Best Bolt Action Milsurp

Lee-Enfield – High maintenance British contraptions that only an owner of an old high maintenance British motorcycle or sports car could truly love. For royalist colonials.
03 Springfield- Dangerous Yankee contraptions that require you to do extensive heat-treatment research in order that they not blow up on you. Academics and Historians like them.
Mannlicher - Not very dangerous contraptions, because you will never find any ammunition for them. They appeal to members of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, along with goulash.
Mosin-Nagant - Too simple to be really called a contraptions, they verge on being clubs, although the Finnish ones are well made clubs. Both ice fishermen and seal hunters like them.
Mauser – Billions served. The Big Mac of bolt action military rifles, and just as reliable, tasteless and boring.
Enfield P/14/P17- A bulky copy of a Mauser designed by Lee-Enfield haters who saw a Mauser once.
Arisaka – Japanese copy of a Mauser (see above). Better than a Korean copy of a Mauser.
Ross – Scotch-Canadian copy of a Mannlicher (see above.) Appeals to people who have an opinion about CBC.

I can get SOME Mannlicher ammo...but accurate otherwise.
 
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Lee-Enfield – High maintenance British contraptions that only an owner of an old high maintenance British motorcycle or sports car could truly love. For royalist colonials.
03 Springfield- Dangerous Yankee contraptions that require you to do extensive heat-treatment research in order that they not blow up on you. Academics and Historians like them.
Mannlicher - Not very dangerous contraptions, because you will never find any ammunition for them. They appeal to members of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, along with goulash.
Mosin-Nagant - Too simple to be really called contraptions, they verge on being clubs, although the Finnish ones are well made clubs. Both ice fishermen and seal hunters like them.
Mauser – Billions served. The Big Mac of bolt action military rifles, and just as reliable, tasteless and boring.
Enfield P/14/P17- A bulky copy of a Mauser designed by Lee-Enfield haters who saw a Mauser once.
Arisaka – Japanese copy of a Mauser (see above). Better than a Korean copy of a Mauser.
Ross – Scotch-Canadian copy of a Mannlicher (see above.) Appeals to people who have an opinion about CBC.


LOL If I ever decide to buy one I'll use this list as a guide ...well done
 
Lee-Enfield – High maintenance British contraptions that only an owner of an old high maintenance British motorcycle or sports car could truly love. For royalist colonials.
03 Springfield- Dangerous Yankee contraptions that require you to do extensive heat-treatment research in order that they not blow up on you. Academics and Historians like them.
Mannlicher - Not very dangerous contraptions, because you will never find any ammunition for them. They appeal to members of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, along with goulash.
Mosin-Nagant - Too simple to be really called contraptions, they verge on being clubs, although the Finnish ones are well made clubs. Both ice fishermen and seal hunters like them.
Mauser – Billions served. The Big Mac of bolt action military rifles, and just as reliable, tasteless and boring.
Enfield P/14/P17- A bulky copy of a Mauser designed by Lee-Enfield haters who saw a Mauser once.
Arisaka – Japanese copy of a Mauser (see above). Better than a Korean copy of a Mauser.
Ross – Scotch-Canadian copy of a Mannlicher (see above.) Appeals to people who have an opinion about CBC.

Wow; not championing a personal favorite, sorta like Dirty Harry " He hates everyone, no prejudice from Harry " :)
 
Wait, I do have something to add to your list Rob ..

Swiss K31, please comment. :d

Although the Swiss K31 is just about the ugliest rifle I have ever seen, it has a beautiful bayonet.
In the tradition of the Medieval Swiss infantry the K31 may essentially be a well-made pike.
 
"beauty is in the eye of the beholder... K31's are well crafted gems"

When I said it was ugly I was referring to the overall exterior form of the rifle, not its interior mechanical fit and finish, which does seem to be excellent. As a long time (about to retire) Professor of Art and Design I often hear various forms of this mantra, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" repeated by students, but unfortunately its not true. If it was, my job would be a lot easier. There is good industrial design and there is bad industrial design. (Its also not a simple matter of "form follows function.)"

Ezra Pound described differences between interior industrial design and exterior interior design in his 1930 book Machine Art.

Gems? Perhaps...but I think poorly set gems.
 
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Although the Swiss K31 is just about the ugliest rifle I have ever seen, it has a beautiful bayonet.
In the tradition of the Medieval Swiss infantry the K31 may essentially be a well-made pike.

Even though I 'm mostly into the target shooting aspect, I can appreciate good blades.
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Swiss Schmidt Rubin is the only commonly available bolt action service rifle which did not see extensive active service in the 20th century. This begs the question on how it would really perform.
If it was not for WW1&2 the Canadian Army might have used Ross rifles until 1960.
 
Fair enough.

What do you see as the potential failure/weakness points of the K31 ?

Swiss Schmidt Rubin is the only commonly available bolt action service rifle which did not see extensive active service in the 20th century. This begs the question on how it would really perform.
If it was not for WW1&2 the Canadian Army might have used Ross rifles until 1960.
 
Swiss Schmidt Rubin is the only commonly available bolt action service rifle which did not see extensive active service in the 20th century. This begs the question on how it would really perform.
If it was not for WW1&2 the Canadian Army might have used Ross rifles until 1960.

That argument has as many holes as Swiss Cheese.
 
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