So what’s the lastest and greatest best deal on a military surplus rifle?

[Tripplebeards]

I can remember around 90’ when I walked into the local gun shop and sks’s Were $69 and I didn’t want anything to do with them. They had mak 90’s for $249.00

Then I remember some Mausers for $89/$99 back in 2000’/02’

Of course I didn’t buy any and now wish I would have picked up a few. I did buy a sks back in 00’ for $140 with a plastic fold stock and bayonet. It wouldn’t feed worth a darn. I’m guessing now maybe the 30 round mag spring was weak?

Well, are there any current piles of military surplus rifles in any of the LGS now or will be again any time soon?

What’s the best bang for the buck going right now?

[rancher1913]

not a great deal but ar's are selling pretty dang cheap right now and when the time comes that you need one they will be very expensive.

[Uncle Grinch]

Love the old Mausers, Enfields, Carcano’s and Arisakas. Sure miss those prices too.

I haven’t been able to convince myself to pick up an AR yet. My Garand will have to suffice.

[Tripplebeards]

I have a couple ars. A 1917 enfield in need of a stock, and a couple old Lee Enfields that need wood as well. Kinda getting frustrated looking for non existing parts and figured I’d look for some complete rifles. I saw the Swiss straight pull on line the other day and that that would be a hoot. Anyone still sell unissued sks rifles?

[higgins]

I've bought a few Lee Enfields and Swedish Mausers over the years that needed new wood, and it was nothing but aggravation getting wood that matches at a reasonable price, and you end up with a mismatched rifle if that matters to you. The only one I found a good matching stock set for was a Swedish Mauser, I suppose because stock sets are available because so many of them were completely sporterized instead of just cutting the forearm off to make a deer rifle. I think the best source of good rifles is youngsters selling off Papaw's old guns. They either underprice them, or overprice them because they think any rifle is worth the price of the unissued one they saw on Gunbroker.

[Tripplebeards]

Yeah, I threw on my reading glasses yesterday and saw some E marked parts on what I thought was an all W marked 1917 Winchester enfield. So To add to a W stock set, I need a bolt, safety selector, bolt release,and trigger guard all with W’s. My E marked stuff is pristine so maybe I can find someone to swap with? ...or just buy a non matching stock set and call it done?

Maybe I’ll just buy a stock set and call it a day. So how much value decrease is it with mismatched parts?

[Themoose]

Not vintage, but I saw Classic Arms(IIRC) just got several crates of Vietnam Era Chicom SKS with bayonet... will be selling between $400-$500

[Petrol & Powder]

I remember seeing a wooden crate with 10 SKS rifles at a gun show back in the early 1990's. They were $89 each or the entire crate for $890. Each rifle was coated in cosmoline and each had accouterments with it. At the same show you could buy some type of sealed wooden crate full of 7.62 x 39 Soviet Bloc ammo for next to nothing. It was steel cased, lacquer coated, probably corrosive ammo; but it was cheap. I missed that investment opportunity.

In the 1980's you could buy Lee-Enfields at just about any discount department store for under $80. The vast majority of those were very worn and not good quality. However, if you took your time, knew what to look for and willing to walk away from the particularly bad examples; you could get a decent shooter for under $100.



Now that I'm a lot older and maybe just slightly wiser, I keep my eyes open for today's good military surplus bargains. Unfortunately times have changed and I think the military surplus market is all but dead.

[Texas by God]

If an SKS has the original magazine, Jam is not in its vocabulary. If by chance a stash of intact Mauser shows up from some country, they will not be inexpensive those days are gone I'm afraid. Even the tractor jack Mosin nagants go for around $300 nowadays!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[lefty o]

quite honestly, there are no best deals left in the milsurp world. most now cost as much or more than budget priced new guns do.

[Petrol & Powder]

quite honestly, there are no best deals left in the milsurp world. most now cost as much or more than budget priced new guns do.

Agreed

[T_McD]

quite honestly, there are no best deals left in the milsurp world. most now cost as much or more than budget priced new guns do.

2nd Agree.

[Scorpius]

quite honestly, there are no best deals left in the milsurp world. most now cost as much or more than budget priced new guns do.

Yea but nothing beats this old wood and steel. Just not made the same

[Hick]

Deals still exist-- but you have to look hard (and get lucky). I bought an 1909 Argentine Mauser carbine (numbers matching) and a 1936 build Enfield Mark III* last summer-- both with very nice barrels for a total of $599 for both. Two very good shooters.

[Tripplebeards]

Yeah, I figure your going to have to find a kid who inherited one and wants to upgrade to a modern firearm. I saw the beat up sks’s at classics. I’ll hold out for an unissued one. There is a listing for unissued laminate sks rifles in Canada for $499.00 I’m sure it would be next to impossible to get one imported to the states.

I must be getting old because I’m starting to facing blue and steel again like the I did in the early 70’s.


I’m guessing the next military surplus dump will be around the $300 range same as a budget rifle and the $69 and $99 rifles I remember are long gone.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Think of an 1895 Winchester in 7.62x54R as a surplus relic. I remember a Hunter's Lodge(?) ad from the 60's and as 14/15yr old(?) kid I didn't have the money.

[oconeedan]

There is not a lot of love for anything Turkish or Spanish, and the price reflects it. If you choose carefully, you can get a fine shooter for less money.
And...sporterized rifles are inexpensive (usually). But excellent deer rifles. Dan

[T_McD]

I guess I compare everything to a savage axis and wonder why go surplus? Without cheap ammo, it loses its appeal and is why I sold my mosin.

[Jedman]

I remember back n the late 60's when I started buying and selling guns there were a lot of M1 carbines around for $20 sometimes less. Here in OH I never seen much use to own one.
About the only thing that you could legally shoot with one was varmints and I heard they weren't very accurate so there were better guns for not much more.
I still don't have any use for them but they seem to go for a lot of money now. I feel the same about AR's.

Jedman

[Tripplebeards]

I like the idea that something was made 100 years ago. Its an antique and built like a Sherman tank versus the cheap mass produce rifles today. I’d like to see what’s left of an axis, Mossberg, or 788 in another hundred years. I’d take a modern rifle for hunting over mil surplus all day long. I just would like a few for its history, keepsake, and plinking.