Which kind of new rifle to get?

[burb1989]

Hey gang. Sorry it's been a while since I last posted. I've been keeping up with all of the interesting posts so far and everyone's finding some great stuff. I've had to take a bit of a break in order to somewhat prioritize getting a steady income again. While that is going on I've been pondering which bolt action rifle to get next for the collection once that steady income comes to me again. However the lack of choices in my area is a bit of a pain. Here's what the market looks like in my neck of the woods:
1. K98s and any kind of German mauser are super rare rifles here (I've only seen two k98s out for sale at local shows in the past six years and every other German mauser I have I've been either given or I had to trade for)
2. Arisakas are popping up somewhat frequently but now unless one stands out then I just pass.
3. Enfields have begun to start disappearing from our local shows as well. I would be frustrated if I already didn't have two of both basic models (No1 mk3/ mk3* and No4 mk1/ mk1*) and an early matching No5 that I just love
4. Carcanos and anything French related are very rare to nonexistent at our shows (I'm lucky if I ever even see an MAS 36 let alone a berthier or lebel)
5. 1903s and 03A3s are not showing up either. I've bought one 1903 at a show (three or four years ago) and that was the last time I saw an unmolested one for sale. Most of the others I have seen were either real old sporter jobs or they were just in really poor condition
6. If push comes to shove I may be tempted to buy a Swedish mauser but they don't really fit what I want in my collection and they've dried up for the most part along with all of the good mosin nagants.
You guys see my dilemma now. I'm sure you guys have been in a similar situation and had to act accordingly. How did you guys find new stuff to add?

[AMCHornet]

Swiss K31

Swedish Ljungman AG-42

Both are extremely good rifles.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I don't see the M1 Garand on that list.

[ksbanker]

I have bought most of mine from listings on armslist.com. Watch local auction listings and estate sale listings to see if firearms are going to be sold. Focused collecting takes patience and tons of hunting! I buy different things that catch my interest. I've never been able to stick to a plan of focusing my gun buying. Turns out I like nearly all guns.

[entropy]

None of those are new, though A Mitchell's Mauser and a Fulton Armory M1903 are close........

[Darryl]

I don't see the M1 Garand on that list.

Our shows have dozens of Garand's. I don't know why, but they do. There are few other Milsurps. Black rifles (and AK's) make up 95% of the firearms sold at shows here. Just 2 or 3 years ago you could find a good variety of milsurps on tables here. Not any more. Everyone wants to sell black rifles.

We do have one local show with one guy that only sells Mauser k98's. He must have 30 of them. He can put any marks on those that you want ....While you wait!!! Isn't that great!!! When I first meet him I told him I was looking for an all matching k98k. He said he can make me one if I had time to wait. Damn, that service!!!

I attend about 8 shows a year out here. And also go to the big one in Nevada once every few years. Not like it used to be at all. Now adays I go to one local gun store about an hour from here if I want anything fast. They have most of the milsurps, but sometimes they are cheap, and others I guess they need to make the payment that week on their Ferrari. But good solid guns.

Thaty's why it is important to have your money ready for when you see it.

All of those choices are good, but some are a little more expensive and others darn right hard to find (in any numbers).

Good hunting. Use everything you can.

Dolk

[Lavitias]

I mean you said all matching not original dolk so technically your getting what you asked for haha. But ya damn that service haha.

[SA1911a1]

If you get the Swedish Mauser, you will not be disappointed. It is a shooter's rifle.

[RazorBurn]

My collecting started with a Garand, and I'd recommend one of those be pretty high up on anyone's list. I pick up most milsurps that "speak" to me. I like most old battle rifles, but I want something I can shoot. I don't collect safe queens or wall hangers. I'll pick up most anything especially if it is a good deal. If not for any other reason than to move it for something else I'm looking for.

I'll agree with the other posts above. If you pick up a Swede Mauser you will not be disappointed. They are buttery smooth.

I started with American arms, and branched out from there. I had a loose list of things I wanted, and I've picked them up as they've come available.

[burb1989]

Thanks everyone for all of the insight!
I do already have a Garand thanks to my dad buying me one for a Christmas present a few years back so that one's crossed off the list for me. I also have an M1 carbine as well so that slot is filled as well. I've had K31s in the past but they just didn't do it for me so I sold both of the ones I had and used the money for other rifles that were more my speed. A Swede might be the way to go for me unless something else interesting shows up. I really would hate to buy a rifle online because I'm one of those guys who likes to physically see and handle each rifle I'm interested in instead of relying on what can be very shotty pictures. The show makeup here is about the same as dolk's. I normally get around 9 or 10 shows a year including a small militaria show we get twice a year but at the other shows the vast majority of stuff there is either shotguns, hunting rifles, or handguns. Very few black rifles or AK's, which can be a blessing, but also very few milsurps. Also there are fewer and fewer walk ins as the years go by and every walk in at our shows just seems to be shotguns with the rare black rifle or handgun. Pawn shops here are a joke. Most don't even take in milsurps and when they do they grossly overprice them or say that they're "holding it for a particular buyer".

[Darryl]

Pawn shops here are a joke. Most don't even take in milsurps and when they do they grossly overprice them or say that they're "holding it for a particular buyer".

Pawn shop????? What the Hell is that? I slightly remember something called a "Pawn Shop" when I was a kid.

They ran them out of Calif years ago. Kind of like they are trying to do these days with gun shops.

Dolk

[Junk Yard Dog]

I don't believe this county has had a pawn shop in 300 years, closest to us would be over the line in Connecticut, or down by NYC. Laws of both states heavily impact what kind of guns are sold in them, or if guns are sold at all.

[RazorBurn]

Pawn shops here are a joke. Most don't even take in milsurps and when they do they grossly overprice them or say that they're "holding it for a particular buyer".

Pawn shop????? What the Hell is that? I slightly remember something called a "Pawn Shop" when I was a kid.

They ran them out of Calif years ago. Kind of like they are trying to do these days with gun shops.

Dolk

I don't believe this county has had a pawn shop in 300 years, closest to us would be over the line in Connecticut, or down by NYC. Laws of both states heavily impact what kind of guns are sold in them, or if guns are sold at all.

Fortunately, we have pawn shops in West Virginia. The great majority of my milsurp finds have come from pawn shops. I assume people inherit old guns they don't want, and just take what they can get for them. All of my local gun shops, and most of the guys I trade with avoid milsurps. I've scored come real nice milsurps for very reasonable prices at my local pawn shops. They're my favorite place to guitar and gun shop!

[SA1911a1]

I used to buy a lot of Mil-surp rifles in Pawn shops. Now days, they are either non-existent or grossly overpriced. I still run a circuit of them in Fla, Ga. and Alabama, but the pickings remain slim. Now, if you are looking for shotguns or ARs it is a paradise.

[steelbuttplate]

Do you have all types of Mosin Nagant there are to get? M-39?

[burb1989]

Do you have all types of Mosin Nagant there are to get? M-39?

I have two 91/30s, one an ex-Dragoon sniper, and three M 44s, one of which was a Vietnam bring back. The Finn ones are nice but are all but extinct here as I've only seen one for sale locally at a show over the past six years.

My local collecting market is very small with next to no decent pieces coming in except from people walking in with rifles brought home by their ancestors. As I explained earlier rifles that are fairly easy to find elsewhere in the country, like k98s for example, are like hen's teeth here. For comparison in the past six years I've handled, bought, and traded around 30 to 35 arisakas of varying models compared to just two k98s over the same time frame, one of which I bought to test hand loads in as it was an older Mitchell's.

[BorisBadenov]

I have a k98 and love it. My father has a Swedish Mauser and it is sweet. You can't go wrong with either.

[qz2026]

He can put any marks on those that you want ....While you wait!!! Isn't that great!!! When I first meet him I told him I was looking for an all matching k98k. He said he can make me one if I had time to wait. Damn, that service!!!

Hey, let's not forget the Argentine's!

[awalker1829]

I know an old collector here and where the old guns are most likely to appear. That said, I buy whatever fits my budget and taste. Found my Pattern 1914 Enfield at a local gun shop. The owner discounted it so that the shop ate the tax. If I want to take a day trip, I can go up to J & G. They're about three hundred miles from me.

[mwt]

I bought an m1912 Steyr Chilean Long Rifle in 7x57 back in the summer from Allan’s Armory. Superbly accurate. You can trust Allan’s descriptions.
https://www.allans-armory.com/aaresult.php?PageId=40


Regards
Marty


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