JohnGalt88
Member
To those of you who do shoot or have shot in such a match I am having a time figuring what gun to buy so i can participate in the vintage matches my local club does. I don't reload myself and would like to be able to purchase ammo at semi-reasonable prices so that has narrowed my choices down somewhat. I also would like to keep the purchase under $400. Any input on the rifles i am considering would be appreciated.
1.) My most ideal choice would have to be a Finn M39 but i can't seem to find one anywhere. It has the advantage of having readily available ammo (7.62x54R) and that ammo is so cheap. Plus you can buy good match rounds at academy. I feel i could be competitive with this set up because cheep ammo means practice and the M39 is practically as accurate as any mil surp rifle out there.
2.) A crate mosin 19/30? All the advantages of the M39 plus its one third the cost. Might need a bit of work but that's what projects are for. I am just worried that i will get a bad one and it will never shoot well. I hear that ones with good bores and good ammo shoot almost as well as some of the more accurate options out there. Maybe with off hand shooting it won't matter as much? Plus a super long sight radius always helps.
3.) 8mm Mauser probably a Vz. 24 maybe a yugo? I like the mauser bolt better than the nagant's but almost all of them shoot 8mm which is HARD to find and not very cheap. I think all the surplus has dried up and what is left isn't all that great.
4.) Swedish Mauser? Guns are pricey but the ammo is obtainable. Several members already shoot them and like them. Apparently they are very accurate and don't have a lot of recoil. Would have to order all the ammo online much like the 8mm mauser.
5.) Enfield? Never heard anything good about the accuracy of these guns or anything good about .303 even though it did rule the world at one time. Super fast action though. Rifles are high, ammo is very high and most rifles i have seen are very beat up. Don't think this is an option unless someone can convince me otherwise.
6.) Springfield? Would love to do it but it is a little over budget. LOVE the sights and love the round. Doubt it will happen.
7.) CETME FR8? Short handy mauser action in 308! sounds awesome and i saw one in Macon, Georgia the other day and it looked really cool. However the rifle is not rated for .308 only 7.62x51 which runs at a slightly lower pressure meaning you might have to feed it only surplus. So ammo might be harder to come by than you think. Also the short sight radius is doing you no favors in a match.
8.) Swiss K31? probably the most accurate gun here. GP11 match ammo is readily available online and not too unreasonable. downside is i don't know where to get one and they seem to all be above $300. I also know almost nothing about the gun other than the fact that a straight pull action is very cool.
9.) Ishapore 2A1? An Enfield without the worst thing about the Enfield (the .303 round)? I think they have detachable mags which is a good thing and a not so good thing because i imagine that they are hard to come by. Don't know how accurate they are but it seems like there are some in my price range and i can get one of those sword like WWI baronets to intimidate the competition
Is there anything I'm missing? Any suggestions? Anyone have one of these guns who is willing to sell it in and around Middle Georgia?
1.) My most ideal choice would have to be a Finn M39 but i can't seem to find one anywhere. It has the advantage of having readily available ammo (7.62x54R) and that ammo is so cheap. Plus you can buy good match rounds at academy. I feel i could be competitive with this set up because cheep ammo means practice and the M39 is practically as accurate as any mil surp rifle out there.
2.) A crate mosin 19/30? All the advantages of the M39 plus its one third the cost. Might need a bit of work but that's what projects are for. I am just worried that i will get a bad one and it will never shoot well. I hear that ones with good bores and good ammo shoot almost as well as some of the more accurate options out there. Maybe with off hand shooting it won't matter as much? Plus a super long sight radius always helps.
3.) 8mm Mauser probably a Vz. 24 maybe a yugo? I like the mauser bolt better than the nagant's but almost all of them shoot 8mm which is HARD to find and not very cheap. I think all the surplus has dried up and what is left isn't all that great.
4.) Swedish Mauser? Guns are pricey but the ammo is obtainable. Several members already shoot them and like them. Apparently they are very accurate and don't have a lot of recoil. Would have to order all the ammo online much like the 8mm mauser.
5.) Enfield? Never heard anything good about the accuracy of these guns or anything good about .303 even though it did rule the world at one time. Super fast action though. Rifles are high, ammo is very high and most rifles i have seen are very beat up. Don't think this is an option unless someone can convince me otherwise.
6.) Springfield? Would love to do it but it is a little over budget. LOVE the sights and love the round. Doubt it will happen.
7.) CETME FR8? Short handy mauser action in 308! sounds awesome and i saw one in Macon, Georgia the other day and it looked really cool. However the rifle is not rated for .308 only 7.62x51 which runs at a slightly lower pressure meaning you might have to feed it only surplus. So ammo might be harder to come by than you think. Also the short sight radius is doing you no favors in a match.
8.) Swiss K31? probably the most accurate gun here. GP11 match ammo is readily available online and not too unreasonable. downside is i don't know where to get one and they seem to all be above $300. I also know almost nothing about the gun other than the fact that a straight pull action is very cool.
9.) Ishapore 2A1? An Enfield without the worst thing about the Enfield (the .303 round)? I think they have detachable mags which is a good thing and a not so good thing because i imagine that they are hard to come by. Don't know how accurate they are but it seems like there are some in my price range and i can get one of those sword like WWI baronets to intimidate the competition
Is there anything I'm missing? Any suggestions? Anyone have one of these guns who is willing to sell it in and around Middle Georgia?