Thread: Why do people frown at using military rifles for hunting?

Originally Posted by dogmatix

Nothing wrong with a decent semi for hunting. Look at Philipo and his beloved Browning.

Does not compute

I generally prefer a bolt action when hunting with others, lest your party members get pissy about people having loaded guns. I've gone bush with an SKS, M305/M14 and an AR15 - hey it's what they were made for. The safety catch on my AR is easier to flick off than the one on my Sako. The "noisy to load thing" is a moot point with me cuz I roll all my rifles loaded with the safety on when actually hunting. Safer than a "half bolt" I reckon. Actually I think the half bolt is one of the dumbest fudd ideas to ever come out. I'm also not worried about the "image" thing people talk about. If you feel offended by the style of rifle someone is carrying, get another hobby. I find the people that bitch about them the most are old cunts who have probably used Lee Enfield's at some point. A bit hypocritical IMO.

I'm with you on the 'one up the spout' and the safety on but I am also one of the 'old cunts' you mention having used a Lee Enfield and dumped a few animals with it. Not only that, I have at different times over the years taken to the bush an M1, AK47 and some Swedish army 6.5 thing. The M1 was bloody useless, great at wounding but never put one down. Watched my hunting mate spray a full 30 shot mag out of the AK47 at a hind dissapearing into a narrow gut at 50 metres, scared the shit out of me and the deer. Never seen a deer while carrying that Swedish 6.5 thing, so never got to see what it could do, but very usefull for hanging the billy over the fire.
The problem I have with the safety being used is the number of people who always want to test it. I have over the years had three discharges go off in close proximity to me as others have 'tested' their safety, one was an old Lee Enfield that it's owner was trying to make safe by releasing the back of the bolt while pulling the trigger...oops, slips...blew the top out of a punga 5 metres out. Another was the boys all tooled up for a bit of spot-lighting in the North Arm and my mate tested his safety in the hut...it wasn't on...a round through the hut roof and fuck! does a 300 mag make the ears ring. The third was a case of a dickhead using left hand to play with safety while right finger on trigger...that was a 'onecer' as he never got invited again.

Originally Posted by gimp

I'm all for it.


Safety catch exists for a reason.

Never trust a safety catch
Treat every firearm as loaded I love military weopons

Originally Posted by Spook

I'm with you on the 'one up the spout' and the safety on but I am also one of the 'old cunts' you mention having used a Lee Enfield and dumped a few animals with it. Not only that, I have at different times over the years taken to the bush an M1, AK47 and some Swedish army 6.5 thing. The M1 was bloody useless, great at wounding but never put one down. Watched my hunting mate spray a full 30 shot mag out of the AK47 at a hind dissapearing into a narrow gut at 50 metres, scared the shit out of me and the deer. Never seen a deer while carrying that Swedish 6.5 thing, so never got to see what it could do, but very usefull for hanging the billy over the fire.
The problem I have with the safety being used is the number of people who always want to test it. I have over the years had three discharges go off in close proximity to me as others have 'tested' their safety, one was an old Lee Enfield that it's owner was trying to make safe by releasing the back of the bolt while pulling the trigger...oops, slips...blew the top out of a punga 5 metres out. Another was the boys all tooled up for a bit of spot-lighting in the North Arm and my mate tested his safety in the hut...it wasn't on...a round through the hut roof and fuck! does a 300 mag make the ears ring. The third was a case of a dickhead using left hand to play with safety while right finger on trigger...that was a 'onecer' as he never got invited again.

Fair enough and no offence intended toward you. One would obviously test their safety catch in a controlled environment before using it, testing it out with a loaded rifle in a hut, is evidence of total fuckin stupidity. The numerous bullet holes in the Makahu saddle hut are a disturbing reminder of how dumb some people are.

It's ironic that Savage1 is a cop whose job it is to enforce the ridiculous rules and regulations around MSSA's, inadvertantly (I'm sure) furthering the myth that they are more dangerous than standard bolt guns, yet asks why people frown when he uses them for hunting

Personally I dont care what you want to hunt with

Originally Posted by Spook

The problem I have with the safety being used is the number of people who always want to test it. I have over the years had three discharges go off in close proximity to me as others have 'tested' their safety, one was an old Lee Enfield that it's owner was trying to make safe by releasing the back of the bolt while pulling the trigger...oops, slips...blew the top out of a punga 5 metres out. Another was the boys all tooled up for a bit of spot-lighting in the North Arm and my mate tested his safety in the hut...it wasn't on...a round through the hut roof and fuck! does a 300 mag make the ears ring. The third was a case of a dickhead using left hand to play with safety while right finger on trigger...that was a 'onecer' as he never got invited again.

This isn't a problem with a safety on a rifle, it's a problem with people being mouthbreathing morons


Treat every firearm as loaded
Don't point a firearm at anything you don't want to shoot (NZers are terrible at this one, just go to any range and you'll get just about every gun there pointed at you.)
Don't touch the trigger until you're ready to shoot (NZers are also terrrible at this)

Originally Posted by Beavis

Fair enough and no offence intended toward you. One would obviously test their safety catch in a controlled environment before using it, testing it out with a loaded rifle in a hut, is evidence of total fuckin stupidity. The numerous bullet holes in the Makahu saddle hut are a disturbing reminder of how dumb some people are.

No offence taken. I never test the safety on my rifle once loaded, I put my trust in the person who manufactured my rifle to have done their job.

Wouldnt it be best to test it first (unloaded pointing in a safe direction) there is the odd rifle out there that has been tinkered with and dosent work

I did say "once loaded".

Originally Posted by Spook

I did say "once loaded".

Ah yes so you did!

dont use safety load when ready full stop.

I always have 4 in the mag, chamber empty, I have been known to bail over a few times, I'd hate to trip, and shoot a mate.

Why do people find it so hard to keep their fingers off the trigger? I use the safety, keep my finger off the trigger & keep control of muzzle direction. I guess 20 years of pistol shooting has instilled those things in me but really it isn't hard. More than once I've tripped & taken a tumble while running in an IPSC stage & kept everything safe, recovered & carried on. Whether I'm shooting targets or live things it dosn't matter, same rules apply.