Best C&R rifle for a weekend Shooter

[Mason]

O.K. I am new here and new to the C&R rifle options. However, I am not new to modern firearms at all. I did order my C&R application this week but I do not know if I will fill it out and send it back yet. I do understand that C&R guns are typically safe queens rather than weekend toys. I want to get into older rifles for long-term investment values but I would like to be able to use them for there intended purpose and shoot them at least some.

In ansuering the following questions please consider ammo availability and cost as well as initial cost of the rifle.

My questions:

1. What is the best choice for a C&R rifle that will be shot semi-frequently at the range?

2. Where is the best place to buy your chosen rifle and ammo for it?

3. What are some known issues that I should be aware of when shopping?

Thank you for your help and comments.

[ftncityfatboy]

mosin nagant 91/30, uses 7.69 x 54 ammo. Bought mine from AIM Surplus, ammo too. Rifle delivered to my door for $95.00 - I've put maybe 60 rounds thru it, its a shoulder buster but well worth it!

[Guest HvyMtl]

If you want low price bang for buck - Mosin Nagant 91/30 -

If you want a rifle which shoots better than you, and is reasonably priced, Finn M-39 Mosin Nagant, Swiss K-31 or Schmidt-Ruben.

And one could get a Enfield as well.

SKS - Yugo 59/66

Yugo Mauser M24/47 seems interesting too.

Check with several of the forum supporting gun shops, as they may have them in stock.

http://www.classicarms.us/

AIM Surplus Home

http://gunsnammo.com/

Don't worry about the recoil. Simply get a Past Recoil Pad for your shoulder, and make sure the rifle is firmly on your shoulder... And no issues. (Including heavy ball thru either listed Mosin Nagant)

Edited November 11, 2010 by HvyMtl

[Guest Broomhead]

mosin nagant 91/30, uses 7.69 x 54 ammo. Bought mine from AIM Surplus, ammo too. Rifle delivered to my door for $95.00 - I've put maybe 60 rounds thru it, its a shoulder buster but well worth it!

What he said. You can't go wrong with a Mosin, whether a 91/30, M44, or my favorite, the M38. Ammo is inexpensive and fairly easy to find/buy. The Finnish Mosins are half safe queens half shooters. Also don't pass up a Swiss K-31.

If you are looking for a handgun, then do not pass up the Czech CZ vz. 82 in 9mm Makarov. Very good guns with inexpensive ammo that is also fairly readily available.

Get the C&R, it is a good investment. For 30 bucks you can have guns delivered to your door.

[extremescene]

Mosins are not the best investments per say.. but you will be hard pressed to find a better shooter for the price. Ammo is very cheap as well. Some yugo sks models are also appearing again, though they will be around 350-400.

I hear great things about the czech vz24 mausers that can be found pretty cheap... Southern Ohio gun has them for less than$ 150.

Also...my c&r took quite a long time to get into my hands so you will have plenty of time to browse the surplus dealers Inventory.

[Mason]

Thanks for the info folks. I have decided that any pistol I would buy with the C&R ffl will be in 9x18 as the 9x19 is not a round I use in my modern pistols. I like the idea of the SKS and the Mosin rifles and odds are that I will own both. I just want to start off on the right foot and stay motivated to buy older guns for investment reasons.

Please keep the input coming.

[Bubbatn]

I don't know too much about the older guns, however I just purchased my first C&R type gun, which is a Yugo M59/66A1 SKS and I couldn't be happier with my decision. I was lucky enough to be able to shoot a few of these guns before I bought mine, and I really liked shooting each one. And now the same goes for mine. You can find some deals on the Yugo's as well if you look around, they can be found for $300 bucks or better....depending on if you buy from an individual or from a retailer.

[Guest mr_b8908]

you can get an excellent condition mosin from AIM and a spam can of 440rds of ammo for around $200. Easy to break down and clean, parts are cheap and readily available. You cant go wrong with the built like a tank russian engineering!

[Mason]

you can get an excellent condition mosin from AIM and a spam can of 440rds of ammo for around $200. Easy to break down and clean, parts are cheap and readily available. You cant go wrong with the built like a tank russian engineering!

For that price I could sign up for two!

I hope to find a friend with one or more of the rifles you all have listed and get a bit of trigger time over the next few months.As a few here have stated I have plenty of time to shop around.

[PirateQui]

I actually prefer the Yugo Mauser... The ammo is a bit more expensive but I find Mine to be more accurate than the mosin's I've shot...

[Guest mr_b8908]

I actually prefer the Yugo Mauser... The ammo is a bit more expensive but I find Mine to be more accurate than the mosin's I've shot...

I have a 24/47 Yugo and love every thing about it but I just cant get use to the sights on it. This is a good choice because they are strarting to run thin.

[PirateQui]

Interesting. I have a friend and he can shoot bulls eyes with his mosin at 100 yards but can't hit anything with the sights on the 24/47... I'm not really sure why but I definitely prefer the mauser sights over the mosin.

[Mason]

Well I received the application today and have decided to fill it out and send it on back to the ATF. I hope to have everything in order to buy March in order to buy my first surplus rifle for my birthday.

[Mason]

Well I finally got around to dropping the paperwork into the mail today. I have decided to order a Mauser first, then the SKS, and finally a fancy 91/30 unless the supply changes in the next few months.

Do You guys know about how often the suppliers rotate their model selections? I understand that availability changes all the time but I assume that they would import new and exciting surplus stashed guns on a biannual basis or so.

Please excuse my bad spelling.

[DaveTN]

1. What is the best choice for a C&R rifle that will be shot semi-frequently at the range?

If I had to pick only one it would be the M1 Garand. It is one of the few battle rifles that you can own the “real deal†that may have been in combat, not a “civilian†copy.

2. Where is the best place to buy your chosen rifle and ammo for it?

CMP for both. Anywhere else and you will probably pay more and get less.

3. What are some known issues that I should be aware of when shopping?

Go to Anniston, AL, pick out your own rifle and take it home.

However, they are the government and don’t play by the same rules as everyone else, so you can order it and have it shipped right to your home (even without a C&R).

I have a C&R and own several C&R rifles but I didn’t use my license to buy them. My dealer discounts from Midway USA and Brownells more than justify the C&R.

[Mason]

The CMP M1 rifles look very interesting but as mentioned you can buy them without the C&R. A big reason I started this thread was to encurage myself to apply for the C&R FFL and get involved in collecting older rifles rather than buying the same new guns that everyone else has to hunt and shoot with.

Untill researching the C&R I would have never thought of using it simply for discounts but it looks to me that ammo discounts will save me more than the discounts on guns.

I will likely have an M1 carbine at some point and the 30-06 is by far my favorite deer caliber. Here in my corner of Northeast TN anything over 150 yards is rare and truthfully most shots are taken under 80 yards. An M1 could be a great deer rifle even with open sights.

If I had a budget of $2,000 per month to blow on guns, ammo, and accessories I would still want more.

[mousegunner]

I like my Yugo SKS....

Mousegunner's SKS Carbine Page

[Guest HvyMtl]

"If I had a budget of $2,000 per month to blow on guns, ammo, and accessories I would still want more."

Can I get an Amen?!

Check with the vendors here, as most give discounts to C&R holders.

Actually, I am finding more and different mil-surps becoming available. Here is a spot that has several interesting mil-surp: http://www.allans-armory.com/aa.php

[Guest sagebrushjim]

Swiss K31 or Mosin 91/30 are Great Choices..... Have 2 of each and love shooting them .....

[Guest Aces&8s]

I have a 91/30, SKS, and a K31 as well, and love all of them. I really prefer the bolt guns over the SKS, however, and of the two, the K31 is hands down my favorite. It is very accurate, and the action is very slick, but the ammo is more expensive than the Mosin. I can get the Mosin out and shoot it all day long, without it costing me an arm and a leg... might cost me a shoulder though J/K, I put a Butler Creek slip-on recoil pad on it (I have one on my K31 as well) and it is very manageable (the rifle weighs a good 8.5 to 9 pounds after all).

My short list includes a Garand, an Enfield, and a Mauser, and I would love to get my hands on a Martini-Henry some day.

[Mason]

Hello everyone.

My wife/CFO just called to let me know that my $30.00 check cleared today.

Should I buy one of the BATFE approved bound books available from Brownell's or download and print the pages available on the web?

I am all for saving some cash but I also like the idea of a leather covered professional looking book. I figure that I will likely save enough in the next year or so to cover the cost of a book. Haas anyone ordered one and liked the format?

I am working on approval from the above mentioned CFO to allow me to order one of each of the firearms mentioned in this thread. I will post results after the Christmas board meeting. (any sugestions on a good gift)

[Garufa]

When you get your license send it to Midway and order this: "Firearms Acquisition and Disposition Record Book" Book - MidwayUSA

[Mason]

When you get your license send it to Midway and order this: "Firearms Acquisition and Disposition Record Book" Book - MidwayUSA

Thank you Garufa. That is exactly what I had in mind. It looks to be a tad more pricy than the one I looked at on Brownell's webpage but alot nicer.

[DaveTN]

Should I buy one of the BATFE approved bound books available from Brownell's or download and print the pages available on the web?

I thought about…. And laughed about and forgot about it.

They only person you will need to show it to is an ATF agent. I doubt he will be impressed.

The paper books will soon be history and they (like everything else) will be electronic. I downloaded the free one; hole punched it and called it a day.

[Mason]

The paper books will soon be history and they (like everything else) will be electronic. I downloaded the free one; hole punched it and called it a day.

Point Taken.

I kind of expected them to have an electronic logbook system as well.