"Collectors Forum" - All Mosin Nagant are discussed here. Also the Russian and "Finnish capture" SVT38 and SVT40. This is an excellent place for new Mosin owners to ask questions. We have some of the best experts here looking forward to your questions. If you post a Mosin sniper rifle here, we may or may not move it to the sniper forum.
Preservation forum, please no altered military surplus rifles or discussions on altering in this forum. No sportsters. Please read the rules at the top of each forum
My money is on we'll never see sub-100 from dealers again. With the craziness going on in the Ukraine, to our President and his executive orders, to the heavy hand of the ATF; I just don't see things getting easier for us to aquire. Just look at Nagant pistols. I wish I would have bought one two years ago when they were $89.99, just to say I have one. Now, I'd rather take the $189.99 you see them for, add 50 bucks and buy a Polish Makarov or a TTC. I'm sure I'm gonna catch a little hell for that last statement.
Personally, I think that even when the embargo is eventually lifted (possibly not for years) a way will be found to keep these from coming back into the country. Once something like this has been put on a proscription list, good luck getting it off. And $100 or less? No way.
The forestock has a small chip missing and there are quite a few dings in the stock around the bolt. The bore didn't look all that great either. I finally got to shoot it today, it fed, ejected, and the bolt is as operates as smoothly as possible. I shot it at 50 yards and it grouped well, just about 12 inches high of my aiming point though. I think it wants to be shot at 150 yards next time.
I'm thinking I got a very, very, very good deal.
Welcome to Tennessee, the patron State of shooting stuff. -Bob Lee Swagger
Palmetto State Armory in SC was selling them for $139, BUY ONE GET ONE FREE in the recent past. Maybe Christmas 2013. It was in-store only and didn't last long
I've been looking hard lately, and finding them in the $150-$200 range. Cheaper online but not much. And most places say "while supplies last" as they don't expect any more.
Guy at Gander Mountain told me that last week... And just put out another 20 this week. So who knows.
Also surplus ammo is on the rise. Cheap ammo was the big draw that got me interested in these gun. But i can't find ammo (20 rounds or 440) for less than 45c a round anywhere around here.
Just ordered a crate with my last purchase. Not that expect to shoot 880 rounds any time soon. But bulk prices and bulk availability are sure to follow the market for the guns themselves.
I just ordered one from www.classicfirearms.com for $159. Thats the cheapest I've found and there are lots of places that are "Out of Stock". I asked when they would be getting more in (only 4 left) and they told me that there were no more shipments coming so they wouldn't be restocking. I was looking for the $100 ones as well but after looking and talking to some of the gun stores it looks like the prices are going up. If you want to buy one, I'd advise pulling the trigger on something under $200 before they go up further. GL and I'll post pictures when mine comes in.
Oh yea, FFL cost me $30 bucks, shipping was just under $20 and I'm having a gunsmith give it a once over for $25. GL again!
The local Cabelas has stopped carrying Mosins and the local Dunhams is closing their inventory out. They are selling regular stocked 91/30s for $139 and laminated for $159 and say they are not reordering.
I am hearing it from all sources now, party's over, no more Mosins in the pipeline thanks to the current political situation here and over there. No more cheap Mosins anyway, now all there will be are the ones imported in the past. Seems the price of a M39 has taken a sudden jump from the common source of them these last 10 years or so. I have seen this before, you will still be able to accumulate Mosins but now you have to buy them off small dealers or collectors like me, and I never sell anything and if I did the price would be high.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
I just bought two 91/30s that should be delivered this Wednesday. I had to pay $185 apiece for them. They were advertised as excellent condition, that would be nice. I found the longer I shopped to save money, the more I was going to have to spend. As previosely stated, with the current politacal situations around the world, inflation, demand and dwindling supply the good times are over. Even if a few more shipments are in the pipeline down the road, the party is over.
I've been watching my local classifieds and any 91/30's listed for $150 or less and I buy them ( unless they are molested ). Any hex or ex sniper or laminate less than $175 and I buy them. No taxes or shipping costs. Now can be a good time to buy from private party's because alot of people who bought low and have owned the rifles for a few years are selling. These same people don't realize the supply has dryed up. My wife half expects me to be carrying a rifle everytime I walk in the door.
These models will never demand big money, but I could easily see plain '43 Izhevsk's bringing $250 and I don't believe that day is far off. I would guess the ordinary models will plateau there, but that's pretty good value appreciation.
Anyway, all conjecture on my part, but I really believe this is actually a good time to buy.
I stopped at a Gander Mountain in SC today and they were down to 2. One standard 91/30 for $200. And one Chinese type 53 that looked pristine, unissued, very clean... but in a fancy modern thumbhole stock. They wanted $600 for that one. No thanks.
gopedxr7 wrote:i really got into the military surplus way too late. if i could go back a few years i would have bought so many more mosins and SKS models
Yeah, every now and then I wonder why I didn't pick up a couple of the Lugers or 1911s my LGS had priced at $199 back in the mid 1980s. But then I remember they had import marks on them, the Lugers from China and the 1911a from Korea. At the time I told myself I'd never sink low enough to buy a surplus firearm with an import mark and I was more interested in N-Frame S&Ws at the time anyway.
You can still find some bargains if you beat the bushes, but they are going fast. Not sub-$100, but certainly less that $200.
The selection is quite limited, however. Fairly soon, we will see the creation of the secondary market of M91/30 refurbs sold with a whole new price scale, because we are back to pre-1989 with the Sov . . . er . . . Russians, and it looks like we will be there for a good long time.
As some of you know I work for a gun shop that is owned by one of the largest milsurp distributors around. When they are out they are out. The pipeline is closed.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
