Any Military Surplus Shooters out there?

[Terry G]

I know other Forums are dedicated to the Military Surplus crowd, but I was wondering if anyone here got hooked by the cosmoline addiction. I got hooked about ten tears ago and bought some SMLE's, a couple of Chinese SKS's, a .38 Webley and a 9MM Tokarev. I quit for a while, than on a whim I got a Curio & Relic License and bought three Mausers (Yugoslavian M48A's) , three Yugoslavian SKS's and a CZ 52 9 MM. Then there was that Turkish Mauser I had to have. This thing's a sickness, but at these prices for guns and ammo I can't help myself. Anybody have a cure?

[41mag]

A Chinese,a Yugo,& a Russian SKS.A m91/30,an m48,& the latest,a k31.
I want a brace of cz52's next.
C & R IS A VIRUS!
:D :beer:

[RIKA]

One of my favorite topics.

M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, M1938 Mosin Nagant w/laminated stock, 1903 Springfield, Yugo SKS, CZ52, 7.62x25 Tokarev, 1936 Mauser Luger, 1895 Nagant revolver.

There is no cure - you must buy more. :D

RIKA :)

[gripper]

Nice collection Terry!The only mil-surp pistols I ever had were the usual CZ5/TT-33(Tula and Chicom).I had always gravitiated more towards the surplus rifles,but the 7.62X25 always had a lot going for it in my opinion.
Anyone think the major manufacturers/importers will gome up with more options in this caliber ,like what happened with 9X18?Maybe even some (post AWB sunset)modern renderings of CZs,maybe with higher mag capacity,. Hey ,think of an S.A. XD with a 5inch tube in 7.62....a big mag HEY it could work.Maybe eeven...ah brainstorm starting to fry synapses must go seek shelter and supper.:D

[Terry G]

I have to admit these two are the most fun. I ordered three of each and each one was different and a lot of work/fun to clean. The SKS's with the blond stock was in the best shape, pretty much new, but wouldn't feed itself. After tinkering with it, I went out to my range and fired it again. It puked a big blob of cosmoline off the grenade/gas cut off right into my face. How could I have missed that? Anyway, have had no problems since. Those M48A's take a lot of work also, but their worth it. WIth ammunition going for $4.29 per 70, it's a high power rifle being fired at almost a rimfire price.

[Terry G]

Actually, a Turkish on top, the others are Yugoslavian.

[Magnum88C]

2 Russian SKSs, beautiful rifles, much more accurate than I'd have thought.

Romanian AK

2 German K98 Can't believe, they're darned near GIVING away the ammo for these.

4 Long branch No4 Mk1* SMLEs, one is a six-groove barrel.
1 No4 Mk1/2 Fazekerly SMLE

M48 Mosin-Nagant
M 91/30 Mosin-Nagant

Mosins = LOTS of BANG, I love 'em. Especially in a lane next to poodle poppers.

[41mag]

Terry G,those are some fine looking rifles.I especially like the M48's.Color me nutty but Mauser's are just....right.:cool:

[RIKA]

Nice set of rifles, Terry. I guess I'll have to look into a Mauser. The SKS's are beautiful rifles and good shooters too. Too bad so many people look down on surplus military rifles and handguns. Guess it just leaves more for those of us who know better.

RIKA

[Terry G]

Your right, Rika. So many uninformed people think that because it was military, it's junk. They will happily go out and spend $700 on a Browning stalker and can't understand why your $112.00 M48A shoots just as well at 100 yards, the average deer hunting distance in my part of Wisconsin. Same thing with the SKS. A semi-auto shooting a 30/30 type cartridge for $120.00? No, not for me I'll spend $350.00 on a Marlin lever action. Oh well, to each their own.

[Magnum88C]

Originally posted by Terry G
A semi-auto shooting a 30/30 type cartridge for $120.00? No, not for me I'll spend $350.00 on a Marlin lever action. Oh well, to each their own.

Hey now, don't go puttin' down them leverguns either! :p

[Terry G]

Originally posted by Magnum88C
Hey now, don't go puttin' down them leverguns either! :p Every time I open my mouth I step on somebodies toes! I like lever actions. I own a Winchester 30/30 and a Marlin Mod. 52 .22. The Winchester is, well, a Winchester. The Marlin .22 is a heavy, extremely accurate rifle. My magazine is going on it, if you know where I can find another , ley me know.

[TODD 3465]

2-k31's, 1- Lee enfield Mk4 , Finish M/N and one Swede Mauser.

Won't count as a true milsurp anymore but one Spainish FR-8 that's been re-stocked.

[Half elf]

Call me "Crazy", but Ive always had a soft spot for MILSURPS. My personal favorite is the SKS. The Mausers were always good but the cartridge is a bit much with a steel but plate(Call me a Wimp), but cant beat the speed of a well worn Enfield either .308 or .303. Don't like many forgien milsurp pistols other than a Browning HP, Beretta, or Colt copies. Never could get used to looking for the mag catch at the heel of my palm.

[84 C4]

Originally posted by Terry G
...I'll spend $350.00 on a Marlin lever action...

I spent $400 for mine. Well, $450 after you factor in taxes.:angry:

[Garand]

I've owned at various times 3 Garands, Swedish Mausers, FN Mausers, BRNO Mausers, TRW M14, Australian L1A1, at least 6 Enfields, Diemaco AR 15, Winchester M97 Trench Gun among other. But I have a personal favorite out here on the bald @ss prairie.

[B.FRANKlin]

A .38 Webley, huh. I once had a .38 S&W Enfield revolver. It looked and for all practical purposes was a Webley design. But made by Enfield. It had a large brass disc on one grip panel, a bobbed hammer and 4" bbl. Story was that it was for tank crewmen. The .38 S&W (short) makes the same "pow" like in 1950s TV westerns. The gun was WELL used and very sloppy (loose) and sprayed lead from the bbl./cyl. gap. Machining was poor and it looked like somebody brushed on thick black paint. Maybe a late war issue. It looked and worked like a Webley.
Once, when I was too young to know, an old man offered to give me a Webley-Fosbury automatic revolver. Yes, you read that right. I ignorently declined when he told me you couldn't get ammo for it (.455 Webley in the 1950s). The cylinder/barrel would move back in recoil, turning the cylinder and cocking the hammer. The cylinder had grooves which engaged a pawl on the frame. It had no original finish and was very loose and no ammo existed at the time. (probably a good thing) They are worth a FORTUNE these days. Oh well!

[B.FRANKlin]

There's no more heartwarming sight than seeing all your guys coming BACK from a firefight and you're there to greet them!
B.FRANKlin
The SKSs are loads of fun to shoot, especially when you can outshoot someone using a big-buck Rooney gun, as Col. Cooper calls them. Nyuk!

[Magnum88C]

I've owned at various times 3 Garands, Swedish Mausers, FN Mausers, BRNO Mausers, TRW M14, Australian L1A1, at least 6 Enfields, Diemaco AR 15, Winchester M97 Trench Gun among other. But I have a personal favorite out here on the bald @ss prairie.

Garand, question:
Why'd you choose the M1 over the M1A?

Also, if you could have another FAL/L1A1, would you choose that over your M1 or M1A?

[copycat]

M-38, 91/30, Lee- enfield, M24/47, CZ52, couple of Maks. Yea I guess you could say I like surplus.

[Garand]

I find the Garand has an advantage over my M1A when it comes to speed reloading during a 3 gun match, plus I find my M1A finiky with reloads. Something I can't say about the Garand. And yes, the only thing better would be an "inch" FN L1A1 or C1A1.

[Coyote]

I love old military firearms. I have two Longbranch enfields, a Fazakerly No.5 (Does anyone know if they were made anywhere else?), an Inglis high power, and a Yugoslavian SKS.

The No.5 is easily my favorite. Its small, its fast, its powerful, and only Dad and I like to shoot it. :dgrin:

[Magnum88C]

No 5s were also made in Lithgow, Australia.
From what I hear, the Lithgows have fewer instances of the "wandering zero" problem.

[Garand]

I had a 2 Lee Enfield #5 Mk 1's about 20-25 years ago. With both the zero had a tendency to "wander". They were great deer guns though under 50 yds. This weekend I was out with my Lee Enfield #4 Mk 1(T) to work up a new load. While this WW2 sniper rifle can't hold a candle to one manufactured in the 21st century, it was more than acceptable for its day. Plus, you are experiencing a part of history first hand as our forefathers did many years ago.

[Coyote]

I've never really had a problem with the zero "wandering." I've heard of the problem but I've been lucky so far. How does it happen, and why?

[gripper]

coyote, that was something that was a problem for the issue No.5 Lee Enfield "Jungle Carbine"....essentially a shortened No4 MKI with a wedge shaped recoil pad(OUCH!) a flash hider and "lightening cuts " in the receiver to cut weight(BAD MOVE!!)....th ecuts weakened the receiver and it used to actually torque during recoil.This changed the zero from string to string.
A few yeats back,one of the importers and fabricators(Gibbs?) used to do repro's on the jungle carbines(some built on .308 Ishapore 2A's)without the lightening cuts. I never had a chance to try one,but I heard the wandering zero problem was(thankfully!) not reproduced .

[Coyote]

Awesome info, thanks. Glad I have not had this problem!