Hunting with Semi-Automatic Rifles

I started deer hunting with my Dad's Winchester 94 in 30-30 but killed my 1st deer using his Rem 742 semi-auto in 30-06. The year after that, I began using my FAL in 308 (7.62mm) and that was my go to for about 8yrs. But that pig was heavy and not very politically correct (not that I cared). So, I switched to a 44 Mag lever gun that my wife gave me one Christmas. Then I got my first bolt gun a Mauser 98 and never looked back. It has been 10yrs or more since I last used a Semi for any form of hunting. I like the added precision of a good bolt gun. And if my first shot is precise, I really do not need a 2nd one. Right?

One of my go to deer hunting rifles is a aemi auto Browning BAR Safari grade in 7 MM Mag.

meigsbucks said:

I had a H&K91 (.308) I used on hogs until it was stolen. I started out hunting in OH with a REM 1100 with slugs for deer. Use an AR for coyotes.
Something that surprises me is that although the .350 Legend is extremely popular as a deer round in OH, it is usually seen in bolt rifles. Seldom do I see deer hunters with AR’s.

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+1 on using the 1100, and 870, with slugs in Ohio.

Here in Tennessee there's a quota hunt area that I get drawn for that only allows archery, muzzleloarder, and shotgun with slugs only.
I now use a Remington 11-87 with rifled slug barrel when hunting the quota area.

Occasionally, I like to take my M-1 Garand for a walk in the woods after deer and black bear.

Back years ago the Remington 740, 742, 7400 were my go to deer rifles in 30-06, or 30-30 Marlin 336C lever action in the dense stuff.

Velo Dog said:

For several decades now, I have not been interested in hunting with self-loading / semi-automatic rifles and shotguns.
(Weapon designs for self defense are in their own category, separate from hunting, IMO).
Anyway and instead, I definitely favor manually operated rifles and shotguns for hunting.
That is partially due to my leaning toward fair play as I age, (more now than ever).
And, it’s partially due to my ever increasing dislike for disassembling cleaning and reassembling complicated mechanisms —> AKA: “Lazy”.

However approximately 40 years ago, I successfully hunted caribou with an M1 Garand.
Mine was made by the International Harvestor Company, I suspect sometime in the 1950’s ?
The bore was festooned with countless tiny pits, showing a “dark appearance” the full length of it.
But nonetheless, it provided somewhat acceptable accuracy, sort of.
This, considering the bore looked like the inside of a .30 caliber diesel exhaust pipe.

As far as factory loaded ammo went, my particular M1 favored Remington 150 grain “Core-Lokt” spitzers.
Caribou look larger than they really are, perhaps because they usually (usually) inhabit treeless landscapes.
Also, they are not especially “impact resistant”.
Mule deer are much tougher, in my limited experiences.
And so, the .30-06 is more powerful than necessary for caribou.
But it is comforting to carry the 8 shot M1 where grizzlies are common.

I kept a couple of standard 8 round clips on my person, loaded with the same ammunition mentioned above for my hunting purposes.
In addition, even though I have never been forced to shoot an aggressive bear, I did also carry an 8 round clip, loaded with heavy bullets in it, always ready in a dedicated pocket.

For those who enjoy semi-automatics for hunting, I have no quarrel.
But for myself personally, I have lost interest in such contraptions and am happy hunting with earlier conceived, more traditional designs.

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Interesting. Didn't know IHC made rifles for the government. An M1 "Corn-binder". Also didn't know the clip held eight rounds. I am oddly unfamiliar with a gun that was relatively common when I was growing up. But never terribly popular for hunting due mostly to its weight I think. Rarely seen these days and worth a pile of money when they do turn up.

Ontario Hunter said:

Interesting. Didn't know IHC made rifles for the government. An M1 "Corn-binder". Also didn't know the clip held eight rounds. I am oddly unfamiliar with a gun that was relatively common when I was growing up. But never terribly popular for hunting due mostly to its weight I think. Rarely seen these days and worth a pile of money when they do turn up.

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A lot of companies produced firearms, and other needed military equipment, for the military in WWII. Companies better known for their other more popular domestic commercial merchandise.

The good, and bad, of the M-1 Garand is the distinct "ping" of the empty 8 round clip being ejected after the 8th round is fired.

If I'm not mistaken there is an after market 5 round clip available for those is states that limit the number a firearm can hold.

The M-1 Garand is: heavy, cumbersome, more gun than needed where most shots are under 75 yds, rifle compared to other standard/ more common hunting rifles. That's why I seldom hunt with it.

Velo Dog said:

For several decades now, I have not been interested in hunting with self-loading / semi-automatic rifles and shotguns.
(Weapon designs for self defense are in their own category, separate from hunting, IMO).
Anyway and instead, I definitely favor manually operated rifles and shotguns for hunting.
That is partially due to my leaning toward fair play as I age, (more now than ever).
And, it’s partially due to my ever increasing dislike for disassembling cleaning and reassembling complicated mechanisms —> AKA: “Lazy”.

However approximately 40 years ago, I successfully hunted caribou with an M1 Garand.
Mine was made by the International Harvestor Company, I suspect sometime in the 1950’s ?
The bore was festooned with countless tiny pits, showing a “dark appearance” the full length of it.
But nonetheless, it provided somewhat acceptable accuracy, sort of.
This, considering the bore looked like the inside of a .30 caliber diesel exhaust pipe.

As far as factory loaded ammo went, my particular M1 favored Remington 150 grain “Core-Lokt” spitzers.
Caribou look larger than they really are, perhaps because they usually (usually) inhabit treeless landscapes.
Also, they are not especially “impact resistant”.
Mule deer are much tougher, in my limited experiences.
And so, the .30-06 is more powerful than necessary for caribou.
But it is comforting to carry the 8 shot M1 where grizzlies are common.

I kept a couple of standard 8 round clips on my person, loaded with the same ammunition mentioned above for my hunting purposes.
In addition, even though I have never been forced to shoot an aggressive bear, I did also carry an 8 round clip, loaded with heavy bullets in it, always ready in a dedicated pocket.

For those who enjoy semi-automatics for hunting, I have no quarrel.
But for myself personally, I have lost interest in such contraptions and am happy hunting with earlier conceived, more traditional designs.

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Question:

For those 150 grains do you use an adjustable gas screw on your Garand to prevent damaging the gas tube?

Just thought I’d throw this in, there is a guy in the us who made a m1 garand in 458 wind bag for shits and giggles
Gumpy

Back in the day with some other mates I hunted Goats in NZ in the late 80’s with a variety of semi autos. SKS an Armalite AR10 also used an M1 Carbine.
Results the AR went full auto on us one day on a slip with goats running across it. No goats were hurt and said rifle was sent packing someone did explain why this happened but can’t remember exactly. SKS was okay but heavy but would not win any accuracy awards. The M1 was fun but lacked knock down and range also ammo was getting hard to come by and getting expensive. Went back bolt action an old 303 smelly and then 22mag. The 22mag was good for groups of goats with little noise. We found they would only run off a little at the sound so you could catch up for a 2nd crack.

Edit I actually think it was not an M1 but an M2 carbine was a neat little gun to use especially in the NZ bush being so short.

Sideshow said:

Back in the day with some other mates I hunted Goats in NZ in the late 80’s with a variety of semi autos. SKS an Armalite AR10 also used an M1 Carbine.
Results the AR went full auto on us one day on a slip with goats running across it. No goats were hurt and said rifle was sent packing someone did explain why this happened but can’t remember exactly. SKS was okay but heavy but would not win any accuracy awards. The M1 was fun but lacked knock down and range also ammo was getting hard to come by and getting expensive. Went back bolt action an old 303 smelly and then 22mag. The 22mag was good for groups of goats with little noise. We found they would only run off a little at the sound so you could catch up for a 2nd crack.

Edit I actually think it was not an M1 but an M2 carbine was a neat little gun to use especially in the NZ bush being so short.

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M1 carbine was the anemic cartridge. Very anemic. M1 rifle fired 30-06 Springfield. Lots of knockdown power there!

Ontario Hunter said:

M1 carbine was the anemic cartridge. Very anemic. M1 rifle fired 30-06 Springfield. Lots of knockdown power there!

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Yes, I know it was a fairly weak cartridge, but apart from the expensive cost of the ammo at the time, (thats only why it was sold) it was a great rifle for close range work on goats in the thick bush jungle of the upper North Island of NZ. You definitely would not want to be lugging a Garand through the supplejack vines of NZ. That’s why we also went to an even weaker cartridge the .22 Mag, because the ranges were short and because of the bonus of less game disturbance from loud muzzle blasts. A .30‑06 was even more expensive at the time in regard to ammo.

For what we were doing, the rifles I mentioned in my previous post had to be three things: light, relatively cheap to buy, and cheap to feed. As soon as they weren’t, they were gone. When the Judas goat programme stopped, we had no more need for them those rifles and they were sold on. Only a complete fool would try to run around that environment trying to control goats with an overly heavy, long, expensive to feed rifle.

Sideshow said:

Back in the day with some other mates I hunted Goats in NZ in the late 80’s with a variety of semi autos. SKS an Armalite AR10 also used an M1 Carbine.
Results the AR went full auto on us one day on a slip with goats running across it. No goats were hurt and said rifle was sent packing someone did explain why this happened but can’t remember exactly. SKS was okay but heavy but would not win any accuracy awards. The M1 was fun but lacked knock down and range also ammo was getting hard to come by and getting expensive. Went back bolt action an old 303 smelly and then 22mag. The 22mag was good for groups of goats with little noise. We found they would only run off a little at the sound so you could catch up for a 2nd crack.

Edit I actually think it was not an M1 but an M2 carbine was a neat little gun to use especially in the NZ bush being so short.

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JMO....The little 30 cal M-1 and M-2 carbines are fun to shoot but falls short on ballistics.

There's a campfire story. "As Is" AKs and SKSs are definitely not accurate weapons. However... back when I was learning gunsmthing I took an SKS because it was a cheap military surplus rifle, rebuilt it, turned the SKS into a nice hunting rifle accurate out to 400 yards. It looked more like a sniper rifle with a 30 round magazine.

Ridge Runner said:

JMO....The little 30 cal M-1 and M-2 carbines are fun to shoot but falls short on ballistics.

There's a campfire story. "As Is" AKs and SKSs are definitely not accurate weapons. However... back when I was learning gunsmthing I took an SKS because it was a cheap military surplus rifle, rebuilt it, turned the SKS into a nice hunting rifle accurate out to 400 yards. It looked more like a sniper rifle with a 30 round magazine.

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Did you retain the folding bayonet for the close in work?
We had the Norinco ones with a 10 round mag. They worked well inside 50 yards, which most of the hunting was. Just got heavy and the triggers were not great from what I recall. Apart from that it did the job.

Ridge Runner said:

Question:

For those 150 grains do you use an adjustable gas screw on your Garand to prevent damaging the gas tube?

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Hi Ridge Runner,

Thank you for your question, I have learned something from it.

When I owned that rifle, I never did try to adjust any gas screw.
Although I have formerly owned four M1 Garands and fired easily a thousand or more rounds of mostly my hand loads and military surplus ammunition, through them collectively, I confess that I did not even know where to look for an adjustable gas screw in that particular design rifle.
I do know where it is on the FN FAL but that of course is not an M1.
My recollection is that the Garand design of rifle was equipped with a gas tube lock screw or “gas cylinder” lock screw.
Also in my blissful ignorance, if factory standard 150 grain ammunition fired through as issued Garands is risking damage to the rifle, I had not heard of that until just now.

And so becoming curious, I googled the above topic.
Turns out that to avoid potential bending of the operating rod, I should have installed a Schuster Adjustable Gas Plug, prior to firing “modern” ammunition.
Until this very moment, I would’ve bet a large pizza that typical factory loaded hunting ammunition, caliber .30-06 in 150 grain, from major makers such as Remington, Winchester and Federal, was no “hotter” than WW-II and Korean War era USA Arsenal loaded 150 gr GI ball ammunition was.
Evidently I would’ve lost that bet.

Your question, combined with the short research has enlightened me.
Fortunately, none of my rifles suffered damage.
Perhaps that is due to the fact that by the time I bought my first Garand, I had been totally cured of that USA disease known as “Velocity Madness”.
And so, my .30-06 hand loads were never “hot”.
I was always experimenting for extra accuracy, not extra speed.
Likewise, compared to my hand loads and back then, the inexpensive surplus ammunition, I did not fire near as many “modern” factory loaded hunting type cartridges through my Garands.
With that scenario, I evidently lucked out and avoided damaging my former M1 Garand collection, now long gone to help pay for hunting and fishing over seas.
I’d rather be lucky than good I suppose.

Thanks again for getting me motivated to learn something.
Even though I am officially an old geezer now, I still do enjoy learning things.

Cheers,
Paul.

Most of my big game hunting is done with a bolt gun. But I do use a BAR, AR-15 or AR-10 on on occasion for different things.

Small game and birds, I tend to use semi autos in 22LR or various shotgun gauges.

Sideshow said:

Did you retain the folding bayonet for the close in work?
We had the Norinco ones with a 10 round mag. They worked well inside 50 yards, which most of the hunting was. Just got heavy and the triggers were not great from what I recall. Apart from that it did the job.

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Had 1 spike and 1 blade. Retained them on the rifles until a game warden and had a little conversation. Nothing bad just BSing. He recommended I remove the bayonet when hunting. Having a "bayonet" on a rifle is/ was a sort of "gray" area and didn't think I needed to be cited for having "it" on a hunting rifle by a warden just out of school.

Army grunts think alike as we both started to say the same thing: LOL...

For going hand to hoof (and/or antler) with a deer, or hand to paws with a {black} bear.

The one I "tinkered" with:

Replaced the wood stick with an adjustable black synthetic stock and added spacers and medium (?) butt pad to get my length of pull.

Tuned the trigger

Removed the standard 10 round mag to allow for the 30 round mag.

Added a bipod and sling

Replaced the standard rear assembly piece with a military issue rear assembly piece with scope mount.

Replaced all of the springs. Although not needed.

Mounted a 1" tube, 3 x 9 - 40(?) Bushnell (?) scope

IIRC the rifle ended up weighing (no ammo in mag) about the same as my Marlin 30-30.

I've used my AR10 (in 308) to kill 2 bears and a nice mule deer buck. It's nothing special really, Aero Precision with a 16 inch barrel, I have it set up with a Trijicon Credo 2-10 and a YHM resonator K suppressor. I really like it for Spring Bear season, being able to run a 2 point sling and essentially just kind of "patrol" for bears works well in the areas I hunt.

Velo Dog said:

Hi Ridge Runner,

Thank you for your question, I have learned something from it.

When I owned that rifle, I never did try to adjust any gas screw.
Although I have formerly owned four M1 Garands and fired easily a thousand or more rounds of mostly my hand loads and military surplus ammunition, through them collectively, I confess that I did not even know where to look for an adjustable gas screw in that particular design rifle.
I do know where it is on the FN FAL but that of course is not an M1.

Click to expand...

Velo Dog said:

My recollection is that the Garand design of rifle was equipped with a gas tube lock screw or “gas cylinder” lock screw.
Also in my blissful ignorance, if factory standard 150 grain ammunition fired through as issued Garands is risking damage to the rifle, I had not heard of that until just now.

And so becoming curious, I googled the above topic.
Turns out that to avoid potential bending of the operating rod, I should have installed a Schuster Adjustable Gas Plug, prior to firing “modern” ammunition.

Click to expand...

That is what I was referring to as adjustable gas screw or gas plug. IIRC the military manual calls it a gas plug. When I found it available online the after market military surplus company called it an adjustable gas screw.

Velo Dog said:

Until this very moment, I would’ve bet a large pizza that typical factory loaded hunting ammunition, caliber .30-06 in 150 grain, from major makers such as Remington, Winchester and Federal, was no “hotter” than WW-II and Korean War era USA Arsenal loaded 150 gr GI ball ammunition was.
Evidently I would’ve lost that bet.

Your question, combined with the short research has enlightened me.
Fortunately, none of my rifles suffered damage.
Perhaps that is due to the fact that by the time I bought my first Garand, I had been totally cured of that USA disease known as “Velocity Madness”.

Click to expand...

.... thankfully I have avoided that disease.

Velo Dog said:

And so, my .30-06 hand loads were never “hot”.
I was always experimenting for extra accuracy, not extra speed.

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+1.... on "hot loads".

The adjustable gas plug not only prevents over pressure damage to the operating rod but also allows adjustment to properly function the bolt with lower pressure hand reloads to avoid jams.

My Garand reloads are for 165 - 168 grain BTSP at +/-2600 fps.

If I'm not mistaken military FMJ ball and tracer ammo is 147 grain at +/-2900 - +/- 3000 fps and armor piecing steel bullets are 174 grain.

Velo Dog said:

Likewise, compared to my hand loads and back then, the inexpensive surplus ammunition, I did not fire near as many “modern” factory loaded hunting type cartridges through my Garands.
With that scenario, I evidently lucked out and avoided damaging my former M1 Garand collection, now long gone to help pay for hunting and fishing over seas.
I’d rather be lucky than good I suppose.

Click to expand...

When I looked at purchasing a couple of extra rods to have on hand it was a Holy Sh't!! moment ...~$200.00 or ~$300.00 each, including shipping. That $30- $40 gas plug was a good investment.

Velo Dog said:

Thanks again for getting me motivated to learn something.
Even though I am officially an old geezer now, I still do enjoy learning things.

Cheers,
Paul.

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You're welcome and thanks for your info. I was curious as to how you avoided damaging your operating rod using current factory ammo and development of reloaded ammo if you weren't using an adjustable gas plug.

Cheers
RR

Boyd Brooks said:

Bought mine about 15 years ago for $600.00, today they want around $2000.00 depending on condition.

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Oh heck, I should have bought that one at Jackson Arms a few months ago for $895.

We use the heck out of them for shooting feral hogs here at home. I put one together for my daughter in 6.5 Grendel and with the adjustable stock it’s perfect for a smaller statured person.

Jake

50 years ago I started hunting with a 303 Jungle Carbine my father gave me, but my brother-in-law, who taught me to hunt, used a Remington 742 semi-auto in 30-06. A 303 cartidge will simply pole-axe a whitetail. DRT. After his untimely death, I inherited my brother-in-law's 742. It was prone to jams, so it never was a favorite beyond sentimental value. In my 20's I shot deer with a SKS in 7.62x39. It is a reasonable little woods deer rifle. About the same ballistics as a 30-30, which everyone used for deer with lever-actions where I grew up. You can't break a SKS with a hammer (or make it any uglier). I still like the idea of hunting with a semi-auto. I no longer have the 742 or the SKS. I still like the Remingtons, but mine are now 7600's in 30-06. I shoot the 7600 pump almost as fast as the semi-auto, and they are MUCH more reliable. I am in the process of having a Remington 7600 built in 400 Whelen that I want to someday take to Africa, since Africa will not allow Americans with semi-autos anyway. They may give me trouble about bringing the pump. I have a M1 Garand now in 30-06 with a sporterized stock. It is a project gun, but I do intent to use it for hunting when it is finished. It is not quite as ugly as my old SKS, but it is close. I suppose one day I should class up my act a little, and buy a beautiful Browning BAR in 30-06. I have a Browning BLR in 7mm Mag and like it a lot. My 3 favorite cartridges for hunting NA are the 30-06, the 30-06, followed closely by the 30-06. I have them in bolt actions, lever actions, pump actions and semi-autos. I have used them from the dense woods and deep swamps of the SE US for hogs and whitetail, to the wide open SW US desert country for mt. lion, javelina and mulies, to the Rocky Mountain forests for elk. The 06 has never failed me if I do my part. The only thing in NA I would not hunt with one, are the BIG bears (Browns and Polars). I have no doubt the 30-06 properly loaded with a first shot properly placed would kill one, eventually, but it would be a poor stopping rifle if the need should arise. Even a magazine fed semi-auto would not be adviseable for the big bears, although I hear many Gen X'ers, even some on this forum, think a 10mm Glock in protection enough for big bears. They say in Alaska you can tell black bear scat because it has fur, bone and blackberries in it. You can tell brown bear scat because it smells like bear spray, and has bear bells, Glock parts and 10mm shells in it.