Author Topic: let me know (Read 551 times)

tgaines · « **on:** June 02, 2003, 11:20:29 AM »

what cheap surplus makes a good hunter? i keep seeing lots of cheap surplus rifles in shotgun news. which one would make a good all around gun for deer, hogs, and predators? i don't hunt as a generallly, but i have friends that do, and it would be nice to have a hunting caliber to break out when they ask me along. i would also like a gun that has a lot of aftermarket options so i could put a nicer syn stock on it and make it look more like a hunter than mil surp weapon.
thanks for the input :-)
Travis

Snowshoe · « **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2003, 01:48:40 AM »

Turning any military surpluse rifle into a sporter can get costly. I have a Turkish Mauser in 8x57 that I picked up with the bolt bent, scope mounts installed, and a sporter stock. If I had paid to have all that done, it would have been cheeper to get a new Savage. I also have a Lee Enfield #1 that has been cut down and still has open sights, that looks poor but shoots great. It would sell for $75 Canadian at best, but add the sporter stock, a cheap scope and some gunsmithing, and you are up to $300 +. I would keep an eye out for a used sporting rifle ready to go hunting, unless you like to like to tinker with old rifles. Another thing to think of is ammo, how much and where can you find it. I love my 8x57, but if I didnt reload I would not own it, because the ammo available is poor at best.

1911crazy · « **Reply #2 on:** June 03, 2003, 03:10:57 AM »

My opinion is a military gun looks awesome with the orginal wood furniture with a scope on it. There are some great buys right now on Yugo's M48 or M48a (stamped foreplate) 8MM carbines and you end up with a very good all around rifle. I would also stay away from american made ammo for the 8mm to its way under powered use Sellier & Bellot or Igman ammo from AIM Surplus for hunting bigger game and smaller game FMJ military ammo should be fine the ammo choice is up to you. The 7mm mausers are nice too if you can find one too plenty of power too. The 7MM ammo is tougher to find but S&B makes it too so you have to look in shotgun news. Most of the 8mm and 7mm mausers have turned down bolts and the Iron Sighter see-thru sites(scopemounts) from Samco will work and clear the orginal bolt even if you have to bend the orginal one if its straight. A new savage rifle all done with scope most likely will cost you $500 roughly. I found a complete German K98 8MM Mauser Carbine 23" barrel with a shot out barrel for $20(in a package deal), a replacement barrel for $37 used but like new from Numrich gun parts corp, a $150 scope for $59 on clearance at sportsmansguide.com, scopemounts from samco for $16, using the orginal wood furniture refinished of course it looks awesome. I did all the work myself removing the old barrel and fitting the new one, bending the straight bolt and mounting and bore sighting the scope(it was three clicks off) I just lucked out the headspace is ok too. I had to heat and turn the rear site on the barrel and remove the front sight(cut off) and finish the barrel round and smooth and it looks great. It all depends how much you work you want to do yourself and how much you can do. I have seen 303 britt's military rifle sporters all done at gun shows cheap around $200 with and without scopes too and you can get some great buys out there right now. I would carry a borelite(penlite will work) and check the bores good and make sure you have rifling to the end of the barrel too(make sure its even to the end). and not worn out anything else you can fix easy like touching up the bluing no biggie. No matter which way you go you can get a great rifle cheap and have a great shooter. If you need any help ask here we are all glad to help each other out. BigBill

I like the orginal wood and when it out shoots everything at the range and others see its a old military gun its the icing on the cake. And don't wait for a gun show hit pawn shops too some of my greatest finds are in pawn shops cheap too.

Jack Crevalle · « **Reply #3 on:** June 03, 2003, 12:23:46 PM »

If you want cheap, you can't do much better than Russian surplus Mosin Nagants right now. Good sized cartridge and plenty of practice ammo available. There are after market stocks and other accessories. I've also seen these things winning milsurp matches.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Rifles.html

kevin.303 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 05, 2003, 02:19:19 PM »

hey snowshoe was that sporting job done by an individual or a contracted company? i've got one that was done by some military aresenal and it looks pretty good. the only thing that mine has that gives it away as mil-surp are the 10 shot mag, charger bridge and the rear sight. with a cut down mag it looks like an older sporting gun with a beefy action.

Snowshoe · « **Reply #5 on:** June 06, 2003, 02:03:47 AM »

Kevin, the work was done on the rifle by Disticorp in Quebec. They had it advertised for sale already done. At $200 Canadian I thought that even if it wouldnt shoot good enough, I could get a new barrel for it. The stock, bent bolt and scope mounts would have cost me over $200, so I took a chance. I may still remove the iron sights and clean the steps out of the barrel, but it shoots so good I hate to touch it. The first shoot I entered with it was a combined score of 100, 200, and 300 yard targets. I got first place shooting against some very good shooters and top quality rifles. I have now put about 175 rounds through the rife and am very pleased with it.