ocabj
Member
Well, the $100 for a Mauser is stated loosely. Expect to pay abount $110-$150 shipped for a Mauser.
For cheap surplus rifles:
AIM Surplus
Allan's Armory
Century International
JG Sales
Southern Ohio Gun
Bear defense and plinking rifle?
- Thread starter Hellbore
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Well, the $100 for a Mauser is stated loosely. Expect to pay abount $110-$150 shipped for a Mauser.
For cheap surplus rifles:
AIM Surplus
Allan's Armory
Century International
JG Sales
Southern Ohio Gun
Bear Gulch
Member
Several places have turks for 70 bucks, like sog, J&G etc. Even the evil emoire of Century has them for that price . I have one that I sell you for 85 with a good stock and near new bore.
BTW stay away from big 5 or check their prices carefully. They often are selling 170 dollar mosins in Idaho Falls! For that money, spend the $30 and get a C&R you'll save 70 bucks on your first rifle and pay for the C&R!
BTW stay away from big 5 or check their prices carefully. They often are selling 170 dollar mosins in Idaho Falls! For that money, spend the $30 and get a C&R you'll save 70 bucks on your first rifle and pay for the C&R!
Cosmoline
Member
Easy. 7.62x54R, Mosin-Nagant. Unlike 8x57JS, both surplus and new production ammo are very cheap. The cartridge packs .30'06 punch and carries big 180 and 200 grain bullets easily, making it sufficient for black or brown bear.
In addition, while Mosin carbines are dirt cheap, Mauser carbines and short rifles are usually rare and valuable.
In addition, while Mosin carbines are dirt cheap, Mauser carbines and short rifles are usually rare and valuable.
Bear Gulch
Member
Cosmo there are many differet types of mausers Good solid, pretty Yugo M48 are running 119 or 99 in quantitiy.
Cosmoline
Member
I know and love Mausers, and have owned several dozen over the years. There are cheap Mausers, and surplus FMJ 8x57JS is still cheap. BUT good 8x57JS that you could use against a bear is NOT cheap. There are several Russian companies producing very inexpensive 7.62x54R with soft points, and S&B makes high-qualtiy SP ammo. You don't have to buy Norma and break the bank with 54R.
Plus, a Turkey or Yugo Mauser weighs eight or nine pounds and doesn't tote too easily. I've tried it on the trails up here. A 91/30 sits far easier on the shoulder than a Mauser. And while a 6 lb. Mauser short rifle will run you $500, you can get a 6 lb. M-38 Mosin for under $100. There's no comparision on the carbine front.
Plus, a Turkey or Yugo Mauser weighs eight or nine pounds and doesn't tote too easily. I've tried it on the trails up here. A 91/30 sits far easier on the shoulder than a Mauser. And while a 6 lb. Mauser short rifle will run you $500, you can get a 6 lb. M-38 Mosin for under $100. There's no comparision on the carbine front.
Bear Gulch
Member
And that's why that unwieldy turk get a trip to the lab of evil Dr. Bubba as described above. It comes out a solid 6-7 pounds nail driver with a new crown.
Red Tornado
Member
Cosmoline beat me to it. I was going to say a Mosin M38 or M44. Dirt cheap with cheap plinking ammo and serious hunting/defense ammo at a reasonable as well. In a pinch, even the Czech silvertip (147gr.?) would discourage a bear with proper placement.
If it really gets hairy, the M44 has a built in bayonet for real emergencies.
RT
Disclaimer: I do not advocate bear hunting with a bayonet, or any contact weapon for that matter.
If it really gets hairy, the M44 has a built in bayonet for real emergencies.
RT
Disclaimer: I do not advocate bear hunting with a bayonet, or any contact weapon for that matter.
Cosmoline
Member
Friends don't let friends Bubba Mausers 
Just get a Mosin carbine and let the orthopods keep their hack saws.
Just get a Mosin carbine and let the orthopods keep their hack saws.
willeo6709
Member
12 gauge pump...
Most professional hunting guides I have known use 12 gauge pumps for camp bear watch. A 12 gauge with an 18-20" rifle sighted barrel, possible mag extention tube( could affect max reliability so I'd probably run with 5 shots), a weapon light and lots of practice. Possibly something in the range of an abused model 12 winchester with 6 in the tube and 1 up the pipe...but pick your ultimate high reliability pump gun. Load it with cheap fosters, heaviest weights you can find. no scopes, no night vision... but possibly a claymore at the entrance to the tent....
Most professional hunting guides I have known use 12 gauge pumps for camp bear watch. A 12 gauge with an 18-20" rifle sighted barrel, possible mag extention tube( could affect max reliability so I'd probably run with 5 shots), a weapon light and lots of practice. Possibly something in the range of an abused model 12 winchester with 6 in the tube and 1 up the pipe...but pick your ultimate high reliability pump gun. Load it with cheap fosters, heaviest weights you can find. no scopes, no night vision... but possibly a claymore at the entrance to the tent....
ALASKACAJUN
Member
I see a lot of 45/70 Marlin lever guns up here for cheap. I've never priced the ammo, but there are plenty of the rifles around that I just may buy one. There is a local gun shop that chops the stock off and cuts the barrel down on these. they put a sling and night sites on 'em, and people use 'em for bear protection while salmon fishing. just my $.02 Clint
armoredman
Member
Odd, so many African guides who face such animals as hippo, water buffalo, lion and such all use bolts or double rifles....just a thought.
If I was on an extreme budget, well, like I am, I'd use my M38 Mosin with Czech Silvertip ammo, because it's what I have. If I had anothe $65, I'd get a Mosin M44, just for the attached pigsticker, as a spear is not the worst thing to hold on a charging anything! If I had more than that, I might get sefl shucker in a serious caliber, like an M1 Garand. 8 rounds of 30-06 oughta dop the trick....but, since I don't have the bucks, it falls back on the Mosin....which I can hit 6 inch targets reliably at 100 yards, and standing very reliably at 50. I also tend to stay out of bear country!
If I was on an extreme budget, well, like I am, I'd use my M38 Mosin with Czech Silvertip ammo, because it's what I have. If I had anothe $65, I'd get a Mosin M44, just for the attached pigsticker, as a spear is not the worst thing to hold on a charging anything! If I had more than that, I might get sefl shucker in a serious caliber, like an M1 Garand. 8 rounds of 30-06 oughta dop the trick....but, since I don't have the bucks, it falls back on the Mosin....which I can hit 6 inch targets reliably at 100 yards, and standing very reliably at 50. I also tend to stay out of bear country!
i bought a win 94 in .357 a while back and am really impressed by it. i loaded up some warm 180 grn xtps for animals in the 200+ lb catagory and 110 grn +P .38 's for the smaller ones. turkey opened here today and i took a jake this morning with a .38 from about 45 yds. clean head shot. i cary a GP100 with me usually also.
i cary a GP100 with me usually also.Bear Gulch
Member
Cosmo , et al., don't get me wrong I love my mosins as well. The mausers I bubba are old counterbored things. I am giving them a new life. I also like to think of myself as a little skilled in this area. I used to buy cracked stock turks from SOG for $27.50. These have been morphed into working elk rifles in various calibers. They will be handed down to future generations for their enjoyment.
When I say bubba, that not really what I do. But the collector purists who would consign these rifles to the dump miss their true potential. I have my collector pieces, but I also have and love my Frankenmausers.
When I say bubba, that not really what I do. But the collector purists who would consign these rifles to the dump miss their true potential. I have my collector pieces, but I also have and love my Frankenmausers.
Bear Gulch
Member
The again purists get POed when you finish a stock with anything other than boiled lindseed oil.
Cosmoline
Member
In this neck of the woods at least it's a lot easier to find good SP 7.62x54R than good SP 8x57JS. That was one of the main reasons I switched from Mosins to Mausers.
Bear Gulch
Member
I enjoy both and own several of each. I just am more willing to rework a mauser because you can get parts to fit it. Not much call for rebarreling a mosin. Where with mausers, folk have bee doing it for years.
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