Who hunts deer or bear with a Military Surplus Rifle?
 

I began deer hunting in 1958 with a 7.35MM Italian Rifle that cost $13.88. I never got a deer with it because I soon replaced it with far better surplus arms. My current favorites are the Swedish 6.5x55 MM M38, the 8MM 98k, the Mark III .303 and the Jungle Carbine in .303 caliber. These are fine woods rifles. At the last gun show I was stunned by the prices for military bolt guns. Not only have prices gone up, but the condition has slipped down to "Good" or worse.

Does anyone else hunt with military surplus arms?

Adam

My first centerfire was a converted 03 springfield. It had a low serial number so after I found this out I dumped the rifle. Traded it for a Marlin 336 (another one I should not of sold).

Guess it depends on what you mean by "military surplus".....I hunt deer with a Swedish M96 that has been "sporterized"....does that count? Had a bear of a time seeing the sights, and they were difficult to adjust, so I cut the barrel down, added a composite stock, redid the safety and had it drilled and tapped for a scope.
I also hunt deer with a chicom copy of an M1A1....not really a 'surplus' gun, but functions & looks like the original (and chambered for .308).
....and I chase coyotes in the winter with an AR15; again, not truly a 'surplus' rifle, but looks enough like the real thing.


....and yes, prices are ridiculous! Anyone who bought a mil. surp rifle and left it in it's original condition might consider selling it right now; prices are prime!

I do on a regular basis
 

Some have been nicely sporterized and others are still in original condition. I have the British No. 1 Mark III Enfield that came out of the same shop as your Italian carbine. All the best...
Gil

I used to hunt deer and hog with a 7.62x39 chinese sks. Worked decent, 30-30 was better.

GoodOlBoy

My primary deer rifle for the past 40 yrs. has been a much sporterized 8x57 M98 Mauser. It's quite accurate and I've taken deer with it out to and a little beyond 200 yds. I wouldn't part with it for anything.

I took my first ever whitetail with a no 4 mk 1 'long branch' .303brit in full military looks, unchanged from WWII. It hasn't seen much use the last few years, but it will always remain in my gun cabinet. My first WT buck was taken with a P17 Enfield that had been partially sporterized.

I took my 1891 7.65x53 Peruvian carbine bear hunting this spring. I didn't take a bear, but I spotted three.

I took 3 deer this year with my scoped Swiss k31. Two last summer on ag damage tags and one during regular gun season. The farthest one was 220 yds.