Which surplus rifle?

[Beetle Bailey]

Yugo M 48's make great shooters. And i definately recommend learning to handload.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

if you just want to have fun get a Mosin M-44. At 100 yards i can shoot 5 out of 5 rounds into my steel plate with open sights and 66 year old eyes. the ammo costs .18c to shoot.

...and if you really want to have fun, shoot it at night!

[Tarasdad]

If you shoot a lot I highly recommend getting a reloading setup, your wallet will thank you! The big reloading equipment manufacturers all offer reloading kits that contain nearly everything you need except for shell holder, dies, bullets, powder and primers.

I loaded for every non-rimfire that I owned. Not only was it cheaper but I was also able to tailor loads to each rifle to maximize accuracy. I also found it to be a very relaxing and rewarding pastime. There's just something about seeing loads you've put together shooting into tiny groups at long range that is immensely satisfying.

[knucklehead0202]

^^^+1, the only problem I have at this point is that I don't get to shoot enough so my load development is SLOWWWWW!!!! I have a few winners but several of my handloads are still experimental at this point.

[watt79]

I like my M24/47. Picked it up for around $220 a year or two ago from J&G. Metal is in great condition. Only mismatched part is the bolt.

[joefrank64k]

There is no sickness in having safes full of guns!!!!!

Thanks a lot, HP! Because of you and that ^ pic, I realized that I'm short one US battle rifle, so now I'm on the hunt for an M1A Standard!

[Paulie Lugnuts]

Sickness? I feel OK.

[Eddie1965]

Get whatever you want... But since you asked, you can't go wrong with an Enfield. Cock on close design can't be beat, and 10 rd magazine. My step dad was in the marines and carried both an m1 & m14. He's a stubborn Irishman by birth like me , but he can't stand anything British... Until he shot a few of my Enfields.
Cheers to whatever you find

How about the OP gets the best of both worlds? A Model of 1917? He can use his Garand ammo and has the cock on closing design. They can be found for reasonable prices.

[echo1]

Well while we're at it, most all of these I got of these for dirt, and learned as I went, but I've been at it 52 years. Also I'm a sucker for a deal. I thought I'd share this with you guys. Like most of us here, I like shooting the old iron but it's gotten expensive as of late, and I really haven't been shooting much in quite a while. But I haven't stopped "aquiring". These are some of my mil-surp guns, a few are unmolested (never arsenal refurbed or upgraded), as issued, parts assembled (mis-matched #s), or cloned. I like a good wall hanger and am not oposed to displaying them. Some are estate sales guns. These are just the Mil-Surp. I got a bundh of C&R .22s, shottys and old huntin' rigs too. Enjoy, PAX

[knucklehead0202]

very nice pics guys, I really should do some but I'm afraid if I take everything out of the safe I won't be able to get them all back in there, lol.

[CSACANNONEER]

If you want to jump on the Mosin bandwagon, go for it. You can't loose much. But, if you want a great shooting C&R find a Swiss straight pull bolt action. If you do, you'll never want to shoot a Mosin again.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

If you want to jump on the Mosin bandwagon, go for it. You can't loose much. But, if you want a great shooting C&R find a Swiss straight pull bolt action. If you do, you'll never want to shoot a Mosin again.

While the Swiss straight pull is a far more elegant rifle than a Mosin, they both have their place. So do Mausers of course.

OP: Just pick a platform and dive in. You will diversify sooner or later anyway. Nowadays my interests include

Mosins
Mausers
Swiss straight pulls
Garands
1903a3
M1 Carbine

And I have an SKS or two kicking around in the safe as well that is fun to shoot I guess.

[NOTABIKER]

The swiss is a nice rifle, I have shot one. I never wanted one though. I would rather have a battle rifle that has probably seen war and is 1/3 the price. The small increase in accuracy means little to a lot of us.
I can get a Ruger American in 308 for under 400 bucks that most likely will out shoot the K-31.

[TURNKEY13]

Not a bolt gun, but a decent SKS at a good price is hard to pass up!

http://www.classicfirearms.com/c-r-eligible/chicomsks?utm_source=EmailzDirect&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=Subscriber%233219&utm_campaign=5-13-14

[Armistice]

Not a bolt gun, but a decent SKS at a good price is hard to pass up!

http://www.classicfirearms.com/c-r-e...mpaign=5-13-14

Yup, I just saw those in my email. If I didn't have a T56 already, I'd jump on that deal

Speaking of which, my T56 is still in pieces awaiting cleaning... 2wks later, haha