More details at the bottom but I'll start with the TL;DR.

Here's what I have available to bring hunting. I am leaning towards one but I wanted to consult more experienced people.

1. pre 64 Winchester 94 in .32WS
2. Swiss K31 in 7.5x55
3. Custom built hunting rifle in .308 NORMA MAGNUM
4. Benelli Sport II 12 gauge.

I'm leaning towards the Winchester because the k31 is really heavy, the norma magnum is way way overkill and the sport ii is a clay gun. There is a used Benelli Nova Tactical at my LGS for cheap that I've been eyeballing for a while that I could pick up to use as well.

A co-worker invited me hunting and I have never been before. I grew up fishing in NJ because my father didn't want to deal with the headache of trying to hunt in Jersey. When he was growing up, he just hunted on the farm and never dealt with the bullshit.

It's not really something I ever thought about doing but I am interested.

Thoughts?

Where and how would be the determining factor. The Norma Mag isn't nessisarily too much gun.



That's my bullshit answer. In reality, I'd bring the .32WS and the 308NM, but then I usually bring at least 4 long guns and a few handguns with me.

I've thought about bringing my K31 but I didn't think I'd be able to see the sights in the dawn and dusk light. Now I probably couldn't see them mid day.

If you're looking for something quick and on the cheap, look at a Savage in 243, 6.5CM or 308. The Ruger American is a good choice too.

Tony.

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
If you're looking for something quick and on the cheap, look at a Savage in 243, 6.5CM or 308. The Ruger American is a good choice too.

Tony.

Not looking to buy a dedicated hunting rifle at the moment.

In VA what you can do varies by county. So when and where is key to this question. Last year Hanover allowed centerfire rifles when over 10ft high.

Ground blind, pic a good CVA black powder. Great out to 100 yds. You will have a much longer season than rifle only. Early season archery (city limits archery) is open now. A good crossbow will do anything out to 60 yds. (ten point being my choice)

Out of what you mentioned K31 is pretty close ballistically to 308. If you can see the sights go for it. The Pre 64 winchester is a great choice.

Guns not to pass up. 12 gauge with buck, 30 carbine, 7.62x39 cz 527's, 30-30, 243, 270's. In my area of hanover, 150yds is about the longest one will see for a shot. Hell, I plan on using my Kriss in 40sw. this year. I keep pinging plates at 100 yds with it. WTFN.

If the county you are hunting in will allow it, don't discount pistols. 44-40, 45lc, 357 mag, 44 mag, 44 special are all proven deer calibers.

Concentrate on double lung shots. just below the front leg elbow. Lower you hit, the more they will bleed out, easier to track. Double lung shots will have them bleeding out in seconds, not minutes.

quote:

Originally posted by Scurvy:

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
If you're looking for something quick and on the cheap, look at a Savage in 243, 6.5CM or 308. The Ruger American is a good choice too.

Tony.

Not looking to buy a dedicated hunting rifle at the moment.

Out of those the Pre 64 winchester and the K31. both would be fine. Graff and sons makes very accurate 7.5x55 swiss amax hunting loads. I used them for several years here at the house. Work on shot placement, double lung shots from above. Keep that in mind, if you are in a 15ft tree stand, your poi will be 2-3 inches higher than if you were shooting from the ground. High lung shots will bleed into the lung cavity, leaving very little blood trail. Low lung shots will leak like a popped oil drain. Quick, and wide. Making it much easier to follow.

quote:

Originally posted by DSgrouse:

quote:

Originally posted by Scurvy:

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
If you're looking for something quick and on the cheap, look at a Savage in 243, 6.5CM or 308. The Ruger American is a good choice too.

Tony.

Not looking to buy a dedicated hunting rifle at the moment.

Out of those the Pre 64 winchester and the K31. both would be fine. Work on shot placement, double lung shots from above. Keep that in mind, if you are in a 15ft tree stand, your poi will be 2-3 inches higher than if you were shooting from the ground. High lung shots will bleed into the lung cavity, leaving very little blood trail. Low lung shots will leak like a popped oil drain. Quick, and wide. Making it much easier to follow.

Thanks for the tip. It would be in Hanover county so rifles allowed.

I have a .41 mag super blackhawk with an 8 inch barrel and some very hot handloaded cast rounds as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Scurvy:

quote:

Originally posted by DSgrouse:

quote:

Originally posted by Scurvy:

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
If you're looking for something quick and on the cheap, look at a Savage in 243, 6.5CM or 308. The Ruger American is a good choice too.

Tony.

Not looking to buy a dedicated hunting rifle at the moment.

Out of those the Pre 64 winchester and the K31. both would be fine. Work on shot placement, double lung shots from above. Keep that in mind, if you are in a 15ft tree stand, your poi will be 2-3 inches higher than if you were shooting from the ground. High lung shots will bleed into the lung cavity, leaving very little blood trail. Low lung shots will leak like a popped oil drain. Quick, and wide. Making it much easier to follow.

Thanks for the tip. It would be in Hanover county so rifles allowed.

Rifles from a 10ft stand. Be sure that your platform is 10 ft, not the chair. besure to have your blaze orange. I know it sounds silly, but those are easy violations to avoid. I have not looked at the seasons this year, but do a good long read through of buck doe days, when rifle season is. I typically start with archery, then go BP as soon as it starts for the rest of the season.

Good luck man, enjoy it.

quote:

Originally posted by Scurvy:

quote:

Originally posted by DSgrouse:

quote:

Originally posted by Scurvy:

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
If you're looking for something quick and on the cheap, look at a Savage in 243, 6.5CM or 308. The Ruger American is a good choice too.

Tony.

Not looking to buy a dedicated hunting rifle at the moment.

Out of those the Pre 64 winchester and the K31. both would be fine. Work on shot placement, double lung shots from above. Keep that in mind, if you are in a 15ft tree stand, your poi will be 2-3 inches higher than if you were shooting from the ground. High lung shots will bleed into the lung cavity, leaving very little blood trail. Low lung shots will leak like a popped oil drain. Quick, and wide. Making it much easier to follow.

Thanks for the tip. It would be in Hanover county so rifles allowed.

I have a .41 mag super blackhawk with an 8 inch barrel and some very hot handloaded cast rounds as well.

That would be a excelent choice based on setting. If you feel you can do out to 75 yds accurately with it, That would be my spare. Take the rifle, and pistol. If something was under say 60yds, use the pistol. 60+ use the rifle.

The .32 Special has taken a lot of deer (ammo availability might be an issue as I've not seen it on the shelves in years)...I'm a fanboy of the Winchester 94 so I'm biased and if you will be happy with iron sights...use it

quote:

Originally posted by Bisleyblackhawk:
The .32 Special has taken a lot of deer (ammo availability might be an issue as I've not seen it on the shelves in years)...I'm a fanboy of the Winchester 94 so I'm biased and if you will be happy with iron sights...use it

I have a couple boxes of Remington Core-lokt laying around but Horanady makes the LeverEvolution in .32 WS that I would probably try to track down.

If your going hunting at ranges that are rifle ranges due to terrain then bring the .308. If its like the vast majority of hunting on the east coast and terrain makes everything a close shot (like <60y shot) I'd go 12g with slugs. But really it depends on your comfort at the ranges you intend to shoot. I will always take more caliber (or more guns) than I need rather than less when I go to places I don't know. I know stories don't matter, but I once had a friend invite me to his camp 'up north' to hunt. now at my house I'm surrounded by dense woods and we consider a long shot one made down a logging road at maybe 50 yards. Most are way less. In any case he describes this camp as set deep in the heavy woods. So I arrive and this camp is way off in dense woods and at night when I get there it looks just like my house so I figure all is good. So in the o dark am we head off to hunt and I grabbed my trusty 12g. But were we went to hunt was all land has been logged and clear cut. Every shot was 200+ yards. Just sayin'

You're not going to walk into Walmart and buy ammo for any of those rifles, but for what you're doing the Winchester 94 in 32 Winchester Special would be my pick.

I was just on Bud's website and searched .32 Special...it made me happy to see they do have it ...I like to see old cartridges still around...

https://www.budsgunshop.com/ca...Winchester%20Special

The Winchester would be my pick.

You are fortunate to have the option of hunting with a neat old rifle like that Model 94. The Core Lokt bullets have put piles of deer meat on the table over the years.

That’s what I’d pick from the choices you have.

I'd bring the Winchester for primary and the Norma for back-up. I assume the Norma Magnum is scoped.

You may have a relatively short shot because of cover; less than 150 yards, and the Winchester will be fine, but make sure you are proficient with it over iron sights at your intended ranges.

On the other hand, you may be set up on the edge of a cut cornfield, and could have a much longer shot, in which case a scoped rifle is much preferred.

For what it's worth, I have a .35 Remington Marlin 336. The 200 grain .35 Rem and 170 grain .32 Win are ballistically very similar. With the stock iron sights, I couldn't hit shit at 100 yards. I put a red dot on it, and now hit with confidence. Which ever you choose, practice enough at your intended ranges to be comfortable taking the shot.

Have fun, and good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
I'd bring the Winchester for primary and the Norma for back-up. I assume the Norma Magnum is scoped.

You may have a relatively short shot because of cover; less than 150 yards, and the Winchester will be fine, but make sure you are proficient with it over iron sights at your intended ranges.

On the other hand, you may be set up on the edge of a cut cornfield, and could have a much longer shot, in which case a scoped rifle is much preferred.

For what it's worth, I have a .35 Remington Marlin 336. The 200 grain .35 Rem and 170 grain .32 Win are ballistically very similar. With the stock iron sights, I couldn't hit shit at 100 yards. I put a red dot on it, and now hit with confidence. Which ever you choose, practice enough at your intended ranges to be comfortable taking the shot.

Have fun, and good luck.

The Norma Magnum is scoped but it isn't zero'd. I tried to get a zero last year with it but I have a very very limited amount of ammo (maybe 40 rounds left at most) and the recoil is tremendous. My grandfather hand loaded these rounds probably 30+ years ago to max pressure. His ethos was to keep packing powder in until the gun broke, get it fixed and then just back off the load a bit.

Do you know what kind of country/cover you’ll be shooting in? If the range is close, the Winnie or the Blackhawk. If deer can be expected at longer range, the Norma mag.

I like hunting close, mostly because of necessity. It’s more challenging and enjoyable for me to hunt at bow hunting distances. I hunt with 16” .44 magnums mostly at ranges where conservation of movement is essential.

My younger son likes ‘milsurps’, we have a few. He did a ‘shoot off’ a few weeks ago with 4. He ended up picking the K-31 in 7.5 Swiss.

I loaded up some 165 grain soft points for it. We go on the youth hunt in MI this weekend. My brother offered his premo elevated blind, hopefully we’ll see some action inside 50 yards.

As to your guns, pick a good shooting favorite.