7.62x54 commercial rifle?

[planetmobius]

I like the 7.62x54 round and the current economy of shooting it, but not a big Nagant fan. Anyone know of any commercial rifle currently made in this caliber?

 

[atblis]

There's a couple semi rifles. The PSL perhaps?

 

[shadow9]

The 7.62x54R is such an oddball in design that only Eastern Euro military rifles really use it. Look up the "PSL-54C" for an RPK-derived sniping platform, and save up around $700-1000 for one in good condition.

Otherwise, talk to a gunsmith and machinist about having a bolt and barrel built to fit the 7.62x54R. If you're really that attached to it.

 

[Kendal Black]

Single shot? There are some Baikal IZH-18MH in that caliber--break action, hammerless, extractor. Not a lot of them in the States, AFAIK.

Custom barrel for an Encore is another thought. http://ingunowners.com/forums/parts..._7_62x54r_krieger_stainless_steel_barrel.html

 

[MMCSRET]

There were a few commercial Winchester Model 1895 rifles chambered in that cartridge as well as some built on a Czarist Russia military contract that were sold off commercially by Winchester after the Bolshevik Revolution. Can be a little pricey but can be found by diligent searching. I've witnessed a couple changing hands in the last couple of years.

 

[kingcheese]

crappy knock-off svd's can be had, as far as ecinomical goes, you are pretty much stock with a nagant, the round is only around because it was mass produced, a lot of the surplus rifle ammo out there is really 30-40 years old

and custom rifles can be expensive
so you might be better off with switching to a different gun, and just buy bulk ammo for it, i believe that you can get 308 in bulk
a local gun store even sells crates of 223, i think its like 5,000 rounds on a small pallet, couldnt tell ya the price though

 

[Al Thompson]

I'd like to see a Handi Rifle in 7.65x54R. I understand that the hard military primers may preclude using surplus ammo though.

 

[Cosmoline]

I've been very unimpressed with most of the PSL's on the market. They're usually cruddy parts guns slapped together by some importer. BUT I was very impressed by the new NoDak Spud PSL I saw the other day. The receiver is US made and made very well. The furniture is also different, with a much better length of pull on the stock and better ergonomics all around. I'm probably going to be getting one soon.

As far as Mosins, what have you shot? There are Mosins and there are Mosins. Folks who hate the 91/30 may love the M39.

 

[rcmodel]

I can't see any major manufacture making a new rifle chambered to shoot old com-block surplus corrosive ammo. Which is going to run out sooner or later anyway.

The warranty work on barrel rust alone would be a nightmare for them!!

rc

 

[SpeedAKL]

No major ammo makers produce for it except as cheap blasting ammo, so there's no incentive for gunmakers to chamber for it. Get a .308 if you want identical performance.

Edit: or get a PSL if you want to have some fun. They make for great range toys, low recoil and passably accurate.

 

[451 Detonics]

I would imagine you could have a barrel done for a Savage long action, not sure how the rounds would do in a magazine.

 

[dirtyjim]

vostok made both sporting and target rifles chambered in the 7.62x54r but they are scarce outside of russia.
i have seen a remington 700 in 7.62x54r and a couple of ruger #1 conversion.
ruger is now making the #1 in 303 british so if enough people bug them maybe they'll make a small batch in 7.62x54r

i really don't think it would be difficult for any of the major arms companies to convert their rifles to the 54r. start out with one of their long actions with a wsm bolt face, wedge the back & front walls of the magbox so it will feed.

 

[Vaarok]

I've seen Martini actions, Vostoks, the Winchester 1895, somebody pricey makes custom falling-blocks, and naturally a good smith can do whatever you want.

Really, though, most people use the caliber because they have the gun already, not buy an expensive new made thing so they can take advantage of cheap ammo.

 

[alemonkey]

A Martini-Henry rebarreled in 7.62x54R would be pretty sweet.

Buy an M39. It's to ordinary 91/30's what a Cadillac is to a Yugo. They're very accurate and only around $300.

 

[planetmobius]

That Baikal sounds interesting. I'll see if I cant scrounge one of those.

 

[Dreamcast270mhz]

People seriously discount the 7.62x54r, it is more powerful than .308 and close to -06, with less recoil and a slightly flatter trajectory.

 

[shadow9]

Not to mention it tends to have high-BC rounds that CARRY for a long while.

 

[Maverick223]

I'm gonna go out of my way and just guess that a Dragunov-SVD/NDM-86/Tigr is out of the question (I really like 'em, but its really hard to make an argument that it is a good gun for the money). This being the case your choices are pretty limited, with the PSL being one of the only choices. Some folks like 'em (a lot), but I have a hard time finding a spot for a SA "DMR" that utilizes a long-stroke piston...and even then I'd rather have a Saiga (a little lighter and probably a bit better in the accuracy dept.), if they ever decide to import any...

 

[dnthmn]

No major ammo makers produce for it except as cheap blasting ammo, so there's no incentive for gunmakers to chamber for it. Get a .308 if you want identical performance.

Edit: or get a PSL if you want to have some fun. They make for great range toys, low recoil and passably accurate.

Not true. I know Winchester makes ammo for it as does Prvi. I believe I have seen Norma and Lapua factory loads also. They're not exactly small fry.

 

[db_tanker]

why not get you an Encore chambered in it?

Heck, if you follow the examples set by Parker Ackley and his kind I would see what would happen if you blow the shoulder out and give it a sharp shoulder and a bit less neck...of course, with as much taper as that cartridge has, you might have a few split necks on the first go around if you don't anneal...but of course, this is all academic...but it would still be neat.

 

[Maverick223]

Winchester 1895 for the win!

 

[toivo]

This is not exactly a "commercial" rifle, but...

http://www.jgsales.com/product_info...et-rifle-very-good-condition/products_id/4438

And let me give another endorsement to the Finnish M39. It's a whole 'nother kind of Mosin.

http://www.gunsnammo.com/

 

[dnthmn]

A target Mosin! That is awesome! I would grab one in an instant if it weren't so much.

 

[Vaarok]

Centerfiresystems has them for a hundred cheaper...

http://centerfiresystems.com/search.aspx?find=finnish

Me, personally, I'll stick with the Winchester.

 

[Hoth206]

Back when 8 x 57 was a little cheaper, I thought it'd be fun to have a Savage barrel made up in it so that I could get some cheap practice in.

I'd love a "mini-safari rifle" double gun in 7.62 x 54R, it'd be the perfect thing for hogs.