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#11
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mtn. Hse. Alberta
Posts: 823
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
I knew a couple of guys that desided to try their hands at building there own "custom" rifles. They picked up a couple swedeish military guns in 7X57. They had plans to rechamber-rebarrel-restalk and all. They cleaned them up a bit and took them to the range to shoot a few rounds through them. They did a little stalk work on them, shortened the barrels and put on scopes. That was it, they liked the way the guns shot just fine.
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: eastern Ohio USA
Posts: 47
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
I picked two old 7x57 Mausers to have custom guns built. The first was an Argentine and is now my favorite groundhog gun (6mm). The other was a Turk and sat in the corner of the safe for 6 years. One day I was at a gun show and picked up a couple boxes of cheap 7x57 shells to play with. Well that little S.O.B. shot a 1" group at 50 yards with iron sights! I have since cleaned it up some, mounted a used scope on it and take it deer hunting (especially in the rain) cause a little surface rust ain't gonna hurt it none. I got $100 in the gun, scope, mounts and rings. Add another $75 in shells and reloading dies and now I have a great shooting deer gun that puts the fun back into those cold, wet hunting days. Every time it puts down a deer I just laugh like hell. That really pisses off my hunting buddies, which makes it even funnier! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
#15
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
I buy all of mine at Dunham's. Their service is crappy, the rifles they sell are way over priced and a good portion of them are junk or parts guns at best. I shop around at 4 different store locations when a certain model goes on sale and try my best to pick through what they have in stock. Finding a good saleperson is hard, and I've found one that will allow me to look through the boxes not on the shelves but I have to go to the store at night. It takes abit of effort but I have found a few 'diamonds' out there. I've also been burned by my complete lack of knowledge of these old rifles at first, but its still hard to complain about a $50 rifle that goes bang when you pull the trigger. You can order them online from places like Century International Arms and Samco for really good prices but need to go through a dealer unless you have a FFL or C&R.
Part of the fun is finding a nice old rifle, cleaning the grease and grime off it and finding it shoots well and looks nice. Anyone can go into any gun store in America and buy a Rem 700 and expect it to shoot well. But its really kind of special to find a 50- 100 year old rifle that will shoot just as well as a modern rifle.With cheap ammo one can become very good at shooting with iron sights with lots of practise. Its even better when you show someone up by shooting better than with a $50 rifle when they are using something that cost them $800.
Edited by - briman on 01/11/2002 13:41:03
Part of the fun is finding a nice old rifle, cleaning the grease and grime off it and finding it shoots well and looks nice. Anyone can go into any gun store in America and buy a Rem 700 and expect it to shoot well. But its really kind of special to find a 50- 100 year old rifle that will shoot just as well as a modern rifle.With cheap ammo one can become very good at shooting with iron sights with lots of practise. Its even better when you show someone up by shooting better than with a $50 rifle when they are using something that cost them $800.
Edited by - briman on 01/11/2002 13:41:03
#16
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fayetteville Arkansas USA
Posts: 319
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
Speaking of old my 6.5x55 Swede is 101 as of this year! 1901 stamped on receiver!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>If you want a good old gun start spending a little more time at local gun shop with a good rep., some of them will at least clean most of the cosmoline out of the barrel so you can examin the bore.
#18
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Eagles Landing, KS
Posts: 612
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
I have several surplus rifles and my favorite one is a swede M38 short rifle.
It is great. I had to play with the sights a bit but I shot 2 two inch groups off the bench with PMC 140gr. ammo. The trigger is pretty good and the recoil is light.
The surplus rifles can be a lot of fun if you get a decent rifle. Beware of the junk ones.
milsurpshooter.net is a great sight for getting questions answered.
It is great. I had to play with the sights a bit but I shot 2 two inch groups off the bench with PMC 140gr. ammo. The trigger is pretty good and the recoil is light.
The surplus rifles can be a lot of fun if you get a decent rifle. Beware of the junk ones.
milsurpshooter.net is a great sight for getting questions answered.
#19
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Eagles Landing, KS
Posts: 612
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
Auctionarms.com is a good place for C&R's.
I have had real good luck with L.C. Enterprises. Good prices and they pay the shipping. All the guns I have bought from them have been better than advertised.
I have had real good luck with L.C. Enterprises. Good prices and they pay the shipping. All the guns I have bought from them have been better than advertised.
#20
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rio Rancho New Mexico USA
Posts: 64
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
Gentlemen,
I hate to be a wet blanket, but not all surplus firearms are safe to shoot. The ammunition is even worse. Just about all of it have corrosive primers and only God knows the manner in which it has been stored all these years. The kar 98 of the german army during WWII, is a good example. This action has been used for the foundation of countless custom rifles. However the quality of the actions varies greatly between those made in 1938 and those made in 1945. The steel and the tolerances are totally different. I've seen some, one of which was brought home by my father-in-law that was down right dangerous. Yet another one was customized into a very nice sporter and is still used by my step-daughter for deer and elk. Take care guys. Good luck.
I hate to be a wet blanket, but not all surplus firearms are safe to shoot. The ammunition is even worse. Just about all of it have corrosive primers and only God knows the manner in which it has been stored all these years. The kar 98 of the german army during WWII, is a good example. This action has been used for the foundation of countless custom rifles. However the quality of the actions varies greatly between those made in 1938 and those made in 1945. The steel and the tolerances are totally different. I've seen some, one of which was brought home by my father-in-law that was down right dangerous. Yet another one was customized into a very nice sporter and is still used by my step-daughter for deer and elk. Take care guys. Good luck.