Semi auto hunter

I really can't add to what has already been said. But I would like to share a story.

My father in law and his buddy were hunting Manitoulin Island (in Ontario). His buddy was/is a fairly experienced hunter. He was being charged by a black bear. He unloaded his 30-30 Marlin leaver. When I mean unload, I mean unload. He kept leavering rounds out. No shooting involved. Just working the action.

I believe that buck fever hits all of us (some out grow it) and that no one action is safer then another. If he wants a semi get a semi.

I think it is more important that the gun feels comfortable in his hands (shooting and carrying) if he's going to hunt with it. I use a Rem 7400 in the tree stand. I find the balance and weight to be a PITA to hump the bush. For pushing the bush, I use a Marlin leaver.
 
trubluscrew said:
I really can't add to what has already been said. But I would like to share a story.

My father in law and his buddy were hunting Manitoulin Island (in Ontario). His buddy was/is a fairly experienced hunter. He was being charged by a black bear. He unloaded his 30-30 Marlin leaver. When I mean unload, I mean unload. He kept leavering rounds out. No shooting involved. Just working the action.
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:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

That's just like one of those childhood nightmaires where you can't run away or scream!
 
Hahahahaha.
Reminds me of my dad. He did the same thing on a doe with a pumpgun years ago. He tried to put 5 in a 4 shot clip, and though it would fit in the gun, it wouldnt strip a shell out of the mag as it wasnt in properly. Bang is all we heard, and him and the deer heard a bunch of clicks too :)
 
stubblejumper said:
To be perfectly honest,I wouldn't start any new hunter with an autoloader.New hunters do get excited and when they do,an autoloader can be a safety hazzard.
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x2

if he wants an auto, get him a .22.....
 
DarrylDB said:
Oh, here we go with the bolt guns...


Your not a "TRUE HUNTER" if you hunt with a semi.

Bullshyte

......


You can get a 7400- 750 remington. A new Winchester semi, or an older M100. Ruger makes a mini 30 that will kill deer etc, and the deerfield carbine in 44 mag.
Browning has been a staple in reliable auto's for longer than most of us have been alive.
An older BAR, or newer Bar are a bit expensive, but worth the money.
If bucks are not an issue, pick up a benelli R1. All of which are good no nonsense firearms.
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:) Good post. Leaves little to add.

I would only suggest a Good Rem 7400. You can get them cheaply, and beat the hell out them, then resell them without losing too much. Keep it clean, make sure he does his maintenance, and make sure he gets used to using it. I would rarely suggest anything by Remington (since they are usually crap), let alone a 7400, but for a rifle that he can use for a season or two, its a good choice. When he has money he should look at a Browning BAR.
 
stubblejumper said:
To be perfectly honest,I wouldn't start any new hunter with an autoloader.New hunters do get excited and when they do,an autoloader can be a safety hazzard.
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Let alone new hunters, an old fart like me gets excited just the same. Except I know how to keep the excitment under control.

Having said that I picked up a new BAR ShortTrac in .308. Two range sessions - it shoots 1.5 MOA with the first round of handload using Hornady 165 SP bullets. I am positive I can bring it down to 1 MOA or better easy with other loads. Despite the fact it weights only 6.5 lb there is little recoil. It is a keeper! :D :D :D

Danny
 
Many hunters start with a semi auto and shoot nothing but a semi their whole life.
I think the easiest way to screw up a new hunter is to fill his head with nonsense and preconcieved notions. Or to force our own narrow minded view and personal preferences on him.
My kid wanted a lever badly when he was starting out. I felt this was a bad idea because putting a hammer gun on safety with a live round chambered is challenging. Small fingers trying to manipulate a trigger and a hammer at the same time while maintaining muzzle control takes some serious practice.
But rather than force him onto a gun he did not want I bought him an Erma 22Mag Lever.
I taught him the safe handling procedures and then left him outside with the gun pointed in a safe directin and told him he had to lower the hammer on a live round and recock it fifty times before he could go hunting.
Well he made it to 19 and his thumb slipped off the hammer and it went bang. He learned... in a safe manner... and he never did it again.
I would let a new hunter get a semi in a heartbeat.... and i would teach him how to use it properly.
 
That to was one of my thoughts on a lever.I have seen so many new hunters play with that pesky hammer(cocking-uncocking).Sure they are told not to but I bet better than 50% do.Not knocking a lever gun but I would rather see a semi,pump,or a bolt gun in a new hunters hands than a lever.Just my thoughts.
 
I would agree with everyone that said start off with a bolt, and if that teen ager is relatively skilled then maybe a lever. Now that being said, if you can find a used Winchester 100 semi in .308 it certainly would fill your criteria. I actually took my Springfield M1a out hunting once. Once! It weighs a ton, and if your going to be humping the brush, you're gonna be wiped by about the 5th hour of the hunt. (Then again if it's a teenager that wouldn't be so bad). :) Good Luck and really consider a bolt action.
 
Don't let anyone talk you out of buying a semi. About 15 years ago I was looking for a good deer rifle in .308 and wanted a semi. instead of a bolt action because I shoot from the left shoulder, and LH bolt actions weren't that common.

I researched what was available and went to local gunshop to have them bring it in. The owner happened to be very high up in serious fullbore competition. Between the jigs and the reels he and his son managed to talk me out of buying that semi, which was a ...VALMET HUNTER.
 
semi auto

Hi, Our Camp Has 15 Members,12 Of Them Use Rem 742's Or 7400's There Just Great. I Got 6 Deer This Nov Within 2 Days, No Jams, Just Venison Hitting The Ground! The Other Guys Use Bolt Actions But Will Never Get 6 Deer, Just Too Slow But Great For Moose Hunting When Scoped.cheers , Bryan
 
BIGREDD said:
Many hunters start with a semi auto and shoot nothing but a semi their whole life.
I think the easiest way to screw up a new hunter is to fill his head with nonsense and preconcieved notions. Or to force our own narrow minded view and personal preferences on him.
My kid wanted a lever badly when he was starting out. I felt this was a bad idea because putting a hammer gun on safety with a live round chambered is challenging. Small fingers trying to manipulate a trigger and a hammer at the same time while maintaining muzzle control takes some serious practice.
But rather than force him onto a gun he did not want I bought him an Erma 22Mag Lever.
I taught him the safe handling procedures and then left him outside with the gun pointed in a safe directin and told him he had to lower the hammer on a live round and recock it fifty times before he could go hunting.
Well he made it to 19 and his thumb slipped off the hammer and it went bang. He learned... in a safe manner... and he never did it again.
I would let a new hunter get a semi in a heartbeat.... and i would teach him how to use it properly.
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couldn't be said better.
 
Great another spray and pray newbie hunter.
Whatever happened to 1 accurately placed shot?
Kids do like challenges, and accuracy is a far greater challenge than mag capacity and cyclic rate.
Teach him to shoot, and shoot well and be a great hunter, you will be doing him, and the hunting community a favor.
 
alberta tactical rifle said:
Great another spray and pray newbie hunter.
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ATR, No doubt your a great long range shooter, but thats about as much BS as I've ever head you say. Because you use a semi makes you a "spray and pray hunter? Pulleeze


alberta tactical rifle said:
Teach him to shoot, and shoot well and be a great hunter, you will be doing him, and the hunting community a favor.
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Yes, A agree fully, but since when does the tool effect this teaching, or someones ability to learn this?

but your Bias has disregarded a semi auto rifle as a vaible tool , and IMHO, thats a very negative perspective. It doesnt matter what kind of gun you use to enstill proper shooting techniques and ethical behavior.
It matters that the hunter/shooter gets what your teaching.
And because they opt for a semi doesnt make them an Unethical spray and pray hunter, it makes their preference for firearms different than yours.
And after all, arent we all entitled to our opinion on what to use?
I learned a long time ago to Use the right tool for the job and be practised enough to make the shot.
and secondly to use enough gun (but not any less important), No where is it written that your required to do such with a particular type of firearm.
 
BigRed said it all....

captonion said:
SKS is prob the cheapest rifle,cheapest plinking ammo,and most reliable cheap semi-auto rifle.This should get him started.Later he can upgrade,and most likely he will before long.Ya gotta start somewhere.I had one when I was about 16 or so and had a blast with it.
GOOD LUCK!
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He's young and I'm sure he would love an sks.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57098


Wasn't he planing to get this rifle for the range (1st)???? and then possibly hunting (2nd)? why is everyone treating this like hunting came first for this individual?
 
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Darryl Sorry if I offended you, unfortunately being in the business for 30 years or so, 1 does get jaded. Not a day goes by when I don't get someone asking for a way to ensure fast follow up shots, and ofcourse semis are usually the topic. Unfortunately most are also younger shooters.
To learn shooting and hunting skills on any rifle is a great step.
Yes there are ethical hunters that use all sorts of rifles , to be sure.
Unfortunately young shooters of today are becoming more dependant on mag capacity than accuracy. This new mentality is also evident in Law Enforcement it seems as well. In the old days when all you had was 6 you made the 1st 2 count, that sadly does not seem to be the case any longer. The statistics back this up.
Take a young person to the games arcade, give them a quarter on a shooting game that has fast trigger and see what the scores are, compared to aiming and shooting the same game shooting single shot, that you get. You will see what I mean. Young people typically seem to lack patience in most things.
I personally do not believe a semi auto is a proper starting hunter rifle, for several reasons.
Semi autos do have a greater perpensity to mechanical failure than bolts. Not something desireable for the inexperienced.
Semi autos are harder to be sure are safe, and can be more difficult to unload safely, as there have been cases of the bolts slipping and discharging the round, during unloading. Not common granted, but certainly any accidental discharge can ruin a new hunters prospects.
Semi autoso encourage a sense of having faster second or third or fourth shots rapidly at hand, hence it is easy to get into the spray and pray mode mentally.
Please don't get me wrong, I have no problem with semi autos for some things, but just don't feel they are the best starting point for a new shooter/hunter

Intersting side note, it appears that most down east favor semis for hunting, yet out west the bolt guns rule. Strange??
 
I can see your point ATR. I'm still pretty young, and don't have all the experience a lot of the older dudes have here, but I can hunt with a semi auto...now.

I dunno if I woulda wanted to see myself with one in my teen years lol. There is a definate temptation to keep going "bang" when you have that option viably.

Only way to get past it is to discipline yourself. And I think anyone of any age can do that but it does take practice. I have a clear line between plinking and hunting/shooting in my head, but that doesn't mean I did 6 years ago too.

Gotta hunt like you are carrying a single shot, even if you are carrying a Garand or an M1A is all :)

Could it be that out west you guys just plain shoot farther than we do here in Quebec? Most of the deer I have taken so far have been pretty close shooting. The longest kills I have are all 200 m tops really.

Average is about 50 I guess if you broke it up. It's just thick like that.
 
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