Must Have surplus rifles
- Thread starter Noreaster
- Start date
kilimanjaro
New member
The least expensive to start with are the Mosin-Nagant M91/30, M1938, and M1944 for the Russian, the Lee-Enfield No. 4 and No. 1 Mk. 3 for UK, and the M1917 for the US, and M1936 for France. You'll have to look for good K98s for Germany, and decent Japanese and Italian rifles are hard to come by, at least out here.
I'd start with a good M1 carbine, though, spend the money right off, they're not coming down in price and it will cost you more next year or the year after. The Garand you should choose carefully, it will cost you some bucks, too.
I'd start with a good M1 carbine, though, spend the money right off, they're not coming down in price and it will cost you more next year or the year after. The Garand you should choose carefully, it will cost you some bucks, too.
carprivershooter
New member
M-1 Carbine
I looked at a Inland M-1 carbine 04/1943 on the barrel band at my local Dunhams Store for, $799.99. This last summer I bought a M-1 carbine from a private seller for $550. it is in good shape, My inland carbine was manufactured in late 1944. still has the button safety. unlike the Dunhams model that had a lever saftey. There not getting cheaper and the number out there is getting smaller. I am not a collector I just like the carbine.
I looked at a Inland M-1 carbine 04/1943 on the barrel band at my local Dunhams Store for, $799.99. This last summer I bought a M-1 carbine from a private seller for $550. it is in good shape, My inland carbine was manufactured in late 1944. still has the button safety. unlike the Dunhams model that had a lever saftey. There not getting cheaper and the number out there is getting smaller. I am not a collector I just like the carbine.
Well, I saw the thread title and thought, "Yes, I must have surplus rifles, too!"
But I'll add a Vz.24. It's under appreciated and under priced right now.
Some folks might sneer at a Mosin Nagant for 70 or 80 clams, but remember how much nice German Mausers used to be and how much nice German Mausers are now. Mark my words, a Soviet M-N in the kind of condition they're in now will sell for plenty by the time you younger guys are ready to put your kids through college.
But I'll add a Vz.24. It's under appreciated and under priced right now.
Some folks might sneer at a Mosin Nagant for 70 or 80 clams, but remember how much nice German Mausers used to be and how much nice German Mausers are now. Mark my words, a Soviet M-N in the kind of condition they're in now will sell for plenty by the time you younger guys are ready to put your kids through college.
simonkenton
New member
You need a M39, the Finnish Mosin Nagant.
Also, you must have the elegant, accurate Swedish Mauser.
Also, you must have the elegant, accurate Swedish Mauser.
kilimanjaro
New member
You can really get into the surplus collecting, if you want. Just for Lee-Enfield, there is the British, Canadian, and Australian makes. The Indian Army had the Ishapore armory. Then there was the US-made L/E under Lend-Lease. That's just one WWII nation.
You can build a pretty neat collection from just the US, UK and Empire, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Japan, but consider adding a good bolt-action from the smaller powers, such as Holland, Belgium, Yugoslavia, Czech, Poland, there's a bunch of them. Finland has some good battle history. Then there were the Neutrals, important to the war efforts on both sides, such as Switzerland, Sweden, and Turkey. Post-war rifles can be interesting, too. Lots of German K98s went to Israel in 1948, and Norway converted them to 30-06 for their Army after the war. The FN49 is the rifle that didn't get built during the war, but certainly would have helped the Allies, although I believe the war effort would have been aided better by dropping the Lee-Enfield in favor of the US MI rifle and carbine for the UK forces in 1942.
You can make your collection as big or as small as you like, it's all good fun and I've never met anyone who doesn't show some interest when they see a good surplus rifle, even folks who don't 'like guns' have a benign attitude towards them.
The Russian rifles are so cheap right now, you can get a dozen of them in a year and not feel it....
Don't forget to shoot them, now and then.
You can build a pretty neat collection from just the US, UK and Empire, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Japan, but consider adding a good bolt-action from the smaller powers, such as Holland, Belgium, Yugoslavia, Czech, Poland, there's a bunch of them. Finland has some good battle history. Then there were the Neutrals, important to the war efforts on both sides, such as Switzerland, Sweden, and Turkey. Post-war rifles can be interesting, too. Lots of German K98s went to Israel in 1948, and Norway converted them to 30-06 for their Army after the war. The FN49 is the rifle that didn't get built during the war, but certainly would have helped the Allies, although I believe the war effort would have been aided better by dropping the Lee-Enfield in favor of the US MI rifle and carbine for the UK forces in 1942.
You can make your collection as big or as small as you like, it's all good fun and I've never met anyone who doesn't show some interest when they see a good surplus rifle, even folks who don't 'like guns' have a benign attitude towards them.
The Russian rifles are so cheap right now, you can get a dozen of them in a year and not feel it....
Don't forget to shoot them, now and then.
sliverflinger
Inactive
Must have
Some of you mentioned the history connected with these old arms. I got to thinking that if you got the right MN you could have a rifle that had seen a lot of the world. Get one that was made in the US, sold to Russia, given to Spain, captured by Germany,sold to the Finn's , who then used it to kill Russians.
Some of you mentioned the history connected with these old arms. I got to thinking that if you got the right MN you could have a rifle that had seen a lot of the world. Get one that was made in the US, sold to Russia, given to Spain, captured by Germany,sold to the Finn's , who then used it to kill Russians.
Tikirocker
New member
And Pakistan ...
Tiki.