rifle help

[Nick]

well it has been a long time since i have posted anything, but now i have a problem. i want to get a military surplus bolt action rifle. either a mosin, mauser, or enfield. i like all three but only want to get one right now. so i need help maiking up my mind. what does everyone think about these rifles? i want something that i can hunt with too. i am going to reload for whichever one i get so bullet selection and availability is something to consider. i also noticed that there is one of each in the classifieds. so i need some opinions on these rifles.

any help is greatly appreciated.

nick.

[gtssilver]

I have a 8MM Yugo Mauser and its great other than the occasional bruise from a steel butt plate! I put a scout scope/long eye relief scope that is illuminated on it. pics below. I bought 1200 rounds of surplus ammo to go with it but after buying a M1 garand I dont shoot the Mauser much. I decided to refinish the wood ( original wood was nowhere near bad i just wanted a project)

A buddy has a Enfield and its a good gun as well it just seems small compared to the Mauser. Wood and steel construction on Mauser is beefer. They both shoot well. I dont think I have shot a mosin but I havent heard anything bad about them.

Alot of other firearm manufactures have copied the mauser design so it must be a good thing.

We nailed 6/8 2X4's together with a 4X4 on each end and both rifles went all the way through at 50 yards.

[Nick]

thanks gtssilver. i am leaning towards a mauser. what kind of scope and mount did you use?

[gtssilver]

scope

http://www.ncstar.com/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=114

mount

http://www.scopemounts.com/index.html?main.html

The mount is nicely done I am considering buying another from this company but for a M1 garand

[Nick]

thanks for the links. does anyone else have an opinion on these rifles?

[Guest Fenris]

I hunted last year with my Mosin. It's got a heckuva kick to it. I don't have a scope yet, so I was using the open sights.

The only drawbacks I have with the Mosin are that the full size 91/30 is a little long for a tree stand in regards to getting up and down, and the safety. The safety is the back part of the bolt you have to pull back like a plunger and turn 90 degrees. It's hard to do quietly, especially on a cold morning when fingers can be a bit clumsy.

I typically used it when hunting a field from the ground. I would leave the bolt open until I was ready to shoot. I don't know if it's typical or not, but I can close my bolt pretty quietly.

I believe the advantage is that the Mosin is cheaper to get. Don't know about comparative ammo cost.

[Curiousgb]

I have serveral Mausers and an Enfield. If I was just starting I would opt for the Mauser. They are accurate, and there is just a lot more to be done with one. The 8x57 is a excellent hunting cartridge.

[Guest gcrookston]

I think all 3 rifles you've indicated are good choices. Some people I know have spent a life time collecting just a single one. I spent 20 years collecting 98k and Gew98 and at one time had nearly 50 of them.

One consideration I would point out is in the current market the Mosin ammo will be the cheapest, cheaper than the cost of reloading. It will also be the most affordable of the three rifle types to start with (arsenal refurbs are still around $100). I would recommend you get the long gun and not a carbine version.

Of the three, the Enfield will have the fastest action, be the least accurate and provide a very large assortment of variations to pick from. I always prefered the old WWI exambles, but choice pieces are dried up. Austrialian (Lithgow), would be my 2nd choice. The best examples (accuracy-wise), were the post war No.4 Mk 2. They finally solved the problem of drifting zero and irregular trigger pull by placing the trigger assembly attached to the receiver body instead of the trigger guard. Of the several dozen I've owned over the years, I now only have one of this latter type which is a very accurate and reliable weapon.

Of the Mausers, for a first one, I'd recommend a Prod.44 or CZ24, even a Russian capture. Prices continue to rise, and good quality non-corrosive ammo isn't cheap. Perhaps the most accurate of the three (though the Mosin may just be it's equal). Original German 98k's all matching are coming close and sometimes exceeding the $1,000 price range. I specialized in Gew98 and Kar98az 1908-1918 and k98 1938-1944 as my collecting interests. I now only have one remaining example, a CE44 unissued K98k early kreigs model.

Good luck and enjoy your new rifle.

Edited December 12, 2008 by gcrookston

[Nick]

thanks everyone for the help. i am kind of leaning towards a mauser. my buddy that reloads for me knows someone else that has a mauser and wants to know when he is going to start reloading 8mm. i may be able to see if that guy wants to go in halves on a good set of dies. someday i will probably get all three. but for now i think i am going to get a mauser first then a enfield or mosin.

[Mark@Sea]

I have an M48 Yugo mauser, a Savage-made Enfield, and an M44 M-N. My pick would be 'none of the above'.

K-31. Gotta love the Swiss Miss!

[Guest gcrookston]

I have an M48 Yugo mauser, a Savage-made Enfield, and an M44 M-N. My pick would be 'none of the above'.

K-31. Gotta love the Swiss Miss!

The K-31 is certainly a fine rifle. I've shot a few, but never owned one. typical Swiss perfection, was my observation from the few I've handled and shot.

[Guest VolDaddy]

Spend a little money and get your C&R, then you can save enough to buy all three.

[Mike.357]

I have shot all of Marks milsurps mentioned. None of the "big 3" compare with that Swiss K-31. That rifle seemed to be in its own league as far as bolt action rifles go.

[Nick]

i have never heard of the k31. i looked it up and now yall have made my decision harder.

[Mark@Sea]

Or simpler, depends....

So which way are you leaning?

[Nick]

i am not sure now. i have liked the mausers for a long time. but after looking at the way the action works on k31 it would be interesting to own. but yesterday i sent a request for the for the C&R and a form 1 for the AR. now i have broadened my list to just about anything now. but i do want my first one to be something easy to reload for. midway doesnt have much of a bullet selection for 8mm mauser. but they do for .303, and 7.7 jap. from what i have researched the k31 can use a .308 for reloading. is that correct?

[Mark@Sea]

Yes, the K-31 is .308. The Enfield .303 isn't, actually - it is .311. Not sure about the Mauser, to be honest.

The K31 surplus ammo (GP11) is available, about 50 cents a round unless you buy in quantity, and extremely accurate - but difficult to reload - berdan primed. Brass is available, though, as well as commercial ammo (which isn't as accurate as the swiss surplus). One of these days I hope to try some re-loading for it, I'm thinking 175gr BT spitzers...

The action is very smooth, very quick. The trigger compares favorably to the trigger on my match M1A. The sights are about the same as the other rifles you mentioned, but a no-drill scope mount is available (and the rifle will definitely take full advantage of a scope).

[towerclimber37]

Nick,

Keep in mind that the Swiss ONLY made match grade ammo for the K31. if you want accuracy for less, that would be the one to get...

I too have a Yugo mauser and an m44 Mosin Nagant...as well as an Ishapore Enfield in .308 (the indian Enfields)..none of them can match the K31 in accuracy.

:-)

oh, and the K31's are relatively cheeeeap!

[xd shooter]

I have the K31 on my wish list as well.

[Nick]

well i have it narrowed down to the mauser and the k31. hopefully i will have made a final decision by the time i get my C&R. but i have found in my research a steyr m95. how does it compare to the k31?

[Mark@Sea]

Can't help you there - have never owned or fired one.

Have 3 K31's. No-drill scope mounts and rather nice walnut sporter stocks are available. Check out the K-31 based swiss sniper rifles - very nice! 5K, though...