Hunting with a .303 Savage

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Ian, I agree the M-14 is as universal as it can get. Aha! The knuckle in the nose is my ban with 73/92/94's but the 95's are enough longer that I can get it to work for me, as long as the recoil isn't to severe. I can shoot it if I do as the original 1903's were meant to be shot. Put my right thumb on top of the comb and then rest my cheek over the softer thumb.
:D
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
19" neck, size 48-50 jacket......so, YEAH--a crescent buttplate will get my attention if significant recoil is part of the program. M1As fit fine, though--no issues at all--in fact, I love 'em.
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
44-46 , 18" neck .
I guess my Hawkins is the most dramatic crescent I own .
I had a short 03A3 , took a thumb knuckle to the nose from it .
I had a Model 12 that had too much drop .....boy howdy that'll make your eyes water .
I rather like the 1894 , 1895 Marlins and 92' Winchester's . Oddly enough I've never cared for the 94's . I suppose if I shot them more .
I prefer a western grip on my shotguns for the most part although I have a straight grip o/u that I've shot a lot .
I've never been much on the Monte Carlo rolled combs but having shot left side most of my life probably has something to do with that .
 

Ian

Notorious member
Oh yes, the Model 12. Made for people with 22" sleeves and giraffe necks. Took one of mine hinting once and sure enough, first low crossing pair of doves made me climb my face up the comb after the mount and POW!....busted lip. Not sure why I still own them.
 

Ian

Notorious member
Yes, but the 1897 isn't like that and neither is the A5. The two best-pointing leverguns for me from the 1800s are the Burgess and the 1889 Marlin.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
JM Browning was quoted as saying the Americans shoot their rifles with too long of stock and shotguns with too short.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
My 99x303 has the crescent buttplate. I don't care for it at all. That's the only thing I don't like about it. I'm not too tall and built heavy. I'd make a great Dwarf in The Hobbit. Even sticking the buttplate where they tell me it's supposed to go doesn't work because I have too much muscle there for it to fit. But, it's still a nice old rifle.
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
I have a sick love affair with unloved (or maybe too well loved) Model 12s . Mom gave me Dad's for Christmas . He spent too much time on the butt stock , it fit him like a kid glove . If I ever get to where the right side snap is normal it fits me well too . I love the 74' A5 mag we bought . I have 4 M12s 1916,1940, 1948, and a 1968 parts clearing gun that 48' is the biter . It's amazing that such a gun was built completely unchanged for 56 years and it still makes the top 10 shotguns and top 50 guns 51 yr after the last one was built .
Then again JMB was a mechanical genius and the M12 was probably his most complex design . Simplicity and strength wrapped up in lines of near artistry .
 

creosote

Well-Known Member
It was about the placement of the safety on the m12. If your right handed.
Not saying any names. ;)
It works well for me in the field. Finger on safety, bird flies up, press, move finger to trigger, shoot till empty.
That technique is ingrained in my brain
I just wish the dog wouldn't look at me the way he does when nothing falls. 4226.png
 
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RBHarter

West Central AR
When I was very young we had a Wiemeranner like that .
We had another that existed for the hunt , she was all nose , instinct , and desire . If she wasn't moving on the hunt she would sleep . Poor thing would hunt until she could barely walk and then pout when she was left home or in camp to heal up .
The last one would hunt , she'd retrieve wet or dry . But if you were 10 ft from the critter she would just give this "you're here , you killed it , no point in both of us getting feathers on us" look . 12 ga muzzle a foot from her face didn't faze her ........ A little lighting close enough for thunder and she was hiding in a closet .

The dog I lost this spring had a nose , very instinctive , probably the most "attached" dog I've ever had ......she wanted to chase and bring back bullets I swear I think she could see anything under 2500 fps all the way in . I actually sat on the porch with her during a lightning storm that was booming before the flash was gone , not a care in the world . She'd lay down and go to sleep in the middle of it .
 

KHornet

Well-Known Member
Agree with Bret on the 99 Sav. Like a Dumb Butt, I sold my last one.
Was in 358, and a supper cast shooter.

Paul
 

Eutectic

Active Member
Crescent butt plates and where your thumb should be........

Like many on this thread at one time I couldn't stand a crescent butt plate. This has changed. Yes the crescent will 'bite' you with heavy loads! But it tells you something when it does..... You haven't mounted correctly! This is part of being a good shot and especially a good fast shot. Many may think shotguns here.... but the old Winchester levers have been the quickest and best point/aim guns for quick woods use. That crescent butt helps you in this case.

I also like the old stocks with low combs. I hunted with a 97 for years and like that configuration. Modern shotguns have too high a comb for me.
The ol' 97 will also teach you where your thumb should be! Along side the wrist not around it! Even a hunter versed in the '97 will cut his thumb with the breech bolt coming back on a fast diving bird which can make you crawl forward with your trigger hand. Hard kickers are another one to keep your thumb on the side. Lots of years ago I just had to have a .450 Ackley Magnum! I sent a .300 H&H Remington 721 to P.O. Ackley in Utah to be re-barreled. It was fairly light and vicious coming back. We were shooting 100 yards one day and a big fireman (6'2" 220# Don't know his neck size but maybe 19") I worked with this fireman's brother. We were shooting at white rocks in the backstop offhand. A hit on one was spectacular with those 500 gr SP's with 95grs of 4320 for a push! The fireman starts to shoot and I see his thumb wrapped around in front of his snoz...
"Bill.... You might not want to wrap your thumb around.... Keep it along side."

"Huh! I can hang onto this thing! I don't need my thumb on the side!"

"BOOM!" Was quickly followed by his nose by his nose gushing blood........ I grabbed my gun as he went by looking for Kleenex......
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
There has been considerable talk about the 30/30 WCF of late. That 190 grain FN/GC seems like it would run well in the 30/30, I don't think it's too long to be stabilized in the 1-12" twist most 30/30s are equipped with. The 303 Savage's rep was built on that load.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
IMO the 30/30 class of cartridges (303, 30/32 Rem, 32 Win Spec, etc) shine with a heavier than standard cast FN in the 18-2100 fps area. The 32-40 and 38-40 used to be considered entirely adequate rounds back when people hunted deer instead of sniping at them with Hail Mary shots taken through a 24X scope at an unknown range with a rifle they are so terrified of they can't hold 3 shots in 6" with it at 100 yards. But like I said, just my opinion...
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Very true, Bret. My old Win '73 in 44/40 WCF was The Deer & Bear Rifle at my grandfather's mountain ranch near present-day Lake Silverwood in Sawpit Canyon.