WWI Rifles? Which ones to start off collection
- Thread starter Alfonso
- Start date
Lee Enfields No 1 MkI to MkIII* or Pattern 14 and 17 rifles. They are the most available at reasonable prices. You might consider Russian Mosins as well. French and German rifles are more difficult to find in decent condition and more expensive. You could also consider Italian Carcanos' and Austrian/Hungarian M95s. (much more reasonably priced)
- Location
- Smithers, B.C.
I would suggest you base it on your own personal interest in history first. Ask yourself: Is there a particular nation, or faction, I feel most interested in, or drawn to who fought in WWI?
These inspirations can come from all over: media, family, plain old personal interest. Sometimes, just a desire to have an investment that will accrue value over many years with a practical usage and historical flair.
For me, it was collecting Mosin-Nagant Russian rifles of the Tsarist (1892-1917) era, primarily, followed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Both are part of my background and my family has a rich history that helped inspire me to collect these historical relics. My collection has since branched off into many wonderful directions, including British, Canadian, Swedish and Finnish rifles and history.
I wish you luck in your adventure, Alfonso, and welcome to a wonderful world, the world of Milsurps!
These inspirations can come from all over: media, family, plain old personal interest. Sometimes, just a desire to have an investment that will accrue value over many years with a practical usage and historical flair.
For me, it was collecting Mosin-Nagant Russian rifles of the Tsarist (1892-1917) era, primarily, followed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Both are part of my background and my family has a rich history that helped inspire me to collect these historical relics. My collection has since branched off into many wonderful directions, including British, Canadian, Swedish and Finnish rifles and history.
I wish you luck in your adventure, Alfonso, and welcome to a wonderful world, the world of Milsurps!
Carcanos are dirt-cheap and they are good, solid, light-recoiling rifles with a 6-round mag. They are accurate and tough and VERY much underpriced and underappreciated. And they can be ACCURATE. Just be sure to use .267 or .268 bullets; accuracy with most of them (apart from 1941s) usually is abysmal with regular 6.5 .263" slugs.
ANY of them can be tuned to give you about 1 MOA accuracy, given that you have a good barrel.
The French Berthiers are murder on the shoulder.
German and other Mausers are nice, solid rifles.
The Lee-Enfield series is VERY much underrated.
The Russian Moisin-Nagants are ugly as sin itself and they kick at both ends, but they are also extremely battleworthy rifles which pack the wallop of a .30-06 and have a glorious history all of their own.
Portuguese Vergueiros are generally seen in the 1904/37 conversion in which case they are a very classy and glass-smooth rifle taking the German 8x57 ammo. In the original 6.5x58P they are a rarity..... and 6 inches longer.
Austrian Mannlicher 95 straight-pulls served in at least 6 armies in WW1 and even more in War Two. You find them in 3 calibres: the original 8x50R, the 1930/31 conversion to 8x56R and conversion to 8x57 rimless Mauser. A solid, fast rifle, they are very much underpriced and underappreciated.
ANY of them can be handloaded for and just about ANY of them can give a 1-inch group at 100 yards IF you can hold the rifle. This is MUCH easier with a P-14/M-1917 or a ROSS than it is with the others: superior sights.
Of course, the ULTIMATE WW1 rifle is a Canadian Ross Mark III. They are also expensive if in good shape but are worth the price if you are proud of what CANADIANS can do.
I think the BEST rifle for the period was the British Lee-Enfield; it stood up to more sheer torture and abuse than anything made of mere steel ever should be asked to tolerate. They are also fast and slick and amazingly simple. They are, of course, another CANADIAN design, although built in Britain, India and AUSTRALIA...... but not here until War Two.
Any of them can be your own Time Machine and your pasport to a lifetime of learning and pleasure.
Good luck!
.
PS: These are my own opinions. I own them all and have used them all for many years.
.
ANY of them can be tuned to give you about 1 MOA accuracy, given that you have a good barrel.
The French Berthiers are murder on the shoulder.
German and other Mausers are nice, solid rifles.
The Lee-Enfield series is VERY much underrated.
The Russian Moisin-Nagants are ugly as sin itself and they kick at both ends, but they are also extremely battleworthy rifles which pack the wallop of a .30-06 and have a glorious history all of their own.
Portuguese Vergueiros are generally seen in the 1904/37 conversion in which case they are a very classy and glass-smooth rifle taking the German 8x57 ammo. In the original 6.5x58P they are a rarity..... and 6 inches longer.
Austrian Mannlicher 95 straight-pulls served in at least 6 armies in WW1 and even more in War Two. You find them in 3 calibres: the original 8x50R, the 1930/31 conversion to 8x56R and conversion to 8x57 rimless Mauser. A solid, fast rifle, they are very much underpriced and underappreciated.
ANY of them can be handloaded for and just about ANY of them can give a 1-inch group at 100 yards IF you can hold the rifle. This is MUCH easier with a P-14/M-1917 or a ROSS than it is with the others: superior sights.
Of course, the ULTIMATE WW1 rifle is a Canadian Ross Mark III. They are also expensive if in good shape but are worth the price if you are proud of what CANADIANS can do.
I think the BEST rifle for the period was the British Lee-Enfield; it stood up to more sheer torture and abuse than anything made of mere steel ever should be asked to tolerate. They are also fast and slick and amazingly simple. They are, of course, another CANADIAN design, although built in Britain, India and AUSTRALIA...... but not here until War Two.
Any of them can be your own Time Machine and your pasport to a lifetime of learning and pleasure.
Good luck!
.
PS: These are my own opinions. I own them all and have used them all for many years.
.
Thanks,
Although a majority of my rifle collection is WWII Milsupr's. I have a very good representation of most of the WWII rifles including correct bayonet's etc. Now I wanted to go back even further. I'm Spanish, born there, and so it's difficult to use my heritage for WWI (lots of Spanish Civil War pieces though), so I just wanted to incoroprate a "few" more common pieces from WWI. Thus the original posting question. It seems that I am also very much so Canadian, been here for 36 years, so it would make sense to look for some Lee Enfields from that era. Thanks
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
EASY question, You are Canadian. So its either the Ross or the Enfield to start.
And there is a better chance of finding them in Canada
And there is a better chance of finding them in Canada
My collection started with WW2 milsurps about two years ago, then I moved to German rifles to be in tune with my German heritage. Last year, I refined my collecting style one step further and now almost exclusively focus on WW1 German rifles/carbines and militaria (in honour of my great grandfather) with some small extensions into other countries' milsurps that were involved in WW1 (SMLE, US M1917, Mannlicher M95, Mannlicher-Berthier...etc).
I recommend you sit down and think what you want your collection to represent and why and brain storm milsurps of interest. Do you want shooters ? Do you want minty matching non-shooter investment pieces ? Does that "been there, done that" look appeal to you ? These are a few of many questions you can ask yourself.
I recommend you sit down and think what you want your collection to represent and why and brain storm milsurps of interest. Do you want shooters ? Do you want minty matching non-shooter investment pieces ? Does that "been there, done that" look appeal to you ? These are a few of many questions you can ask yourself.
I myself favour the Ross MkIII and Gew 98. Neat guns, shoot common ammunition, and have history. The ross being canadian, strait pull and super accurate of course comes in first. The Gew 98 is a close second, being long, solid, often accurate with a good barrel and just plain neat. Any Canadian WW1 collection should have at least one of each
