5 Great Military Surplus Rifles for Hunters

Military surplus rifles often have a very attractive price tag. Sometimes this is because the rifles themselves have seen service and hard conditions and are in pretty bad shape. Occasionally, military surplus rifles are missing critical parts or have bores that are in unserviceable condition or dry-rotted stocks.

But sometimes, just sometimes, you can come across a real gem, one that’s both in-demand and in good shape, at a ludicrously low price.

When that happens, the only thing left to do is pull the trigger (excuse the pun). But then, what can you do with it?

Some people make wall hangers out of old military surplus rifles or just leave them in the safe or keep them as collectibles.

But for the practical among us, the most realistic solution is to sporterize them and convert them into hunting rifles.

These are some of the best military models for that application.

M1 Garand

It is likely that most hunters prefer a bolt-action rifle in most hunting scenarios for the strength of the action, ease of maintenance, and reliability. But if you can get past that, it’s hard to beat an M1 Garand.

The heart of the M1 Garand is its pairing with the venerable .30-06 Springfield cartridge. What more can we say but this: What game animal in North America has not been taken with the -06?

To take it a step further, Teddy Roosevelt apparently killed elephants with the .06. It’s even said that this cartridge was his preferred round. (Actually, technically, his rifle was a .30-03, but who’s counting?)

So there’s not much you can’t take with a good shot and a Garand.

Beside that, the semi-automatic action makes follow-up shots a breeze; you don’t need to compromise your sight picture to send another round at the target, and for some game, that’s actually a big advantage.

Besides, it’s an M1 Garand we’re talking about here. You can’t deny the cool factor associated with turning one into a sporterized hunting rifle.

M1 Carbine

If you can’t get your hands on an M1 Garand but want to hunt with a semi-auto, then consider an M1 Carbine. Actually, this is a good choice for any out there that are recoil-sensitive.

Also, the .30 Carbine cartridge, though some really have a love-hate relationship with it, is really not that bad for most game in North America. It’s certainly good enough (at reasonable ranges) to take whitetails, which most North American hunters are chasing, anyway.

If you look up lists of best military surplus rifles for sporterizing and turning into hunting rifles, interestly, the M1 Carbine rarely (if ever) makes the cut. But we’re willing to put it out there.

If you can find one at a good price, it’ll be lighter and easier to carry than a Garand, and the ammo will be too. Also, it won’t kick nearly as hard.

M1903

There’s not much to add here, since the M1903 utilizes the same cartridge as the Garand. Therefore, any game that a Garand can dispatch is also no match for the 1903.

But in terms of practicality for most hunters, the M1903 might be a better choice, if only for the simplicity of operation. Since it is a bolt-action rifle, jams and other feeding issues are easier to diagnose and rectify.

There are no problems that could arise with the gas system because there is none, and no complicated autoloading parts. Just a simple bolt that is easy to field strip and clean.

Unfortunately, they are both rare and very expensive. If you can find a good one, get your hands on it and consider converting it in to a hunting rifle.

Lee-Enfield

Can’t find an M1903? You can probably find a Lee-Enfield rifle. They offer basically everything that the M1903 offers except they’re built around a different cartridge, the .303 British.

The British .303 produces less muzzle energy than the .30-06, but it is still a serviceable hunting cartridge for pretty much anything in North America, at least with good shot placement. It might be harder to find this ammo, though.

The flipside is that Lee-Enfield rifles are in pretty steady supply even though they, like M1903 rifles, are expensive.

Also, the bolt-action of the Enfield is, like the M1903, easy to clean and maintain, making it a great choice for taking into the field.

Mauser K98

Last but not least, we have the Mauser K98, which sports the infamous Mauser action that has been hailed as the strongest, if not best, bolt action of all time, and which has irrevocably influenced all bolt-action designs that followed.

Like the other bolt-actions mentioned here, this one is exceptionally strong and is both easy to operate and to maintain, making it excellent as a hunting rifle.

The last thing to mention is that this rifle is chambered most commonly in 7.92x57mm Mauser, is very comparable to the -06, both in terms of muzzle energy and trajectory, making it great for hunting North American game.

Check Out Our Military Surplus Rifles

Looking for a new military surplus rifle for your collection? If you’re going to sporterize one and convert it into a dedicated hunting rifle, start your search here.

If you’re looking for a part or something else needed for sporterization, get in touch with us at 610-250-3960 or come visit us in our shop in Easton, Pennsylvania.