First Milsurp Purchase?

pubb

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In the spirit of glastnost, and perestroika (the best of spirits: vodka!), I am going to buy some Soviet milsurp.

I haven't decided on whether it should be a Mosin Nagant 91/30 or a TT33.

The TT33 would be cheaper to feed and would get used year round (I have both indoor & outdoor range memberships) while the rifle would only get used in decent weather. A pre or circa WWII 91/30 would be a historical artifact though, and I would enjoy shooting it even though its loud as hell at the range.

Any advice/suggestions? Any factors I am not taking into account?

Thanks,

P
 
If it's just for shooting at a range, SKS and tok pistol are good for cheap ammo. Mosins and SVTs are fun, but pricier for ammo (still cheap, but not as cheap).
If you fancy yourself hunting with one, Mosins are great for that.
 
It'll be for punching holes in paper and/or fruit. I like the 91/30 and TT33 because at ~$100-200, I can justify buying one for ####s and giggles without affecting my other purchases/expenses, savings, etc.

I guess my big concern would be reliability, ease of maintenance and/or the "fun" factor.

P
 
Just put 145 rounds of cheap czeck surplus today trough my svt-40 and it's a great pleasure to shoot. But a TT-33 would be a good purchase too
 
SVTs are LOUD. I don't know which is worse, the 2- or the 6-port brake, but they're LOUD. Hearing protection is mandatory, especially if you don't want to end up like me: half-deaf.

MN is a good hunting rifle; the extra wood doesn't weigh much at all. They SHOULD have a proper trigger-pull but about 98% of the ones I have seen/handled/used/ogled are terrible. Stone, elbow-grease and oil can improve it a great deal.

TTs are as reliable as bricks and a ball of fun to shoot. VERY flat-shooting. I have seen one go shot-for-shot on 175-yard carbine targets in a match where the M-1 Carbine froze up.

SKS I can't say anything about: only got one last Fall and only 30 rounds through it so far. I will be rolling my own for this one (as all the others) so we shall see if the poor accuracy with surplus ammo can be improved much. Nice rifle; it ought to shape up.

Heck, why not just get one of each? They're all good and they're all fun.

Then you can save up for a Finn capture 91 and a 39 and a 27 and......

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Id vote mosin. Bolts are just so fun to shoot! The mosin has everything your looking for: Its super reliable and stupid simple to maintain.

But it really comes down to what you want: pistol vs rifle.
 
I just recently bought a fine 1927 vintage Mosin, and I can say that she's too much fun at the range! BUT; the Mosin is tough on the shoulder, and as many have already said, 7.62x54mmR is far more expensive than 7.62x25mm or 7.62x39mm. If you want a milsurp rifle, consider an SKS. Cheap to shoot, pretty enough, and still NR. For pistols, you really can't go wrong with a nice TT33. I personally enjoy riflery more than pistol shooting, but that's more a personal preference deal.
 
Personally, I would buy all three: a $125 Mosin, a $150 SKS and the TT33. Why two rifles? One has a full size round,the other an intermediate one; and the total amount paid is very, very reasonable; and they offer a very different experience. Then you're good for a very good variety of shooting!
 
If you are going to be shooting a TT-33 on an indoor range, check range policies respecting steel cored ammunition.
 
Thanks, my indoor range even doesn't allow jacketed rounds, so unless there's a source of lead round nose or (semi)wadcutters, it looks like the TT33 is off the table. Pity.

P
 
SVT-40, Mosin Nagant, preferably a M38 if you can find one, a TT-33 cos they're cheap and fun, and lastly a SKS. Trust me, you will never look back, but the darn things tend to multiply like rabbits. :p :D Have fun and be safe.
 
Bullet casting HAS been invented and wheelweights are still cheap. They are also just about the perfect material for hard bullets for the TT-33. Lee makes a double-cavity mould about 93 grains which will work fine with about 4 grains of Bullseye.

Nickel a shot: cheaper than surplus and much more fun to make your own.
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if your range doesn't allow steel cored all of those guns are going to be off the table. The benifit of them is the cheap surplus rounds but they are mostly steel cored i believe. Unless you reload as smellie said.
 
The indoor range doesnt allow jacketed rounds of any sort. The outdoor range allows everything short of tracer or incendiary :)
 
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