Old Battlefield Rifles

[Horns]

I remember when I was young in the early 80’s my Daddy had a British 303 that he killed several deer with. Don’t know what happened to it but it’s gone. I bought him an old 308 that had been sporterized some. He killed a few with it and then I bought him a 7400 in .270 that he still has

 

[dick7.62]

I killed my first deer in 1967 with a Russian 91-30. I paid $14.88 + tax for it. That was the only deer I ever killed with it. In recent years I have hunted with an M-14 and have killed dozens of deer with it. Plus some hogs.

 

[mwood1985]

I've got a turk m98 a swede and just picked up a Spanish action all in 6.5x55. Its a heck of a little round for the deer woods

 

[buckmanmike]

I used to have a Springfield A2/03 I think it was called in 30.06. It was stolen back in the 70's. Wood stock extended almost to end of barrel and had peep sights. Looked rough but hated to see it along with others disappear. Not sure on model #, my dad gave it to me when I was a youngin.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

I started deer hunting with a sporterized K98, still had all the Nazi marks and beautiful bluing. I my teen years I had a K98 rebarreled in .270win, restocked, bolt turned, new safety, Timney trigger, etc. It was an awesome rifle. I hunted with a sporterized 7mm K98 while it was being built. They're all memories now, sold or stolen or what-have-you over the years.

 

[EAGLE EYE 444]

I just happened to see this thread this morning and it definitely brought back some good memories of some of my first deer hunting experiences back in the late 1960's.

I borrowed a British Enfield .303 rifle from my first cousin as he had a few of them back then. This was one of the heaviest rifles that I had ever seen and I remember putting a heavy piece of a huge 3/8" flat type shoestring to use for more of a gun-sling of sorts back then. I did kill my first two deer with rifle BUT it should have been made into a "boat-anchor" instead because of the weight factor. It really was very difficult just to even hold this gun in a horizontal position long enough to get a shot. I remember setting up a "blind of sorts" made from cut limbs, brush etc into a semicircle and I sat behind it and had a "forked stick" with a sharpened point to stick in the ground to help hold the gun in place as I sat on a stool for a shot.

This morning as I read this thread, I thought about these .303 bullets, I immediately recalled the memories of my brother and I going deer hunting on a FRIDAY, THE 13th back in the late 1960's and I killed a 7-point buck and had dragged it out to the road had to wait for my brother to finish hunting which he was about a mile or so away. Two other good friends (that were brothers) happened to drive by after they finished hunting and they helped to load my buck onto their jeep and they drove me back to my brother's vehicle and loaded it up in his truck as we sat and talked. My brother had grown up together with these two brothers and they were awesome friends to everyone.

Now for the odd thing. I remembered still having a box (turns out, it still has 15 new bullets inside) of some Winchester (bright yellow box) .303 British, 180 GR, soft point, Power-Point bullets in storage for all of these years. I just went and got it and I laughed when I saw that the price is still marked on it with a heavy black pen and it cost me $ 5.10 for a box of 20 of these bullets back in the late 1960's. This box still looks brand new. I bought these at Smalley's Western Auto Store in Lincolnton, Ga back then and even today, I am still best friends with the late, Mr. Smalley's son, Jack, as he owns a funeral home.

I had thought before that it would be best for me to give these bullets to another GON member when we have various get-togethers but I just haven't accomplished that yet. I would do that BUT only by face to face but it might help someone else. I live in Augusta but still own property in Lincoln County and if anyone reads this, I would be glad to give you this ammunition as I will never need it since I don't have any gun to shoot it. Just send me a private message.

 

[godogs57]

I have hunted with my M1 Garand many times as well as my 1918 vintage 03 Springfield

 

[CurLee]

M98 Mauser action built in 1903. Was sporterized in 1960 with a .30-06 barrel. Now has a Timney trigger and Leica 2.5-10×50. Groups under 0.80" when I do my part.

Building a M91/30 Mosin with original, so far never fired, 7.62x54R barrel cut down to 22" and threaded for suppressor. Timney trigger, laminate stock, etc etc.
Have another M91/30 that will never be modified, plan to add both to the deer rotation.

 

[TriggerHappyJake]

I absolutely love older firearms of any type. I have had the fortune through my gunsmith training to handle a lot of older rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Ive killed 2 does with an M96 Swedish Mauser as well as building a custom sporter from the action of a M1909 DWM Mauser.

 

[fireman32]

Hunted with my daddies 30-40 Krag-Jorgenson rifle. Killed a couple of deer with it. Made in 1898 if I recall correctly.