I know it's kind of a generic topic.
I have a Mosin, which is in good shape overall, shoots very well, but has a below average action, and I say that with the understanding that Mosin actions in general are pretty rough. It's hard to open (cock), heck it's even a little hard to open when already cocked. Any slight sideways pressure causes it to catch a bit on closing, etc. I can run it pretty fast 80% of the time by just putting a little extra muscle into it but... yeah.
My other bolt actions are a 22LR and a 22 Hornet, the former of which is OK but you don't expect much from a $230 Savage, so no harm done. The other is a CZ 527 which, as I've said in another thread, I was disappointed by its action (otherwise a great gun, though).
Anyway, last weekend I went out with a friend who had a 1920 G98 Mauser, and I was instantly very jealous. The action is super smooth. Loading rounds is almost more fun than shooting it for how nice the magazine is.
So I stopped myself from my previous plan of getting into 7.62x54R reloading due to this realization that bolt actions can indeed be really nice.
I have a budget of about $500. What should I get? Enfield? Yugo Mauser? What's guaranteed (or as close to guaranteed as you'll get with mil surp) to have a smooth action and magazine? Can I reliably slick up the Mosin action enough to make such a major difference for $100~150? Probably not..., and it wouldn't fix the fiddly magazine.
I also need to consider the ability to reload for it. I'm willing to spend the extra dough on .311" bullets for an Enfield or Mosin if that's what it takes. I guess a Mauser is just as difficult to reload for. Casting isn't an option for me right now due to where I live (although I hear group buys are a thing. Might need to look into that). Loading down to new-shooter-friendly recoil would be an important consideration as well.
Major Side-bar question: It doesn't even have to be bolt action as long as I can turn it into one (i.e. an "off" gas setting) for bench shooting and brass recovery. Going this route boosts my budget since it would fill a semi-auto role as well. Any good rifles out there with this option? I realize some ARs can do this but I'm not really into that platform right now. Wasn't there some version of the Ljungman rifle that had gas adjustment? That'd be pretty slick. But probably expensive.
I have a Mosin, which is in good shape overall, shoots very well, but has a below average action, and I say that with the understanding that Mosin actions in general are pretty rough. It's hard to open (cock), heck it's even a little hard to open when already cocked. Any slight sideways pressure causes it to catch a bit on closing, etc. I can run it pretty fast 80% of the time by just putting a little extra muscle into it but... yeah.
My other bolt actions are a 22LR and a 22 Hornet, the former of which is OK but you don't expect much from a $230 Savage, so no harm done. The other is a CZ 527 which, as I've said in another thread, I was disappointed by its action (otherwise a great gun, though).
Anyway, last weekend I went out with a friend who had a 1920 G98 Mauser, and I was instantly very jealous. The action is super smooth. Loading rounds is almost more fun than shooting it for how nice the magazine is.
So I stopped myself from my previous plan of getting into 7.62x54R reloading due to this realization that bolt actions can indeed be really nice.
I have a budget of about $500. What should I get? Enfield? Yugo Mauser? What's guaranteed (or as close to guaranteed as you'll get with mil surp) to have a smooth action and magazine? Can I reliably slick up the Mosin action enough to make such a major difference for $100~150? Probably not..., and it wouldn't fix the fiddly magazine.
I also need to consider the ability to reload for it. I'm willing to spend the extra dough on .311" bullets for an Enfield or Mosin if that's what it takes. I guess a Mauser is just as difficult to reload for. Casting isn't an option for me right now due to where I live (although I hear group buys are a thing. Might need to look into that). Loading down to new-shooter-friendly recoil would be an important consideration as well.
Major Side-bar question: It doesn't even have to be bolt action as long as I can turn it into one (i.e. an "off" gas setting) for bench shooting and brass recovery. Going this route boosts my budget since it would fill a semi-auto role as well. Any good rifles out there with this option? I realize some ARs can do this but I'm not really into that platform right now. Wasn't there some version of the Ljungman rifle that had gas adjustment? That'd be pretty slick. But probably expensive.