what should my first milsurp be?

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shores

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Hi.

fairly new to shooting, have a mark II bolt action .22 for target practice already.
Looking for something a bit more accurate than the SKS (though eventually I will get one of those most likely).

I'm torn between bolt action and semi-auto
I'm a little leery about maintenance on a gas system as i am fairly new to them, but shouldn't be a huge determining factor.

Looking for something in the 7.62 or 308 caliber area.
I notice enfields are quite easy to find, they are 303 caliber

the 6.5x55 swedish is pretty long, even compared to the mosin, and i'm not a huge fan of the stock shape
i'm fairly interested in the K31 swiss, they look nice, can have a non-permanent scope mount clamped on, accurate with iron sights, and are usually in good shape
i wont be reloading off the start, so cost per round will be considerably higher than 7x62x 39, x51 or x54

What is a good first choice for a milsurp, something that wont blast my shoulder right off, and is relatively easy to maintain and get comfortable with taking apart?
are the Norinco m305's pretty easy to work on ?
I know they aren't milsurp compared to an original M-14 but i had to mention them :eek:
So many choices, i don't know which to choose.
Thanks!
 
It's not quite on par with a .308, but an SKS, which shoot 7.62x39 is fun/cheap/reliable and can be used and abused as a learning gun without worrying to much about it, then move on to a m305 or etc afterword
 
There are lots of fine items to choose from, however if you're not a reloader it tends to put limits and expenses on your shooting. There are lots of Russian and SKS rifles for a good price and at this time, ammunition in easily available for good prices, whether surplus or new commercial ammo. Your budget will ultimately dictate your involvement in milsurp shooting and collecting.

Consider the cost and availability of your ammunition before you purchase
 
If your on a tight budget, the SKS is about the cheapest to own and shoot. Other than the cost of ammunition, a sporterized Enfield can be had for around $150.00, and are a blast to shoot!
 
We can't tell you what you will like. That is something that you will have to find out for yourself. That may mean buying something, trying it out and selling it (good luck with this, most of us just can't bring ourselves to parting with something once it's be assimilated) for something else untill you find what you want. If you can, get out to gunshops and handle some stuff. Get something that feels good in your hand. Also, if it something that gives you chubby when you pick it up, then that is probably what you should buy. :D

As others have said, milsurp ammo is cheap and readily avalibable at this time, however, be prepared for a lot of cleaning. If you plan to shoot regularly then that is probably your best bet. .303, 6.5x55, 7.5x55 can get on the expensive side if you shoot a lot. That is why a lot of guys reload (plus it is better ammo).

Once you get used to the recoil of whatever you get, you will get to where you don't even notice the recoil.
 
I started with a Lee Enfield then started to buy Mosin 91/30's for the cheaper ammo. I then got into the Mosin m-44 and m-38 carbines and found my true love. They're loud and do kick, but i put a limbsaver recoil pad on them which also gives me more length of pull. Ammo's cheap and they're very accurate. I love to post this picture to spread the carbine love.
Carbines001.jpg
 
I'd say a Mosin 91/30 with an excellent bore, and an SKS.

Get a taste of both a bolt and semi, and learn to maintain them. Once the bug has hit hard and you're ready to handload, the world's your oyster.
 
Chumlee Bumsnag said:
I started with a Lee Enfield then started to buy Mosin 91/30's for the cheaper ammo. I then got into the Mosin m-44 and m-38 carbines and found my true love. They're loud and do kick, but i put a limbsaver recoil pad on them which also gives me more length of pull. Ammo's cheap and they're very accurate. I love to post this picture to spread the carbine love.
Carbines001.jpg
Click to expand...

I own both a m91/30 and an svt-40, both are a blast to shoot. The first 7.62x54r I shot though was an m38 and I have been searching for a while trying to find one; it seems you have bought them all lol. I am incredibly jealous :p

Shores, if you want a cheap shooter you can't beat the sks, m91/30, or the svt. All will take a pounding quite well, ammo is cheap and their robust Russian design will allow you to practice fully dissembling the rifle and maintenance with relative ease.

Cheers
 
shores said:
What is a good first choice for a milsurp, something that wont blast my shoulder right off, and is relatively easy to maintain and get comfortable with taking apart?
Click to expand...

Well, if you want all of the above - try to find a nice Type 2 Paratroop Arisaka - it comes apart real easy-like ;)
 
Hard to go wrong with a Mosin. You really should also consider a made-in-Toronto Long Branch No.4 Mk.1, and a Mauser 98 of some kind is pretty essential. K31s are wonderful, wonderful rifles, kind of like Toblerone that shoots MOA. In fact, I can't really think of any milsurp that I haven't liked...
 
The first really accurate milsurp I ever owned was a M38 Swede. Twenty plus years ago it won me a pile of turkeys at local fall turkey shoots. They are not overly long, recoil is light and the open site picture just worked well for me. The downside is ammo is not cheap. Handloading is the best way to go. (if you are going to be a milsurp shooter you might as well start sooner than later). These rifles are not rare and quite often are reasonably priced for the quality you are getting. I still have the one I bought at LeBaron's in the early 80's for $75.00. She has since been joined by a couple others.
 
If you prefer accuracy to fun. Bolt is the way to go. I've always been partial to enfields but russian guns are just as good.
If ammo cost is an issue then learn to reload. It greatly increases the accuracy as well as reducing cost up to 60%, depending on the cartridge. Sks's are more of a spray & prey type of thing. If you go with an sks and plan to shoot milsurp ammo. The primer material on some of them contain corrosive salts that can ruin your gun overnight in some cases.
 
If you find the Swedish M96 a tad long, you could always go for an M38 carbine! A 91/30 was my first gun, and I don't regret it one bit. Cheap surplus ammo, and since it's a bolt action, cleaning it after shooting corrosive is a breeze.
 
SVT 40 is alot of fun. If accuracy is your game get a nice No.4 Enfield. Wait did I just endorse Russen und Englender rifles? Gott im Himmel!!:p
 
I bought my first mosin 2 years ago and it was $100 all matching, and 225 for an ex sniper. Now I go onto EE and see some people wanting almost $200 for non-matching, non-sniper ones. They're a great buy, but you said you like your shoulder in tact. Some folks love to get rocked, some don't. Me, I put a cheapy slip on recoil pad to take some of the edge off. If your starting to collect milsurps, getting a mosin now might not be a bad idea, as I don't forsee prices falling. SVT40s have that built in muzzle break, so they're nicer to the shoulder, if not the ear. Of course you'll get the most shots per dollar from an sks. They're not difficult to maintain (remember, it comes from the same place the ak47 and mosin nagant come from. The soviets made an art of simple-yet-effective)
If you're into accuracy, I'd stick with a bolt action. They are more accurate due to the inherent nature of bolt vs semi methods of cycling. And, for the human error factor, I find that I try that much harder not to miss when I'm maually cycling rounds. Must be a psycolgical thing. Each shot seems to count more since I've got to do extra work besides pulling the trigger.
A quick skim through the posts, it doesn't look like you've got a price limit mentioned (correct me if I missed it). That could help narrow it down.
 
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