The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Hunt

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old October 25, 2011, 02:24 PM   #26
Mike Irwin
Staff
 
Join Date: April 13, 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 41,374
Energy isn't everything when it comes to killing a deer.

Being able to put the bullet into a vital area is more important, and I'm sorry, the light, short, blunt soft-point bullets for the M 1 have a history of rather poor performance on deer sized game.

Invest a few minutes and make sure your .270 is sighted in. It's a much better choice all around.
__________________
"The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza

Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.
Mike Irwin is offline  
Old October 25, 2011, 02:36 PM   #27
Buzzard Bait
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 25, 2008
Location: Republic of Texas
Posts: 502
throw the kitchen sink at the deer

The more I read the more I come to understand that in the span of deer season the woods are invaded with all types of hunters armed with everything from a boy scout knife taped to the end of a stick to light field artillery, there just does not seem to be any boundaries at all. Sort of reminds me of the road runner cartoons maybe the acme truck will deliver an anvil to some guy's deer blind in just in time to drop it on the deer as he walks under the blind.
bb
Buzzard Bait is offline  
Old October 25, 2011, 10:10 PM   #28
kasTX
Member
 
Join Date: March 14, 2007
Posts: 45
Quote:
...and I'm sorry, the light, short, blunt soft-point bullets for the M 1 have a history of rather poor performance on deer sized game.
The above is a sweeping statement that in no uncertain terms condemns the 30 Carbine for deer hunting. That is clear enough. What isn't clear, however, is how that statement was established. If there is a citation, reference, link, etc. that would be helpful. I say that not to poke anyone in the eye (seriously, that is not the intent), but because it stands in stark contrast to my own experience.

Before I went hunting with the M1, I did my homework to see what experience others had had with the cartridge. The responses were pretty much divided into two categories: those who had not hunted with it thought it was a bad idea, and those that had hunted with it thought it worked just find when used within its limitations. Well-researched data on the cartridge is available, including information on penetration, expansion, etc. in relation to other cartridges (Google "30 Carbine gelatin"). With that in hand, I took two does, one shot each, and both died where they stood. That was the most I would expect from any cartridge.

The bullet shown below was fired at a distance of approximately 50 yards and went through the spine and the off-side shoulder, then traveled under the skin aft to almost the end of the rib cage. The other bullet was never recovered. Both were 110gr Remington round nose soft points loaded with W296 to 1950fps out of a stock GI Carbine.





The bullet expanded to almost twice its original diameter and retained 95% of its original mass (105gr), which is excellent. This tells me that if there is a history of performance problems with the 30 Carbine on deer, it isn't a problem with the cartridge or soft point bullets, but with the manner in which people are using it.
kasTX is offline  
Old October 27, 2011, 03:27 PM   #29
GeauxTide
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 20, 2009
Location: Helena, AL
Posts: 4,415
Thanks, Art. Many veterans that used the Carbine in combat got rid of them for a Garand. If they weren't good people killers...................
GeauxTide is offline  
Old October 27, 2011, 03:34 PM   #30
kraigwy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 16, 2008
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 11,061
My father was in the SP during WWII (41st Infantry division). He was also in Korea.

He liked the Carbine better then the M1. He killed a water buffalo with one after another GI muffed the shot with a Garand.

But, he didnt hunt with a Carbine when he got home. Neither do I, I use a 257 or 270.

My question is, the OP said he only has two days before the hunt so he can't sight in his 270. Hmmmm

Anyway as a side note, not to be out done by my father I killed a water bufflao with my M16a1. We had fun aruging which is the better gun. But I wouldnt take a AR hunting either.
__________________
Kraig Stuart
CPT USAR Ret
USAMU Sniper School
Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071
kraigwy is offline  
Old October 27, 2011, 11:05 PM   #31
troopcom
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 24, 2011
Posts: 230
My uncle tried to shoot a deer once with a .30 carbine at a shade over 100 yards. As I recall it just knocked a lot of hair off it, but no blood and no deer. I wouldn't use it to hunt deer, but maybe coyotes at short range or other varmints. That being said, I have never tried to kill a deer with one myself. I just have other options available to me such as my 30-30 or 25-06.
troopcom is offline  
Old October 28, 2011, 09:42 AM   #32
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
 
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
From 1946: Phil Sharpe told of a group of officers in Germany who went hunting with Carbines. Roe deer; they're not very big. Jumped one; shooting began. GI ammo,of course. The hits were all over the poor animal. Lots of hits on a running deer, but it didn't give up and quit until it had been hit sixty times. 60.

(From his book, "Complete Guide to Handloading", post-war edition.)
Art Eatman is offline  
Old October 31, 2011, 08:39 PM   #33
kasTX
Member
 
Join Date: March 14, 2007
Posts: 45
Quote:
Thanks, Art. Many veterans that used the Carbine in combat got rid of them for a Garand. If they weren't good people killers...................
The 30 Carbine performed as designed, and found favor with many. Recommend you Google:

- Jim Cirillo
- Audie Murphy
- Merril's Marauders

Not quite sure why your assessment differs from theirs.
kasTX is offline  
Old October 31, 2011, 08:54 PM   #34
kasTX
Member
 
Join Date: March 14, 2007
Posts: 45
Quote:
From 1946: Phil Sharpe told of a group of officers in Germany who went hunting with Carbines. Roe deer; they're not very big. Jumped one; shooting began. GI ammo,of course. The hits were all over the poor animal. Lots of hits on a running deer, but it didn't give up and quit until it had been hit sixty times. 60.

(From his book, "Complete Guide to Handloading", post-war edition.)
That is certainly an interesting story. Several things strike me as odd about it, such as four hunters shooting at the same animal at the same time, that one of those people would bother to count the hits, and that the animal was hit with exactly 60 rounds (which happens to be an exact multiple of full M1 Carbine magazines - either 15 or 30 round). Can't really tell from the above citation whether or not Sharpe was even there, so something could have been lost in the translation. But if it is in the book, then we can assume it is accurate as written. Which can mean only one thing - I need to un-eat those two deer and shoot them each 59 more times.
kasTX is offline  
Old November 1, 2011, 12:31 PM   #35
Murrdock
Member
 
Join Date: March 22, 2011
Location: Northern Maine
Posts: 74
I'm guessing they shot 60 times, but only one shot registered a hit , and they were so embarrased that they had to explain all the commotion somehow.
__________________
Quote:
Single action is too much to fiddle with when you're being murdered by a bear.
Murrdock is offline  
Old November 1, 2011, 01:21 PM   #36
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
 
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
Naw, I'm just remembering from Sharpe's story. Sixty hits, maybe a couple more, I'm too lazy to look it up. As near as I can tell, he was along but didn't shoot. Just a bunch of guys jumped a deer and four of them started blazing away like kids in a pasture with semi-auto .22s when a jackrabbit jumps.

He wasn't specific, but I'd guess hits in the legs and other hits which were wounding but not take-down.

He had another story about a GI who showed up to show the scar from an encounter with a German soldier. The GI had a pretty bad scar on his face. He'd shot the German with his carbine, but the German still was able to shoot back with a Luger.

All this really shows is pretty much what has been said in this thread and previous threads on the subject: Absent a perfect or near-perfect hit, the Carbine isn't the hunting firearm of choice.

Remember that Audie Murphy began shooting squirrels for the family table when he was still very young. He was already very much an expert rifleman before he ever went into the Army. That makes a very big difference.
Art Eatman is offline  
Old November 1, 2011, 02:43 PM   #37
sc928porsche
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 29, 2008
Location: now living in alabama
Posts: 2,433
Personally, I wouldnt streach the 30 carbine past 100yds. Nor would I go past 150 yds with a 30-30. Thats pretty much their limit.
__________________
No such thing as a stupid question. What is stupid is not asking it.
sc928porsche is offline  
Old November 2, 2011, 12:07 AM   #38
MrWesson
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 10, 2010
Posts: 357
I get it if its for nostalgia of taking a deer with a specific gun.

Otherwise just pick up something like a savage axis from walmart for under 300.
MrWesson is offline  
Old November 2, 2011, 12:53 AM   #39
bamaranger
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 9, 2009
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 8,273
Audie

I read (and re read) Audies book, and he mentions that he shot many of his enemies w/ more than 1 round of carbine ammo. He also swapped weapons depending on circumstances. Heck of a soldier, but not very big, physically. I'd CARRY a carbine too.

Back on post. Zero the .270, or hunt the .35.
bamaranger is offline  
Old November 2, 2011, 04:40 AM   #40
Departed402
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 25, 2009
Location: Midwest
Posts: 884
Well this thread is over a week old, and if the OP hasn't gone hunting by now, he should've had plenty of time to sight in his .270.

That said, my input would be to go ahead and use the .30 Carbine if it's legal in your state. I understand you will only be hunting for 2 days, and the heat is on. However, try to avoid long shots with iron sights. I can get good groups with my M1 Carbine at 50 yards, but at 100 yards I wouldn't trust myself to make a clean shot on a deer with iron sights, nor do I suggest anyone else try it for the sake of good sport and risk of maiming the deer (especially with .30 carbine). I'm sure there are people on this forum who think I'm wrong about this, and they've killed plenty of deer at long ranges with iron sights. Yes, I've seen people do it successfully, but I've seen many deer and antelope suffer because of poor shots taken at long ranges with iron sights.

I think the .30 Carbine will work for deer, but I would advise that you wait for a close shot, and be sure you're hitting the vitals.
__________________
Slow is Smooth. Smooth is Fast.
Departed402 is offline  
Old November 2, 2011, 01:41 PM   #41
Murrdock
Member
 
Join Date: March 22, 2011
Location: Northern Maine
Posts: 74
Already hunted saturday, took the .35 remington, saw a few does walking through the woods, but no bucks.

Next time I can hunt is Thanksgiving morning, so I guess I won't worry about sighting in the .270. Might even sell it, because since I bought it 2 years ago I haven't seen a buck since. I think it has bad ju ju coming from wal-mart, plus, I'd rather have that money for a cheap scope for the .35 with see through mounts and a few hundred rounds of shotgun target ammo for next clay season.
__________________
Quote:
Single action is too much to fiddle with when you're being murdered by a bear.
Murrdock is offline  
Old November 3, 2011, 12:45 AM   #42
Gunplummer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 11, 2010
Location: South East Pa.
Posts: 3,364
Over the years, especially checking traps, I would find a lot of dead, wasted deer. I find it hard to believe so many hunters are carrying .30 carbines and .223's but it must be so.
Gunplummer is offline  
Old November 3, 2011, 09:36 AM   #43
jrothWA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 11, 2006
Posts: 2,519
Gunplummer, it's not the rifle...

just the idiot who can't shoot or track an animal.
jrothWA is offline  
Old November 3, 2011, 12:11 PM   #44
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
 
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
Nuff fer now. It'll come up again, just as with the .223...
Art Eatman is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:08 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.16640 seconds with 8 queries