WW2 Rifles... WHICH TO BUY!?

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TheYoungGun

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So, I'm considering trying to get myself a nice, shiny, brand spanking new...WW2 rifle. I just want to get something to take out every once in a while and shoot. I really want to get one of the major WW2 countries, main bolt action rifles. There's just something about the WW2 bolt action guns that has always caught my eye, over the semi-auto rifles. I'm considering buying a Springfield 1903 in .30-06, an M44 Mosin Nagant in 7.62x54mmR, a Lee-Enfield in .303 British, a Mauser Kar98k in 7.92x57mm, a type 38 Arisaka in 6.5x50mm, or a type 99 Arisaka in 7.7x58mm. Anybody have any good experience with these rifles, as I'm onlt slightly familiar with a 91/30 Mosin Nagant, but would love to have any of these rifles as a fun rifle for my small personal collection and a bit of plinking. Thanks!!
 
My vote would be for the M44 Mosin Nagant in 7.62x54mmR, I own several and not only are the very inexpensive to acquire but the ammo's cheap as well!

Plus, the shoot brilliant fireballs out the barrel when you fire them at dawn/dusk! :evil:

Cheers! M2
 
wanting only a bolt gun leaves out the M1 Garand; therefore go with the Mauser - the best action ever designed and the base for many custom rifles over the last 60 years; second choice would be a Swede Mauser in 6.5 x 55
 
DON'T forget the Finnish M39, Swedish Mauser in 6.5 x 55, the M1 Garand, the M1 Carbine, the Swiss K31, the Eddystone 1917....you have a lot of fun to experience, my friend. I wouldn't try for "spanking new" though...in the world of military surplus, that's almost impossible. Settle for a good shooting example of each with some character marks. Good luck, we're rooting for you!
(PS- don't forget the pistols- the Mauser HsC, P38, P08 Luger, Browning High-Power, 1911A1, Smith & Wesson 1917, etc....)
 
If I'm looking at a Mauser, is there much difference in which one I get? Let's say, I see a German Mauser, and a Swedish Mauser. Is there going to be much of a quality, accuracy, etc. difference between either?
 
I own them all except the Springfield my favorite is the Mauser, but if you are looking for cheapest all around cost go m44 or 91/30 mosin nagant.
 
Start with the Mosin-Nagant. Good examples of the M44 & M91/30 can still be found for under $125, and 7.62x54 is about the cheapest sruplus ammo around.
 
I'd get, in decending order,
1) Mauser 98k or Czech VZ-24 interwar version.
2) That Springfield made Mauser Clone where every patent avoiding change they made was for the worse (G, D, & R...). Seriously, I'd suggest the M1903A3 because of the sights.
3) US Rifle M1917. Still limited standard in WWII.
4) Lee-Enfield Mk1 #3*
5) an Arisaka. All were great, any will do.
6) once you've gotten the rest, then, maybe, find room for a Mosin. I'm told that quantity has a virtue all it's own but I've never really seen it... :eek:
 
While I find that my m/96 and even m/38 Swede Mauser's will out-shoot any other issue bolt action rifle, I still like the looks of a pristine 1903A3.

Here is a Smith Corona with a Remington Bolt which seems to work better in that rifle, and a Remington with a Smith Corona Bolt....


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ALL OF THEM
course some are harder to feed than others, try finding 6.5man, or 6.5 jap, or 7.7 jap
lets just say, if you go past 30.06, x54r, .303 or 8 mauser, you ought to take up reloading if you want to shoot it regularly.
 
K31's are awesome guns, I really enjoyed mine. Ammo was the only drawback for me but my local cabelas stocks hornady and wolf in 7.5 so it wasn't a huge hassle.
 
I love my german Mauser, 8mm. I shoot it a lot, cans of yugo and yugo sniper ammo (great). The O3 just doesn't turn me on- because I put a scope on it (never do that). The K31 needs to be on the list. Awesome!!!
 
Welcome to THR!

The Moisin-Nagant doesn't have a real, workable safety. Instead it has a weird knob you turn. If you want a rifle you can carry loaded, get something else.

As far as what feels good, a 1903 or the right length Mauser feels awesome. :)

John
 
How bout a nice Swede 1894, there's a dandy rifle....
course you can buy a hell of a lot of guns for what that'll cost you.
 
I dig my 1903, receiver is a 1929 Springfield, its been through the arsenal, its got a high standard barrel from '44 and i picked it up for 400 bux. :) From cabelas no less...
 
Float Pilot said:
While I find that my m/96 and even m/38 Swede Mauser's will out-shoot any other issue bolt action rifle, I still like the looks of a pristine 1903A3.

Here is a Smith Corona with a Remington Bolt which seems to work better in that rifle, and a Remington with a Smith Corona Bolt....


attachment.php
Click to expand...
Nice looking 03A3's. You got my curiosity up, why the Rem bolt sleeve on the SC and the SC bolt sleeve on the Rem?

If I had only one war2 bolt gun it would have to be the No4 MkI Lee Enfield. Smooth bolt, fastest shooting, ten round mag and minute of man accuracy.

If I wanted to shoot bug hole groups then a K31, best accuracy of all the war bolt guns.

If I wanted to look at it, then a M1903, very sexy.
 
If I was to pick up just one ex-military bolt action rifle just to take out once in awhile....I'd look on the rare side. In the Mauser I'd look for a G33/40 mountain troop rifle. In the Springfields I'd look for the A4 sniper. Arisaka would be Type 2 paratroop take down. Mosin Nagant 91/30 PE sniper. Dont really know why, but the SMLE No. 5 MK 1 jungle carbine always seemed way cool to me.

Just me, others will vary.

loose
 
Kay, everybody is wrong.

Buy whatever one you find cheapest. Just trawl around and be patient.

Cheap-fast-good. Pick two.

It also means you can afford more, and if you don't like what you find, you can sell it and turn a profit, recouping all the money you put in plus more, and use that to buy the next attempt.

And, unfortunately, most WW1 WW2 battle rifles are pretty much the same, shooting-wise, with one distinct feature- SMLE has ten rounds, the Springfield has ridiculous sights, the Mosin sometimes gets sticky-bolt, the MAS feels small...

Take it from experience.

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