf-littered ground - was the same brown/gray. I couldn't find the buck through the peep at first. I had to keep raising my head from the stock to find the buck. Eventually I figured I was on the vitals and fired. I paced the shot after the buck ran off and it was only 16 yards from the stand! I hit a few inches back of the heart and luckily I recovered the buck, but I learned my lesson. Peep sights are for good lighting conditions or when you don't care if you just wound your target. Consequently, I will only take my Garand hunting if I'm doing a mid-day hunt.

 

[jrmiddleton425]

No difference between the two as far as sights. If you want a .30-06 hunting rifle, you will have less money invested, if you go out and buy a new rifle made for the purpose.

That said, if you're set on having a military .30-caliber, look around for a 1917. Neat old rifles, stronger action and better sights than either of your two possibilities.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

No difference between the two as far as sights. If you want a .30-06 hunting rifle, you will have less money invested, if you go out and buy a new rifle made for the purpose.

That said, if you're set on having a military .30-caliber, look around for a 1917. Neat old rifles, stronger action and better sights than either of your two possibilities.

Now there's the ticket!

Was a time when lots of 1917 "sporterized" orphans could be had for parts money. Some, when following the NRA suggestions of the day with quality work were outstanding rifles with lots of pluses for hunting.

 

[Swampman]

This time a buck approached my stand just after legal light.

I think I know what you were trying to say here, but if you're ever telling that story to your local Game Warden, you might want to consider phrasing it a little differently...

 

[wombat13]

I think I know what you were trying to say here, but if you're ever telling that story to your local Game Warden, you might want to consider phrasing it a little differently...

Yes, it was just after legal light and I'd be happy to tell the warden. It was 7:20 am. Just after sunrise.

 

[Lassen Forge]

I was figuring it was after LL in the AM... NOT the PM...

I have hunted with my Garand. I have made a couple good shots, and I actually like the peeps, but... these were daylight, not early or late - and now, I'm too old to see that good in low light. And by the end of the day, that thing got *heavy*.

I borrowed a friend's synthetic stock M1A on a different trip, and found I was kinda fond of it - a point and shoot tackdriver. And being auto, it was a lot more comfortable to shoot than my model 70 308.

But from the long and short of it - IF you're going out and buying a rifle to go hunting with, then I would go out and buy a hunting rifle, not a military (and potentially collectable) one to hunt with.

 

[Laphroaig]

Now there's 1903's and 1903A3's. The sights are entirely different. 1903's have an adjustable ladder sight with a peep, and a v-notch battle sight visible when the ladder is laid down, flat. Its a small notch but still better than the clumsy ladder arrangement for hunting, IMO. 1903A3's have a rear mounted peep only, more like a Garand.

I've tried hunting with peeps on several occasions and agree they're better suited for targets than trying to pick out a deer in the woods.

I just got a 1917 a couple of months ago, and agree they are neat old rifles. However, they weigh a ton! The sights are kind of a cross between the 2 1903 variations. Its a ladder peep mounted more rearward than the 1903, and the battle sight is also a peep with a very generous aperture.

Laphroaig