30-40 Krag sporter---to scope or not?

[sour01]

I have my grandfathers 30-40 Krag that he sporterized which consisted of just shortening the stock. I have shot the rifle and found it to be accurate. Where I deer hunt, I may have a shot any where between 100 and 300 yards. I am not comfortable shooting the Krag beyond 100 yards since it is open sight only. I wanted to take a deer with it this season---but I always opted to take my scoped 30-06 in case the BIG ONE came out on the far end of the fields I hunt over.

I can buy a S&K Insta Mount which will require no drilling or tapping and only minimal modifications---but I am having a hard time deciding whether to keep the rifle the way my grandfather (who is no longer living) had it and have it only as an heirloom and collection piece---or to scope it and use it in the woods.

Any thoughts would be helpful.

[Deleted User]

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[kodiakhuntmaster]

Well, I guess you would have to ask yourself if your grandfather would of wanted his guns to be usefull to those he left them to or if he would of wanted them to be kept as they were and to put away.

If you had a scope mount that required no permanent defacing, then I don' t see any problem that can' t be fixed with a little polishing. But if it were me, I would shoot it the way he did with the iron sights, and take the 06 with you. That way if a deer walks out at 100 yards, you can take it with the iron sights (its alot easier than you may think to hit a deer with sights) or if like you said, you can use the 06 and smack a big 10 point on the back of the field.

[Quilly]

i would keep it just the way it is. find some nice woods and swamps and use that gun as your " stalking " or where shots are gonna be under 100yds.
i have two friends that i hunt with atleast 3 times a year up in maine. one has taken a nice bull moose and several black bear with it. he uses a under and over sight so he can use both. the other one uses peep sights.