# Cheap Hunting Rifle



## tn_junk (Nov 28, 2006)

Just gave my .270 to my nephew for Christmas, now I am looking for a new gun. Don't hunt anywhere but the Tennessee woods anymore so don't need a flat shooter like the .270. Have .36, .45 and .50 Muzzle loaders so really don't need another gun for here. Never shot a deer farther than 75 yards in TN. But you know how it is. 
Anybody know of any good deals on military surplus 7mm, 8mm, etc. bolt action guns that are cheap but realiable shooters? Would like to keep it under $200.
Thanks ya'll.

galump


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## mink (Feb 10, 2005)

try an sks there only about 130 bucks or so......7.62x39........compareable to a 30-30....mink


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## shadowwalker (Mar 5, 2004)

Might try gunbroker.com, the little free papers at the grocery stores or shotgun news.


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## bgak47 (Sep 4, 2003)

You could probably find a Moisin- Nagant or a Steyr bolt action for less than $200. A lot of them have been imported from the Eastern European countries that were formerly Communist bloc. There may be some Argentine or Chliean Mausers still available in 7X57. You might check ShotGun News. com.Many of these military surplus rifles are selling for around $100. I have 2 Moisin-Nagants in 7.62X54R that are Russian made & that I paid $89 for.


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## Paul72 (Mar 13, 2005)

Another option is a single shot rifle made by New england firearms, you can get them in center fire rifle calibers from .223 up to .45-70 and they sell for about $200 brand new--Paul


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## tn_junk (Nov 28, 2006)

Thanks ya'll for the help. Got a question bgak47, what kind of hunting rounds are available for the 7.62x54?

thanks


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## james dilley (Mar 21, 2004)

Best gun I found is my Enfeild mark 3 real good rifle and decent cost. 10 round clips And A strait shooting gun . Can be found for about $150.00 If you look . Ammo is $13.00 A box from Cheaper than Dirt.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

NEW ENGLAND FIREARMS NEF the handy rifle is just that very handy
303 enfield aslo mentioned good choice used as hunting rifle all over world 
if you realy want bolt and start to think a bit more money stevens makes what has been called the best bolt under 500 it is acualy 299 

if you are olny shooting to 75 yards there are many choices of pump shotgun
with slugs have knock down power under 200

look carfuly on the old military rifles many have a akward safty that is hard to take off with gloved hand or makes noise but 7.76x54 would be comarable to a .308 as 308 is 7.62x51 

take a look at southern ohio gun they are a whole saler so you can't buy direct but a bet there is a bait shop or small gun store in your area that orders for them 

the bait shop in my little town does can have anything there for dealer price and about 30 dollars to cover shipping and paper work . is i belive what he said.

but seriosly check walmart they buy so many that it is hard to find a better price on a new gun. if they have it in the rack


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

galump said:


> Thanks ya'll for the help. Got a question bgak47, what kind of hunting rounds are available for the 7.62x54?
> 
> thanks


There's probably other stuff available,but what I always used for hunting with a Nagant is the cheap-o Barnhaul jacketed soft point.I don't have a Nagant anymore,but if memory serves,it weighs in @203gr.........plenty enough.Ballistics roughly paralell that of a 30-06.
Keep in miind that if you want to mount a scope on a Nagant,you'll probably need to get the bolt turned down,as the bolt handle sticks straight up out of the reciever when the bolt is fully opened.

A nice mauser is hard to beat,but watch what you buy,as not all mausers are created equal.

I really like the Enfields,and the action is very slick.
If you decide on any of the above rifles,or ANY C&R arms,I'd recommend having the headspace checked,regaurdless of what the advertisement says.

For the ranges you mention,an SKS will do just fine.I hunt whitetails and hogs with the 7.62x39(but in a mini-30),and with the cheap Russian soft points(123 gr.,I think),I haven't wounded one,yet.

You'll be able to find hunting loads for any of these rifles,but hunting fodder for the Enfield or Mauser will likely cost ya' a bit more.


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> NEW ENGLAND FIREARMS NEF the handy rifle is just that very handy
> 303 enfield aslo mentioned good choice used as hunting rifle all over world
> if you realy want bolt and start to think a bit more money stevens makes what has been called the best bolt under 500 it is acualy 299
> 
> ...


Good point about the safety.The safety on the Nagant sucks,and it's the main reason I sold mine.I like the mauser safeties okay,and don't recall how the enfield safety works.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

yeah the saftey is a major point for me i come up on a lot of deer were i have to get it off fast this is the main reason i don't like hunting with old millitary arms the safty is not convinient for hunting.

i have a NEF mzldr and love the transfer bar safty very very safe when hammer is down and fast too just pull hammer back as you shoulder it.


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## bgak47 (Sep 4, 2003)

galump said:


> Thanks ya'll for the help. Got a question bgak47, what kind of hunting rounds are available for the 7.62x54?
> 
> thanks


 I reload with soft-nose semi-jacketed. As far as I know, 7.62 X 54R is pretty much limited to mil surplus full jacketed. Some of the ammo makers like Norma may still make pre-loaded hunting ammo for this round, but its going to be expensive. I mostly use my Nagants for target shooting with full-jacketed surplus ammo. The full jacketed mil surplus ammo is NOT suitable for Hunting.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

My 2 cents
Most people I have known that went the old Military rifle route, don't use them any more, for all the above reasons. Bolt interferes with any scope, safety is awkward and noisy, lots of guns are worn out, or now are "collectors" items, can't find "hunting ammo reasonable etc. 
As far as I'm concerned a waste of money and time.
If your going to use it for hunting, get the tool that was designed to do the job.

Savage makes a good bolt action in most cal and are reasonable, as are the NEF/HR single shots, in almost any cal. Also you can buy the NEF/HR Handi rifile and add barrels for 85 bucks. Also shot gun barrels. Same gun
http://www.hr1871.com/Support/accessoryProgram.aspx

Short range, brush, 12 ga, 20 ga slugs, 30-30, 35 rem, 44 mag are all good.

As far as a "Flatshooter", .243, .270,.30-06,.308, Thay can be used for any range from 6 ft to as far as you can see, so don't rule them out.


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## VA Backwoodsman (Mar 16, 2006)

Something to think about with the Savage 110-112 series is the kit that is available to change barrels from one caliber to another as long as you stay with the same action length. I read about it in one of the magazines about a year ago. Don't know if the cost of the kit is cheaper than just buying another rifle or not, but it is something to consider. My experience with my old 69.95 model 96 mauser in 6.5x55 has been really good, and I have a M48 yugo mauser in 8mm that I am itching to try. The sks is a hard one to beat for the money though. All the above purchased for less than $300.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

I'd suggest a Russian SKS. Im think better quality than the Chinese model. Ammo is cheap, too. Mount a cheap 4 power scope and you should be able to make 75 yard kills regularly.


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## longshot38 (Dec 19, 2006)

hi im new here but for my money id choose any of the surplus military rifles such as the M-1 or the enfield, my personal favorite. proven design, proven reliability and usually at a very affordable price, under 200 usually.

dean


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Not around here lately, old military stuff is high buck.
Should have bought a bunch of the m-1 carbines back when, @ $89.00.
Even the Russian/chinese sks's are getting upwards of $200. Guess their "cool' now.
If you can find an enfield/M-1 for under $200 buy as many as you can, the prices arn't going down.


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## bgak47 (Sep 4, 2003)

I have a Norinco Chinese-made MAK-90. Its basically a sporterised semi-only AK, No flash supressor & no bayonet. It came with 2 5rnd mags but it will accept the 30 or 40 rnd mags. With the 5 rnd mags its legal for deer in OK. I paid $300 for it in 1990 with 2 5 rnd & 5 30 rnd mags. I've killed a couple of coyotes with the 123gr semi-jacketed ammo. I don't know if the sks with the 10 rnd fixed mag is legal for deer in OK. I think that we are limited to 5 rnds in a ''removeable'' magazine. Check the laws in your state before you buy a military surplus rifle for hunting. That Enfield with the 10 rnd fixed magazine may not be legal. We have to use ''plugged'' pump or semi-auto shotguns that limit the magazine capacity to 3 rnds for bird hunting. I don't think that the M-1 carbine is legal in OK for deer because of the magazine capacity & because of the rather anemic .30 cal carbine cartridge.I don't believe that the M-1 Garrand is legal here because of its 8 rnd magazine capacity, but I could be wrong. The hunting laws involving the use of military surplus rifles are complicated & different from 1 state to the next.


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

$200......

I'd hunt either a used Marlin 336 and use the new softpoints in it, or I'd dig around for a used Savage 110. 30-30 for the former, 30-06 for the latter, but since we're looking at woods hunting, I'd be open to other calibers.

On another note, a lot more than $200, but one of the nicer custom jobs I've seen lately was a Savage 110 re-barreled to 35 Whelan. When they put the new barrel on, they did away with the spacing nut. Nice looking rife....


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## michiganfarmer (Oct 15, 2005)

shadowwalker said:


> Might try gunbroker.com, the little free papers at the grocery stores or shotgun news.


Id be careful with gunbroker. I suppose we have to be carefull with any auction, but I bought a 300 weatherby mag on gunbroker, and the barrel was no good.


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## tn_junk (Nov 28, 2006)

.35 Whelen would be a sweet, sweet gun. Love that caliber. 
I am going to take my time and find something "just right". I have three smoke poles, .36, .45 and .50, so I have a gun to kill anything I want to kill. My .50 will kill anything I want to shoot out to 100 yards, so I ain't in a rush.
Been looking at the HR (was New England Firearms, now owned by Marlin)Single Shot rifles. Just a smidge over $200, but probably well worth the extra not to have a 100 year old army gun.
Thanks, everybody, for all of the input.

galump


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

H&R/NEF has a .35 Whelen barrel for $85.00.


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## outgunu (Sep 14, 2006)

Go to pawn shops and find a used Marlin 336 in 35rem or 30-30. Easy to put a scope on etc. I like my 35rem a lot! Doesn't kick much and flatens deer.


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## tn_junk (Nov 28, 2006)

Thanks Outgunu;

I had a Marlin 336 in .35 remington for years. All of the deer I shot with it (200 grain round nose) either dropped in their tracks or went just a few yards. Traded it for a cherry little Fox double 12 that I still have. Have been looking at Pawnshops, and went to the gun show today. Nothing in that caliber worth having, at a price I could afford. Will keep looking. Hopefully after deer season ends here in TN people will be pawning of their guns.

galump


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