Share a Milsurp story or two.............

[WILCO]

I'm really enjoying the Milsurp picture thread.

Was wondering if you Gents cared to share a quick story behind your Milsurp purchases?
Something along the lines of how it came to be, what drew you to the surplus firearm in question.
Was it a gift or did you have to hide it for another time? [smilie=l:

Just good basic story telling.

I don't know what it is lately, but I just can't kick this thirst and hunger for Milsurps! [smilie=p:

[RustyReel]

I'm more into sporterized military stuff than rifles in military dress. I had been looking for a reasonably priced Turk or other large ring/small barrel thread Mauser as I have been hankerin' to put a Remington take off barrel on a Mauser. Don't know why, just something I wanna do.

Local firearms site had a listing for a guy selling Milsurps and one of them was a Turk for $150. Went to see it. Well worn, mostly complete, smelled like lemon pledge or ??, mismatched numbers. Worked out a deal for $125 with 20 rounds of surplus ammo. Gonna shoot it today and I HOPE it doesn't shoot well............

[Donor8x56r]

Guy wanted to sell M41 Carcano for parts cheap.It had beaten stock with few wood repairs,bolt from Carcano carbines (it headspaces nice-go figure) and it couldnt shoot any decent groups with jacketed .268 Hornady bullets.

So I adopted it.

After a week of getting copper out of the barrel I started shooting it with NOE .269 cast and 11.1 Gr of 2400.

Now it's my most predictable shooter and one of the most accurate.

[bedbugbilly]

Well . . . mine is a story of woe and regret! LOL I collected guns for close to 50 years - loved military rifles. But, I was a black powder shooter until a few years ago. I was never interested in shooting centirefire unless it was the few times I went deer hunting with my father-in-law in the U.P. and I had a beautiful European sporterized 8mm Mauser that I carried - but only took one shot with it at a deer and missed.

Fast forward. I got older and retired and we started wintering in AZ. I decided to sell most of my long guns as my wife had no idea of what they were or what they were worth and we don't have kids. After all, I had no interest in shooting center fire guns - at that time! I had a collection of Arisakas, British Enfields - SMLEs - a nice 577-450 Martina - an absolutely beautiful P-14 made by Winchester. I bought that one off of a guy at a gun show for the high price of $65.00 - it was pristine! Well, at the time, I had no interest so they were sold.

A few years ago, I got interested in shooting vintage cartridge revolvers and reloading - mainly 38 specials. I had cast for 50 years for my black powder shooting so it was a natural transition. The only military rifle I kept was a German Mauser that my half-frother had given to me. His grandfather brought two of them back at the end of World War I. He wants to give me the other one but I want to pay him for it as I just feel better about doing it that way. And I probably should mention that mine has the long slender bayonet and scabbard with it and his has the butcher blade bayonet with the sawbuck on the blade.

I've never reloaded bottleneck cartridge but I'm about to start with the Mauser that I have. When I got it in the mid 1960's from my half-brother, I cleaned the bore well and have always kept it oils. Yesterday, I cleaned it all up and the bore is very nice and bright. I've got dies coming and I'm getting stuff around to load up "plinking rounds" for it - cast boolits of course. Hoperully, when I get the other rifle that my half-brother has, it will be in as good in regards to the bore.

Like anything else, this little "project" has "whetted my appetite" to start looking for other mil-surp rifles that would be fun to shoot. I can easily see how it can become "addictive" and why so many of you fellows enjoy it.

I'm older now and no longer hunt but I still enjoy shooting when I can. Do I regret I sold my mil-supr rifle collection? You bet iI do! But hey, hindsight is always better than seeing what lies down the road in the future. At least I know that someone has them that is enjoying them. We may "own 'em" but in reality, we're just the "caretakers" of them for the next generation. But I sure do wish I ha that pristine Winchester P-14!

An added note -

I had a half dozen different Arisakas. One was a "last ditch' model" that had some "charring" on the stock - I always wondered if it was the result of a flame thrower. All had their "Mums" intact. About the time I was thinking of liquidating my collection, I had a "barn sale" to get rid of a bunch of stuff. For fun, I put out one of the Arisakas with a reasonable price on it. I didn't sell it but during the sale, I had two different older gentlemen who I watched pick it up and examine it from one end to the other. Each time, I asked the individual if he wass interested in it and if I could answer any questions. Both times, the men replied a polite "no" and then followed it up with - "I just wanted to look at it. I was in the South Pacific during the war" Both gentlemen took the time to sit down in the shade with me and we visited for quite a while as they shared some of their experiences. One had been wounded in the neck on Iwo Jima by a Arisaka. I had known this man through my father for a number of years as he and his father we masons and had done a lot of block laying for my Dad over the years. He very rarely would talk about his experiences but that day, he just seem to be full of stories he wanted to share.

In the end, I could tell that he had some pretty deep guilt feelings about why he had survived and so many of his buddies hadn't. When he got ready to leave, I asked him if he ws interested in the Arisaka at all and if he was, I would give it to him. He thanked me for the kind offer but said that he had been looking at it as it had been years since he'd seen one and if he got it, it would only stir up some things he figured that were better off forgotten. Before leaving, he did tell me that after he was wounded, things were so screwed up that he had been reported as KIA to his parents. It was a number off weeks before it was straightened out and his parents were notified that he had been wounded in action but had survived. He said he couldn't imagine what his parents had gone through when they were notified that he was KIA as he and his three brothers were all int he service. One in the Navy, one in Eurpoe who had landed at the beaches on D Day and the third brother in Italy with the 34th Division. My father-in-law had been in the 34th Division in North Africa and Italy and I know what he had gone through.

Sorry to get so long winded. This is a great thread and I hope others will share their stories! I always enjoy reading things like that!

[texassako]

My best story would be my beloved M28-76 Mosin left handed marksmanship rifle. Only a few came in left hand with the scope base. I went to pick it up at my ffl and he showed me the box. I about had a heart attack. No packing, big hole. Rifle ended up being fine with the bent bolt hanging up in the hole and barely making it half in and half out. I don't think I have ever seen a spare bolt if it were lost. It shoots everything well, and I mean everything. The least finicky rifle I have ever shot.

[gnoahhh]

I too tend to eye milsurps as a basis for custom sporting rifles, but have kept a few in military trim over the years. The first one that I got and didn't immediately remodel was a M1896 Krag carbine, that was in a serial number block credited to the Rough Riders. I was 16 at the time (1969) and the rifle cost me $35. I acquired my first bullet mold at the same time- a Lyman 311241 155grain RN PB- and a can of 2400. I melted some soft lead in an empty soup can and cast a pile of pretty sorry looking bullets which I promptly loaded with a stiff charge of 2400-- with no lube on the bullets. Oh, the hubris of youth! First shot hit the bullseye but by the end of firing 20 shots those bullets were hitting god knows where. Feeling pretty dejected, I headed home to clean the thing. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that bore to have its grooves pretty well filled with lead. Three evenings, a handful of bore brushes, and a bottle of Hoppes later, I was back in business. Switching to a lighter charge of faster burning powder, buying a stick of Javelina lube, and sizing in a grampaw-made push through die had me on the right track. Then I managed to stick a 150 grain jacketed bullet halfway down the barrel when I substituted it for a lead bullet in a cat sneeze load. The local gunsmith carefully drilled it out, after I first destroyed a jointed cleaning rod in the process of trying to beat it out. No harm, no foul- and I even learned a few more new cuss words from the old guy who rescued me!

That old milsurp taught me a lot of valuable life lessons, which may explain my continuing fondness for Krags. (And I haven't forgotten those cuss words either!)

[43PU]

I am an Avid WW2 collector, I have been in the News paper here and on TV in Ky. I have been collecting for 15 years and work at a sporting goods store, where we have Vets come in of all shapes and sizes. One day I had a Vet come in and talk to me he was a regular here and I know him Very well. Well one day he took me up on my offer (EVERY WW2 Vet that comes in I offer to buy them dinner at what ever restraunt they want) As we were eating he looked at me and said, that he was on IWO and that's where he found God. He was on a patrol with 3 other marines when they were ambushed by 6 or 7 Japs. He said that they killed all of the japs with their Thompsons, he went around the corner to relieve him self while his buddies were "treasure" hunting, as he went around a tree he said he dropped his pants and turned around and was facing a Jap solider with his rifle raised. He said the only thoughts that came to him was well, I always knew I was gonna die on this island. The Solider pulled the trigger and he herd a loud POP not a Bang, he said that fell over through shock, he said when he relized that he was not shot the Jap solider grabbed this rifle and was going to start beating him with it, but this Vet was quicker and shot the solider with his 45. He took his rifle and his Bayo and sent them home in a Bible Box. After Dinner he Gave me the rifle, Bayo and the capture paper for the items he took. He did 2 weeks later..

Upon examining the rifle, the Jap solider had a squib load and the bullet is lodged about 3 inches from the end of the muzzle.


Thank you to ALL of the Vets of the Armed forces of the U.S.A

43PU

[EMC45]

Had a buddy give me a New England Westinghouse M91 Mosin several years back. He was a pretty staunch vegetarian and animal rights guy. I killed my first 2 deer with that rifle. 52gr. IMR 4350 under a Speer 150gr. HotCor bullet.

[milsurpcollector1970]

Now THAT is funny



Had a buddy give me a New England Westinghouse M91 Mosin several years back. He was a pretty staunch vegetarian and animal rights guy. I killed my first 2 deer with that rifle. 52gr. IMR 4350 under a Speer 150gr. HotCor bullet.

[milsurpcollector1970]

I got into collecting milsurps after seeing a M96 swede in a gun store in 1997. It was my first centerfire rifle. Used to shoot it at the public range with a friend from work. He had a sporterized No.4.303 I reloaded for both of us. We would bring steel plates out to the range. I can still here the sound they make when you hit one.

I now collect sniper rifles because of my eyesight.

I also do some gunsmithing but I only sporterize stuff that has already been hacked on

[Kraschenbirn]

Maybe not much of a milsurp story but I've got this 'thing' for pre-WWII carbines...Krags, '91 and '09 Argies, LE #5s, K-31s, etc...and have managed to accumulate a small collection of examples. Funny thing is, for the most part, all have been more or less 'rescues'...guns that I picked up for reasonable prices because no one else seemed to want them at the time. I guess my 'pets' are an 1898 Krag 'sporter'...probably a Bannerman rework...that still carries (according the folks at Lyman) a Lyman receiver sight manufactured between 1919 and 1921 with a 'vintage' King Gun Co. front ramp and an all-matching '09 Argie cavalry model that I snagged from an estate sale for $125. The Argie was absolutely oozing cosmoline, inside and out, but cleaned up to what I'd call NRA 'Good+' and shoots better than I can hold with issue sights.


Bill

[762 shooter]

Back in the late 80's we got the Garand bug and my wife and I purchased one each. Then the 90's rolled around and the M1D Sniper lottery happened. We both sent our money in and waited. She got one!! Not a military story but I like the way it ended.

762

[Fishman]

43pu that is an awesome story. Thanks for sharing.

My story is how I received my first milsurp. Dad and I had gone to a gunshow in my hometown along about 1990 or 91. We had looked at a few guns and I was quite interested since Dad had recently given me a Lee reloading kit. But being newly married and still in college I had no money. Still a good time though. As we left the show we ran into a gentleman entering the show with an enfield, a no 4 mk2 to be exact. Dad asked to see it and passed it over to me. I remember being most intrigued with the adjustable peep sight. Anyway, Dad asked him how much and a deal was struck for the princely sum of $ 70. As I recall that included an ammo can with ammo. After the guy left Dad said "Happy birthday" and we headed for the truck. It was nowhere near my birthday either. :) Anyway, that started my lifelong obsession with "accumulating" and by far the most represented are various milsurps. He still surprises me with one on a regular basis, the most recent being a Steyr m95.

[WILCO]

I'm enjoying the replies. Great stories. Thank you.

[43PU]

I Have Tons of stories from Vets, I have a Browning Hi power That was in the 101 airborne, that was in the battle of the bulge I have the vets paperwork the picture of the SS that "no longer needed it" if you want more stories just PM me ill try to take pics

[Artful]

my first center fire rifle was a 7x57 Mexican Mauser that came thru Coast to Coast - I added a recoil pad then had a scope put on it and a sporter was born - still have it. I have always purchases military rifles some have been previously "enhanced" some have been as issued, I'm such a fickle collector I just get what feels "right" to me. If it's been worked on in the past I have no problem with modifying to my own needs / thoughts. Some of the other though I just leave as I find them with a little cleaning up.

How far have I gone - some examples
threaded barrel - moved front sight back - added scope
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/FAL/th_Romanian196922LR.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/FAL/Romanian196922LR.jpg.html)

change caliber to 7.62x39 - scope mounted - stock changed - built in flash/muzzle brake - change to WASR mags
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/FAL/th_762x39MauserWASRconversion.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/FAL/762x39MauserWASRconversion.jpg.html)

Barrel cut back to get rid of counter bore - barrel threaded then bushing made and threaded to correct size - Scout scope
stock redone - added cheekrest to line up to scope - recoil pad
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/Misc/th_0612112302.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/Misc/0612112302.jpg.html)

[Larry Gibson]

The 1st 2 milsurps I owned were MNs I got a long time ago in a land far away...........

The M91/28s previous owner was hard to get along with and we knocked around a bit which put 3 dings in the stock before the "deal" stuck and it cost me a bit of "boot"......one 7.62 NATO M80 round. The previous owner of the Type 53 was really not wanting to make any deal as he took a shot at me which just grazed me. He had a precarious position and relented and gave up the Type 53 after I made an offer of around 50+ 7.62 NATO M80 ball rounds (note what I'm holding in my avatar).........fortunately I did not hit the Type 53 in the exchange.

Larry Gibson

111777

[gnoahhh]

A few years ago I picked up a Walther PP, 1940 manufacture .32ACP, and a BRNO-made 98k, dated 1943, from the G.I. who "liberated" them in Normandy two weeks after D-Day. The Walther has the sweetest trigger I ever pulled on a pocket .32. The 98k became a very nice sporter done up in a pre-WWI style Euro-stalker style.

The Browning M1900 pistol in its period monkey leather holster was gotten from the widow of a Flying Tiger who carried it when flying P-40s over Burma/China. She brought it in to the LGS where I happened to be hanging out at the time and said she wanted it gone from her possession. The shop owner looked at me and said "do you want it?" Duh. She gave me an 8x10" B&W glossy photograph of her husband standing in front of the shark-nose P-40 in full flight gear, with that little pistol strapped across his chest. She just wanted to get rid of it and stopped in on a whim on her way to the police station to turn it in. I insisted on giving her something for it but she said "son, I have more money than I know what to do with. It's yours." I still have it, and no it's not for sale!

[BNE]

The 1st 2 milsurps I owned were MNs I got a long time ago in a land far away...........

The M91/28s previous owner was hard to get along with and we knocked around a bit which put 3 dings in the stock before the "deal" stuck and it cost me a bit of "boot"......one 7.62 NATO M80 round. The previous owner of the Type 53 was really not wanting to make any deal as he took a shot at me which just grazed me. He had a precarious position and relented and gave up the Type 53 after I made an offer of around 50+ 7.62 NATO M80 ball rounds (note what I'm holding in my avatar).........fortunately I did not hit the Type 53 in the exchange.

Larry Gibson

111777

GREAT story! Thank you for collecting those two guns, and thank you for telling the story.

[BNE]

The first mil surp I ever shot was an M1 Carbine. (Made by IBM) Just plain fun to shoot. I took a young lady out to shoot it and dog gone if she didn't outshoot me with it. I figured I should hang on to that young lady. We will be married 21 years in Sept. The M1 Carbine is still her favorite gun.

[kens]

I had dealt with a small local gun store for quite some time, and the owner was headed to a large gun show in Ohio, didnt want to go by himself, and asked me to go along. Owner said he was to meet an importer for some deals.
I went along.
I ended up helping Val Forgett (Navy Arms) unloading his truck. I said I wanted a Swede and Val says 'grab that box there'. I opened a full box of short swede's and they were all pristine, I picked out the one of my choice. ($189)

[Janoosh]

I was looking for a Polish mod 29. I had my name in all the local gunshops wish lists for 8 years. I belong to a gun club and I'm known as the guy that collects Arisakas, which I do. An older friend comes up to me one sat while I'm at the range with the other confirmed range rats, and says a friend off his has passed away and the wife wants to sell his guns, especially the Arisaka. We set a date to meet so I can view the Jap, and although it's all matching, the stock has been sporterized. I pay the asking price, and then ....why, there's another firearm being offered. It was back in the closet and am I interested? Why... yes I am. I'm handed a really nice mauser, a Polish mod 29, complete, my heart is pounding and I'm trying to keep my poker face on. I paid her asking price and walked away with two milsurps for a great price.

[gew98]

Hard to beat larry's first hand story !. I'd take several hours to recount all the things I got from vets years back...one was a real nice type99 jap with a 30 carbine slug that went in the buttstock and was stopped by the cupped buttplate. When the buttplate was removed...there was the almost perfect 30 carbine FMJ poking out of the wood and it had a snug fit in the dent it caused on the buttplate.
One of the best things I ever got was a type 38 and type 99 , both with mums and bayonets both with slings. A wazikashi short sword and a powder bag with about 2 dozen gold teeth. George decher was a relation through marriage in the family and lived down the street. At the tender age of 12 he gave these to me as he saw my love of old milsurps etc etc. He was a USMC veteran of saipan and okinawa. He had a metal plate in his forehead and a bullet through his arm that left noticeble in and out dimples at his wrist and elbow. Make a long story short when he passed away in the early 90's his wife's gypsy family looted his home while he lay dying in the VA. His son and daughter got nothing. I ran into his daughter and realized how sad she was over the whole affair. I asked her to come by with her brother as I had some things of their father I am sure they would like to have. When they came over I layed out the rifles bayonets sword and bag of teeth. His son cried a river...he recounted as a wee tyke he got caught playing wiht those teeth and got a beating he never did forget. He assumed his father tossed them out in one of his 'episodes' back then. They split it up amongst themselves and remembered all of those items well and they were destined to be gievn to their grandkids.
My favorite of which I still have is the Patt'14 I got from my buddies dad whom got it in england while flying B17's during WW2. He traded an old codger of a brit homeguardsman some booze and foodstuffs for it and mailed it home.


As a postscript..... At george decher's funeral I found out he won a sliver star for knocking out bunkers. He almost got it posthumously as his wounds were such they left him for dead. It was'nt until several weeks later that he awoke in pearl harbor where he was able to tell somebody who he was. His mother already had gotten the letter stating MIA prseumed dead due to enemy action. That letter he had framed on the wall and he always made a joke of it. But he neevr told a soul except his brother he got that medal on okinawa.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Hmmm...mil surp stories... I've got a bunch of both! I had two mil surp rifles already when I acquired my first pistol at age 16. It was a WW I vintage G.I. .45, straight 1911 model, but it wasn't surplus, it was stolen. My dad was a police sgt. in a small city and the pistol was in the possession of a bartender who sampled too much of his wares and began threatening patrons with the pistol. The police were called and the bartender put in the clink. The pistol was confiscated because the serial no. was filed off. As the police station was a small one my dad brought the pistol home and attempted to "raise" the filed numbers using acid. I was about age 6 at the time and got to watch. He was able to read all of the numbers except one, which could have been a 3 or an 8. The two possible numbers were run past all branches of the Armed Forces, all of which denied ownership of the pistol. This is, even today, not that uncommon because they don't like admitting that they have lost a weapon. My dad, who liked guns and owned several, but was not a "gun guy", concluded that the pistol had been origninaly sold on the civilian market because there was no trace of the "United States Property" marking on the right side of the frame. He was later able to purchase the pistol at the annual police auction, and had it nicely reblued. When I was age 16 it appeared under the Christmas tree with my name on it, along with a 2 lb. coffee can of surplus ammo. He was very proficient with it, and I also got pretty good with it, although its hammer always bit the web of my thumb. After lots of years of being around guns, gunsmithing and collecting, one day I was examining my old .45's markings with a magnifying glass and on the left side, very faintly, I could see traces of "United States Property" where present on other WW I vintage .45s in my collection. So the pistol was originally made for the military and was most likely stolen, as both the serial no. and the property marks had been filed. I still have it, still shoot it once in a blue moon, and it will be the very last to go.

[ktw]

I only have two. I use both of them to participate in CMP/NRA Service Rifle High Power events.

M1 Garand

A well-used, CMP, 1942 Springfield I picked up from Redneck Dan 6 or 7 years ago. He was looking for a motorcycle at the time. I had an old one in the garage that I hadn't ridden in many years. We swapped the motorcycle for the Garand and some ammo. I later sent this off to DGR for a complete rebuild. It has been my primary CMP/NRA High Power rifle ever since.

1903 Springfield

A 1942 Remington I found at a small, local gun show 5 years ago. Military dress, matching 42 barrel and it looked brand new - no wear on the metal finish, better than normal military wood, no cartouches on the stock. I suspect is was something someone had rebuilt. I am not a collector and was looking for a good shooter. The seller had $700 on it. I walked away with it for $650. I use it as a cast shooter (311284/16.5 gr 2400) and my primary plinking rifle. I occasionally use it in CMP Garand/Springfield/Vintage Military shoots.

-ktw

[Speedo66]

I got on my job as a NYS peace officer in 1969. At that time a lot of the older guys, many of them WWII vets, were retiring. I had shown an interest in firearms since I'd been shooting from age 12 or so, and these guys would ask me if I was interested in buying some guns. I wound up with an FN Hi-Power with nazi markings and 2 mags and original holster ($65), an absolutely pristine Luger ($200), and what looked like an unfired M-1 Carbine with original case, cleaning kit with case, and WWII ammo ($75) from a former Navy Seabee. He also offered an 8mm Nambu, but I thought his asking price of $100 was too high, and ammo for it was impossible to find at that time. I also traded a Colt Jr. .25 for a WWII vintage 1911 Colt.

I enjoyed them all, but wound up selling all but the Carbine, which I still have.

I also bought a Trapdoor Springfield .45-70 rifle cut down to Carbine length from another officer for $85, and two Swedish Mausers when they were first imported, a rifle, and a short rifle, both excellent condition, for $79 and $89. There were also the two new Chinese SKS's when they were first imported @ $89. Except for one SKS, they're all gone, too.

So as far as Milsurps I'm left with a Carbine and an SKS, both fun, low recoil, and enjoyable to shoot. Can't see selling either one of those.

[WILCO]

Great Milsurp stories! Keep 'em coming.

[43PU]

I also have a browning hi power from the battle of the bulge(we had a member of the 101 in my town) I became good friends with him. He said when he was in holland there was a building he was hiding around a staircase and the door opened with the nazi SS standing there with an arm full of booze and they saw each other, the vet pulled him M1 Garand up and shot him in the thigh from about 3 feet and the nazi fell/jumped on him. The SS was trying to pull out his high power and shoot the vet. Well his M1 landed with his barrel up he pused forward and pulled the trigger hitting the nazi in the chin going up his face coming out of his forehead he pushed the body off and brain matter fell over falling in his holster so he grabbed the hi power and made a holster out of the Germans winter boots. When he died I was at work and his lawyer came in telling me that he left me a little safe and that no one was allowed to open it other than me, and I was to get the contents inside. Inside was the hi power in the home made holster, the capture papers, SS insignia. A picture of the dead SS with him with his foot on the body. His Purple Heart Nd a hand written story of how he got everything. I made a shadow box with everything in it. I gave the Purple Heart back to the family. And cherish the rest

[1Shirt]

Super story 43PU.
1Shirt!

[1Shirt]

I will probably never have as many Milsurps as I would like. That said, I have two long swedes w/matching serial numbers, both over 100 years old, that are an absolute pleasure to both own and shoot. That is even more so today, as I was in Cabellas last evening, and they had one on the rack, matching numbers, and in pretty nice condition. Price tag $637.00, and I almost choked! I have $150.00 in one of mine, and 39.00 in the other. They also had a M-38 Mosin in pretty bad shape for 330.00 and change. Paid 89.00 ( think) just a few years back for mine in excellent condition, and wish I had bought the other 5 on the rack. Cabellas is now selling M91 Mosins for $199.00 that were selling a year ago in the same store for 99.00. Ain't this economy just great?
1Shirt!

[WILCO]

Super story 43PU.
1Shirt!

Same here. Thanks for sharing.

[WILCO]

Keep the stories coming Gents. I read each one and appreciate you sharing them.

[rpludwig]

here's my meager thread contribution...

Dad brought back a 7.7 arisaka (ground off mum) from his Pacific WWII campaigns. No clue if safe to shoot, found some Norma ammo, tied it to a bench and pulled the trigger with some twine while at a safe distance...success. Being a youngster with a Herters catalog (early 60's), decided to sporterize...brother took it to metal shop @ school, cut off the bbl to 20" with a hacksaw, put it in a metal lathe and turned the bbl down to unknown specs and crowned it with file. Ordered a timney trigger, maple stock, williams sights and did some kitchen table smithing....it actually turned out semi-nice and shot 2-3moa, albeit throwing some fire outta the bbl...fun project for a kid at the time but regretable in hindsight, ruined Dad's war souvenier and lost track of it long ago.

Fast forward 50 years, being nostalgic, landed a 99 at a gun show, mum intact, bayonet, all good for 75 bucks...going to dig it out this weekend clean it up and load a few rounds, think I still have the Herters dies and Norma brass...but won't sporterize this time!

[3006guns]

Small local gunshow. Walked up and down the aisles and picked up two 1888 Commission carbines in great shape for $125. Wowee, huh? Wait......it gets better. Guy in his mid twenties had about ten rifles lined up on his table, one marked "Egyptian Hakim, 8mm.....$400". I looked at the gun, twice. That was no Hakim. I asked him if he was flexible on his price at all and he replied no, he was just cleaning out his dad's stuff after his death. He DID have ammo too though, if I was interested....$20.00 more for 200 rounds. I almost ripped my Levis getting my wallet out and handing over $420, then quickly walked out with a mint arsenal rebuilt SVT40 (Tokarev) and 200 rounds of stripper clipped ammo.

I still have the gun and it shoots beautifully.

[roverboy]

I will probably never have as many Milsurps as I would like. That said, I have two long swedes w/matching serial numbers, both over 100 years old, that are an absolute pleasure to both own and shoot. That is even more so today, as I was in Cabellas last evening, and they had one on the rack, matching numbers, and in pretty nice condition. Price tag $637.00, and I almost choked! I have $150.00 in one of mine, and 39.00 in the other. They also had a M-38 Mosin in pretty bad shape for 330.00 and change. Paid 89.00 ( think) just a few years back for mine in excellent condition, and wish I had bought the other 5 on the rack. Cabellas is now selling M91 Mosins for $199.00 that were selling a year ago in the same store for 99.00. Ain't this economy just great?
1Shirt!

It seems the prices are insane a lot of the times. Dunhams sometimes has a few milsurps but, the prices are not the best. Somebody with a C&R can usually beat them.

[kawasakifreak77]

Dad & I were at a gunshow when I was a boy, maybe 12 years old or so (I'm only 30 now) I saw a Springfield with a scope on it for $375 so I went & found dad, telling him about this cool old rifle & he bought it. The guy also had several boxes of arsenal ammo. I bought several & a couple were black tips. We took it out the next day & in a howling Kansas crosswind dad shot a dime sized group with it! It eventually became 'my rifle' after I shot my first deer with it at 14. I loaded that round, a Hornady 180 grain round nose over who knows how much IMR whatever we had at the time.

I used to take it out to a friend's pasture ground & got to where I could ring a 6" plate at 350 meters. I recently dug it out of dad's safe along with the bag of rounds I'd loaded for it over 15 years ago & shot a few groups right at 1". I swear that's probably the most accurate rifle I've shot.

I just bought a Luepold 4x12 for it & am waiting to find a place to park the rings to match the base while I have it apart. That old scppe was getting pretty dim, even though it still works perfect.

[WILCO]

I went back and re-read some of the stories. Thanks for sharing them.

[kawasakifreak77]

The second milsurp dad got was a Swedish M96 from 1919. I remember seeing it for the first time & noticing the peerless craftsmanship of the Swedes. This was years ago before the prices went crazy on them. It was all numbers matching, as issued & I can't recall what he gave for it, but it wasn't much. Bought a freak'n pickup load of the spirepoint 'nickle' bullets with it too & man that is one shooting rifle!

Bad thing is he sporterized it. It was still a fine shooting rifle but back then it didn't seam like anything special. Just an old war gun..

It was professionally done, so a nice sporter none the less & accounted for the fartherest my dad dropped a deer. I can't recall the range but it was a loooong ways away!

We used to shoot a lot of deer. Things were tough & a nice fat cornfed doe is a lot of good meat if you could pop her before she knows whats up.

For the past several years, it has been relegated to the back of the safe (haven't needed to shoot a deer in quite some time) & recently I asked dad to get the ole thing back out.

I worked up a load with 140 Amaxs & varget, 36 grains I believe. Accurate & easy shooting but the stock barrel's throat is sooooo long I couldn't get the bullet anywhere near the lands.

I liked it so much I started looking at finding myself one, as original as possible. I'm a wood & open sights boltgun lover. I just about bought one & dad stopped me. We went out to the car & he said I could have the old Swede. :) Being his side of the family came to Canada from Sweden in 1903, this was a pretty big deal.

For the record, I don't want ya'll thinking I'm a spoiled brat. I work around 70 hours a week & had just bought dad a new NM M1A for his birthday.

So I immediately bought a new Shillen barrel, Timney trigger, period vintage Lyman 48 target peep & a walnut stock. It's about halway together at the moment & it's my dream rifle. What I view as the perfect rifleman's rifle. Since it's already cut up I don't feel bad about cutting it up farther. Once comeplete, my goal is to have a rifle that looks old but built with the best components.

My plan is to work up a load that matches the factory pricksette load. Once I'm done with that she's going to get pampered. Taken out once in awhile to punch paper since all my hunting is with a scattergun nowdays.

If I could only have one rifle (aside from a .22) it'd be a Swedish Mauser. I firmly believe they're one of the best, if not the best milsurp made.

[Rio Grande]

Well, this isn't a milsurp story about acquiring one, and its not about responsible use of one....
But it's interesting.
Way back about 1971 a hippie friend of mine became very upset when 'his' girl was thought to be cavorting with with another guy after hours behind the locked doors of 'Liberty Hall', an old wood framed church converted into a music hall in Houston, Texas.
So my friend grabbed a British #4 fully loaded (and he was too) and at 3AM walked a block or so to the place, promptly fired
10 rounds of FMJ through the building, leisurely walked home, set the rifle in the corner, went to bed and slept like a baby.
No doubt the shots were heard all over downtown Houston, just about a mile to the north.
I guess that might make for a textbook case of coitus interruptus. Or maybe they just thought it was fireworks.

You asked for a story, that's a true one.