what the best milsurp rifle

I've heard this several times now, and have decided to finally throw out the red review flag. Why is a bolt-action rifle inherently more accurate than a semi-auto? As I see it, it's more the type of rifle (carbine, short-range, etc.) and caliber that each employ, rather than the actual action itself determining accuracy. Once the round is chambered, how does the action used to chamber the round have any impact on accuracy?

The 'stronger' part I'll accept because of the semi's moving bolt versus a manual bolt having multiple locking lugs.
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Pardon me, but I said it has the potential.
 
Right after JFK was shot with a mail order rifle.
Pete
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Oh yeah, speaking of the Mannlicher Carcano rifle: Has to be one of the most underrated milsurp rifles, right after Arisaka rifles.
 
You are so right many people think the carcano is junk but I know better the main problem is almost nobody makes ammo right for it any more, the bullets loaded in factory rounds for the carcano are usually .264 of an inch but the carcano bore is .268 to .269 of an inch that means the bullet they load are 4 or 5 hundreth's to small no wonder:rolleyes: they couldn't hit the broadside of a barn :D
 
I always heard that the Finnish mosin nagants were the best. I just found an awesome deal on one and pounced. Its an m39 and its a real sweet shooter.
 
Best milsurp rifle

I guess I might as well chime in with my favorite. The swedish mauser is a nice rifle in a great caliber. The moisen nagant is just about as GI proof as you can get. The finns are upgraded MN's.Mausers in general are great guns. I own 20 of them, and don't have a german made one yet.K31's are a piece of art. If youcan find one in good shape, that is in your range, grab it and hold on. The rifle that went for $100 a year ago is $250/300 now.Just do a lot of research ,and then buy the best rifle you can afford.
 
Best milsurp rifle

I guess I might as well chime in with my favorite. The swedish mauser is a nice rifle in a great caliber. The moisen nagant is just about as GI proof as you can get. The finns are upgraded MN's.Mausers in general are great guns. I own 20 of them, and don't have a german made one yet.K31's are a piece of art. If you can find one in good shape, that is in your range, grab it and hold on. The rifle that went for $100 a year ago is $250/300 now.Just do a lot of research ,and then buy the best rifle you can afford.
 
The M39 I just found in the dusty bargain rack was $150 out the door with ammo! I looked online, and the same model and year and condition seem to sell for 300 and up, so I was glad I knew enough about the Finn model to snatch it up. I have an M44, and it's ok, but the M39 is now my favorite.
 
I've heard this several times now, and have decided to finally throw out the red review flag. Why is a bolt-action rifle inherently more accurate than a semi-auto? As I see it, it's more the type of rifle (carbine, short-range, etc.) and caliber that each employ, rather than the actual action itself determining accuracy. Once the round is chambered, how does the action used to chamber the round have any impact on accuracy?
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JS, it really has to do with more moving parts and potential for variances in chambering/headspace patterns. You're right about the chambering of the round, but THE MAIN critical key to accuracy (other than the barrel) is chambering the round the exact same way every time.

A semi-auto design usually has to deal with variances in fitment of a gas piston into a gas block, much more mass moving during the cycling of the action, bolt fitment to a bolt carrier, it must feed reliably, etc. etc. Given the challenge of making a semi-auto reliable, many places where fitment tolerance could possibly degrade accuracy cannot be as tight as possible (therefore, as accurate as possible) because it could cause feeding issues under adverse conditions. This "play" can cause slight variances in how a round is chambered.

With the bolt action, however, you manually lock the bolt into place yourself. There are fewer moving parts, and fewer places where "loose" fitment tolerances could degrade accuracy. Really the ONLY places where fitment tolerance could degrade accuracy is consistent and equal seating on the locking lugs, and the headspace. You don't have to worry about moving mass, gas pistons seating the same way every time, fitment of bolts into bolt carriers, among other things.



In the end I wouldn't really say that a bolt action rifle has the potential to be more accurate. I think the more correct statement would be that it's MUCH MUCH easier to design an accurate bolt action than it is to design an accurate semi-auto.
 
I've got a bunch. My favorite is an HRA Garand. A distant tie for 2nd between a Carl Gustoff 1914 96/38 and a 1943 03A3 Smith Corona, but I like nearly all of them. I never could warm up to the Russian and Chinese stuff, but I love the European and American stuff. Need to add a trapdoor Springfield and a Krag to my collection.
 
Wulfmann described not only several rifle comparisons but the very sobering (even grim) surplus ammo situation very well, and in a complete 'nutshell'.

People who Now delay making the decision several months as to which milsurp gun to buy, could be wasting almost any opportunity to find really affordable ammo, if it is not already too late for certain calibers.
Let's count our blessings that the semi-auto AR, FN FAL, M-14, Garand etc are so popular.
 
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Best surplus rifle. It really depends on what you need it for. If you are looking for a beater rifle to keep in the pick up, the mosin nagant carbines are excellent. They are powerful, simple and as tough as a hammer and plenty of accuracy. For a plinker any sks should give you lots of cheap fun, its also a good deer rifle. The k-31 is a target rifle disguised as a battle rifle, same goes for the swedish mausers. But my personal favorite is the No 4 Enfield rifles, accurate enough, excellent irons, great trigger, reliable in the extreme and above all, lightning fast cock on closing action. It has taken game big and small for years in Africa and North America.
 
I passed on a Lee Enfield jungle carbine in .308 and am still kicking myself for it. I was a big fan of the Mosin Nagants, untill I got tired of cleaning them. I agree, they make a great truck gun with winchester ammo.

I don't know about "best", but my "favorite" is the M-1. I love the .30-06 in most platforms.
 
Best all around mil-surp I would say is the K31. M1/M1A for fire power, Lee Enfield makes a great hunting rifle, well take any NA game, The accuracy of the K312 can not be matched by any other mil-surp I have seen. It has the same ballistics as a .308/7.62. Only draw back is the six round mag.
 
Best Military Surplus rifle?

Well, I have owned and shot most of them in my adult life. However, just for the plain fun of it (and accuracy), its hard to beat the Swedish Mauser
(6.5x55).
For autos, the M1 Garand would be my pick.
 
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