Arrgh, I'm a goonball.

[Warren]

So I went to Big 5 today to buy *a* rifle. A Marlin 60SN that I had a rain check for.

Then I see they are selling Mosin 91/30s for $74 so I decide to buy that as well, he let me pick out the few he had left and the one I bought had a smooth enough bolt, good wood and an absolutley shiny & sharp bore.

Then we get to talking about the Steyr M95/34 I had looked at on my previous trip. They had a couple priced at $199 each. I told the manager that I could get them online for $99 to $119 so what does he do? He goes to the computer hits a few buttons and says "Now these are $99 as well, want one?"

Yes, yes I do. Good wood, barrel is okay but the bolt needs to be cleaned if it is to run smoothly.

So I walked in for one and ended up with three. Total with tax: $371.50.

I went from -0- rifles to three (after a 10 day wait) in 20 minutes. Wow.

So I have 250 rounds of 7.62X54 on the way. Clipped with shipping @ .25 cents a round.

I have plenty of .22 already, of course.

I have sent away for M95 clips, naturally.

But I can't source cheap(ish) 8x56R and this is one reason why I am a goonball, I should have thought about that before I bought the gun.

The second reason and third reasons I am a goonball are: I don't know how to strip these antique weapons for cleaning, nor do I know if they are even safe to fire. They look right but I don't walk around with headspace gauges on me. A borelight? Yes. Headspace gauges? Umm, not so much.

Any advice would be wonderful.

Thank you,

Warren

 

[JediJJJ]

Check out http://www.surplusrifle.com/ for all the instructions you'll need for both of those rifles. The have articles online and you can get PDF files to download and print for home use.

As far as the ammo for the M95 I just bought 900rds if 1938-1942 milsurp online but that was the last batch they had. Haven't seen much else around. I did just order 200rds of Nazi stamped on clips on Gunbroker, but when I got it only 60% was Nazi, the rest is Hapsburg crest. Still working with the seller on that one. There are occasional other lots that show up on GB but I haven't seen milsurp listed many places. I believe there is commercial available at Sportsmansguide.com and probably others. I figure that by the time I shoot up what I have I'll have my reloading equipment so I'll go that route.

 

[JediJJJ]

P.S. - You're not a goonball. I've been averaging 1 a week since getting my C&R, so you're due for a two week rest.

 

[marshall3]

You are not a goonball! You made good investments! Not only that, you will now become much more knowledgeable about these wonderful old rifles! It's a great hobby! Congratulations and be proud! (But that ammo for the M95 IS hard to find! Even Mosin ammo is harder to get than it once was.)

 

[DMK]

I've been averaging 1 a week since getting my C&R

wow! I thought I was bad at one a month.

 

[Dr. Dickie]

Any advice would be wonderful.

Get some icy-hot for your shoulder, sounds like you are going to make it real sore (in a good kinda way!).

 

[Hoppy590]

i was doing 1 a month with out a C&R im afraid of what i will do WITH a C&R

antique weapons

i take offense to that! my mosins will kill something just as easily as any wizz bang tacticool AR M4gery! just alot farther away.

 

[Bart Noir]

my mosins will kill something just as easily as any wizz bang tacticool AR M4gery! just alot farther away.

And the concussion will knock black helicopters "right outta the sky"

At least that is the impression I have from being next to one fired at an indoor range. How the heck they used those in room-to-room warfare and then ever had any hearing left, I don't know.

Bart Noir

 

[Warren]

All right I have 150 rounds on the way. @.79 cents a round w/shipping and most of it clipped. That should be enough to beat me up a bit.

And I'd best not get a C&R....It would be like handing Ted Kennedy a bottle of Vodka and my car keys.



edit: And I have sent $14 for Surplus Rifle's Big CD 1 & 2 set, which has everything they have ever produced. That was a good lead, thanks JediJJJ.

So I am on my way.....

Now I just need a rifle cleaning kit and one of those gun vise deals.

 

[Spiggy]

mosin nagant:
open the bolt, pull it back, pull the trigger back, slide bolt out of reciever
-to reinstall is about the same, push it back into the reciever

Steyr:
open the bolt, pull it back, push the trigger forward, slide bolt out of reciever
-to reinstall is easy unless the bolt head springs back into place... then you need to curse a lot until you turn the head into the correct position and push it back into the reciever

Advice? Yea, you might need something for your shoulder with that steyr

 

[Warren]

Thanks, Spiggy.

And I'm wondering if I should start my daughters off with the Marlin or the Steyr? Hmmmmm.....





J/K

 

[J_Dillinger]

But I can't source cheap(ish) 8x56R and this is one reason why I am a goonball, I should have thought about that before I bought the gun.

Any luck on finding the 8x56R ammo ? ......I'm in the market for one of these, too.

The second reason and third reasons I am a goonball are: I don't know how to strip these antique weapons for cleaning, nor do I know if they are even safe to fire. They look right but I don't walk around with headspace gauges on me. A borelight? Yes. Headspace gauges? Umm, not so much.

They'll do fine for firing. The older guns were made to hold up to the abuse. Just wanted to say that you got great deals and no matter what, you'll be able to get your money back if you ever re-sell any of them.

Let us know how they turn out after firing some rounds at the range !

 

[.45Guy]

Hornady is loading 8x56R. Cabellas has mountains of it.

 

[Warren]

Have not had a chance to fire any of them, had guests all week and I'm heading out for a few days this week so it will be a bit.

I purchased 300 rounds of 8x56 at an average, with shipping, of about .57 a round with 100 rounds clipped. So that was like a 40 dollar bonus in "free" clips.

The Mosin is very clean but I broke down the Steyr's bolt and cleaned that out. It was way full of gunk. After cleaning, the action was not smooth, in the way a shattered window is not smooth. Just hard to work the action. On another thread a poster suggested greasing up the inside of the bolt. I have not done this yet.

So I might give that a try beofre my first shoot abd see how the bolt feels then.