Yet another mosin thread - What should I be paying?

S

Schuyler

Inactive
So, recently I shot a mosin for the first time, and decided I just had to get one for myself given how cheap ammo is etc. So, just my luck, there's a HUGE gun show coming to town. After a stop at the ATM for the most i was willing to pay (125+a little for tax if applicable) I was off to the show. And just as i suspected from all my research online, it was FULL of mosins. They I began seeing price tags, which uh, differed greatly from what I was expecting. Not a single rifle under 175. The compacts (m44?) were going for 225. All in relatively decent shape, but without accessories or anything. Just the gun. Tried flea markets, being that I'm in SC i figured there should definitely be someone selling one, and they couldn't be wanting too much for it. Found two guys, both with 91/30's in pretty bad shape. One was $200, the other $250. Wouldn't even consider budging on their prices. One place locally has a good stock of them, but they too want $239 for an m44 and $150 for a 91/30, + tax on both.

So, all this said, my question to you guys is: In today's market, what is the most I should have to pay for a compact mosin? Whether it's m39 or m44.

Thanks,
Schuyler
 
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Scrap the gun shows. Those types are sky high on pricing. In michigan I went to dunhams sports store and hand picked my cosmoline hex receiver, (1933 ishvisk) with all the accessories, tools and a bayonet for a whopping $100 out the door. Rifle is matching numbers except bayonet which is normal. I would go big name store and hand pick. This was back in October. Edited to say I didn't read your post thoroughly enough to notice you looking for a short rifle. Same logic should apply. Good luck
 
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Wait....
You're nutz to buy these now; prices will come back down.

44's were going for $180 a month ago, hard to find now, but SOG (you need an 03 FFL) has them for $230...

AIM is sold out of 91/30's at $100, but JG Sales has them in stock at $120 (which I still think is too much)....

When you can buy a Ruger for $330 that'll drive tacks...why anyone would want to spend nearly that much for a beat up old milsurp is beyond me...

Now, don't get me wrong...I love the Mosin platform, own a couple, and spent quite a bit of effort (and $$) building one into a capable long-range rifle. But they are, what they are...and as such, are getting overpriced in the current market like many other rifles.

I wouldn't pay over $100 for a 91/30 (unless that includes a transfer if required), $180 for a 44...

To pay $100 less than a rifle that'll outshoot it all day long...is absurd.

And yes, the surplus ammo is cheap, but inaccurate...
And if you're gonna shoot factory ammo, buy a Ruger.
 
but yes the prices of these rifle's are going up, they did sell for $90 but they are going up last time i seen they were selling for $125.
 
$150 is about going rate nowadays. 2 places I stay away from when i'm looking for military surplus rifles are gun shows and pawn shops, they price items at the absolute top end of the spectrum. I didn't see a single mosin for under $200 and they didn't come with goodies either. there was a springfield 1903A4 sniper that had been in my LGS this spring which they sold for $3,300, the exact same rifle was at this gun show for $4,200 just to give you an idea of the gauging that goes on a gun shows. your best bet would be big 5, sports authority or other general sporting good store. they usually have them at alright prices.
 
$150 is on the high end of fair pricing. The two stores around here that carry them sell 91/30 with the sling, bayonette, and accessories for $159 plus tax. If you want one cheaper you will need to get a C&R FFL. Price for that is $30 a form to fill out, postage, and a waiting period. After you can order the C&R gun to be shipped to you directly.

For the price on the M-44's in this area I have not seen any for less than $259 in over a year. Prices are subject to local market. Also low prices are rare at gun shows these days.
 
I know that a 91/30 priced anywhere around 100$ is not gonna stay on the shelf for long. Right before Christmas I picked up a 91/30 for 189$+tax... Some of the older guys that were buying rifles in the 1990's remember when you could get 3 rifles for 100$ shipped. I personally haven't seen mosin for less than 150 in any shop or show that didn't need some smith work done. Some may say I'm crazy for buying mine at such a price, but after shooting it, I'm very pleased with my purchase!
 
Cabela's has had them for $149 for a long time now..... they make a lot more money off selling ammo and reloading stuff bought for them than they do the rifles themselves.

There a brand new store in Charleston, WV ...... that's the closest one to you......

I'm sure you could get a transfer done locally for less than $25..... dunno what shipping would be.
 
Looking at availability of 91/30s at some of the major wholesale distributors, Century is out of stock, Classic Arms is out of stock, AIM is out of stock, SOG out of stock, JG Sales has them for $120.

Type 53s are still around for just over $100, a couple places have M44s for ~$180, both wholesale.

Looks like the days of $69 Mosins are gone.
 
You guys have to remember that stock is slowly drying up and those who have them will sell at a big profit. Inflation and supply are a bitch...

I happily paid $175 for my M44 a year ago, and $140 for my 91/30 about 6months ago. The days of $100 or less Mosins are gone. I do not think they will really come back down to the low prices before. Remember, its always inflation that gets us. If you can find them that cheap, buy it asap.

FWIW Mosins are excellent rifles, for the price and age. You can't compare them to a modern bolt action that is 3x its cost or more. These rifles have stood the test of time, most of them being more than 60yrs old.


Schuyler, if you find them for $175 just suck it up and buy it. You can only find them cheaper on a FTF sale, never in a shop or gun show.
 
I just bought two 91/30's from SOG for $99 ea. ten minutes ago...

There are no "shortages" of these rifles, nearly 20,000,000 made....

Crates and containers full of them, supply is (rightly) controlled by the importers/distributors. If they dumped them all on the market, prices would collapse.

If they find enough (dummies) willing to pay two bills for a 91/30, they'll charge that much... they're testing the market, especially in light of the hysteria now that has nothing to do with bolt actions at all...

It's the surplus ammo at $.20/round that's gonna be the issue if it dries up...

Bought a Tokarev for "cheap plinking" a couple of years ago- that ammo is GONE.
 
tobnpr said:
Bought a Tokarev for "cheap plinking" a couple of years ago- that ammo is GONE
Click to expand...

I just picked up a Yugo from J&G. Ordered the ammo right before (again from J&G), being I wanted to make sure I could get it (did the same with the Nagant revolver). 1,260 rounds should hold me over... at least until I setup for reloading.

Priced jumped like $80 since I picked it up, but it is still available.
 
Before I moved outta Texas last year, I bought a pristine Moison from Cheaper Than Dirt with all kinds of gear to go with it for $88.00 out the door.


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