Getting ready for PA deer

[Frank Srebro]

Back when I was a kid, deer season was always heralded in our small town by men shooting their deer rifles over days before the season opener, after work and on weekends. Mostly 30/30, 32 Special, 35 Remington, 300 Savage, '06, 270 and 6.5, 7.7 and 8mm War bringbacks. Empty one gallon paint cans or cardboard boxes served as targets and set up against a coal culm dump. Shooting was done offhand, no bench rest. Scopes were then somewhat uncommon and the factory irons and peep sights were pretty stable but a few shots for practice was the norm. No one seemed to complain about the banging and the town police were supportive. Those simple times sure have changed.

I still like to hunt with the older rifles for a nostalgia kick and deer season will find me sitting along a run in the woods where a 100 yard shot is a very long one. Yep I have some modern rifles for long range work but nowadays I do most of my PA deer hunting with the old timers. I've killed plenty of deer and will just hunt for a "big un" or nothing. Today I had three rifles out for old time practice and wanted to share this with you. :)

Left to Right

1942 Japanese Type 99 (7.7mm) customized and with Lyman peep and ramp front sight

1965 Browning Safari Grade in 338 Win Mag with period Bushnell 2.5-8X Scopechief (loaded down for deer)

1953 Winchester Model 71 Deluxe in 348 WCF and with Lyman 56 peep sight

[CraigThompson]

Frank nice selection ! I’ve killed a couple with a 338 Win Mag in a Ruger #1B used a Nosler 200 BT and a Hornady 225 SST . Both did a fine job and weren’t destructive , but I didn’t load them down .

[CraigThompson]

Incidentally the first two scopes I ever had for bolt actions were a pair of Bushnell Scopechief IV 2.5-8x . A 700 in 243 and a Ruger 77R in 270 WIN . Both worked nicely . They cost me about $40 each in the mid 70’s .

[Daryl Corona]

Love the Mod 71.

[Garry L Gordon]

Frank, you've inspired me to take my Model '99 .250-3000 out for our upcoming season. It also has a peep sight and is sweet in hand. Good luck to you!

[Frank Srebro]

Gary, I'm happy I inspired you. The 99 is great classic rifle and the 250 Savage was and still is well regarded. Larry Koller's classic book Shots at Whitetails is a tribute to the Savage in 250 caliber, and on the strength of Larry's stories I went after one just as soon as I had enough scratch from setting pins at the bowling alley in town. :)

[charlie cleveland]

this storey has gotten to me to...I have a jap rifle converted to 25 06 and old 8 mm mauser and will use the old marlin 444 and others but will hunt some with the old 8 ga with round ball and buckshot loads.....will try the henry 327 magnum for close up work...charlie

[CraigThompson]

8 ga with round ball...charlie

Thats high on my agenda this year as is one with the 6mm-06 shooting the Berger 115 VLD bullet .

[Mike Koneski]

It's always fun deciding which rifle to use in deer season. I have one tag remaining, took a buck and doe with a crossbow the first week of October and a doe with the in-line the third week of October. I'll either use the Sharps saddle ring carbine in .50-70 or Springfield "trapdoor" rifle in .45-70. Both with my own made black powder and cast bullets. I'm leaning more towards the Sharps as it is much handier on stand than that long legged trapdoor.

Frank, go with the Mannlicher you procured a few months ago!! Hemingway would approve. :)

[CraigThompson]

It's always fun deciding which rifle to use in deer season. I have one tag remaining, took a buck and doe with a crossbow the first week of October and a doe with the n-line the third week of October. I'll either use the Sharps saddle ring carbine in .50-70 or Springfield "trapdoor" rifle in .45-70. Both with my own made black powder and cast bullets. I'm leaning ore towards the Sharps as it is much handier on stand than that long legged trapdoor.

Frank, go with the Mannlicher you procured a few months ago!! Hemingway would approve. :)

I as a rule generally tote a rifle AND a shotgun to my stand . So if the deers bow range close I’ll plunk it with the shotgun otherwise I’ll use the rifle .

[Jeff Christie]

Buy a drilling or bockbuchsflinte and simplify your hunt. I hunted with a drilling in Germany and Luxembourg for seven years and it solved all problems when both a shotgun and a rifle would be required.

[CraigThompson]

Buy a drilling or bockbuchsflinte and simplify your hunt. I hunted with a drilling in Germany and Luxembourg for seven years and it solved all problems when both a shotgun and a rifle would be required.

I’ve had as many as five drillings and a combo gun at once . I’ve just never found one that shall we saw grew on me . Still have two I think :whistle:

[Richard Flanders]

Only choice I ever have to make is between my long-bbld Win Hi wall in .45-90 and my Win 1886 lever gun in .45-90. Both were made in 1887, have Lyman peep sights and pristine bores and are superbly accurate at well over 200yds and definitely get the job done on moose and caribou with my 300-350 gr cast bullets. I generally just take both along.....

[George Lang]

My old iron sighted riles that will be used this season will be a Winchester 1886 in 33 WCF and a Winchester 1895 in 35 WCF with pretty stiff handloads. Might also try another 1886 in 45-70. All proven killers.

[Garry L Gordon]

My old iron sighted riles that will be used this season will be a Winchester 1886 in 33 WCF and a Winchester 1895 in 35 WCF with pretty stiff handloads. Might also try another 1886 in 45-70. All proven killers.

George, I hope you and others who are using vintage rifles will post photos of your rifles and the deer you might take (but rifles without deer are great!).