i got this friend
- Thread starter gfuschino
- Start date
I started with two Enfields, and later sold them as the hobby evolved. I may buy one again someday.
The important thing is to shoot and enjoy it. A $150 SKS and a $4000 tuned F-class rifle, look exactly the same behind a safe door.
The important thing is to shoot and enjoy it. A $150 SKS and a $4000 tuned F-class rifle, look exactly the same behind a safe door.
- Location
- Manitoulin Island
Jump in with both feet and figure out what you like. I got an SKS for next to nothing in a swap. Didn't shoot that accurately but was very reliable. Swapped it for an AG42 B. Shot a foot high @100 Yds. and threw the empty cartridges almost that far. Sold it off. Picked up a #4 MKI* Long Branch FTR'd in 1952 still full of cosmoline after rebuild for $75. Shoots like a dream, hanging on to that one. Bought a cut barrel Ross Mk III, then a full length barrel with cut forend. Extended and restored the forend, then bought another one, did the same, bought a better one and did it and sold the other three. Picked up a MkII Ross. Still looking for an Inglis Browning Hi-Power. Haven't put much more than the price of a decent new rifle into the whole series of transactions. Like one of my friends says "most fun you can have with your clothes on".
I have a 1943 enfield and I out shoot my buddies with their expensive European rifles 9 times out of 10. You should pick up an old enfield and start reloading. Practice like hell. And then beat your buddy in a shooting match. Those old girls are more than capable.
Beat him with one of those "CRAPPY" old guns, make him eat his words.
Beat him with one of those "CRAPPY" old guns, make him eat his words.
I stand up slowly at the meeting and says "Hi my name is Tokguy and I've got a Milsurp collecting addiction"
I don't specialize in my collecting, they don't have to be pristine and I only need one of each flavor.
Bubba'd guns can be quite affordable and shoot quite well.
And the different mechanism's are neat to examine.
The side-door mechanism on a Krag is a work of mechanical art, and smooth bolt action? Smoothest I have.
The tooling on a Swedish M-96? Have to see one to appreciate it.
A Ross rifle? Very neat and surprisingly big rifle.
K 98, neater if it's marked with the Eagle & swastika. Still a fine rifle but not the holy grail to me.
M-39's are pretty cool. I had two; one was slightly Bubba'd with an ATI bent bolt and scope mount. It's claimed it could hit 4 litre milk jugs of water in the NV desert at 700 yards ( I was not there personally, though I'd tend to believe it considering the source).
Had a SVT-40 but it wasn't my cup of tea.
SKS's are essential equiptment as well.
Milsurps are cool, damnit! And the fact that a large percentage have seen battle makes them feel slightly... charged (?)... to the touch IMO. Wonder what things have been seen over their sights. Full of history.
I just posted pic's of a friends M91 (Finnish M-27?) that saw battle in Imperialist Russian, Austrian and Finnish hands. It's dinged and beat up and probably still shoots damn fine.
A while ago I handled a Tikka 300 WSM. No soul, plastic stock and silly expensive. No thanks, not for me.
I don't specialize in my collecting, they don't have to be pristine and I only need one of each flavor.
Bubba'd guns can be quite affordable and shoot quite well.
And the different mechanism's are neat to examine.
The side-door mechanism on a Krag is a work of mechanical art, and smooth bolt action? Smoothest I have.
The tooling on a Swedish M-96? Have to see one to appreciate it.
A Ross rifle? Very neat and surprisingly big rifle.
K 98, neater if it's marked with the Eagle & swastika. Still a fine rifle but not the holy grail to me.
M-39's are pretty cool. I had two; one was slightly Bubba'd with an ATI bent bolt and scope mount. It's claimed it could hit 4 litre milk jugs of water in the NV desert at 700 yards ( I was not there personally, though I'd tend to believe it considering the source).
Had a SVT-40 but it wasn't my cup of tea.
SKS's are essential equiptment as well.
Milsurps are cool, damnit! And the fact that a large percentage have seen battle makes them feel slightly... charged (?)... to the touch IMO. Wonder what things have been seen over their sights. Full of history.
I just posted pic's of a friends M91 (Finnish M-27?) that saw battle in Imperialist Russian, Austrian and Finnish hands. It's dinged and beat up and probably still shoots damn fine.
A while ago I handled a Tikka 300 WSM. No soul, plastic stock and silly expensive. No thanks, not for me.
That would totally burn him out especially one with a real beat up stock. Mines 77 years old and shoots 1/2 inch groups not counting the 2 fliers but that was me or the 15 year old hand me down scope defiantly not the gun, that's not to bad seeing how it cost me 280$ and .70$ a shot for match grade ammo
OP, I'm also a new shooter and I'm in the same boat as you. All I can say is buy what you like and have fun! I've shot all different kinds of guns this summer, brand new, old, milsurp, shotguns etc. I think the only way to know what you like is to shoot a bunch of different guns and calibers and then you'll know what works for you. I know I'm an old gun guy cause out of all the stuff I've fired the ones I enjoyed the most always seemed to be old and ugly.
I can recommend an Sks, my buddy has one that I've shot a few times and for the cost of the gun and the cheap price of the ammo you can shoot it a lot and not break the bank. Quite afew respected members on this site have steered me towards a 91/30 Mosin Nagant and at $150-$250 how could you go wrong?
Today I struck a deal with a buddy at work for my first milsurp, a nice clean and very shootable sporterized Lee Enfield MkIII for a measly $100. I'm super excited to pick up my new rifle from my buddy next week and the fact that it's an Enfield Sporter makes it even better.
I guess it really comes down to what you like and your budget, if you're into new guns, a middle of the road new rifle is going to cost you around say $600-$800, and for the same amount you could buy a Mosin, an Sks and a Sporter Enfield. I'd rather have 2 super accurate bolt action rifles ( Mosin and the Enfield) and a super fun Sks with the bayonet sticking out then one new nothing special gun! But thats just IMHO!
Buy what you like, shoot what you like, have fun! If your friend doesnt like what kind of guns you shoot, get a new cooler friend!!! Lol of course!!!
Steve
I can recommend an Sks, my buddy has one that I've shot a few times and for the cost of the gun and the cheap price of the ammo you can shoot it a lot and not break the bank. Quite afew respected members on this site have steered me towards a 91/30 Mosin Nagant and at $150-$250 how could you go wrong?
Today I struck a deal with a buddy at work for my first milsurp, a nice clean and very shootable sporterized Lee Enfield MkIII for a measly $100. I'm super excited to pick up my new rifle from my buddy next week and the fact that it's an Enfield Sporter makes it even better.
I guess it really comes down to what you like and your budget, if you're into new guns, a middle of the road new rifle is going to cost you around say $600-$800, and for the same amount you could buy a Mosin, an Sks and a Sporter Enfield. I'd rather have 2 super accurate bolt action rifles ( Mosin and the Enfield) and a super fun Sks with the bayonet sticking out then one new nothing special gun! But thats just IMHO!
Buy what you like, shoot what you like, have fun! If your friend doesnt like what kind of guns you shoot, get a new cooler friend!!! Lol of course!!!
Steve
I think I'm in Tokguy's boat...
Me: " Hello group, I'm Camster, and I have a problem"
Group: " Hello Camster"
My first rifle of all was a Ljungman. Bought it at a local auction 25 years ago. I was teased for carrying it chasing Bambi...oddly enough the deer didn't laugh. Got my first few with it.
I didn't buy 'surps in those days out of deference to history. I'm a frugal shooter, and for cost in, and rifle out you couldn't beat 'surps! In those days, some folks had barrels full of .303's for 10 bucks each. Ammo could be found at gas stations, or the local store (.22, 12g, .303, and 30-30)I have kept a few (can't imagine parting with the Ljungman now), and parted ways with a few. I have fired nice shiny new rifles that cost more than any 3 of mine, but certainly don't perform 3x better.
Do you, and your buddy drive the same kind of cars? Wear the same kind of shoes? Find something you like, and enjoy it! On current market, east-bloc guns are priced better than fair, and surplus ammo can be found. Unless you handload ammo, some of the more rare calibers are very expensive (or next to impossible) to shoot.
Me: " Hello group, I'm Camster, and I have a problem"
Group: " Hello Camster"
My first rifle of all was a Ljungman. Bought it at a local auction 25 years ago. I was teased for carrying it chasing Bambi...oddly enough the deer didn't laugh. Got my first few with it.
I didn't buy 'surps in those days out of deference to history. I'm a frugal shooter, and for cost in, and rifle out you couldn't beat 'surps! In those days, some folks had barrels full of .303's for 10 bucks each. Ammo could be found at gas stations, or the local store (.22, 12g, .303, and 30-30)I have kept a few (can't imagine parting with the Ljungman now), and parted ways with a few. I have fired nice shiny new rifles that cost more than any 3 of mine, but certainly don't perform 3x better.
Do you, and your buddy drive the same kind of cars? Wear the same kind of shoes? Find something you like, and enjoy it! On current market, east-bloc guns are priced better than fair, and surplus ammo can be found. Unless you handload ammo, some of the more rare calibers are very expensive (or next to impossible) to shoot.
