mosin nagant or k31?

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crocker038

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so i need some help deciding what i should purchase next ? i want both eventually, but some feedback would be appreciated. how is the bolt on the k31 and what about ammo for both, is it easy to get, or cheap ? how do they shoot compared to each other?

thanks
 
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IMHO I'd say the K31.

Here's my reasoning. Firstly, I've owned M44s, M38s, 91/30s all russian make (can't comment on the finns, but I dearly want an M39 or something similar), and I also own a K31.

I bought my 91/30 for $100 and it's a pretty darn accurate rifle, accurate enough to shoot canned tomatoes at 150 yards at least...
The K31 by comparison will hit anything. Absolutely anything at any distance. I can't actually say I'm exagerating either, but it will always be amazing, I just need to put in the hours to shoot up to its par.

This leads me to the next subject - value for money:
My mosin 91/30 is typical of their quality. A little worn and dented, bluing a little worn, but still very functional and hard wearing. It cost me $100, but seems they're closer to $175-$200 now. This gun will outlast me and continue to perform exactly as it always has.

My K31 I got a little while ago in pretty much as new condition. I have heard that they get stock damage, but mine isn't showing it. I got it for $300 with a crud load of goodies. This gun looks brand new, and from it's complexity, I'm betting a gun made like this for the civilian market would be more expensive than AR.

AMMO!

K31 ammo has been dead and gone for quite a while. Reloading is your safest bet.

7.62x54R was available a while ago as surplus, but is now unavailable. Every so often there's a rumour that the ammo boat is coming soon and we will soon be basking in the land of cheap surplus ammo, but so far I've seen it happen once. I would start reloading for the mosin too.

General fun:

I don't know what you're like, but I hate denting or decreasing the quality of my guns. That means that I can't make myself take my rosses, mausers or enfields out in the rain. Because of that, I shoot the mosin more than any of my guns. It was rough when I got it, and provided I don't beat it against a rock, my using it doesn't seem to wear the remaining finish much at all.

If you're looking for the best rifle to shoot with the utmost accuracy, buy the K31, it's one of the most undervalued rifles on the market that I've seen.

If you want to hammer around in the bush and blow the snot out of stumps and cans of tomato soup - the Mosin is your go to rifle.

In the end, save up, and buy them both.

P.S. - if you're in thick brush, buy an M38 or M44 - the 91/30 can be a PITA to move through deadfall.
 
Get the K31, much much better surplus rifle, the most accurate military rifle of it's time. Now is the time to buy one... while they last. Prices are good and it seems suppliers are well stocked.
Mosin Nagants you will still be able to find plenty around in fifty years from now.
What ever your decission, you should start to reload...

the K31 takes 308 bullets , so compnents are very easy to find...

the Mosin takes 311 bullest (most of the time), but there are quit some variations in barrel dimensions...
 
If you can only get one, as others have said, get a K-31 now while you still can. I recently purchased one from T.E.C Trade Ex Canada with some Privi brass. I received a very nice all matching circa 1956 K-31. I have been very impressed with all my dealings with Trade Ex. Excellent product, service, shipping and people to deal with. Highly recommended.

If you can squeeze out another $170.00 get yourself a 91/30 at the same time. That is what I did and received a beautiful 1937 Izhevsk with all matching serial numbers. No electro pencil force matching.

Get them both if you can, but if you can’t, don’t delay on the K-31.

RVR
 
Look at it this way, commercial unprimed 7.5 swiss brass is readily available.
.30 calibre bullets are not an exotic item.
The K31's were very well taken care of in service. You can't say the same about the noisey maggots.

You would be comparing a fine Swiss watch to a timex, both in fit and finish
Either one will tell time, but I would prefer the swiss.
 
Expect K31 prices to rise drastically once dealers can't get more.
Hard to have only one. They're that good
 
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Crocker,

The K31 trigger pull is smooth as silk. It's probaly the finest trigger you'll find on a milsurp rifle.
 
H Wally said:
AMMO!

K31 ammo has been dead and gone for quite a while. Reloading is your safest bet.
Click to expand...
Over on the Swiss rifles forum last year someone pointed out that RUAG still has billions of rounds of GP11 in warehouses in Switzerland. I haven't been able to confirm this.
Also, since the Sturmgewehr 57 is still in service, I have a feeling they are still manufacturing GP 11 ammo to this day.
 
Novus Collectus said:
Over on the Swiss rifles forum last year someone pointed out that RUAG still has billions of rounds of GP11 in warehouses in Switzerland. I haven't been able to confirm this.
Also, since the Sturmgewehr 57 is still in service, I have a feeling they are still manufacturing GP 11 ammo to this day.
Click to expand...

GP11 prodction stopped about 1995-96 because of large stockpiles and increased demand for GP90(1990) 5.56mm. They can easily restart production once stockpiles lower enough to worry about.

Most of the older GP11 ammo is earmark for the shooting clubs. They are always using the older ammo up first. My club is using 1984, other Canadian Swiss clubs have 1986, and no, we can't sell it outside our own use.

The 1978-79 GP11 ammo on the surplus market was most likey way past the standards they could keep in military service and give to the clubs. I think they found pallets in a storage area everyone forgot about and wondered what they could do with it, hence off to the surplus market.

Ruag can make more for the military when needed. Not likely for the civilian market
 
Novus Collectus said:
Over on the Swiss rifles forum last year someone pointed out that RUAG still has billions of rounds of GP11 in warehouses in Switzerland. I haven't been able to confirm this.
Also, since the Sturmgewehr 57 is still in service, I have a feeling they are still manufacturing GP 11 ammo to this day.
Click to expand...

That's kindof like all the surplus ammo in the former soviet bloc countries. True, there's still a lot of it left, but we can't have it.
 
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