What $79/$89 military surplus bolt action rifle flooded the market around 2000’?

[Tripplebeards]

I remember piles of them for sale at fleet farm in Minnesota but never had any interest. I remember my Pop’s offered to but me one for Christmas that year but I passed on them as I was only interested in modern firearms at the time. It was between 2000’ and 2003’ when I saw these. Were they Yugo’s or mosin’s? I don’t remember. Might have to buy one now for memories.

[Texas by God]

1938 Turkish Mauser?

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[bob208]

around that time I bought a Yugo 98 with all the trimmings about 125. got a 9130 with all the trimmings for less then 100. the Swedish had taken off. never had a look at the truks.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

The Turk Mausers are the only ones I recall selling that cheaply around the year 2000. Mosins were also pretty inexpensive, but the Yugos were always a bit higher to a lot higher, depending on condition. Another great bargain being sold around that time was the Czech VZ-24. That time period was kind of like "the good old days revisited" for a while. Now, I think, never to be seen again.

[Kraschenbirn]

IIRC, I got an M38 Turk...a bit cosmetically battered but a decent bore and all matching #s...for $99+tax around that time.

Bill

[Texas by God]

IIRC, I got an M38 Turk...a bit cosmetically battered but a decent bore and all matching #s...for $99+tax around that time.

BillUsually with the bayonet and a cloth bandoleer of HOT 154gr corrosive steel jacket ammo! Good times.

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[frkelly74]

2000 to 2005 The Dunhams chains were running the Yugos 24-47 and 48 rifles for $80 on Fridays through Mondays only and Swiss 31 rifles for $99 and 91-30 Russians for $80 . I should have bought every one I saw but couldn't quite do that. I did have at one time, 13 of the Swiss rifles and a bunch of the Yugo Mausers. They were a very good investment, every one of them. Now when I go into the Dunhams here and ask about Mausers I get blank looks, except from the manager who dimly remembers old beat up guns of some kind way back when. It has become a kind of recreation for me, to ask a question about old stuff of some young punk, just to see the blank look.

[Traffer]

I remember when you could mail order just about any kind of surplus rifle. The 03's were most expensive. Maybe $20.99. A good German Mauser went for the next highest maybe $16 to $18.99. Then the others. Carcano's were $10.99 to $13.99 Enfield's were around $15. Arisaka's were about $10. And on.
Ah the good old days.

[30calflash]

That time frame I'd say a Yugo Mauser or MN 91-30, possibly a M-44. It was the tail end of the import influx and everything else that comes to mind was gone by then or more $$.

[Jniedbalski]

The Spanish Mauser in 7mm and 308 where cheep then also

[Multigunner]

First Swedish Mauser I saw close up was in the 80's when a neighbor brought over a just opened carboard box with a label that identified the rifle inside as a Lee Enfield.
He had just bought the rifle for 39.99 and asked me what kind of Enfield this was and why .303 ammo wouldn't fit it.
It was a cherry M96 Swedish Mauser in like new condition.
Thing is the same store was selling the Swedes for 79.99 at that time.

[Shawlerbrook]

Mosins, M95 Steyr’s and Argentine 7.65’s were common also and cheap back then. Go back another 10 years and you could get M1 Carbines, P17 & 14 Enfields for around $125.

[Kraschenbirn]

That time frame I'd say a Yugo Mauser or MN 91-30, possibly a M-44. It was the tail end of the import influx and everything else that comes to mind was gone by then or more $$.

Don't recall seeing any sub-$100 M48s around that time; plenty of MNs and M91 Argies but not M48s. On the other hand, according to my inventory list, I did snag a (possibly?) unissued M48 for $140 OTD in early 2005 - other than some scuffing on the heel of the buttplate, not a scratch, wear mark, or ding on metal or wood. Still have it.

Bill

[jonp]

right around that timeframe if I remember right I was buying Mosin's for $89 and spamcans of ammo for $69. Guns were in an LGS and soaked with Cosmoline but were good shooters when you got it off with much sweat and JB Borepaste with much Butches. The Spamcans I got through Shotgun News I think. Still have one or two but the Mosins are long gone

[2152hq]

The Austrian M95 straightpull 8x56R caliber carbines were under $100 at that time.
Late 1930's ammo, 2 5-shot packet clips in the original cardboard box sold for $1.50e if you bought a case of them.

The like new Polish M/N carbines were about out of stock with the dealers and starting to climb in prices. But just a few years prior in the mid 90's one of those beautys still in that thick grease, w/ sling, oiler was $69.95.
I bought 7.62x54R Bulgarian ammo , 2 spam cans in a sealed wooden case for $59.99 at shows. Still have one in the garage I forgot was around.
M/N 91/30's were pretty much $59 and $69 up untill Russia invaded the Ukraine and that stopped the source of the rifles.
Turkish Mausers were anywhere from $35 and up. Turk 1941 headstamp 8mm FMJ ammo,, a 70rd bandoleer in Mauser stripper clips was $5 (Five) each bought by the case of 10 bandoleers.
Corrosive and seems a bit hot, but it shot fine thru the tough Mausers of most any mfg. Lots of the ammo would split the neck upon firing but it was scrap brass only anyway being Berdan primed.

There were some fun deals not that long ago. The Ishy 2A1 Enfields were a bit before then. The 7.62Nato cal LeeEnfields, many like new were around for $70 / $75 from places like Southern Ohio Gun.

Yes I remember the 'old days too. My first Milsurp rifle was a 1893 'Spanish Mauser' made by Lowe/Berlin. 7mm Mauser
Like new condition, not re-done. All matching of course and with matching bayonet. You had your choice, just pick one out of the wooden crate.
Cost $15. But that was about 1962 or 3. That was a good chunk of money for a kid at the time.

Remington 7mm FMJ ammo in the white pasteboard 20rd box w/red Remington lable on the one side was 75cents a box.

That was my 'High Powered' woodchuck rifle back then. Took me a bit to figure out where to hold as it shot high as most of them did.

Good Times..

[Bwana John]

Around here you could get Turk Mausers for $29.95 in ~2001-2002.

And a case of 1440 rounds of prewar Turk (1938) 7.92 Mauser on stripper clips, in bandoleers for $75.

It jump started the shooting careers of a couple of friends.

[Earlwb]

I remember SKS Chinese made carbines going for those prices too.

[Geezer in NH]

Century International Arms. Turks, Yugo mausers. Mosin Nagants.

I have bought all for under 50 bucks couple hundred under 40 bucks all depended on condition. The really great condition ones went 75-100 bucks. This was dealer FFL prices.

The best buy IMHO were the 49 mosins factory refinish like new in wrap at $49.00 each I sold a couple hundred at $99 out of the shop.

[smithnframe]

I bought a Turkish mauser at a gun show in 2002 for $40.00 with surplus ammo!

[funnyjim014]

Around 05 was when I started with the surplus stuff. The mosin 9130 was 100bucks then the m44was 100-150 depending on condition and if it had laminate stock. Sks was 130-150 depending on how bad the wood was. There were still k98 but we're 300. Ammo was cheap and life was good

[Geezer in NH]

Turk, Two pallets at 63 cases 1440 each, in bandoleer on 5 round strippers that were brass at $.03 per round. Delivered. Did that twice one for the shop once for my 1919a4 I bought two 8mm barrels for.

Big Booms mucho corrosive. From my pallets I sold the strippers for $.20 each per hundred. Those were the days the early 2000's.

[beemer]

Around that time frame I bought a Mosin M-44 that was unissued for about $80. I sold it not long after and bought it back a couple years ago with the bayonet lug sawn off. I got it back fairly cheep but that did hurt the value. That rifle has the nicest bore of any milsurp I have ever owned.

I bought a some Turk 8mm that would lock up the bolt in my M48 Mauser. I ran a couple rounds across the chrony and it was over just over 2900 fps, a little hot I think.

[KCSO]

At one time most of the bolt action surplus rifles were that cheap. Swiss rifles, swede mausers, msoins were 59.95 dealer and MAS were under 90 bucks. They are all gone now. Cabelas has a load of Mosins for like $259 and up for rifles that not that long ago were 99 bucks.

[frkelly74]

Yesterday.... 91/30 russian round receivers so-so condition $500 and Swiss 96/11 long rifles one $599 and one $549. and a beat up walnut stocked K31 for about $600. These were at the Saginaw Cabellas here, in case anyone wants to rush out and buy them up. I've already had the pleasure of owning each of these types and left them for someone else to enjoy.

[3006guns]

I remember when you could mail order just about any kind of surplus rifle. The 03's were most expensive. Maybe $20.99. A good German Mauser went for the next highest maybe $16 to $18.99. Then the others. Carcano's were $10.99 to $13.99 Enfield's were around $15. Arisaka's were about $10. And on.
Ah the good old days.

I too remember those days...........but what we didn't realize is that most of the offerings in the late fifties/early sixties were surplus, and not really good surplus at that. The guns that started coming in during the mid eighties were war reserves.......big difference. In other words, that last batch of arms were intended to be used and were kept in good shape. The various countries decided to dump their reserve arms and gain some warehouse space!

[nicholst55]

I bought several Czech made M98/22 Mausers that were built for the Turks for $50-60 from the distributor about that time. They ranged from pretty decent condition to downright ratty. One that I bought had an absolutely new barrel, another had a beautiful tiger-striped walnut stock. Those two got swapped around - the action with the new barrel went into the tiger-striped stock. A couple of them were professionally sporterized, but I finally sold the tiger stripe rifle.

[lrdg]

I remember when you could mail order just about any kind of surplus rifle. The 03's were most expensive. Maybe $20.99. A good German Mauser went for the next highest maybe $16 to $18.99. Then the others. Carcano's were $10.99 to $13.99 Enfield's were around $15. Arisaka's were about $10. And on.
Ah the good old days.

I can too! Which means we are both old farts.

[oldhenry]

I remember when you could mail order just about any kind of surplus rifle. The 03's were most expensive. Maybe $20.99. A good German Mauser went for the next highest maybe $16 to $18.99. Then the others. Carcano's were $10.99 to $13.99 Enfield's were around $15. Arisaka's were about $10. And on.
Ah the good old days.

In '58 I was a freshman @ NGC & ordered a Danish Krag with 20 rounds of ammo (military that had original bullets pulled & SPs seated) for $22.50. I wish I had it now.

[Tripplebeards]

I remember when you could mail order just about any kind of surplus rifle. The 03's were most expensive. Maybe $20.99. A good German Mauser went for the next highest maybe $16 to $18.99. Then the others. Carcano's were $10.99 to $13.99 Enfield's were around $15. Arisaka's were about $10. And on.
Ah the good old days.

I guess deals are still out there. I bought/traded for a Winchester M1917 enfield last fall for $25 cash along with a pair of scope rings I was given, and I polished his trigger and bolt on his new hunting rifle he bought to replace it. It needed an original stock set as it was sporterized. I paid $220 for an original Winchester stock set for it. I sold the sporter stock and Timney trigger out of it for $60 each so I’m into the rifle for $145. I did buy a reproduction sling for $30. He also gave me two Lee enfield sporters. I just have to keep power shopping. I plan on eventually finding someone to trade my restored lee enfield sporter for some kind of all original surplus type rifle.

[Eddie1971]

I too remember those days...........but what we didn't realize is that most of the offerings in the late fifties/early sixties were surplus, and not really good surplus at that. The guns that started coming in during the mid eighties were war reserves.......big difference. In other words, that last batch of arms were intended to be used and were kept in good shape. The various countries decided to dump their reserve arms and gain some warehouse space!

You are so correct. All the good stuff came in the 80's. I remember nobody wanted 1886 Lebels. They were under $100. Go on Gunbroker and they sell for $1,200 or more!

[Multigunner]

You are so correct. All the good stuff came in the 80's. I remember nobody wanted 1886 Lebels. They were under $100. Go on Gunbroker and they sell for $1,200 or more!

A friend bought a French WW1 carbine, the three round mannlicher clip type mail order for less than 30 bucks.
I cleaned it up for him and found it had a decent bore. Only minor dusting of surface rust over every thing. Metal finish cleaned up very nice. IIRC it had a fancy engraving on the receiver or possibly on the barrel saying something about Winchester Fluid Steel.

[Tripplebeards]

You are so correct. All the good stuff came in the 80's. I remember nobody wanted 1886 Lebels. They were under $100. Go on Gunbroker and they sell for $1,200 or more!

Yep...people want what they can't have.lol if there was a huge surplus right now I bet they wouldn't sell again. ..look at the mosins piled up a cabelas. We will all be belly aching in 20 years. ..if we are around...when they are going for a grand.

[MarkS]

I picked up a Carcano carbine for $80 and my brother in law got a K98 Mauser 1915 manufactured date + a 1895 Argentine Calvary Mauser for just over $100 from his brothers shop


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