[mosin1111]

I was wondering what milsurp rifle I should get for my birthday. I am 13, skinny, not the biggest kid but I can handle a 30-06 easily. I'm new to surplus rifles and i'm aiming for a good rifle for under $250 what do you guys think? I'm new to this whole thing so I hope I came to the right place.

 

[mkamer]

I'm also new to milsurp rifles. I started with a Russian Mosin M44 (with bayonet). I highly recommend the M44 because it's easy to find one and the price is right. I bought mine with all matching numbers on parts for $90.00. That's hard to beat to get started. The Russian Mosin M38 (same as M44 but without bayonet) is also a great way to start but they are a little harder to find.

 

[pjr207]

The Swiss K31 should be on your list.

 

[Cross of Iron Butterfly]

First Milsurp -- Turk or Enfield?

Swiss K31? Are you serious? It's a very fine rifle, but he'd take a year to find a regular source to score ammo for it. The M44 is an obvious good recommendation, though it is a bit of a hard kicker and not all are created equal. A few years ago, I'd have said a Turk Mauser M38 (I got mine in 2000 for $41 and it is a real beauty (after a lot of elbow grease). But the days of the six-fers and so forth are gone for good, it seems, and my junkyard dogs are now going for upwards of $300, so that hoss may have left the paddock. SO as an alternative to the M44 (which I love) and more expensive beauties like the Swedes and Persians, I would strongly recommend ..... (drumroll, please?) the Enfield. Number 4 Mark 1*, preferably. You can still get ammo for it at Walmart if you must. It is accurate, handy, "interesting", "cool looking" and accurate as hell with the flip up, micrometer adjustable peep sights, and darned useful with the 20 round magazine, and a hard hitter with the .303 cartridge ... except that full disassembly is a B*TCH. But he might not have to do that. And you can still get nice ones for $150 or so, if you hunt and haggle.

 

[gun_nut_73]

Welcome to the boards.

First, as a 13 year old, your parents will have to do the buying, as you cannot buy a rifle until you turn 18 in most states.

Next, the big question is going to be how much you can afford. If you have not yet done so, join a Civilian Marksmanship Program club, and qualify for a CMP Garand or M1 Carbine.

See my response posted on the thread "Milsurp for my son", where I wrote my opinion on the various rifles available.

 

[zul]

I agree for a starter, Mosins cant be beat - cheap, plentiful ammo (for the most part) and fun. For $250 you could get a russian capture K98, not sure on ammo avaliability or price though. I've always wanted one, but the stars havent aligned quite yet for that one

Also +1 for an enfield, i have a 1917 manufacture No.1 Mk3 that was converted into a grenade firing rifle by the Indians, its quite a conversation piece (google it)! Those are between $150 and $200 usually. Ammo is pretty easy to find but expensive.

If you want semi auto you cant go wrong with an SKS. Yugos look kick-ass, they have some cool history and are fun to boot. You can still find those for under $200 if you look hard enough.

Have fun and be safe!

 

[dalee]

Hi,

Man, there are so many choices! M44's are plentiful, and as mentioned, ammunition is easy and cheaper to get. Personally, I like the 91/30's better.

But a Mauser is always a good choice. Doesn't have to be a K98 either. Turkish Mausers and Yugoslav's are still pretty easy to find and still are cheaper than a Russian Capture Mauser. Personally, I'd look at Yugo M24/47's. A bit cheaper than the M48's, and can be found with nearly new, barely fired barrels.

K31's are superb rifles and a fascinating design. But the ammunition can be spotty. Where I live 7.5 Swiss is actually pretty easy to get. There is a lot of Wolf Gold around.

In any case a first rifle is special. Take care in choosing!

dalee

 

[gun_lover]

Well, if you aren't sufficiently confused by now......



BTW, welcome to the Boards.

 

[Pflug]

I'd recommend an SKS- ammo has gone up but it's still relatively inexpensive- the lack of recoil also makes it more pleasant to shoot more often

Next would be a Mosin- rifle prices are low but again the ammo cost is a lot higher than even a year ago

Mausers are great but currently expensive to shoot as well- Crazy seeing ads for crates of 50s Yugo for $300 when they were $49 from Century less than two years ago. Same with Romanian 8mm- a can was twenty bucks from AIM with the purchase of any Mauser rifle

 

[Vaarok]

I've actually got a not-quite suggestion. Have you considered a Saiga shotgun? 'cause... well, it's an AK-47. And it's a shotgun. And it's pretty inexpensive. And very cool.

The Saiga line also includes rifle calibers, and with a little work they can be made into standard-configuration pistol-gripped high-capacity-magazine AK copies.

I really, really love my Saiga-12 shotgun, and I just have to plug for the brand. Not milsurp, but an extremely good value.

Barring that, Turkish Mauser all the way. Turks are made of pure win.

 

[Mike O]

I agree with dalee, a nice 91/30 is the perfect rifle to start with. You can go to Dunhams or Big5 when they have them on sale and pick one up for around $89. For as little as you'll spend on the rifle, you can afford to buy some ammo too. Have fun and be safe!

 

[Bama]

Hard to go wrong with a M44. You could get TWO of them, along with a good bit of ammo for your $250. Although most of the other suggestions here are good, too.

BTW you have found the right place to ask about anything that goes bang. It's good to have you, we need more young gun nuts.

 

[jwgraves]

If you want to go with "cool" Classic Arms has some K98 Mausers in for $229 with Waffen eagle stamped on side. Samco has some inexpensive 88 mm Austrian ammunition to go with it.

 

[Spetznatz]

First of all welcome to Gunboards. Within your budget of $250 or below you could get yourself any of the following rifles:

Mosin Nagant

Enfield

Mauser

Swiss K31

SKS

Arisaka

and the list goes on. ust do some home work to see which interest you the most.

 

[mosin1111]

thanks for all the help & the warm welcome guys. I was at a local gun shop amd they said If I buy a Savage model 10 in .243 they will sell me a mosin nagant 91/30 for 60$ Great condition too!

 

[Quillon]

thanks for all the help & the warm welcome guys. I was at a local gun shop amd they said If I buy a Savage model 10 in .243 they will sell me a mosin nagant 91/30 for 60$ Great condition too!

That's only a good deal if you want a Savage Model 10 in .243! That isn't a knock on the Savage - I'm just saying, don't let the salesmen talk you into walking out with more than you wanted when you walked in.

 

[zul]

That's only a good deal if you want a Savage Model 10 in .243! That isn't a knock on the Savage - I'm just saying, don't let the salesmen talk you into walking out with more than you wanted when you walked in.

Yup and dont forget the mosins can be found at many, many places, especially the common variants like M91/30 and M44. $60 is a good price but you can find them for that much or slightly more (or slightly less!) at other places and not have to get the savage (if you dont want it).

 

[gurn blanston]

You could prob. still find a Finn. M39 for +- 250. Then you would realy have somthing.

 

[Comrade Antibiotika]

My first rifle was at 16, a Yugo 59/66. I am now 19 and a half. Recoil is nice for a total newbie, like i was... the only rifle i had shot before it was a .22. My opinion of what is out there now...

Yugo SKS: About $200 retail, still a solid deal, not very accurate but cheap and plenty of pop and accuracy for 200 yards, and few people can get a range further than that. Easy to learn on. Ammo is about 20 cents each when you factor in shipping. I do own one.

Mosin Nagant: The whole family averages around $100- hardwood stocks are worth less than that, laminate stocks worth about that, and M38's and hex receiver 91/30's worth a little more than that. Rather accurate, ammo is even cheaper than the stuff for the yugo sks, though recoil is a little bit more in the 91/30 and can be quite punishing in an M44. I have deduced that it's mostly due to the buttplate shape (it cuts your shoulder) rather than weight of the gun. I do own two.

K98: Retail is $250 for an RC, mismatched partially refinished rifle. You can try and find some matching bring-back for much more but people fake those A LOT. Very accurate, easier on the shoulder than a mosin, though ammo is like 40 cents a piece now. I do own one. There are not too many turk mausers left out there, but they are cheaper but usually in worse condition... but the yugo ones are in excellent condition and cheaper to boot. $175 retail is what i see them for.

Enfield: There's also an assortment of SMLE rifles out there and i see them running around $150 a piece, can vary vastly depending on condition. I have found this to be the most accurate of my milsurps, has the softest recoil due to butt plate design and powder charge and is the easiest to operate. Compared to the mosin and mauser, the design looks very complicated with a split bridge reciever, peep sights and protruding detachable box magazine and it's an extremely cool looking rifle. IMO, the best to start on. Surplus ammo is around for 25 cents shipped, it's not the best, but the stuff is still commercially available. I do own one.

Steyr M95: Around $100 retail, these are usually pretty accurate but are notoriously hard (compared to other bolt actions) to disassemble, kick a lot and are very hard to find ammo for. But the ammo is a step more powerful than any other bolt action combat rifle, the straight pull bolt action is unique, and they're usually in nice shape. Ammo is like 75 cents each by now... seems only commercial is available. I do not own one. If i can find one in nice shape with a good supply of ammo(120 rounds- i don't need to shoot it much right now), sling and bayonet for under $250 i'd add it to my collection.

There are also carcanos and arisakas out there, but not in vast quantities from importers and they only really have commercial ammo available. I would say get the SKS as your first autoloader... then get a SMLE. I have a feeling the RC k98's and Mosin nagants will be around for a while as they are at less risk for being targeted by an assault weapons ban(less panic to buy) and their are a lot being dumped on the market right now. SMLE supply is dwindling. Hope that was helpful.

 

[tedley2]

You can probably find a Turk Mauser cheap. I can see them going up as time goes on, but they are good guns. M44 Mosin is good, with a recoil pad on the butt. It depends on how much you have in your budget, but these two can be found in the $100 range, give or take.