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Old January 10, 2012, 07:23 PM   #1
seansean1444
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one milsurp for hunting all north america

if you had to pick a milsurp to hunt north america with or at least any game in the united states witch would it be and why? trying to learn more about all these "new to me" cartridges because you dont hear much about them behind all the .223. .308. 30-06.
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Old January 10, 2012, 07:52 PM   #2
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Surplus Military Rifle

The non-223,308,30'06 rifle round that can be used to take most of the big game in North America.
8x57 Mauser in a version of the K98k rifle. 7.62x54R in a Moisin Nagant rifle. Or maybe a bit under powered as compared to the others 303 British in an Enfield.
For starters.
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Old January 10, 2012, 07:55 PM   #3
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8mm mauser.
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Old January 10, 2012, 08:25 PM   #4
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Any of the WWI/WWII cartridges will do fine. The exception is charging grizzly, that's .45-70 territory.
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Old January 10, 2012, 08:35 PM   #5
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6.5x55. Accurate, good range and mild recoil...and it's one of the most popular hunting rounds in Europe.
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Old January 10, 2012, 09:36 PM   #6
seansean1444
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ya im thinking about picking up a mosin 1 day this week
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Old January 10, 2012, 10:24 PM   #7
johnwilliamson062
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6.5X55. It might take some smaller game without making too much of a mess.
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Old January 10, 2012, 10:34 PM   #8
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Several good choices.
Depends on whether you plan on adding glass- as some, are easier than others to adapt to modern mounts.

I can tell you that I was ringing a 10" gong at 600 yards with my Mosin 91/30 (sporter, of course) last weekend. It'll get the job done, more inexpensively than anything else if you can do the work yourself.

We recently picked up Swiss K-31, and was very impressed with it first time out.
Ditto on a M24/47 Mauser.

But, I think "accuracy-wise", the nod must go to the Swede 6.5 x55, still a popular tack-driving round today. You can pick up an M96 for $250-$300, maybe less if you're just looking for a shooter and aren't concerned about matching numbers and the like...
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Old January 10, 2012, 11:28 PM   #9
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8X57 Mauser. Hunted with one for years!!! Before the Mauser, I used SMLE Jungle Carbine in 303 British. Either would do well. But as with any cartridge, shot placement is the most important part!
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Old January 10, 2012, 11:53 PM   #10
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For the big elk or grizzlies, browns, polar bears, either 7.62x54R or .30/06, in my opinion, with expanding bullets in handloads. As far as rifle goes, I'd want a short-barelled sporter with a slick action, good brush sights. The poster with the Jungle Carbine is right in there, although I think the .303 British too light for the big bears, they need 18" of penetration for certainty.
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Old January 11, 2012, 12:14 AM   #11
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Not the 30-06, but its so versatile.
I think the Garand is the ultimate moose gun with 180 gr. Nosler Partitions. I have heart shot how many moose and have them run, but with quick follow up shots they do not run far. My Garand has a Schuster Adjustable gas plug that I tuned for 180 grainers. I really like partitions.





But, I have also been loading up some 200 gr. Speer Hot Core for my SC 1903A3 and have yet to take a moose with it. It should be awesome and it is easier to load a variety of different weight bullets without changing the setting of a gas plug. My Smith Corona really, really likes H4350 and 200 grainers though.





But, I've been trying and trying to get Mr. Moose with one of my .303 Enfields for the past 6 years. I've worked up loads and gone out darn near every day of moose season with an Enfield. Then I'll take my Garand or Ruger MkII -06 out for a day and kill one, always an 06. This past summer my fourteen year old daughter shot her first moose with a No.5 Mk1 that she claimed as hers. I worked up some 150gr. Hornady .312dia. that she could shoot accurately. I did help her with my Garand when she short stroked the third shot.





Is there just one???

One day I'll kill one with one of my No.4's, or my replacement No5.

Last edited by moose fat; January 12, 2012 at 02:15 AM. Reason: nomenclature
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Old January 11, 2012, 12:22 AM   #12
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6.5x55 is the way to go. Super accurate, flat shooting, and is pretty well proven in Europe. I would also give the 8mm Mauser round and the Mosin Nagant 7.62x54r an honorable mention but I still believe the 6.5 Swede beats them.
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Old January 11, 2012, 09:52 AM   #13
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M1903A3 or No4 Enfield. The 03 well handle about any 30.06 round on the market. The No4 with .303 180gr Core-Loc well stop any NA game animal.

One reason you see so many of these rifles sporterized back in the day, they got the job done.
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Old January 11, 2012, 10:16 AM   #14
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Quote:
One reason you see so many of these rifles sporterized back in the day, they got the job done.
What he said plus 1. They still get the job done.
I still have a box of 150 grain Hornady Light Magnums in .303 British. What a great gun and round.
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Old January 11, 2012, 11:49 AM   #15
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If I'm not mistaken, the .303 has killed just about every animal on this planet.
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Old January 11, 2012, 11:55 AM   #16
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I wouldn't vote for any of the standard lot, mostly due to accuracy issues. An older .45-70 would seem to be a better choice, but I'd just as soon spend $275 on a new rifle with more ummmphhh!

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Old January 11, 2012, 01:16 PM   #17
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Any of them.

I always thought the Enfield #5 would make a great hunting rifle, light weight, great sights, plenty of power in a handy little package.

Assuming the accuracy is there, pretty much any surplus military rifle would foot the bill, but I wouldn't want to carry some of them.

I would also prefer ones with a aperture rear sight, which rules out most of the Mausers and Mosin Nagants.

My choices would be Enfield No 5, or 1903A3.
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Old January 11, 2012, 02:05 PM   #18
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I have a few MilSpec rifles, don't hunt with them, but if I was, I'd go with my 1903a3 SC. Its light, smooth and super accurate.
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Old January 11, 2012, 06:04 PM   #19
James K
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If limited to a manually loaded rifle, I would go with the 8mm Mauser and full power loads. It is marginally better than the .30-'06 for large, heavy animals. If a semi-auto is allowed, the M1 without a doubt or the M14/M1A, although that is not really milsurp.

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Old January 11, 2012, 07:04 PM   #20
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1) 7.92 x 57 (8mm Mauser) with full power Euro loads like Norma and Sellior & Bellot. You can get a very nice sporterized one (beware of Bubba Mausers) if you look around. Bullet weights of 150 to 198 gr, does very well with 196s.

2) K31 with 7.5 x 55 Swiss. Probably not as many varieties of ammo or as wide a range of bullet weights, but a very impressive piece.
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Old January 11, 2012, 07:13 PM   #21
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I would chose a 1903A3 or a British Enfield in 303.

I have had the privilige of hunting with some WWI vets who never missed with their 03s. One gentleman could roll jack rabbitts on the run at 100 yards.

My son has taken WV White tails at 175 yards with his stock Enfield. He has since switched to a custom 30-06 built by a master gunsmith using an 03A3 action.
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Old January 12, 2012, 07:08 AM   #22
madcratebuilder
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Quote:
Originally Posted by emcon5
I always thought the Enfield #5 would make a great hunting rifle, light weight, great sights, plenty of power in a handy little package.
Right on. I was rearranging rifles in the gun room to other day and after moving my two No5's I picked up a M4 carbine with a 1-4 scope. I thought Wow, this is heavier than the No5. Then I picked up a 20" Hbar and it felt huge compared to the No5.
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Old January 12, 2012, 07:42 AM   #23
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Any of the High powered rounds really

But the 8X57 Mauser is awesome and even better with hand loads. I load up some with Barnes Tipped TSX bullets over 47 grains of varget. This is a flat shooting round, sub MOA out of a K98, thumb hole Boyds stock, with Timminy Trigger = devasting results. This round is almost too much for our average size whitetails here in SC, just judging by what the deer looked like after being taken with this round. But I guess any of them really, I've had a .303 British since I was 14 ( my first deer rifle) and it has taken many a whitetail. I hand load this round also. Actually its the reason I started reloading because the .303 got expensive and the 180 grain round nose core lokt would not feed in the enfield.
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Old January 12, 2012, 07:57 AM   #24
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Hello Everyone,

My personal choice would be my Enfield 303 with 180 grain bullets. I'm currently using Speer hot core bullets for my reloading.

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Old January 12, 2012, 11:18 AM   #25
doofus47
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I did 8x57 Mauser for a couple years. Using 196gr S&B cartridges, I didn't think that there was anything it couldn't stop, although I'm not a bear hunter.
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