M48 Mauser or Finn M39?

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Have shot both, own a Mauser. IMHO the Mauser is superior in design and quality. If you want a fine shooting milsurp the M48 is best.
I handload so ammo is no problem, but the days of cheap spam cans of 54R are rapidly ending.
If you have the means, get both!
 
I've never seen an M48 id consider "quality" when compared to a K98, of which id only compare to a Finn M39. Bear in mind, this is based solely on those which I've had experience with. The M48 is as vanilla as a 91/30 to me.
 
The Mauser will be smoother, more pleasant to the eye, but the M39 will have it's history and the character that can't be matched by the M48.
 
M-39, cheap ammo, accurate, less recoil to me, and they have been appreciating. Have had both, now own two M-39s.
 
A one time I owned two 39's. One a VKT and the other Sako. Old Russian actions mated to a fine Finn barrel. Both were very accurate to a point of being almost boring if accurate can be boring. Mine loved Chinese made 7.62x54R ammo. Brass cased and Cu jacketed. The 48 Mausers are very common and not at all difficult to come by. You don't seee too many 39's around as people are hanging on to them.
 
I have a German (1941) built K98 and a Hungarian (1954) built M44. With my samples, the Mauser is much better all around rifle. If you reload, there is a better selection of bullets for the 8mm.

So, yeah, my vote is for the Mauser. Even though mine are not the exact same as what you're looking at.
 
I will say that there is a guy on Gunbroker selling a K98K as an M48 for $500. He must not know the difference.

You're welcome. :cool:
 
The Finn M39 were rebarrelled and made them the most accurate of all Mosin-Nagants.
 
Some indeed are Sakos. I have one. Trigger is incredible, sights are much better than those of my 91/30 or my Mauser or just about any other open sight gun I own for that matter. The stock is indeed much beefier and more comfortable, and the wood is beautiful. You could almost think of the M39 as the custom-shop Mosin Nagant. The took rack grade Russian guns and improved the heck out of them. If someone tries to tell you about Finns based on their Russian, I would ignore them. That is like someone trying to tell you about Wilson Combats based on their Rock Island.
 
Ok, here she is, straight out of the box with a quick wipe down.

1944 Finn M39, VKT, nice wood, with a stock repair just under the rear sight. Bore looks great, bolt has a little oxidation but should clean up just fine.

This rifle does't even feel like a Mosin when you pick it up. Very cool, can't wait to make it go boom.

59a2788eea4550dad8fe24ae943f39b4.jpg 14bca532d9f26c2b80cdf5697458d399.jpg 7217788783f56afbec4ab118b567923e.jpg
 
They all have such beautiful wood too. I wish I knew what kind of wood they used. Very nice gun!
 
meanmrmustard said:
Not sure of the exact wood, most likely something alpine in nature.

But gotta love that pine tar.
Click to expand...
The Finnish stocks are usually some sort of birch. (baltic birch?) And, yes, they're usually gorgeous especially with a pine tar finish.

Great rifle!

Matt
 
Seems kinda light, but I think that with a pine tar treatment, its entirely possible that you may be correct.

Caribou may know the answer to this conundrum.
 

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I know that they're birch, I'm just not sure of what type of birch. Baltic birch is used in lots of guitar amp cabinets so that's where my brain goes by default and they're kind of in the same area of the world. :)

Matt
 
Some research over at 7.62x54R.net tells me that early production rifles used a wood blatantly referred to as Arctic birch, with later rifles that had been spliced using Baltic birch.

You are not far off sir.
 
Have you guys found what size bullet these Finns tend to like? I've not slugged mine yet, but assuming it comes in at .310 +/- .0005, what's a good bullet to try? My other Mosins have .311-.312 bores so I use .303 British bullets (which run .311-.312).
 
my 1941 vkt came out to almost .311 bore and .300 lands. have loaded some .308 bullets for the next range visit. only shot mil surp out of it so far with .310 bullets still very accurate. also have a m48 but the cost of 8mm compared to 54r you can't go wrong with a finn.
 
elwoodm said:
my 1941 vkt came out to almost .311 bore and .300 lands. have loaded some .308 bullets for the next range visit. only shot mil surp out of it so far with .310 bullets still very accurate. also have a m48 but the cost of 8mm compared to 54r you can't go wrong with a finn.
Click to expand...


I don't think .308 bullets will give good accuracy in a .311 bore. Be nice if they did...lots more choices in 308
 
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