Age of your hunting rifle.

Pathfinder45 · October 13, 2014, 02:22 AM

How old is your hunting rifle, the one you will hunt with this season. I know some folks have so many options to choose from that one day it's this rifle and the next day it's another. I could have hunted today with a nice model 70 Classic Sporter from the mid 1990's but instead have been using a 30WCF that's about 72 years old. Something about the old 94 just feels right out in the timber of the high Cascades. Who else chooses to hunt with an old rifle, and how old is yours?

Blindstitch · October 13, 2014, 03:18 AM

70 some odd year.
This year it's going to be a Type 38 Arisaka 6.5

Last year was an 1899 Remington Lee 30-40 Krag.
Only 114 years old.

bamaranger · October 13, 2014, 04:15 AM

Still up in the air about what "heavy" I may rifle hunt with this year......I've invested a lot of time and effort getting a Mark X Mannlicher in '06 up to snuff, and have not yet killed a deer with it. I believe it dates from the 1970's, say 35-40 years old maybe. Hunted it last season too, but another rifle was along when the buck showed up. One of the problems last year was the vintage Redfield 4x was not pulling enough light at dusk to satisfy me, so I would only the hunt the AM's with the Mark X. Another was the rifle is awfully pretty, and I was reluctant to hunt it hard, up trees in climbing stands, deep in the muck, etc. Its got a Leupold 6x on it now, and is much better at dusk, so it should get more hunting time this year.

One rifle that will go to the woods is a Ruger bolt, stainless/synthetic, in 7.62x39. Shrugs off hard use, light, short, (20" bbl) and easy to carry, and more than enough punch for use in the thick stuff where shots are short, but drags are long. Little rifle has had some trigger work, and I broke in the barrel when new. A cream puff to shoot, and wonderfully accurate with W_W factory ammo or my 135 gr reloads. Wish I could find some more of those Sierra SSP slugs!!!!! The Ruger wears a Leupold 2-7x.

What I REALLY want to do is take a deer (or more) with my bow. Got skunked last year with the bow, first time in 25+ years!!!

Jimro · October 13, 2014, 04:36 AM

Not hunting this year because it takes 4 months of training to get a WBK, but if I were back home and able to, I'd be reaching for my 50's era 30-06, a Husqvarna built on an FN m98 commercial action.

Jimro

eastbank · October 13, 2014, 06:13 AM

the last three days of the early muzzle loading doe season here, hunters over 65 years old can use any legal centerfire rifle and i carry one of my old winchester lever actions. this year i will carry a winchester 1876 in 45-60 made in 1883. eastbank.

Geezerbiker · October 13, 2014, 06:32 AM

I dunno. When were model 1909 Argentine Mousers made? Just pulling your leg, I'm not deer hunting hunting in Western Oregon anymore. The deer all move into town the last week of September...

Tony

trigger643 · October 13, 2014, 07:15 AM

55 year old model 70

tuck2 · October 13, 2014, 07:26 AM

My Winchester Mdl 70 270 was made in 1952.. I started reloading ammo for it in 1953 using H 4831 powder and 130 grain bullets ,Still do.

BillyBeards · October 13, 2014, 07:43 AM

The one I use the most often is a Mossberg 800A made in 1964.
I bedded the rifle two seasons ago and it cut my groups by .5 MOA.
It has a no name 4x scope that works well enough for game in my local woods.
Not bad for $250.

Mosin-Marauder · October 13, 2014, 07:46 AM

65 Years old. The K-31 will (hopefully) take it's first Whitetail this year. Probably gonna use Irons this year and get a clamp on mount for the next. The load I'm using is a 150 Grain Hornady SP Flatbase bullet over 45 grains of H4350. I'm able to keep within 2 inches at 100 with Irons.

RaySendero · October 13, 2014, 07:59 AM

Most interested in hunting my 1942 M70 Winchester.

Mobuck · October 13, 2014, 08:22 AM

7 years(Wby Vanguard 257 Wby and 7mm08) to 70 years(03A3 Spfld and 98 Mauser both various calibers)

longknife12 · October 13, 2014, 09:28 AM

1952 Mod 70 30-06.......still go NRA 90%.
Dan

MarkCO · October 13, 2014, 10:08 AM

1979 Winchester 670A in .243Win was the first rifle I owned. My parents gave it to me for my 13th birthday and I shot a Pronghorn with it in 1980. Saturday, my 12 year old shot his first Pronghorn with it. I have a Rem700 in .30-06 that is a 1978, but most of my hunting is with a 2003 Weatherby UL in .338-06 or a 2006 Rem 700 in .260 Rem.

Colt46 · October 13, 2014, 10:09 AM

Bought a Remington Mtn. Rifle in 1990
Good looking, accurate and easy to carry.

AllenJ · October 13, 2014, 10:42 AM

3 year old Vanguard S2 is what I hunted deer with this year. I loaned my oldest rifle, a Savage 99, to my youngest son in hopes he would get his first deer with it just as I did. I don't know how old it is, my grandfather gave it to me when I was 12 and that was 30 years ago

.

NHSHOOTER · October 13, 2014, 11:16 AM

For muzzleloader season here in NH I will use my 1997 Knight Disc in 50 cal and if for some reason I dont score with that, (since here in NH we only get 1 gunpowder tag) I will take out my fairly new (not sure what year it was made but I got it last year) Model 7 in 7-08. When I head down to SC the beginning of Dec I will be taking along my Weatherby Vanguard 2 in 243 and my Model 7 in 7-08.

hartcreek · October 13, 2014, 04:05 PM

I use whatever I feel like any given day from my 150 plus year old damascus barreled 16 gage double barrel shotgun to my Uberti Walker that I just picked up last year. Sometimes it feels right go grab great great granddads ole Winchester 25-35 too.

Lucas McCain · October 13, 2014, 06:25 PM

I use a 270, model 54 Winchester that was built in 1925. This gun has been carried so much that the checkering on the fore arm is worn flat. For those who don't know it was the fore runner to the model 70. I bought the rifle in 1957 at Coast-to-Coast hardware for $30 dollars. At the time I wanted something better like a 740 Rem. But that was all I had or could afford. It got a Williams peep site on it and serves me very well. At 70 it still serves me well, and has helped me harvest a lot of game. I do have some nice rifles and they have good scopes on them . But the way I hunt is to walk and sit. When I' m sitting, holding that rifle many pleasant deer hunting memories come into mind. Just like an old diary, that's why I carry it! I'll carry that gun right up to and including my last hunt, which at my age is closer than I want to think about.

Jo6pak · October 13, 2014, 07:45 PM

Well, the core of the rifle is 96 years old. It's a 1918 stamped Swedish M96 wrapped in a newer stock and topped with a scope.

Not sure it that counts, but it's the same rifle I have hunted whitetail with since 1995.

goodwrench · October 13, 2014, 07:59 PM

enfield,eddystone 30 gibbs2.jpg MFG. Dec 1918. Cal. 30 Gibbs

49willys · October 13, 2014, 08:08 PM

1968 model 70 in .308 win.

Andrewsmith1 · October 13, 2014, 08:17 PM

It depends on what I am hunting.For squirrel or rabbit it wis either my 2 year old 10/22, my 1960's Remington 1996, or a 2002 Rossi .410 shotgun. I know some people who will have a contest to see who can kill the most rabbits using a .22 or .22 Mag revolver, and I have a 2004 Heritage Rough rider in both cartridges but I think the chances of making a bad hit and causing the animal to suffer are to great. For deer or larger animals it depends on the season and size of deer I have been scouting. For them I either use a 2012 Savage model 11 in 270, 2011 Mossberg 500 in 20 gauge or Mossy 535 in 12 gauge. I will smack the occasional stray cat, rat, or mice along with pest birds with any air rifle I have in town,, I have a Mini 14 in 223/5.62 that I bought last year, but I use it mostly for practice. It is overkill for the small game and I want more power for the larger game. It is more a self defense/EOTWAWKI gun for protection against 2 legged predators or pinking although I might not totally rule it out for hog hunting in the future if the conditions allow for a clean kill shot.

tdoyka · October 13, 2014, 09:23 PM

a 1903 springfield armory in 30-40 krag=111 years old

sgms · October 13, 2014, 09:32 PM

What I'm hunting and who I'm hunting with has a lot to do with what I take, but the oldest rifle I have ever taken on a hunt is an original Mod. 88 trapdoor springfield rifle in .45-70. Mostly because the people I was going with kept saying it couldn't hit anything at any kind of range.
They were wrong, got a fair sized mule deer a bit under 110 yards that year.

October 13, 2014, 02:22 AM	#1
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	Age of your hunting rifle. How old is your hunting rifle, the one you will hunt with this season. I know some folks have so many options to choose from that one day it's this rifle and the next day it's another. I could have hunted today with a nice model 70 Classic Sporter from the mid 1990's but instead have been using a 30WCF that's about 72 years old. Something about the old 94 just feels right out in the timber of the high Cascades. Who else chooses to hunt with an old rifle, and how old is yours?

October 13, 2014, 04:15 AM	#3
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,800	undecided Still up in the air about what "heavy" I may rifle hunt with this year......I've invested a lot of time and effort getting a Mark X Mannlicher in '06 up to snuff, and have not yet killed a deer with it. I believe it dates from the 1970's, say 35-40 years old maybe. Hunted it last season too, but another rifle was along when the buck showed up. One of the problems last year was the vintage Redfield 4x was not pulling enough light at dusk to satisfy me, so I would only the hunt the AM's with the Mark X. Another was the rifle is awfully pretty, and I was reluctant to hunt it hard, up trees in climbing stands, deep in the muck, etc. Its got a Leupold 6x on it now, and is much better at dusk, so it should get more hunting time this year. One rifle that will go to the woods is a Ruger bolt, stainless/synthetic, in 7.62x39. Shrugs off hard use, light, short, (20" bbl) and easy to carry, and more than enough punch for use in the thick stuff where shots are short, but drags are long. Little rifle has had some trigger work, and I broke in the barrel when new. A cream puff to shoot, and wonderfully accurate with W_W factory ammo or my 135 gr reloads. Wish I could find some more of those Sierra SSP slugs!!!!! The Ruger wears a Leupold 2-7x. What I REALLY want to do is take a deer (or more) with my bow. Got skunked last year with the bow, first time in 25+ years!!!

October 13, 2014, 07:46 AM	#10
Mosin-Marauder Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2014 Location: North Carolina Posts: 2,320	65 Years old. The K-31 will (hopefully) take it's first Whitetail this year. Probably gonna use Irons this year and get a clamp on mount for the next. The load I'm using is a 150 Grain Hornady SP Flatbase bullet over 45 grains of H4350. I'm able to keep within 2 inches at 100 with Irons. Last edited by Mosin-Marauder; October 13, 2014 at 07:58 AM.

October 13, 2014, 10:08 AM	#14
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,362	1979 Winchester 670A in .243Win was the first rifle I owned. My parents gave it to me for my 13th birthday and I shot a Pronghorn with it in 1980. Saturday, my 12 year old shot his first Pronghorn with it. I have a Rem700 in .30-06 that is a 1978, but most of my hunting is with a 2003 Weatherby UL in .338-06 or a 2006 Rem 700 in .260 Rem. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

October 13, 2014, 10:09 AM	#15
Colt46 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: Campbell Ca Posts: 1,090	Twenty four years Bought a Remington Mtn. Rifle in 1990 Good looking, accurate and easy to carry.

October 13, 2014, 03:18 AM	#2
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,696	70 some odd year. This year it's going to be a Type 38 Arisaka 6.5 Last year was an 1899 Remington Lee 30-40 Krag. Only 114 years old.

October 13, 2014, 04:36 AM	#4
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 7,097	Not hunting this year because it takes 4 months of training to get a WBK, but if I were back home and able to, I'd be reaching for my 50's era 30-06, a Husqvarna built on an FN m98 commercial action. Jimro

October 13, 2014, 06:13 AM	#5
eastbank Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2008 Location: pa. Posts: 2,512	the last three days of the early muzzle loading doe season here, hunters over 65 years old can use any legal centerfire rifle and i carry one of my old winchester lever actions. this year i will carry a winchester 1876 in 45-60 made in 1883. eastbank.

October 13, 2014, 06:32 AM	#6
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 1,909	I dunno. When were model 1909 Argentine Mousers made? Just pulling your leg, I'm not deer hunting hunting in Western Oregon anymore. The deer all move into town the last week of September... Tony

October 13, 2014, 07:15 AM	#7
trigger643 Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2011 Posts: 322	55 year old model 70

October 13, 2014, 07:26 AM	#8
tuck2 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2007 Posts: 208	My Winchester Mdl 70 270 was made in 1952.. I started reloading ammo for it in 1953 using H 4831 powder and 130 grain bullets ,Still do.

October 13, 2014, 07:43 AM	#9
BillyBeards Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2011 Location: Rockland County NY Posts: 128	The one I use the most often is a Mossberg 800A made in 1964. I bedded the rifle two seasons ago and it cut my groups by .5 MOA. It has a no name 4x scope that works well enough for game in my local woods. Not bad for $250.

October 13, 2014, 07:59 AM	#11
RaySendero Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2010 Location: US South Posts: 857	Most interested in hunting my 1942 M70 Winchester.

October 13, 2014, 08:22 AM	#12
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	7 years(Wby Vanguard 257 Wby and 7mm08) to 70 years(03A3 Spfld and 98 Mauser both various calibers)

October 13, 2014, 09:28 AM	#13
longknife12 Member Join Date: March 13, 2014 Location: Colorado Posts: 95	1952 Mod 70 30-06.......still go NRA 90%. Dan

October 13, 2014, 10:42 AM	#16
AllenJ Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2009 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,766	3 year old Vanguard S2 is what I hunted deer with this year. I loaned my oldest rifle, a Savage 99, to my youngest son in hopes he would get his first deer with it just as I did. I don't know how old it is, my grandfather gave it to me when I was 12 and that was 30 years ago .

October 13, 2014, 11:16 AM	#17
NHSHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2012 Location: Concord NH Posts: 1,027	For muzzleloader season here in NH I will use my 1997 Knight Disc in 50 cal and if for some reason I dont score with that, (since here in NH we only get 1 gunpowder tag) I will take out my fairly new (not sure what year it was made but I got it last year) Model 7 in 7-08. When I head down to SC the beginning of Dec I will be taking along my Weatherby Vanguard 2 in 243 and my Model 7 in 7-08.

October 13, 2014, 04:05 PM	#18
hartcreek Junior member Join Date: April 22, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 1,549	I use whatever I feel like any given day from my 150 plus year old damascus barreled 16 gage double barrel shotgun to my Uberti Walker that I just picked up last year. Sometimes it feels right go grab great great granddads ole Winchester 25-35 too.

October 13, 2014, 06:25 PM	#19
Lucas McCain Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2013 Location: Callaway, MN Posts: 361	I use a 270, model 54 Winchester that was built in 1925. This gun has been carried so much that the checkering on the fore arm is worn flat. For those who don't know it was the fore runner to the model 70. I bought the rifle in 1957 at Coast-to-Coast hardware for $30 dollars. At the time I wanted something better like a 740 Rem. But that was all I had or could afford. It got a Williams peep site on it and serves me very well. At 70 it still serves me well, and has helped me harvest a lot of game. I do have some nice rifles and they have good scopes on them . But the way I hunt is to walk and sit. When I' m sitting, holding that rifle many pleasant deer hunting memories come into mind. Just like an old diary, that's why I carry it! I'll carry that gun right up to and including my last hunt, which at my age is closer than I want to think about. __________________ If you have time to do it twice, then you have time to do it once right and put your name on it

October 13, 2014, 07:45 PM	#20
Jo6pak Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2010 Location: West Coast...of WI Posts: 1,663	Well, the core of the rifle is 96 years old. It's a 1918 stamped Swedish M96 wrapped in a newer stock and topped with a scope. Not sure it that counts, but it's the same rifle I have hunted whitetail with since 1995.

October 13, 2014, 07:59 PM	#21
goodwrench Junior Member Join Date: June 28, 2014 Posts: 10	M1917 Enfield Eddystone Sporter enfield,eddystone 30 gibbs2.jpg MFG. Dec 1918. Cal. 30 Gibbs

October 13, 2014, 08:08 PM	#22
49willys Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 170	1968 model 70 in .308 win.

October 13, 2014, 08:17 PM	#23
Andrewsmith1 Member Join Date: January 23, 2011 Posts: 33	It depends on what I am hunting.For squirrel or rabbit it wis either my 2 year old 10/22, my 1960's Remington 1996, or a 2002 Rossi .410 shotgun. I know some people who will have a contest to see who can kill the most rabbits using a .22 or .22 Mag revolver, and I have a 2004 Heritage Rough rider in both cartridges but I think the chances of making a bad hit and causing the animal to suffer are to great. For deer or larger animals it depends on the season and size of deer I have been scouting. For them I either use a 2012 Savage model 11 in 270, 2011 Mossberg 500 in 20 gauge or Mossy 535 in 12 gauge. I will smack the occasional stray cat, rat, or mice along with pest birds with any air rifle I have in town,, I have a Mini 14 in 223/5.62 that I bought last year, but I use it mostly for practice. It is overkill for the small game and I want more power for the larger game. It is more a self defense/EOTWAWKI gun for protection against 2 legged predators or pinking although I might not totally rule it out for hog hunting in the future if the conditions allow for a clean kill shot.

October 13, 2014, 09:23 PM	#24
tdoyka Senior Member Join Date: October 3, 2013 Location: windber, pa Posts: 300	a 1903 springfield armory in 30-40 krag=111 years old