Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What rifle did your Dad hunt big game with?

my dad did not hunt or shoot

Dad used a 1963 vintage Marlin 336 in .30-30 that he bought at K-mart for $62.00. In fact, he died holding it in 2003. I still hunt with it periodically.

Though there were many, these are what I remember most.

Schultz & Larsen 7X61 S&H
700 Classic 7X57
700 BDL .25-06

When he was younger, a pre-64 Winchester model 94 .30-30. I'm not sure when he switched, but I always remember him using my Grandfather's sporterized Springfield 1903 .30-06 with a fixed 4x Weaver scope.

He still has both rifles.

This. And I still take it out at least once a year.

He also had that JC Higgins 30-06 for a few years as well. That's the one I shot my first moose with, remember? He shot a nice 10 point with the same rifle. Wish I knew where that one went to.

And do you know what I think?

IIRC, The only deer rifles my Dad ever used was a .30-40 Krag. I believe he owned three all total. Still had two when he passed.

The one minor exception was a 'Pre-64 Win. M-94 in .30-30. He only used it one year. He pinched his finger between the trigger and the lever, and hated it ever since. In 1968, he gave it to me with the statement: "This is yours to use as long as you want... And when I'm gone, it's yours..." He took it back in 1973, and I later found out he traded it for a CB radio... He passed in 1994. I never inherited any of his guns... Always been a sore spot with me... And, sadly,, I don't miss him in the least.

GH

Addendum: Today I own many times as many firearms as he ever did. And much nicer ones as well. But for senimental reasons known only to me... I keep a sporterized .30-40 Krag, and I have a Pre-War M-94 in .30-30 that is much nicer than my 1st, but somehow, it just isn't the same... So goes life... I wonder if he will be one of the "Five people I meet in Heaven"... But somehow, I doubt it!

Un-altered Eddystone Arsenal P-17. And he'd still be using it if he could see the irons

His favorite was a Marlin 336 in 35 rem. Wish I could scan photos as I have one from the late 50's-early 60's showing him with the rifle and a nice deer.

Big game was limited to Whitetails, but mine used a Marlin 36 in .30-.30 and later a Savage 99 in .308 with a weaver 4x.

Mine used a sporterized Springfield 03 in 06 until the 60's when he had it opened up to 30-338. He is 82 now and shooting a Browning low-wall in 260 that I picked up for him.

My dad did not kill a big game animal with a rifle, until very late in life. It was a Marlin MR-7 in 30-06.

Growing up in IN he did all of his gun hunting with one of two Mossberg 500s. The reason it's one of two, is that I lost the first one! Left it on the trunk of the car and then drove off...DOH!

Likewise here.
Dad hunted damn near everything with the old Krag. Between it, a Marlin 39 and a Greener ten guage gamekeepers gun he had all the bases covered.
Sadly, he loaned the Greener to an uncle and the Krag to my brother. Neither of them will ever be seen again by family. I got the Marlin though.

Remington 1100 loaded w/ 00

David

My father used a Marlin 94 in 38-40 his entire life about a 1936 vintage, for whitetail. He probbaly killed a lot more deer than most,but this was before those whitetail evolved with kevlar hides. We talked him into taking a .308 ,Model 88,scoped, one year and he complained that he didn't get a shot at a nice buck because he could not see thru the scope clearly.
In the 40's, 50's, and early 60's a Marlin or Winchester chambered in 30-30, 32, Special or 35 Reminton was the firearm of choice when I was a youngster in. PA

My Dad hunted everything with a 16ga. Remington 11-48.

He didn't. Until I got him set up with a Marlin XS7 in 7-08 a few years ago, that is

The first I know of, was a sporterized 303 British Enfield. I still remember how good that gun looked.

Around 1960 (?) dad bought a new Rem 760, 30-06.

In the '80s he bought a new Rem M 6, 270. I have it today.

A sporterized model 98 with a Douglass barrell a j�ger trigger nice walnut stock in the California pattern with a diamond inlay right below the action. The caliber 264 Win. Scope a Redfield with an accutrack.

1960 Chevrolet station wagon with 283. Only got 1 doe with it!