troutdudes

Hey guys, I got a 303 british for christmas last year and I was planning on using it for deer hunting. Any
suggestions on using a 303 for deer? Any experience?


thanks mark

johnch

I have a #4 mk 1 that I hunt deer with . I replaced the stock and installed a scope mount . I use reloads with Hornady 150 gr bullet ,I have taken 2 deer with it . It is very close in velosity to the 308 so with proper loads you should be able to take anything but big bears

deadshot

i as well have a mark4 just ordered the synth stock an scope mount from cabelas,

UncleNorby

Practice a lot. That's my advice regarless of the caliber.

James B

I have two or I should say three. The bore is so bad in one of them that its just a door prop. The other two shoot very well. One is a Canadian Long Brach version and the other is U.S. made on the Eddiestone action. They make a fine deer or Black Bear gun. I don't know about Elk but some Canadians I know use them for all big game hunting. I gave one of them a 308 but he still uses the old 303.

cardeer

I have one ,but never shot it,bought it at a auction for 35.00 10 years ago. My first gun I used for deer was my dads 8mm mauser military rifle.All decked out in the military elevator sights. I was 12 it weighed a ton. The saftey was real hard to move. And to boot he gave me only 1 bullet. He was always drilling in to my head .Only need one shot if you only take 1000% killing shot

hunter_jere

i got a .303 great gun i think very realibale ive used it for deer hunting and have got 3 deer 2moose and 2 bears a really good gun thay hits hard but i wouldent try any distance over 200-250 yards with it

longbowman

My father, brother and I all bought .303's as our first rifles. They cost $7.00 each and were still in wooden crates packed in cosmoline. Between the 3 of us we took over 20 whitetails with them. I wish I would have kept my Fathers as it just seemed to be the nicest of the three but they all shot great. I shoot a 7MM Mag. now and while it's obviously a superior rifle I'd still carry the .303 if I hadn't traded it for something else along the way.

Chubber

Get yourself some Remington softpoints. They can be hard to find, but the trajectory is very different than military loads and you can't hunt (at least in VA) with "ball" ammo. I used a No 5 Jungle Carbine for hunting for a little while. Deadly accurate and only weighed around 6 lbs. I love the peep sights, but don't believe the "range" markings. At least with hunting ammo they were all off.

I have a No 4 Mk 1 that I would also use for hunting but I just got it so haven't had a chance to see how it shoots with commercial hunting ammo.

For about 50 years more big game was taken in Africa with the 303 than any other caliber. It is fine for any North American game animal.

I also like my Yugo Mauser with the same Remington Softpoints in 8mm. That is still my standard deer rifle, even if the sights are terrible. Though I may got back to the jungle carbine because I am hunting higher up the mountain now.

Chubber

rgarand3006

I got a sporterized Enfield .303 at a gun show when I was about 15. It was a dead-reliable bolt action that could reload in about a second. I accidentally cornered a 4 foot water moccasin once with mine and got off two shots before he finished his swim towards my foot. He had started his swim from about 5 feet away. I am a big fan. The second shot got him right behind the head, but nearly took off my foot! Nowadays I'm shooting a Remington Model 700 in .30-06. It's very sweet, smooth, and reliable.