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My most favorite hunting rifle has always been a prewar 1903 Sporter 30-06 with most of the bells and whistles, purchased in 1970. Have had a cased Rigby Mauser, many more-plebeian Mausers, several drillings, a vierling, an H&H double rifle, several Mannlicher-Schoenauers, early M70 SGs, etc etc ad infinitum.

But I keep coming back to this old 1903, with its Stoeger stock, trapdoor buttplate with Lyman 48 slide, horn fittings, Sedgley speedlock, Jaeger side mount, Karl Kahles 2.5x post-&-crosshair scope and tuned double-stage trigger pull. It has served me well for over 40 years now, but my hunting style and capabilities have changed in recent years. If I was still able to get around like I used to then it would still be perfect, but I'm gettin' decrepit these days and now do almost all my 'hunting' from a stand or shooting house, at ranges up to 5-600 yds. Nowadays my usual deer rifle shoots a LOT smaller bullet a LOT faster and carries a medium-size variable scope with multidot reticle!

Too bad, old Father Time conquers all, eventually. Now its time to look around for a new home for this old prewar soldier.
Regards, Joe

You bet. The last couple of years I've hunted the Pennsylvania rifle deer season with a Winchester Model 94 carbine in .30-30 with a Lyman peep sight and a Redfield Sourdough front sight. But I'd happily upgrade to a classic Springfield bolt in .30-06 similarly equipped.

Great feedback, there is hope for the world after all .

Now a word about accuracy with a hunting rifle.

I no longer hunt and back when I did my main hunting rifle was a Krag sporter with a Lyman Alaskan scope and a receiver sight. I bought the rifle with five boxes of Remington 220's and never loaded for it. It would keep every thing in 1 1/2"-2" at 100 yards. I can't remember anything but one Caribou that I needed more than one shot for. Most shooting at game where I hunted was no more than 150 yards.

I don't have it to hand but I remember Whelen shot at paper plates. But I don't remember the size or distance.

How well do they have to shot for you?

Speaking of Whelen I remember he had a small-game load for the 06 which was 150 fmj bullet with 18 grains of 4759. I just happen to have a case of 4759 and some 150 fmj so it might be fun to try some of these.

Speaking of hunting, I look at these fine old rifles and wonder how many times they got rained on and snowed on and dropped in the creek, and still look good today. Not all of them certainly, but plenty were. Most guides in Alaska and Canada say you need a stainless steel rifle with a plastic stock, as though a walnut stock and rust blued metal will self destruct. There are plenty of beat up worn out rifles, but I think it takes real abuse and neglect.

Do you guys take your nice rifles out in bad weather?

And as for accuracy, 2 MOA is absolutely fine by me. That puts everything on a paper plate at 400 yards. Try that with a 2 power scope or a Lyman 48.

More years ago than I care to think about, I used to discuss rifles, hunting & weather with a man, now passed on, who was a serious hunter. Multiple trips to Africa and an annual trek to Alaska or Canada after the big bears & elk. I have seen photos of 3 or 4 rifles from his estate discussed on this site. The hunter in question had 2 "bad weather" rifles; a Winchester 71 in .348 and a very custom Krag in .35 WCF. Both were dandy rifles, both had receiver rear sights with large apertures and big bead front sights, no scopes. I think his concern was more with the scopes than with the rifles.

Ryan,

I�d prefer not to take them out in bad weather but for example the boar I took in 2010 was shot on a rainy day in January. Note the water beaded up on my Kessler 9.3X74R SXS. Sometimes there just isn�t much you can do about it.



Buchseman

I too keep a 'rainy day' rifle handy, but more often than not if the weather's nasty I'll stay in by the fire and let guys like Havilah Babcock and Rouark do my hunting for me. If caught out in bad weather, I protect the gun more than myself, and address gun maintenance first after acquiring shelter.

If a hunting rifle puts 5-10 shots inside of 2MOA, I'm happy. I don't foresee any 400 yard television shots in my future. Printing tiny groups fills me with as much happiness as the next guy, but lacking such isn't a deal breaker when selecting a hunting rifle.

For an amusing anecdote somewhat germain to this topic of discussion, a couple of years ago I observed an elderly gentleman mid-80's in age shuffling along through the bushes using a walker, with a an iron-sighted Mannlicher-Schoenauer slung on his back. I should have engaged him in conversation but I didn't want to disturb his reverie. It gave me hope for my future.

About 15 years ago I bought a Mauser 660 in .270 out of a pawn shop. The recoil pad was crumbling and the metal had a fine bloom of red rust but internally was good. I bought it on the cheap,cleaned it up and proceded to work up some loads. I tried everything thing I could think of and it would do no better than 2" at 100 yards and most groups nearer 2 1/2". I was always suspicious of it due to it being a switch barrel design. About that time my son decided he wanted to try deer hunting and took a liking to the rifle due to the extremely smooth bolt action. (Side note: I have more than my share of accurate rifles and target guns and always encouraged my son to come along when going to the range. Although a good shot, he developed no interest in shooting any target or competing in any match but loves hunting.) Consequently he developed into a very good hunter with the patience of Job and collected many deer over the years with the Mauser. Periodically, I would offer up something new and accurate for him to use and every time he would turn me down. So every few years I load up some of the same 110 grain Sierra's that he prefers and off he goes.....oblivious.

Twenty-Five years ago, with a lot better eye sight ;-).