Author Topic: My First Mil-Surp Rifle! (Read 490 times)

Big Blue · « **on:** March 13, 2004, 01:47:12 PM »

I went to the Valley Forge Gun Show today. Boy was that place packed! You had to fight your way through the the aisles, but it was worth it. I wasn't looking for just one type of rifle, but had a list of wish guns. In the end there were three that had caught my eye. A K31, a Swedish Mauser, and a Moisin Nagant. I had made up mind, that I didn't want a some scrap metal with a barrel, so I settled on the rifle that was in the best shape. The Moisin Nagant M38 was listed as unissued, and looks it, although I doubted the statement. The numbers all match, the stock is , laminated and unscratched, it came with the cleaning kit, cartridge carrier, sling, and the blueing is near perfect. I did pay a premium price for all that perfection, $99.00. When I got it home, I gave it a thorough cleaning, and will try a few shots with it tomorrow. Thanks for all the help you guys gave me getting started.
Don

huntsman · « **Reply #1 on:** March 13, 2004, 10:11:27 PM »

May this be the beginning of a long friendship and many happy trails. Enjoy!

1911crazy · « **Reply #2 on:** March 14, 2004, 02:52:51 AM »

Congrats on your first surplus purchase and not a bad price either I paid $109 for my first M38 a few months ago. The 7.62x54 ammo is cheap right now so stock up on it. I'm sure your going to have a blast!!!!!!
BigBill

These also make great hunting rifles too there is soft point ammo from Wolf and Barnaul brands out of russia its good and its cheap too.

Big Blue · « **Reply #3 on:** March 14, 2004, 03:05:23 AM »

Thanks guys. I wanted to look for some ammo with reloadable brass. I looked in Midways catalog, and the only brass for sale is Norma, and it comes dear. I already have .3o8 bullets, and powder for this caliber, but need the brass. The bullets I got with the rifle are steel cartridges. It came with Czech silver tip steel core type 59 ammo. Not the best for hunting. I think I have seen that S+B ammo has reloadable brass cartridges, so I might try to find some of that. I will get a nice stockpile pile of the military stuff, just to have it around.
Don

1911crazy · « **Reply #4 on:** March 14, 2004, 05:35:18 AM »

There is a sale on 7.62x54 russian barnaul SoftPoint ammo at sportsmansguide.com right now i just recieved the E-mail the other day. Its number #E411D-47002 its $42 for 200rds. I just ordered 400rds of it.
BigBill

I went to the local gun shop and seen the 45acp Wolf ammo I ordered going for $12 a box of 50. I found it on sale for $59 for 500rds thats 10 boxes of ammo w/shipping it was $72 I'm still ahead of buying it locally. I watch other guys at the range spend over $100 on ammo in one day of shooting and that was for 5 boxes of ammo. Now I just watch for sales on ammo then buy it when the price is cheaper. I have to be frugal as much as I can. AIM surplus has Igman ammo and Selier & Bellot too.

Big Blue · « **Reply #5 on:** March 14, 2004, 11:25:01 AM »

I lucked out, and got a chance to shoot it today. At 50 yards, it was giving me five shot groups at 1.25". Given the iron sights, and the degrading eyesight, it made me very happy. Why do we spend five or six times the cost of this, on bolt actions that don't shoot any better than this? I think if it had a scope on it, and good ammo, it would keep the shots touching at 50 yards. The ballistics on this 7.62x 54R is right there with the .308 and the 30/06.
Don

1911crazy · « **Reply #6 on:** March 14, 2004, 12:29:07 PM »

Quote from: Big Blue

I lucked out, and got a chance to shoot it today. At 50 yards, it was giving me five shot groups at 1.25". Given the iron sights, and the degrading eyesight, it made me very happy. Why do we spend five or six times the cost of this, on bolt actions that don't shoot any better than this? I think if it had a scope on it, and good ammo, it would keep the shots touching at 50 yards. The ballistics on this 7.62x 54R is right there with the .308 and the 30/06.
Don

These short guns make excellent shooters don't they!!!!! Its the perfect tree stand gun too??? Well in accuracy its the shooter as well as the gun too. That sounds like you got a good one congrats. The way it sounds I'm going to have to benchrest some of the bolt actions to see how good they are soon. Its getting warmer so the range time will start soon. Take that baby out to 100yds and i'll bet it won't be too bad either. Where can we get guns as good as these for this price?? BigBill

Its kind of sad how much modern guns cost and we may not get one as good in accuracy too. When I first read an article on the backwoodshome site they talked about the surplus military russian rifles being cheap game getters and they were right it raised my interest in surplups again. Of course with a little help/push from S.Sumner and Mikey here too!!! I love it when I'm at the range when a swat guys kid looks at my target and comes over to see what I'm shooting and he says they have some scoped rifles that don't group that good at 100yds like my 100yo military surplus rifle does with no scope!!!!!!! Then him and his dad stand there and looking at my rifle in shock. I read some where the Finns were making 600meter shots with open site mosins. The "Rifles of the White Death" it mentions that 32 Finnish soldiers held off 4,000 russians with the russians retreating with 3,600 with 4 Finn's left. It must have been some battle and talk about mosin's?? I have no fear walking in the woods hunting with any of my surplups they will do the job if I do mine for sure.

Big Blue · « **Reply #7 on:** March 14, 2004, 01:04:06 PM »

Big Bill,
Firstly, congrats on your thousandth post!

The expectations I had always held for the mil-surp guns, was one of loosely fitted, sloppy actioned, inaccurate rifles. I couldn't have been more wrong. This rifle is 61 years old, and I'd swear it was made last year, except that the quality is better than you get on rifles made today. No cheap plastic make do parts. I've heard you couldn't find one that shoots to the point of aim, that to was wrong. Truth be told, I hope the rest of the world doesn't discover how good these guns are, or the price will skyrocket. I have to believe that this gun will still shoot well, long after the modern rifles are jammed from being frozen, or fouled with dirt. I'll be at the next gun show, on March 27-28, and be looking for a similar bargain.
Don

1911crazy · « **Reply #8 on:** March 14, 2004, 03:18:26 PM »

WOW!!!!!! 1,000 posts I have to celebrate!!!!!! I'm going to get a $5 cigar tomorrow!!!! I usually get one a year to smoke during bear/deer hunting season. But i'll break my rules for 1,000 posts. BigBill

Fla Brian · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2004, 08:48:22 AM »

Quote from: Big Blue

Thanks guys. I wanted to look for some ammo with reloadable brass. I looked in Midways catalog, and the only brass for sale is Norma, and it comes dear. I already have .3o8 bullets, and powder for this caliber, but need the brass. The bullets I got with the rifle are steel cartridges. It came with Czech silver tip steel core type 59 ammo. Not the best for hunting. I think I have seen that S+B ammo has reloadable brass cartridges, so I might try to find some of that. I will get a nice stockpile pile of the military stuff, just to have it around.
Don

Go to Graf & Sons at this page:

http://www.grafs.com/bulkByBagQty.cfm/startItem/1

I think you'll like the brass prices. And, there's no shipping charges, just $3.75 per order for handling and insurance. I got in some 7.65X53 brass. I haven't had a chance to sit down and load any yet, but it looks pretty good.

In general, their prices are higher than Midway's, but, when I figured in Midways shipping charges, Graf & Sons was actually more economical delivered to me.

Have fun with your "new" rifle. Those M-Ns are a hoot to shoot.