5 Military Surplus Rifles For Deer Hunters
Military Surplus Rifles
Not all deer hunters have gun cabinets full of $1000 deer rifles. Some deer hunters can't afford such rifles and some only hunt deer once a year and can't see spending hundreds of dollars for a rifle.
For the bargain hunting deer hunter, military surplus rifles can offer a great way to get their hands on a good hunting rifle at bargain prices.
I picked these rifles because you can get them for a song. These military surplus rifles are solid and come in good deer calibers, plus the rifles in the list are budget priced. Many can be had for under $300.
Even though the M1 Garand, Springfield 1903 and M-14 Semi-Auto's are more than adequate for deer, or any other big game for that matter, you won't see them on the list due to their price tags. Some of these guns can set you back a grand or more!
I also do not consider the M1 Carbine an adequate deer rifle, even though I'm sure it has taken a few. Besides, it's hard to find a "bargain" M1 Carbine!
It should go without saying, but I'll repeat it here. You should have any Military Surplus rifle thoroughly cleaned and checked out by a competent gunsmith before shooting it.
Here are 5 Military Surplus Rifles for budget minded deer hunters.
SKS Rifle
I'm going to start with the most popular military surplus rifle on the market today. Probably even more popular than the AK-47 semi-auto knock offs.
A budget minded deer hunter can get a SKS for under $200 (much less in many cases). The nice thing is, many manufacturers now stock a huge variety of accessories for the SKS, including Sporting stocks and Scope mounts.
The SKS rifle is a semi-auto that shoots a 7.62x39 round. It's 30 caliber round that has less power than a 30-30. I'd consider the 7.62x39 cartridge a 100 yard round at best. Soft nose expanding type ammo is easy to find.
Click here to browse SKS Rifles online for sale.
NOTE: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU USE FULL METAL JACKET AMMO FOR DEER HUNTING IN ANY CALIBER!
Yugoslav M48 Mauser
The Yugoslav M48 is a Mauser rifle that is chambered in the 8mm round. This round is more than suitable for and Deer that walks.
Of the Mauser M48 rifles that I've shot, accuracy tends to be hit or miss. Some that I've shot are very accurate (2 inches or better at 100 yards with iron sights) and some are questionable (worse one was about 4 inches at 100 yards). Overall though, these rifles are known to be accurate shooters. Many were put into service as Sniper rifles in several countries.
I'd certainly check the bore and crown before I bought one of these rifles, then have it checked out by a Gunsmith. A good Gunsmith can probably accurize one of these rifles if you have one that wants to shoot crazy.
Expect to pay between $100 to $200 for a Yugoslav M48 Mauser rifle. I have seen some in Pawn Shops for less than $100, but not often.
Click here to buy Mauser Surplus Rifles and Accessories.
30-40 Krag
I hesitated to put this gun into this list because good quality Krags are getting harder and harder to find and when you do find them, they can be pricey. But, I'm still seeing a few Krags for under $400 at Gun Shows and every once in a while I'll see one in the Classified section of the local paper for peanuts.
The 30-40 Krag rifle is pretty darn accurate, at least in the rifles that I've shot it in.
The Krag comes with a side magazine, something I'm not crazy about but most people do get used to it after using the rifle for a while. The box magazine will hold 5 rounds. Most ammo manufacturers offer at least one flavor for the 30-40 Krag.
1909 7.65 Argentine Mauser
My first contact with a 7.65 Argentine was at a deer camp many moons ago. I had just gotten married the Month before and my new brother-in-law invited me to a deer camp to hunt. The deer camp turned out to be an old school bus in the middle of the woods, with no heat other than a single burner propane stove! It got down to 19 degrees that night. Needless to say, I couldn't wait for the sun to come up the next morning!
My brother-in-law came out carrying this carbine military rifle and explained to me that it was a 7.65 Argentine. It had a shortened barrel and an attempt had been made to "sporterize" it. He swore to me that he'd taken several deer with it already, but I didn't believe him 100%. I about laughed when he handed me some of his "hunting" rounds. The were mil surplus FMJ's!
I said "Bub, you're using FMJ. I think you need to get some sporting ammo" and after a little bit more discussion, he agreed. The next surprise I was in for was finding ammo for the 7.65 in the middle of nowhere. We finally found a box of Norma's at a Pawn Shop a few towns away and boy were they pricey!
That gun shot like a dream though. It shot a helluva lot better than my brother-in-law could shoot it. Anyhow, I tried to buy it off of him several times and he refused. I tried to trade it to him and he refused (I suspect it was because he didn't like me...go figure).
The 7.65 is close to the .308 in size. Performance wise, it can handle any deer you want to take on. It has more than enough "power" for deer sized game.
Expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $200 for a good quality 7.65 Argentine Mauser. I've seen a short version of the 7.65 Argentine and I'd try to find one of those, the standard model has a 29 inch barrel!
Enfield No. 4 Mk 1 .303 British
The Enfield No. 4 can be found in quite a few variety's and most can be had for under $200. The 2A Enfields made in India in the later years are chambered for the 7.62 NATO round (.308).
There is also a "Jungle Carbine" version of the Enfield 303, but from what I've read, they're notorious for being inaccurate.
The .303 Britishround is more than enough round for any deer that might walk by your stand. Most of the standard model Enfield No. 4's are more than accurate for deer hunting. Ammo is reasonably easy to find for the .303 unless you're in the middle of nowhere!
Click here to see some British Enfiled Military Rifles for sale.
Sporterizing Military Surplus Rifles
Many of these military surplus rifles can be sporterized. Just remember it comes at an additional cost!
I've seen many sporterized version of military surplus rifles and many need to be in the local junk yard. I've owned a few of these also!
Some of the most beautiful rifles I've even seen have been sportorized mil surplus rifles. Make sure the Gunsmith that sportorized your rifle is competent. Ask to see some of his other work.
If you're buying one already sportorized, look it over real good. On some of the military surplus rifles, the bolt will hit the scope bell when thrown up. This means you'll have to either use see thru mounts or have the bolt turned down and possibly even ground down a bit.
Make sure any rifle you buy is looked over by a competent Gunsmith.
These military surplus rifles will give you years of service with little maintenance. Because that's the way they were designed!
Need military surplus ammo for your surplus rifles? Click Here to view a full line of ammo.
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Ya know, you should mention the 7.62x54R Mosin Nagant. It’s a very easy to find rifle for under $100. I only own one, and it’s still factory as I haven’t had the time or money to “sportorize” it. But accessories and stocks are quite easy to find for it. Not too bad for a $70 rifle.
“Of the rifles that I’ve shot, accuracy tends to be hit or miss. Some that I’ve shot are very accurate (2 inches or better at 100 yards with iron sights) and some are questionable (worse one was about 4 inches at 100 yards). ”
That is considered inaccurate for an M48, or any gun with iron sights at 100yrds? Most people cant even do 4 inch groups at 100yrds with iron sights.
Forgot to say, you missed the Mosin Nagants. They can be had for under $100, and soft point ammuntion is easy to find. Mosin Nagants can be accurate as well.
that old 303 british is more gun than most people think,My father told me of the time he shot a big grizzle with a texas heart shot,He was using 215 grain bullets at the time,the hide was no good so they just cut the head off and found the bullet lodge in the bears neck,Not bad for an old plow horse.
How could you forget the Mosin Nagant???? The M44 or 91/30 are great deer rifles. Plus they are so cheap!!! These are a must have for anyone, and at 70 bucks everyone should have a few in their collection.
I know this is “buck hunters blog” but where I live deer are a little tough to get.(Nor Cali. Bay Area) But pigs on the other hand are plentiful. SKS rifles are almost the perfect pig gun as far as I am conserned.Very low recoil,cheap ammo,lots of sighting options,I use a russian side rail system on my gun.Quick follow up shots are not a problem.
Numerous years ago I wanted a deer rifle but was short on cash so I got a Chinese SKS at a gun show and added a receiver mounted scope. The bucks I took over the next couple of seasons didn’t seem to notice the difference between the SKS and the 30-06 I managed to buy later, they were just as dead, just as quick. For shots at 100 yards or so that SKS did just fine.
By the way, don’t overlook the SKS for a wife or youngster learning to shoot. The short stock and minimal recoil are nice, and for the price of ball ammo they can shoot enough to get proficient.
I have hunted with 3 of the 5 rifles you listed the M-48, SKS and Enfield. I generally agree with you comments however accuracy (given a rifle in good condition or better) is more dependant on the shooter than the rifle.
I can’t put groups inside a quarter at a 100 yards any more for two reasons I don’t practice much any more and I can’t see as well as I used to. When I was a young man in my late teens to early twenties I could shoot well with any rifle from the Enfield I learned to shoot with to the Model 99 Savage I still admire everytime I see my dad.
I only shoot once or twice a year and my marksmanship is horrible because of it. Most rifles will do the job if you can.
Here is my list 1)Mosin Nagant M44 or 91/30, 2)K98 Mauser, 3)24/47 Mauser, 4)Enfield No 4 Mk 1, 5)Yugo SKS.
I have a 1891 Argentine Mauser that will shoot 1″ groups at 100 Yards with Norma ammo off the bench. I have recently noticed that Hornady is making ammo for the 7.65 along with Norma. Once you have the brass its not a problem to reload. Some of the older reloading books have some good information in them. I think the 98 Mauser should also be mentioned. It can be had pretty reasonable and can be fitted with about anyting that you can imagine. As for the Mosin Nagant it is a pretty good rifle also, I have put several together for myself and my buddies, just be sure and check the bore before purchase.
I’m not going to repeat others’ assertion that you forgot the Mosin… but I will say that I killed a nice deer about six weeks ago using an M44 Mosin loaded with 200gr Wolf softpoints. The Mosin went BOOM and the deer went straight down. Nice seven-pointer, about 160-175 pounds. The Mosin has Mojo sights, a worthwhile improvement over military sights.
Okay, Okay! I forgot about the Mosin…do you guys ever just forgive and forget
The Mosin is a darn good deer rifle, if you get one that is accurate. I’ve shot several and two weren’t as accurate as the others.
But you’re right, the round is plenty enough for any Deer walkin’ around the woods!
Don
I am looking for Lee Enfield 303 rifles of all seriesm
I have a 1946 Army Issue bolt action rifle for sale but don’t know how much to charge. It has a slot for a bayonet. Someone PLEASE HELP….
This is funny because a few of my friends and I have never been hunting, so another friend is going to teach us. I have many military rifles, but had only up to a .223, and we were going to go bear hunting. We’re all a bunch of poor boys with kids and cant really afford the high power rifles for sale at sporting goods stores, but when I bought my first mosin nagant, it started something in us. We’ve been finding and fixing surplus rifles like the mosin, mausers, enfields, and such. The funny thing is, my sewer pipe barreled 19cent per round mosin nagant outshoots my friends 7mm mag remington, the best part is, he’s got a scope, im usin ladder sights until I can afford a scopemount. Just goes to show ya, it aint the truck youre drivin, its what ur pullin behind it. ~BIG C.
Here’s something no one seemed to notice. In some states you can NOT use a semi-automatic rifle for hunting big game so one must be careful of that when buying a surplus rifle. I hunt with a Mosin Nagant that isn’t customized, still has same sights on it and I haven’t had a deer get away yet. I’ve only had to chamber another round once and that was beacause the doe standing “behind” the buck got back up!
My advice to a new hunter is check out the “Package Series” rifles that Remington and Savage offer. If you look around at the mass merchandisers, Wal Mart Dick’s Sporting Goods etc.. you can find a GREAT Deer Rifle in popular calibers 30-06, 308 Win, 270 Win, 243 Win, 7mm-08 complete with scope for around $350. Remington and Savage do not make junk rifles. You’ll get a NEW rifle with warranty and not have to worry about some 50 yr old rifle that was used by the Botswania Navy or God knows who else. Not to mention ease of getting ammo easily. I have a Savage Package Series model 111FCXP3 in 30-06 and OUT OF THE BOX shot a 1.2″ group at 100 yards .50″ low and right from the bullseye. Don’t think you have to spend $1000 or even $500 for a rifle YOU DON”T!!!!!
I have a ‘sporterized’ (fore stock cut back to just in front of the sling swivel) .303 that my dad bought in 1959. He paid $15 for it and 50 rounds of Swedish military ammo.
I have taken a number of deer with it at ranges out to over 300 yds. Only missed once and that one the buck jumped just as I squeezed it off and I was shooting down hill at an old clear cut site.
That’s my story and I’m stickin’to it!
A friend of mine borrowed it to go Elk hunting in eastern Oregon and bagged a big buck, 1 shot kill at about 300 yds, with the original military sights.
I added a scope a few years ago because my eyesight started getting bad enough that I had trouble with seeing the target at 300 yds.
I have it sighted in for 300 yds and it is only 1 inch high at 100 yds.
CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY YOU DONT USE FMJ I KNOW THE ANSWER BUT I NEED MY FREIND TO HEAR IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE.I LIKE THE BLOG AND ALL THE FEED BACK AS I AM ON A VERRY RESTRICTED BUDGET AND WILL NEED TO GO HUNTING THIS YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE AS A NECESSITY RATHER THEN SPORTING.I LIVE IN SOUTH FLA THE DEER ARE SMALL BUT THE HOGS ARE PLENTIFUL 100 MILES NORTH OF ME.I DO HAVE A MOSIN 91/30 THAT I TOOK OUT LAST WEEK FOR THE FIRST TIME ITS PREETY HIT OR MISS AT 100 YRDS BUT IM USING SURPLUSS AMMO LOOKING FOWARD TO GETING ON TARGET AND MAKING BACON
I am interested in obtaining weapons (preferably, military), free or at a very low cost, on behalf of a Not-For-Profit Public Charity. We would raffle the weapons to raise money for our organization–of course, we would follow the laws requiring recipients of weapons to undergo the usual background checks through an authorized and licensed gun dealer. Can you tell me where we might start our search for such weapons?
Lynn Ball
@ Lynn,
I’m sorry, but I don’t have a clue of where to send you for the info you need. Possibly one of my readers can help you out.
Good Luck
@ JD
The reason we do not use FMJ for hunting Big Game is because the bullets are not designed for hunting. The will not expand and will not deliver as much energy to the Game animal as a expanding type hunting bullet. While FMJ may be fine for varmints and target shooting, they have no place in the hunters pockets.
FMJ are designed to maim humans and to penetrate metal and other obstructions which may be hiding the enemy. They’re also designed to be carried and be abused while still functioning in a wide variety of firearms. Drop em in the mud, bang the tips up and step on them a few times. They’ll still function. Try that with hunting ammo and see what happens!
hello,
Thank you for the great quality of your blog, every time i come here, i’m amazed.
black hattitude.
Years ago I read a great book on big game hunting. The story that was the most interesting was about shooting a Cape Buffalo,
The shooter used soft point. He shot the resting Buffalo. Got up closer, the Buffalo stood up and advanced.
He and a partner shot again.Upon inspecting the dead Bufalo they saw that the first SOFT hit some heavy calcified bone and just flattened out.
From that experience his opinion changed to full metal jacket to break bones and spine.
Hey i’m in far nor cal just bought 3 mosin nagant 91/30 from big 5 @$89.00 each doin the 10 day wait I probably wont deer hunt with ‘em but like target shooting my son can bust a milk jug @ 200yd pretty regular form a rest with his m44 mosin nagant stock sights – better than I can do with my cz 98 mouser 8mm the nagant has better sights I say – my son says he’s a better shot Ha ha cheep & fun & will enentually go up in value .. buying surpluss ammo now but will eventually reload as i do my other calibers like .308 & 3006 same bullet .308=7.62=3006
I have read your articles and comment with much to say that I agree with most of what you are saying. I have started deer hunting with military surplus rifles because I have found that for me there isn’t as much challenge in using a scoped rifle any more. Where I hunt shots are usually not over 100 yards so I use the military surplus rifles with either peep or open sights. Personally I have used M44 Mosin, a No.1MK3 SMLE, and a K31 Swiss. Though this year I used an odd thing, it has a Mauser action and a Remington barrel in it that had been short chambered in 308 that I paid 159.00 for. And speaking of rifles that were forgotten, the K 31 Swiss is a fine and accurate rifle, and you also forgot the M96 Mauser in 6.5X55. Either of those are fine rifles, I paid 122.00 for my K 31 Swiss and at 100 yards with the open sights it will shoot under 2 inches with handloads my dad worked up.
u forgot 1 gun that is a damn gooooood hunting rifle! the moson nagant i feel is pretty good for deer and it is cheap 2! i paid 150.00 for it at a gun show & another 65 for a good black stock! i put an 8 power scope on it and guys its a damn good deer rifle and yall can add that 2 the list boys
DO NOT TAKE THIS ARTICLE AS GOSPEL!
For example, the SKS has plenty of power for killing deer, but if anything accuracy is dismal. Mounting a scope on it is a joke, every possible way to mount one is shaky.
Where is the Mosin Nagant 1891/30? This gun should be number one hands down, cheap and powerful!
the 30-40 krag is damn near impossible to find ammo for.
Everything 30-40 Krag can be found at: http://www.midwayusa.com
30-40 Krag is near impossible to find now. So is just about everything not .223. The Krag shouldn’t even be on this list. They were first surplused in the 1920′s Even sporterized ones are going for $400 dollars and unaltered ones that look like hell people are asking $1000+ for. The remaining ones should be left alone unless they are sporters beyond salvaging.
FMJ is required by international treaty. Although it is the military standard it is actually less lethal. The military supposedly found soft-nose projectiles to be inhumane because they caused more trauma and amputations however, the thinking is that a wounded soldier takes one or more out of combat to care for him so in fact using FMJ in combat is thought to be an advantage. Many states do not allow if for hunting. Most FMJ is solid core so a through-and-through shot is also possible.
Mosins are currently the cheapest rifle in this class and I agree should be at the top.
There are still some cheap SMLE around and .303 has been an available hunting round in the US and Canada for years.
Cheap Mausers still show up from time to time from places where they were not particularly well cared for.
If I was looking for a cheap military deer rifle now I would look for an 03 Springfield in .30-06 that someone has already sporterized. These are in the $250-$300 range for well done ones. Sporting ammo is easy to find anywhere for these.
With response to your Q&A regarding FMJ ammo. It is precisely because FMJ does NOT main [at least in comparison to a half-jacket or a hollow point] that the Geneva Conventions require its use.
I own or have extensively shot every rifle he has mentioned. I have two SKS rifles that are as accurate as my German 98 Mauser at 150 yards. I also own enfields, arisakas, carcanos, mosin nagants, jugoslavs, brazilians, spanish, and one very good argentine mauser with a 4x scope on weaver mounts attached. The Argentine has a nice thick barrel wall, and very decent rifling. The steel that the Argentine is made of is superior to the steel in the 98 mausers. In the hands of a shooter that knows what he is doing, the Argentine and the German 98 Mauser are going to be the two most accurate weapons, hands down. Calibers in these two weapons are perfect for black bear and dear. The Mauser JS round is powerful enough for Grizz, though there are better cartridges out there. 7.65 Arg ammo is too pricey, though it is one of my favorite rifles. Get yourself a good condition German 98K, and use softpoints loaded to JS loadings. You are ready for anything that walks the North American continent for under 400 bucks. If you use American loaded 8mm Mauser, the loading is very weak because of all the nuts out there that will try to stick the round in the 88 commission rifles. Buy European hunting ammo for the 8mm loaded to the JS capacities. It is available mail order at decent prices. You can put it alongside the 30-06 any day in hunting performance and find it is just as powerful.
For a light easy to handle backup hunting rifle, the Mosin is definitely a wonderful piece of machinery. The carbines are great. Many cut them up and sporterize them. I wont do it. I prefer my military guns intact. On the mosin carbines I simply take the bayonet off, and keep going. The iron sights on the Mosin are perfect for hunting deer, and you cant beat that cartridge. Easy to find. Many companies make them. Plenty of energy and accuracy is good enough. I see these rifles for 81 bucks all the time, and many have not had much use. Crisp rifling, sometimes the bores are a little dark, but they clean up nice if you know how to clean them.
I bought my wife a Mosin/Nagant to learn to shoot high power with,now afttaking Deer,Antilope and many smaller game(if wild boars are smaller) she loves that old iorn sighted rifle. And yes she can out shoot my friends 7mm mag at 250 yards. And if you look around there are a wide field of ammo for it.