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Thread: Collecting military bolt actions, this is what I have. What else should I add

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Collecting military bolt actions, this is what I have. What else should I add

    This is just a general list of what I have and as I trip through life I'm wondering what I should add. None I have are particularly rare or valuable. Just a collection of rifles that I can shoot and look at. I know that many models go to almost infinite variety. I'm sorta interested in more than minor differences....hey, it's a hobby, not a lifestyle.

    I've thought about the Swiss K-31 or even a Canadian Ross but I think I should limit my efforts to turn bolt rifles. While I really love those rifles, it's a slippery slope to go way off the rails.

    1. Mauser K98
    2. Yugoslavian M48
    3. Arisaka Type 66
    4. Siamese Mauser
    5. Lee-Enfield No.5 Mk1 Jungle carbine
    6. 1903 Springfield
    7. P17 Enfield Eeddystone
    8. P14 Enfield Winchester
    9. Swedish M/96 Carl Gustafs
    10. Mosin 91/30
    11. Mannlicher-Shoenaeur 1903/14
    12. Madsen M47
    13. Krag-Jorgensen
    14. French MAS 36

    I'm probably crazy missing Mannlicher rifles. The Carcano, etc.
    [

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Abit,

    You have the field generally covered. I use a theme of the World Wars; I have collected WWI arms and then focused on WWII arms. After that I gathered some Korean War arms that came my way. Mannlicher arms are ok and a Carcano or Austrian Steyr will cover that base. The problem with Mannlichers is finding the necessary clips and some calibers such as 6.5X53R Rumania is very hard to find.

    I would pick up a M1910 Ross and a Swiss M1911 or M31 7.5X55MM to round out a working battery of historically significant arms. Along the way I have collected the proper slings, cleaning kits, bayonets and a few items of kit the soldiers carried afield.

    You still have nice collection, as is.

    Adam

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    Looks like you have a nice assortment! Rifles are like dogs . . . there is always room for one more. LOL

    I had a nice assortment that I had collected over 50 years. A few years ago, after the wife retired I decided it was time to downsize and sold off my collection. Now, I wish I had a couple of them back! Enjoy them and have fun! The time will come along soon enough when they'll go to the next generation . . . and after all, we may "own" them but we really are only the "caretakers" of them. You have a nice array of some very nice historical long guns!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master




    Scharfschuetze's Avatar
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    After covering all the bases, think about specializing in a specific model or specific country's weaponry. The permutations can drive a collector crazy, but it is fun.
    Keep your powder dry,

    Scharf

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

    Calamity Jake's Avatar
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    Everybody needs an 03A3
    Calamity Jake

    NRA Life Member
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    Shoot straight, keepem in the ten ring.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Actually you have a pretty good assortment. Things to consider: .22 trainers? Snipers?
    Have fun doing it!

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Oh snipers! I have both drooled over and avoided them like the plague due to the price. If I was only collecting sniper rifles I would most likely have exactly one rifle in my safe, my budget blown.
    [

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    Speaking of sniper rifles..... the whole time I was growing up my dad had this in the basement. We were not a gun family. Nobody shot anything nobody hunted.

    Well dad was a Lt col in the field artillery. I suspect he had enough fun shooting the 8" inch self propelled howitzer that he didn't feel the need to shoot his springfield 30-06.

    The "springfield 30-06" is what we called it growing up. So in my late thirties when I got into shooting and hunting, I called him up and said

    "mind if I take that old springfield 30-06 and start using it?"

    Dad says

    "You mean the WWII sniper rifle? Sure, stop by and it's yours."

    I get it home and do some research and find out its a 1903A4. A history buffs holy grail gun. You don't want to know how many times my brother dry fired this at me when we were kids. Took it to the range after a good cleaning and lube, she shoots 1.5" groups at 100 yard with factory ammo. With reloading I can tighten that up quite a bit.

    Attachment 166325

    Attachment 166326

    (Note, not the original scope, but it is the original Redfield scope mount)

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

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    M44 Mosin, and Argentine Mauser plus a Spanish Destroyer... Dimner, nice 03a4.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master



    mac60's Avatar
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    Swiss K31
    So many guns, so little time
    _____________________________

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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Aren't dad's great just great like that?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dimner View Post
    Speaking of sniper rifles..... the whole time I was growing up my dad had this in the basement. We were not a gun family. Nobody shot anything nobody hunted.

    Well dad was a Lt col in the field artillery. I suspect he had enough fun shooting the 8" inch self propelled howitzer that he didn't feel the need to shoot his springfield 30-06.

    The "springfield 30-06" is what we called it growing up. So in my late thirties when I got into shooting and hunting, I called him up and said

    "mind if I take that old springfield 30-06 and start using it?"

    Dad says

    "You mean the WWII sniper rifle? Sure, stop by and it's yours."

    I get it home and do some research and find out its a 1903A4. A history buffs holy grail gun. You don't want to know how many times my brother dry fired this at me when we were kids. Took it to the range after a good cleaning and lube, she shoots 1.5" groups at 100 yard with factory ammo. With reloading I can tighten that up quite a bit.

    Attachment 166325

    Attachment 166326

    (Note, not the original scope, but it is the original Redfield scope mount)
    [

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    I have been trying to pick up some of the various rifle accessories as I come across them. Hunting down a good bayonet for some of these rifles can be surprisingly expensive. It seems that the rifles are cheap but a bayonet can be more than the rifle. It would be nice to have all what I have "fully dressed".

    You also know of what you speak regarding the clips. The Mannlichers that have the drop though clips are very cool. I always liked the 1903 Greek M-S because of the rotary magazine but the Mannlichers that use an en bloc fall away clip are probably the height of bolt action feeding systems.

    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Helmer View Post
    Abit,

    You have the field generally covered. I use a theme of the World Wars; I have collected WWI arms and then focused on WWII arms. After that I gathered some Korean War arms that came my way. Mannlicher arms are ok and a Carcano or Austrian Steyr will cover that base. The problem with Mannlichers is finding the necessary clips and some calibers such as 6.5X53R Rumania is very hard to find.

    I would pick up a M1910 Ross and a Swiss M1911 or M31 7.5X55MM to round out a working battery of historically significant arms. Along the way I have collected the proper slings, cleaning kits, bayonets and a few items of kit the soldiers carried afield.

    You still have nice collection, as is.

    Adam
    [

  13. #13
    Boolit Master




    Scharfschuetze's Avatar
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    Everybody needs an 03A3
    I agree! Anything made at Springfield Armory is spot on for a collector.
    Keep your powder dry,

    Scharf

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

    leebuilder's Avatar
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    No4mk1
    Or no4mk1☆
    And No1mk3
    Or a No1mk3☆
    More Mosins and a finned mosin
    Swedish mausers
    Any milsurp really
    Ross would be an benchmark for any collection
    I like 22 trainers they are commanding a premium these days
    Be well
    When you read the fine print you get an education
    when you ignore the fine print you get experience

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    I started a collection similar to yours when younger. I had a 1943 Walther p38 and a 1943 45 auto. I had a chance to buy a 1943 Nambu pistol. But I didn't have the money and life got in the way of this collection. 1943 was a year when most of the players were kinda equal. I wanted to collect all the pistols from all the sides from that year.

    That would have been a collection that one could appreciate.....

  16. #16
    Boolit Master

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    I notice a lacking of No 1. MKIII and No. 4 .303's. If your focus is smokeless powered turnbolt battle rifles, that's a pretty severe omission.

    Spanish Mauser 1893 - the rifle that made Teddy Roosevelt say "HOLY ****! We need one of those!" You probably need an 1884 trapdoor to sit opposite it.
    WWJMBD?

    In the Land of Oz, we cast with wheel weight and 2% Tin, Man.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master




    Scharfschuetze's Avatar
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    I notice a lacking of No 1. MKIII and No. 4 .303's. If your focus is smokeless powered turnbolt battle rifles, that's a pretty severe omission.
    Yes, you probably need to look into some Lee Enfields.
    Keep your powder dry,

    Scharf

  18. #18
    Boolit Master




    Scharfschuetze's Avatar
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    You probably need an 1884 trapdoor to sit opposite it.
    Yes, another good idea. Lots of fun these... even if they aren't bolt guns.
    Keep your powder dry,

    Scharf

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    Look at some Finnish moisin nagant rifles. Models 27, 28-30 and model 39 but be aware that the later models have tighter bore dimensions which works to your advantage. My 27 slugs out at .3115, the 28-30 can be as tight as .310 and the 39 can be .308 to .310. Persian 98/29 mauser made in Czechkoslavkia in the 30's are great shooters and usually have pristine bores, add a Swiss K31 to your stable as it is almost made for cast bullets brass is available from Grafs. And an old favorite of mine is the 1891 Argentine mauser look for barrel condition as some of them are horrible. Frank

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy Silfield's Avatar
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    Very nice and enviable collection you have there sir.
    How about a Steyr M1886 Kropatschek or a 71/84 Mauser?

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check