My Military Surplus Hunting Arms.

[Adam Helmer]

As a long time military gun collector since 1958, I have collected many arms and discovered a few favorites. My best Cast boolit hunting arm is the 8MM Mauser. I have tried the 7mm, .30-06 and .303 calibers, but my best is the Lyman #323471, 215 grain RN and 25 grains of IMR 4198.

Second best is the .30 caliber or .303 calibers in 175-200 grain cast boolits. I hunt all year long on my farm for coyotes, chucks and deer. Most PA deer are shot within 100 yards and a good cast boolit is enough.

Adam

[upnorthwis]

I'm hoping to add .43 Mauser to my list of calibers I've shot deer with. Already got venison in freezer with X-bow so can take a chance with the M71/84.

[tdoor4570]

Mine is a 1898 Springfield Krag in 30-40 that I have been using sence I was 11 years old , 74 now. The Krag always makes the trip weather for deer or elk.

[beemer]

I have a Long Branch #4 that has been set up with a scope, the bedding had been worked over and it shoots well. I shot most of the deer with a .50 cal. cap lock, but when using a center fire that's what I take.

[charlie b]

Garand. 5rnd clip.

[Adam Helmer]

Mine is a 1898 Springfield Krag in 30-40 that I have been using sence I was 11 years old , 74 now. The Krag always makes the trip weather for deer or elk.

tdoor,

I very much like the .30/40 Krag and have two rifles and a sporterized carbine. The rifles are all original; one has the tangent rear sight and the other has the Buffington rear sight. The carbine is a resurrected favorite woods deer and bear gun. I found the carbine in a gun shop about 1999 on the used (abused) rack for $60.00. Bubba had hack sawed the original carbine barrel to 16.25 inches and put the action in a mixmaster stock. My gunsmith installed a new 20-inch barrel, new iron sights and put on a new sporter stock.

My very best .30/40 cast loads are the Lee .312, 185 RN cast boolit in all my Krags. I carry my Krag Carbine as often as I can afield at age 76. Be well.

Adam

[Kraschenbirn]

Don't hunt deer any more but, if I did, my 'NRA Krag Sporter' would be first choice in timber country. Light, handy, and a 311299 over a healthy charge of 4350 comes within 100 fps of duplicating original carbine ballistics and prints 2" groups @ 100 yds.

Bill

[tdoor4570]

If you get down to it there is 6 krags between my son and my self ,4- 1898 springfield Krags 1- 1894 Krag and 1- 1895 Winchester lever I just love the 30-40 round . It has killed every thing I ever went after very well. never lost any game.

[444ttd]

i have a sporterized 1898 spr armory in 30-40 krag that just loves 165gr ranch dogs, but deer hate it!!! i have another sporter krag and two 1898 spr armory actions sans bolt. it was carried into the deer woods by my great grandpap, grandpap, dad, late uncle and my son, not to mention me.

i have 7x57, 8x57, 7.65x53 argie, 30'06 type 99 arisaka, 6.5 carcano and a couple of more that i forget.

[curiousgeorge]

An 8mm Yugo in excellent condition, sporterized and scoped by me is my go-to military rifle. Shoots my cast 321297 180 grain bullets loaded over IMR-4895 into little groups at 50 yards. Still regret trading off the match to this 8mm gun and a full military Brazillian .30-06 Mauser.

[gpidaho]

I have a K98 Mauser manufactured 1941 with all the markings clear and sharp. I don't know how this rifle came to make it through the war without any signs of being used. I can only guess that it was stashed away. Now the sad part, it has been sporterized. This was very well done with box magazine and ramp front sight and V notch rear but pretty much degrades the worth of a very fine example of this 8mm. Gp

[Adam Helmer]

gpidaho,

I bought my first military surplus arm in 1958 for $13.88. The stores were full of nice Mausers and others in the $12-$25 range. Unfortunately, we thought these fine guns would be on sale forever! Along came the Gun Control Act 1968 and ALL the cheap guns were DELETED FOREVER! Are we safer today because nice guns are now gone?

Adam

[Ithaca Gunner]

This one I took a bubba'd sporter 98 large ring Mauser I paid $125.00 for, rebarreled it with a Shilen #5 in .30/06 left it at 25'' long, restocked it, added a Timney trigger, a nice push button opening floor plate, and topped it with an older Burris 3-9x Signature series scope. It's a bit long and heavy for deer, but just the ticket for long range ground hog shooting with Speer 125gr. TNT bullets and a case packed full of H-4350.





This 98 Mauser was a bring back from Army Capt. Gib Gault, WWII veteran who did the receiver work and used it to hunt plains game in Africa as an 8mm/06. I barreled it with a 24'' #3 Shaw barrel in .30/06, stocked with a pre-finished ''Warsaw'' stock from Midway and topped with a 3-9x Burris Full Field scope for a nice mid-weight sporter. I'm considering rebarreling it again to either the 23'' heavy .30/06 target barrel I originally had on it, or a 25'' #5 barrel in 7mm Remington Express.