What attracted you to surplus firearms?what is your favorite?

 

For me it was growing up with the old war movies with my dad. As for favorites i like them all but the arisaka is tops on list. Below are some of my carcano's

I watch a lot of WW2 documentaries and WW2 movies so I like to own a piece of history.

For me and the 2 I have it was cost of the rifles and ammo and just something else to have, as we all know you can never have too many firearms..

just thinking about where they may have been and the stories they could tell

What's not to like about them? The history is pretty much what attracted me to them.

I dident start to get interested untill i inherited all of my grandparents guns and started doing some reserch. Now they are some of my most prized guns. All I can say is thank you grandpa's and great grandpa!

For me, it was the fact that I could get a firearm with a history for $100.

 

 

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The milsurps of today were in my hands yesterday!

 

Throughout High school in the former Yugoslavia before the country came apart everyone was required to participate

in Classes and training and for 2 years we practiced shooting with Yugo Mausers and M-53's ( the very well known MG-42 Yugo copy).

 

When i was drafted the following year i was issued an SKS and lugged it around for 3 months in training. Its nice on the bench and shoots cheap ammo but if you drag it all day long its a ****.

 

Many of the Mausers and SKS's were issued to whatever side in the civil war that followed since they were intended to be used by the National Guard equivalent at the time.

When they were returned to arsenals in the successor republics many guns as well as the unisssued ones stockpiled were sold here.

 

So someone s history is in my safe now and mine is in someone else's.....a fair trade off

 

My favourite milsurps that i have shot are:

Browning 10/22

C96 Broomhandle

Nagant Revolver

MP-40

STG-44

Luger

Mosin 91/30

Beretta M34

M95 Steyr

The quality and craftsmanship. This was a time before injection molding for profits. The history is second to none, just think where have they been and what have they done. Also much of it is the thrill of the hunt, finding several thousand dollar rifle mixed in with the normal ones. My Musolinni Carcano sat on a shelf in a gun shop for years, nobody wanted it and didnt know what it was.....

I really want to learn about this stuff. The thrill is in the hunt. When I was at sarco I was just dying to know about each rifle there

What attracts me is both the history and the quality in the rifles.

 

I'm first aiming to acquire mil-surps that are good shooters.These are gonna be the ones that have been either gently used or refurbished. Think, the Yugo mausers and the Yugo/Russian K98 captures, the Lee Enfield that can be cleaned up nicely, or the Mosin-Nagant that hasn't gone to hell and back.

 

They may not have the most historical value technically, but the fact that they were produced and used so long ago and remain intact today is enough history for me. People would rather go for the original German K98 Mauser with the pre-WWII "Death Head" markings, but I'd rather get my hands on a Yugo that I won't just leave o my wall to look at. Don't get me wrong, I'd get a K98 if a great opportunity to do so occurred.

 

If any of these rifles were remade today, they'd cost WAY MORE than what you pay for the mil-surps already avalable. The craftsmanship put into these guns are just over-the-top.

 

In fact, I just paid for a refurbished Yugo M24/47 that is in excelent condition. MY FFL is holding it until I'm given my FID. That leaves me time to look for M48s, M91/30s, M38s, SMLEs, No4 Mk1s and Mk2s.. Oh, joy!

I was attracted to them because of the history of most of them and ammo was dirt cheap up until a few years ago.It is a shame that lots of these weapons have no real collectors value due to the renumbering and rebluing.I remember the days of a case of 900 8mm was $50-60 out the door at ammoman. The guns were usually cheap and can be easily repaired and parts can be found. There are a few that have some hard to find or next to impossible to find parts, so it is best to research what your buying.

I like the way they smell.

My uncles, my dad's brothers, humped M1s through the island hoping campaigns in the Pacific, that's why I love and own Garands. My old man used twin .50 Brownings from a B24 before being shot down and becoming a POW. I can't seem to get my hands on twin 50s though, anyone know where I can pick one up?...........

It's all about the history and where they may have been. My favorite is my M1917 Colt. I wish a previous owner didn't put target sights on it but it's still a gem.

I really want to learn about this stuff. The thrill is in the hunt. When I was at sarco I was just dying to know about each rifle there

+1 i hardley even know anything about some of the guns i have. slowley but surely i am doing reserch and learning bit by bit. There are SO many variations of the same gun it gets a bit overwhelming sometimes.

Blued steel and wood. There is something about closing the actions on pre 98 Mausers that does it for me.

I don't know but that ping is an impressive sound. Every Garand I hold I think of my father ,WWII Sarge. My Uncle from Korea,airborne. My two brothers from Nam, Grunts.So I stick with USGI. But, Getting a little pricey.

For me it mainly was the history, and that they can be inexpensive for what you get. The only centerfire surplus rifle I have is a Yugo Mauser and it has been a good performer (except that the original spring was too weak to fire the surplus ammo and would only set off commercial).

I have a Cosmoline fetish.

I have a Cosmoline fetish.

 

LOL! Quite a fetish!!

 

I like the history attached to them. My first was an Arisaka my grandfather brought home from Guam in 1945. I was lucky enough to find it in the attic with all the paperwork. Never got to meet my grandfather, so I'm glad I found the gun. Trying to clean up the bore now and see if I can fire it.

For me it was Price and History! You can get so much enjoyment from an old rifle and a piece of history and you don't need to be a billionaire to do so. You can collect, repair, adjust, tune, and talk for hours at the range with other Surplus gun guys learning more as you go along.