Is an M1 Garand suitable for hunting?

[sigstroker]

But neither one can hold a candle to a $250 cheapo wonderstick that's lighter and more accurate with a better trigger. If you want to use an 80+ year old rifle that's fine but you're doing it more to prove something to someone than choosing the best tool for the job.

[Garandimal]

You could buy a rifles that are less expensive than a Garand to hunt.

In so far as the 30-06, it is a fine round. A 150 grain bullet going 2700 fps will kill most anything....

The Army technical manual [TM 43-0001-27] describes M2 ball ammunition as being loaded with 50gr of IMR4895.

Type Bullet Weight Muzzle Velocity Velocity at 53' / 16m Velocity at 78' / 24m Muzzle Energy
Grains Grams fps m/s fps m/s fps m/s foot-pounds
.30-06 150.0 9.72 2700 823 2655 809 2640 805 2429
.30 M1 174.5 11.3 2647 807 2620 799 2600 792 2675
.30 M2 152.0 9.85 2805 855 2755 840 2740 835 2656
.30 AP 168.5 10.9 2775 846 2730 832 2715 828 2780




GR

[Garandimal]

...The 3006 in general is considered light for Elk...

The 168 gr. Barnes TSX 30-06, at ~ 2800 fps at the muzzle...?

... is no kind of a light-weight round, even for elk or bear.




GR

[Rcjackrabbit]

[August]

Not the most practical gun for big game if your hiking; heavy

[Rcjackrabbit]

It depends on your mindset. When I coyote hunt, I typically walk 4-5 miles. I like a heavy gun. It is a better workout.

Always wanting easy is a character flaw.

[August]

It depends on your mindset. When I coyote hunt, I typically walk 4-5 miles. I like a heavy gun. It is a better workout.

Always wanting easy is a character flaw.

Alright

Apparently you've never had to carry an quartered elk on your back for 9 miles

[theduracellbigd]

I've fairly recently shot , and killed both deer, and hogs, with 7.62x39, out of an SKS, which is about the same as a .30-30, with a little flatter trajectory, and a little faster FPS. All were shot with M67 ball, 124gr Yugo ammo. All went straight down, dead as a doorknob.

With standard load acceptable for a Garand, you can kill both deer, and hogs, no problem. For elk? I think I'd want a good, bolt gun. Or get a Mosin/KAR 98k. They are perfectly capable of killing Elk.

HMMM....I thought all states required soft nose or expanding hunting bullets for deer hunting, I guess some states do not. Where did you kill that deer? Why would you be able to kill a deer with a Garand, but need a bolt for elk?

[theduracellbigd]

Based on a lot of the bad answers by posters who sound like they have never really hunted much, I must encourage the OP to only listen to advice from people who have opined using a proper hunting rifle over a Garand for hunting applications.

[Rcjackrabbit]

Alright

Apparently you've never had to carry an quartered elk on your back for 9 miles

If you read what I wrote, I said COYOTE HUNT.

[theduracellbigd]

When I was in my 20's with good eye sight, I hunted deer with my M-1 Garand. For ammo, I reloaded and used IMR 4895 powder to replicate the military load and I used a Hornady 150 grain hunting bullet. That load will cleanly take both deer and elk. It's not an ideal rifle to take on a hunt. The Garand is designed to achieve fire superiority, which is something that you do not need to hunt. However, I took several deer with my Garand and that was a satisfying experience. If the state you are hunting in, limits you to 5 rounds, you can get 5 round enblock clips, or just put in an 8 round clip and eject three rounds.

This guy gives real world advice. If you got a hard on for a Garand hunt, it can be done, but there are better rifles to use as a hunting rifle.

[RNE228]

Don't tell the Muzzle Loader hunters... Heaven forbid some hunt with 1830's rifles.

But neither one can hold a candle to a $250 cheapo wonderstick that's lighter and more accurate with a better trigger. If you want to use an 80+ year old rifle that's fine but you're doing it more to prove something to someone than choosing the best tool for the job.

[FeuerFrei]

I think we scared off the OP

[tamalpias]

GarandGear has a nice article on various ammo suitable for the M1 that might interest you. That won't make the rifle any lighter, however. Lots of soldiers lugged it great distances back in the day, so it can be done, though most of us aren't in that kind of shape these days.
http://www.garandgear.com/m1-garand-ammunition

Lugging it and leaving a dead body behind during war is one thing, shooting a huge game animal and then lugging that rifle with the game meat out is a huge pain.

[Coolguy101]

Hello All,
I'm new to the forum as well as the world of rifle hunting. As a newbie I was hoping for some advice on the best all-around rifle for hunting in our terrain here in California where I live full-time as well as MT where I often visit? As I plan to hunt mostly boar here in CA year-round, I thought a semi-automatic would be the safest and if I wanted to use the same rifle in MT for elk and antelope at longer distances, the M1 Garand seemed the most accurate and reliable rifle available? At 9lbs I know it's a bit on the heavy side, but it doesn't seem unmanageable. Any advice you could offer a first time rifle owner would be most appreciated.

There is no advantage to use a Garand for what you intend to use it for. There are mostly liabilities. If you want to use something similar, use an M1A instead.

You can hunt with pretty much any firearm out there. The question is not can you, but should you?