PappyHoel
Senior Member
I too wanted an m1a for deer but I settled on a FN TSR .308. The guns cost about the same and are the same weight. The FN impressed me with its accuracy.
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M1A as a deer & pig gun ???????
- Thread starter Dub
- Start date
GunnSmokeer
Senior Member
I have a full length M1-A rifle with the standard wood stock. I mounted a fixed 4x rifle scope (1 inch tube 32 mm front lens.) on it for hunting out to 300 yards. I don't regret my decision, however, with a low power scope like that it is important to have binoculars or a spotting scope if you see something moving in the woods and you're not sure what it is or you know it's a deer but you need to check out its head.
Four power and a 32 mm lens is plenty of scope to hit the target and even shoot tight groups if you know what the target is and what part of it to aim at.
If you don't know those things, you may need a more powerful optic to make that assessment before you take the shot .
Four power and a 32 mm lens is plenty of scope to hit the target and even shoot tight groups if you know what the target is and what part of it to aim at.
If you don't know those things, you may need a more powerful optic to make that assessment before you take the shot .
Dub
Senior Member
Sounds good.
Great point about the glass. I have a fixed 4X on a muzzle-loader. You summed it up very well.
I have been hunting with an M-14 for 20+ years. I mostly kill deer but occasionally kill a hog. It is heavy but a wide padded sling helps carrying it. I shoot Remington core-lokt 150 grain bullets. Many years ago I had my own hunting club and had a big problem with trespassers. Almost every time I went hunting I ran into trespassers. A lot of them gave me a lot of backtalk, one even tried to run me off my own hunting club. So I started carrying an M-14 with a 20 round magazine. I never had any more backtalk from trespassers. I fell in love with the M-14 so I still hunt with it today.
Dub
Senior Member
Sounds great on the rifle. Did you use irons or did you ever try scoping it ?
Absolute insane situation that someone would attempt to run you off your own land.
There are lowlifes all over.
godogs57
Senior Member
I shot an M-14 in Rangers and always preferred it over the M-16. I have used my accurized M1A on hundreds of deer during legal culling operations over several years on a very large plantation. It works, and works very well.
My longest kill was a 633 yard heart shot, taken, incidentally, right after I had stepped right on a four foot water moccasin hidden in two foot tall Bermuda grass on a center pivot irrigation system.
My longest kill was a 633 yard heart shot, taken, incidentally, right after I had stepped right on a four foot water moccasin hidden in two foot tall Bermuda grass on a center pivot irrigation system.
model88_308
Banned
I agree that a 4x scope is fine for accurate shooting to a lot farther than most give it credit for. Many folks will say they can shoot decent groups at 50-100 yards with iron sights or peep sights. The last time I shot a peep sight at the range the 3 shot group was well under 1" @ 50 yards (.444).
A good scope properly mounted and adjusted is much easier to shoot with than any irons. Its simply logical that any person who can shoot VERY accurately at 50 yards with a scope set at 1x, can see and shoot just as well at 2x and 100 yards and 4x @ 200.
A fella named Jack was (is) world renowned as a hunter and writer. Best I can tell, he never (or VERY RARELY) used anything but 4x scopes on his big game rifles and hunting mostly the western and southwestern U.S. states. He used 2 or 3x scopes on his dangerous game rifles.
His favorite rifle scope combination was a .270 (M70) and 4x scope. His writings seem to portray a rather successful career hunting worldwide with his chosen arms.
Dub
Senior Member
Understood.
Thanks.
Outstanding shot......and nerves of steel to be able to settle down enough to make the shot after what had to be bit of excitement stomping on that moccasin.
Sounds like you'e had some serious training on shooting and excellent training on the M1A. I'm going to assume that same type of training also extends to the nerves of steel aspects, too.
Thank you for your service !!!!!!!
I'd be lying through my teef if I didn't fully admit to Jack being a huge influence on how I got started with the .270 Win in my first deer rifle I bought myself. My first deer rifle was a .30/.30 lever gun that my Uncle Bill provided.
godogs57
Senior Member
Understood.
Thanks.
Outstanding shot......and nerves of steel to be able to settle down enough to make the shot after what had to be bit of excitement stomping on that moccasin.
It was one of those moments where your brain works fast...faster than usual.
I was settling down in the grass at the dead center of the irrigation pivot, which is not planted....where the Diesel engine (or electric motor) and such are located. We call it the “pivot point” down here in SWGA. My feet stepped on something that felt like a stick, only it “squished”. In about a quarter second or less my mind conveyed the fact that it wasn’t a stick and I moved back....before quick. It struck at me and when it did, it let out the loudest hiss I’ve ever heard from a snake. It was similar to when they are putting a tire on a rim in a garage and they start filling it with air...loud!
As I was moving back, the snake was striking and missed, with me swatting it to the side with the butt of the M1A. Neither of us were worse for the wear and I settled down into a shooting position as it crawled off. Sounds exciting, but it really wasn’t. Diamondbacks, Canebrakes and Moccasins were pretty much everywhere on that plantation....running into them was a common occurrence. You just give em respect, which I didn’t as I stepped on it, and they’ll return the favor.
Dub
Senior Member
I’d needed new drawers and 1/2 pint swig of whiskey to calm down after that.
Great thing you reacted swiftly.
model88_308
Banned
While I actually lean a bit towards the Elmer side of fast vs big, I'm most certainly a BIG fan of Jack. I bought a rifle over a decade ago to "make" into a close example of his favorite rifle, a custom M70 Featherweight in .270 (he actually had two built by Al Biesen because he was afraid he would shoot the first "out")
I bought a 1960 M70 Featherweight in .270 built in the custom shop and mounted a 4X scope on it. The first day I ever carried it in the woods to hunt, I killed a Tn 8 pnt with it. About 4-5 yrs later, The O'Connor clan allowed Winchester to produce a limited number of M70 Featherweight clones of Jack's rifle(s). Yes, I had to have one, and now do.
Strangely enough, both rifles cost almost exactly the same. And, both rifles shoot well under 1". One does it with cheap Winchester 150gr PP loads and the other the same inexpensive loads, but in 130gr.
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Jester896
Senior Clown
i read somewhere that you couldn't do that!
godogs57
Senior Member
With that gun, yes. It was accurized by the AMTU at Ft Benning. She’s a hummer.
godogs57
Senior Member
Actually, he thought #1 was too pretty, and had a second rifle made by Al the story goes. Ended up using #2 as his go to rifle. Both men were my hero’s back in the day. Have books authored and autographed by both men.
Dub
Senior Member
model88_308
Banned
I think the rifles were pretty much twins, but after he received #2, he found it shot better than the original, so he did, indeed switch. Interesting thing about Jack's final custom rifle completed after his untimely death while on vacation with Elanor.
It was being done by Beisen, but this time he chose a Ruger M77 and in .280. He was a very good friend of Bill Ruger at the time. The rifle was completed after his death, after Beisen checked with son Bradford. A very nice rifle, indeed. I'll see if I can find a picture. So, Jack may have ultimately switched to the .280.....lol. His biggest sheep ever was killed with a 7mag.
Here's a picture of the Ruger. I read an article in a Gun Digest on it 4-5 yrs ago. I'll include a link to an article as well in a bit.
https://gundigest.com/more/classic-guns/classic-guns-jack-oconnors-last-rifle-the-ruger-m77
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godogs57
Senior Member
Beautiful rifle. Yep....he secretly liked the 280 and the 30/06 of course. He was more open with his affection for the 06.
Al Biesen and his son made some grand rifles back in the day.
Al Biesen and his son made some grand rifles back in the day.
model88_308
Banned
Maybe a dozen years ago, I saw a Biesen rifle for sale online. The price was something I could "do" at the time and the style and chambering were both good to my tastes. I didn't do it and I wish now I had just done it.
Hindsight is 20-20 as they say....lol
godogs57
Senior Member
Dang. Should have pulled the trigger on that deal. Al’s rifle’s are almost impossible to find. I’ve seen a few Al/Roger Biesens out there and the workmanship is just as good. Now Roger has hung up his hat.
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