# M1 Carbine for whitetail



## CDJ (Dec 31, 2008)

Looking for opinions on using my M1 .30 caliber for deer hunting this year. I like it because it is light but I want to make sure it has enough stopping power.

Thanks for all your advice.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

I know there is one member here that swears by it. You can do a search in this forum. Would I use it personaly...not a chance!! The .30 carbine is a pipsqueek round good for close range varmints and that is about it. I know deer have fallen to it but considering that quality of the available factory ammo, one is really limited in decent bullet choices for an animal like deer. The bullet choices are really the limiting factor. The .30 carbine does not generate a lot of velocity and bullet weight is pretty light....all equals relatively low KE numebrs. With less than ideal bullets, penetration and on game performance can be questionable.


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## welcometomyworld (Mar 6, 2006)

I shot my first deer with a M-1. My wife shot a few also with the same gun untill she moved up to a 30.06 I had mag-na-ported for her. They might run a little more, but a well placed shot in the vital's will kill them. My son also killed his first deer two year's ago with the same gun, when he hit it at 50 yd.'s it knocked it backward's to the ground and it got up and ran maybe 25 yd.'s and folded up. I love that gun. Hope this help's.


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## pkuptruck007 (Apr 17, 2007)

CDJ said:


> Looking for opinions on using my M1 .30 caliber for deer hunting this year. I like it because it is light but I want to make sure it has enough stopping power.
> 
> Thanks for all your advice.


 
depends on if you can control yourself.....

if you remember it is not gonna be a 300 + yard "buck killer"... then sure! It is a great little weapon for woods/forest use. Anything
inside 60 yards will die, and not know you were "under-gunned." 

Recent factory ammo is a good start... DO NOT USE BALL AMMO....

Keep your shots close and make sure you can shoot it well.

To those that say it isnt "enough" gun... it is more powerful in a Carbine, than a 357 MAG is.... and the mag has taken its fair share of deer.... 

have fun, but hunt responsibly!


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

It might have more than the .357 but that isn't exactly saying much. The .30 carbine is commonly loaded in 110 grain bullet weights at under 2000 fps. This generates less than 1000 ft lbs at the muzzle and a bit over 500 ft lbs at 100 yards. Now, if one were to keep shots under 50 yards and make perfect broadside shots, no angles etc, than most likely all will be fine. This is fine in a perfect world but few of us actually live there. I'll stand by my opinion that it is marginal at best, (along with the .357) 

If it's all you got, use it, but if you have other options, they are likely a better choice. jmho.


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## Nick Adams (Mar 10, 2005)

Swamp Monster said:


> It might have more than the .357 but that isn't exactly saying much. The .30 carbine is commonly loaded in 110 grain bullet weights at under 2000 fps.


Those ballistics are not appreciably different from patched roundballs in a 45 flintlock and I've taken more than my share of deer with that.

I think the advice given earlier was good: don't use ball ammo, use a hunting bullet (JHP or semi wadcutter), keep shots short, don't take low probability shots. 

-na


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## Munsterlndr (Oct 16, 2004)

I'm a minimalist when it comes to calibers and think that the vast majority of hunters are grossly "over-gunned" when it comes to hunting Whitetails but in this case, I have to say that an M-1 Carbine is a very poor choice for a deer rifle. Will it kill deer? Yes, but it's much more likely to wound one. If you want a compact M-1 style carbine, go with a Ruger .44 magnum or a Ruger ranch rifle in 7.62. Much, much better choices than the .30 M-1 for deer.


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## Bucket-Back (Feb 8, 2004)

The factory semi-jacketed soft points will work good on light-skinned animals.Its light,with little recoil so follow up shots are easy.The peep sights aren't the greatest in low light conditions.Think of all the German and Japanese Soldiers its harvested in its career.A lot of people think the 30/30 is too small a gun,but it works good too.If your comfortable with it and can hit the target use it.I use mine at times in tight spots like a pop-up blind or just walking in the tag alders when you need to swing and shoot fast,which you can't do with a bazooka or cannon.


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## jdawg240 (Oct 1, 2007)

I killed my first deer with a M-1 Carbine. I was 14 and shot a little fork horn. 35 yards on the ground broadside. He ran about 100 yards and was done. It had a side mount 4x weaver on it that helped.I never did take another deer with it. I stay home home in the SLP now and shoot more deer :lol:!


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## CDJ (Dec 31, 2008)

Thanks for all the input. I just came back from sighting it in. I can shoot 5 inch groups at about 90 yards with it using the peep sights. I am probably going to be in a lot of brush and because of it's size I was thinking it would wook well. I normaly use a .444 Marlin but because of the brush I thought that maybe......

Thanks again. It sure gives you something to think about with all of the different opinons

Chet


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## Munsterlndr (Oct 16, 2004)

Just keep in mind that at 90 yds. you are looking at about 650 ft. lbs of energy with a 110 gr. bullet. A .243, which many view as a minimum whitetail caliber, would have around around 1,600 ft. lbs of energy at the same range with a 100 gr. bullet. If you insist on using a marginal round, keep your shots close and practice enough to be able to hit exactly where your aiming, we owe it to the deer to insure a humane kill if at all possible.


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## CDJ (Dec 31, 2008)

Advice taken. I agree with you 100%. I would never take a shot without being sure. I don't think I would even try at 90 yards but I figure if I can group at 90, anything closer would be better.
Chet


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## mwakely (Jan 7, 2004)

My Uncle used one for a short time at Guada Canal. He threw it away as soon as he found a Grand laying around. An under power load if ya ask me. But I am sure you can kill a deer with it with in limits.


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## WinMag (Dec 19, 2004)

We all know that it could be done. If the M-1 is all you have, use it and be responsible but try to get in real close. The M-1 might be a good trail ambush gun but you also run the risk of p!55ing off a buck and making him come after you head down. My father likes to tell the story of a young guy who hunted deer with a .410 shotgun. The guy shot a doe and the doe charged him, reared up and put her hooves upside the guy's head, nearly killed him. Luckily, another hunter was nearby and managed to finish off the mad doe. He had told that story dozens of times before I realized that he was the young guy. :lol:


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## CDJ (Dec 31, 2008)

Thanks for all the input everybody. Sure is a lot of good information out there.

Good luck in the woods and remember safety first.

Chet


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

Many years ago before either one of us knew any better my husband bought a used M1. He never killed anything with it, he likes to shoot, but isn't a fan of hunting. I killed one deer with it, a five point. The next spring I went out and bought a .280 ultralight. Twice the gun, twice the killing power. Same weight, more sleak and graceful. 

I hit that buck at 30 yards with one to the neck, it didn't kill him. He had to be finished at point blank range. No thanks. 

Everything I've ever killed with the .280 dropped dead right there.


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