Bustin' a few caps.....

[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

Hannah, 15, wants to try to take a deer this year. Rifle season opens on the 15th. I've been looking for a couple of weeks to try to find a .243... i.e., something she could shoot comfortably. But I wasn't happy with what I was finding, or the prices for new or used rifles.

So for now, I've decided to let her use my Springfield O3A3. For those of you that don't know, the Springfield O3A3 was a military rifle for many years; it was used all through WW1, part of WW2, and as a sniper rifle during WW2 and Korean War. Its a well-made, well-balanced rifle, chambered for the 30.06, which kicks with 29 foot pounds of energy.... a bit much for a 15 year old girl. So I got some "light loads" that are purported to have 50% less recoil, shooting a 125 grain bullet, plenty enough for deer.

I took Hannah out for her first shooting lesson with the big gun; she's been shooting 22's since she was a kid. I set a target up at approx. 50 yards (looks a little closer in the photo). I shot the first round to see where the rifle was shooting, YIKES!... it was 8" high, and no way to adjust the sights to bring it any lower. Hannah shot it about 7 times, and holding 7" low, was able to put 2 in the center red ring, the rest were in the white. She said that's not very good shooting Dad... I said for deer, all you had to do was hit a bread box, and you'll be OK. She had to hold her cheek up off the stock to get her eyes in line with the sights. OK, so she didn't place them dead center in the bulls eye like I did, by holding low... but I can tell you one thing, I don't want her shooting at me... her group was about 5 inches, good enough for government work!

Vernon

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[Brian(upstateNY)]

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[deathwind1]

LUCKY I would have given any thing if my daughter would have liked hunting but that was NOT to be--My Daughter (Robin) liked to shoot but could not handle much recoil--38 was fine but when she tried using 357 bullets it made her hand swell up, so I never let her shoot anything but 22--38 after that-She took the hunter course and went with me-Killed a Grouse and cleaned it--The following year I asked if she would like to Deer hunt and did not get much of a answer so I asked if it bothered her killing that Grouse and heard the word YES-I was disappointed but I told her Everyone has to make that decision and if she did NOT feel comfortable about killing any thing that was OK with me--She still likes shooting but not at living things--Enjoy every time you hunt with Hannah--I am glad you two get to do it TOGETHER

 

[Chris in Hamilton (Canada)]

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[Craig in Alabama]

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[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

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[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

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[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

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[Chris in Hamilton (Canada)]

Nice fat 8 pointer. he was following a doe around the orchard

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[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

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[Chris in Hamilton (Canada)]

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[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

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[Chris in Hamilton (Canada)]

Smallest deer on the planet!

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[Ed SW Fla]

... was a junior in college with no money. My room mate was a police officer ... also broke. We went out in the squad and harvested a deer during season ... not quite legal, but so very close to it.... but we would have starved to death without that deer .... it was SOOOOOO GOOOOD.

Good shootin gal.
Ed

 

[General Ray]

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[General Ray]

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[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

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[Elson(La)]

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[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

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[mike(swWash)]

I inherited my dads m1917 Eddystone Enfield that he bought in the 50's and hunted with his entire life. Dad may be gone now but the memories of the shared times hunting and fishing with him live on, and I still take him hunting with me when I pack that old army surplus rifle of his, and Hannah will always have the same memories of the fortunes and misfortunes of hunting with dad
I do have to take my k31 Swiss army rifle out for the late buck season next week though, I would'nt want it to be mad at me for always making it stay home It's also the most accurate and interesting bolt action rifle I've ever owned.