Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What did your grandfather use?

In Alabama, in my grandfather's days, there was no "deer hunting". Deer were present in some places, but not like now. So small game such as rabbit, squirrels, and quail were the mainstay of hunting, and maybe turkey and ducks too. A properly loaded 12ga would do it all, and a day afield usually included a mixed bag. The Model 12 Winchester was very popular. I have a hand-me-down Winchester Model 12 Pump 12ga, and a Win. Model 50 Semi-auto 20ga, one from each grandfather.

Mine hunted with several over the years but the two most prevalent were a Jerry Fisher, .25 wildcat of my grandpa's design, on a pre-64 and a Biesen on a pre-64, 7mm wildcat, similar to a 7mm rem mag but with a longer neck.

My maternal grandfather had many guns over the years but, the ones I remember the best were his Marlin 336 in 35rem. that stayed behind the seat of the truck for farm emergencies; the Colt new frontier in 22lr; a Colt 1917 in 45acp that seemed to appear in his hands whenever groundhogs were spotted around the barn.

My grandfather only hunted birds and rabbits.

The uncle that got me intereted in deer hunting used a .300 Savage m99. Around the mid 1950's he scoped it with a Bushnell 4x Scopechief that had a retractable post.

Grandpa uses a 30/30, Great Grandpa used a 8mm Mauser

My maternal grandad only hunted for subsistence. 12 ga. Crescent Arms shotgun made small game into table fare - as that was what was available. I still have that gun. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

My paternal grandad farmed in CO and had WY ranching roots. When I knew him he had a 12 ga. Fox Sterlingworth for winged varmints and a pair of '86 Winnies for meat hunting. I know one was a 33 but can't recall (if I ever knew) what the other was. I still have the Sterlingworth though. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

My grandfather shot a Pre 64 Model 70 in 30-Gov't '06 that he won in a big buck contest. (37.75" Mule Deer Buck) He gave it to me ~20 years ago, I changed the old Weaver to a Leupold about 15 years ago and have hunted with it every fall. (Have yet to even come close to his Buck though!)

my grand dad only owned one gun a double barrel 10GA with 28" full choke barrels

257 Wby Mark V Deluxe & a Parker Double 16 ga.

22 rimfire and a single shot 12ga. His father a single shot 12ga 'goose gun' -very long barrel. No one remembered what brand they were.

my granddad used a hopkins and allen 12 ga. single... the only other gun in the house when my dad was a kid was a percussion frontstuffer that dates back as far as our family tree... 1870..... john w

both pieces are still around.....

Stevens Falling Block .22 LR

Win 1897 12-gauge solid receiver

He shot food for the table.

I too, have discovered the 280 Remington. I have 280's in Rem 700 & Ruger 77. Doubtless, the most well kept secret of the shooting sports.

Two minutes, even given hyperbole, is good. Sometimes we time each other, and the best so far is 4 minutes. The only time I was timed it took 7 minutes.

Winchester 1885 Hi-Wall in .38-55 cut back to 20 inches for a wagon gun.

Beautiful old black walnut stock. He called it "Old Beller-Whang"

My grandfathers didn't hunt, but my father in law, who was old enough to be my grandfather, hunted with a Savage 99 .300 Savage with a Weaver K2.5. He shot elk, bear and deer and would have been shocked if anyone thought it inadequate.

My two brothers and I inherited a model 100 in 284 Win.
(I haven't seen one in this forum yet!)
And two pre-64's Model 70's in .243 & .270
The scopes for the 70's are: Weaver V9 and a Balvar
We each got one and still shoot em along with our moderns.

A 12 Ga, Browning Lite 12 and a Win Mod 94 30-30.

Model 98 mauser in 8X57 resting in a Bishop stock. It now sits in my gun safe and is still used for "doe days" when we thin the herd every other year or so.

CK

GrandPa used a Model 93 Marlin / Octagon/ Take Down - 32/40. Now - Hanging on My Wall. Dad used a Sporterized Model 98/8mm Mauser- that came Home from WW2. Brother ended up with the Mauser and Dad switched to a Marlin 36 A in 35 Rem..