Older Bolt action

[Jschatz]

I am thinking about picking up an older style bolt action rifle. I glanced at the link from the group by thread to http://www.classicarms.us/ and saw the
Yugo 24/47 and the M91/30 NAGANT. I know nothing about those firearms/most from the era. This sparked the question of what kind should I get. I would like some advice on what kind of rifle to get from the era. This will mainly just be a plinking/possibly hunting gun.

Thanks
Ray

 

[Furious_George]

i'd check to see how cheap you could get the ammo for those guns locally first and atleast handle or shoot a couple of them before making the purchase. army surplus stores usually have pretty decent milsurp ammo prices. if you get the nagant, i'd try and steer away from the urethane coated steel cases and try to get atleast copper washed cases. the urethane ones tend to stick in the chamber. honestly, i'd try to get an enfield. i've shot mausers, nagants, enfields, and a ton of other bolt guns and the enfield is just so much more fun to shoot. it has a pretty unusual cock-on-closing bolt which is typically faster and smoother than the standard bolt type. and i usually get ammo for about 20 cents per round (without even buying in bulk). might try hitting up a range and seeing if somebody would let you shoot off a couple rounds. i'm always more than happy to let somebody fire mine off.

 

[shortgrass]

I'd jump on the 24/47 Mauser long before I'd lay good money down for a Mosin. The Mauser isn't nearly the 'boat anchor' that the Mosin is, and can be re-barreled to other cals. of matching bolt face size, I.E. .308 Win., .243 Win. 7x 57mm, .257 Roberts, .260 Rem., 7MM/08 Rem., ect.,ect. The Mosin is dedicated to the Rusian round that it is chambered for. There MIGHT be some modern made hunting loads made for the Mosin but I haven't seen them. You can by 8x57mm hunting loads, made by Win. or Rem. in most 'real' gun shops. Chances are you won't find loads for either at WM. The Mauser action has been the std. for custom rifle builds for over 100 years, the Mosin is just a Mosin!

 

[ldp4570]

Besides the Mauser, another good choice, yes there are reloadable brass around an some decent hunting loads, get yourself a K31 an see just how well you can shoot.

 

[Jschatz]

I guess I should wait for the big show and go handle some. I can already tell you how well I can shoot. Not well.

 

[aeropb]

My favorite old bolt action is the Enfield #4 Mk1, however due to ammo scarcity if I were to get into one now, I'd get a nagant.

 

[12gabackup]

I like the Mauser better. I've had both and the Mauser is a more refined and better built gun.

 

[ronny]

The beauty of the Mosin is the cheap and readily available ammo (7.62x54). They don't win beauty contests, but they are good rifles.

If you want accurate, get a Finnish M39 (Mosin action). They're great looking rifles, very accurate and 7.62x54.

K31's and Swedish Mausers are tack drivers, too.

 

[Fly]

I also go for the Mosin Nagant.It was my first of many rifles I have & still
one that I favor almost number one in my collection.You can buy a referbish
91/30 for $79.95 at AMI.

Surplus ammo is cheap & the new stuff not any more than cal's of the same
ballistics.

 

[ronny]

Well, $79.95 from AIM, plus $20-25 shipping and $15-20 transfer free means more like $115-$125. However, that's still pretty cheap.

Most gunshows have the typical crate of wartime production 91/30's for $119.95 plus sales tax. Of course, you have to clean the cosmoline off (I'd charge $50 to do that).