8mm or 7.62x54R for cheap 300 yard bolt rifle?

[DarthBubba]

I have a m44 Nagant,

It shoots well out around 200 yards but for good accuracy past that surplus ammo won't get the job done I have worked up some hand loads that have taken care of that so I can give a firm vote for the Nagant.
My Mauser collection consists of a few 48's a 98 and an Argentine and they all shoot well but cost a bit more. So if it is cheep you want go Nagant (only paid $74.00 for mine and it was still wrapped and packed), remember Cheap rifle+cheap ammo=fun cheap shooting.

Have fun be safe,

DarthBubba

 

[Ivy Mike]

Mosin will not have a problem hitting targets at 300 yards
Mausers will not have a problem hitting targets at 300 yards

Buy whichever you want...hell, the Msoin's are cheap and the Yugo Mausers are too. Buy one of each.

 

[Cosmoline]

That's way too broad a statement. I've had Mausers that couldn't hit a barn's broad side and Mausers that shoot MOA. And I've had Mosins in both camps as well. In general terms a German or Czech Mauser will shoot better than a Soviet 91/30, but only in general terms. They will not outshoot a Finn, nor will they outshoot all Soviet Mosins.

 

[jefnvk]

One good thing, I think about the Finns, is that alot were post-war, quality produced. Not used much at all, keeping them in great shape to shoot very well.

I'd bet a clean, hardly used Mauser would group right with the Finns, but not many of those around at the price of the Finns.

 

[Cosmoline]

Well technically the bulk of the M-39's saw service in both the Continuation War and the short war with the Germans at the end called the Lappland war. The Finns just did an excellent job of taking care of their rifles and my sense is they had more time for cleaning their rifles during the Continuation War than during the shorter and more intense Winter War. The Finns also refurbished a lot of the M-39's over the years on an ad hoc basis. Quite a few have been reblued and re-reblued. You will almost always see the remains of old rust pitting on Finn receivers and magazines.

 

[cracked butt]

I'd bet a clean, hardly used Mauser would group right with the Finns, but not many of those around at the price of the Finns.

Try a 98/29 or a 98/22 in good condition.

 

[armoredman]

Mosin. Cheap, cheap to feed, durable as all get out, great fun. Mosin.

 

[foghornl]

Not sure what the Mausers are going for right now, but you can frequently find several of the Mosin models for under $75. {not the Finnish version usually, but most of the others}

Add a case [Spam Can] of ammo for under $100, and blaze way.

 

[Ivy Mike]

That's way too broad a statement. I've had Mausers that couldn't hit a barn's broad side and Mausers that shoot MOA. And I've had Mosins in both camps as well. In general terms a German or Czech Mauser will shoot better than a Soviet 91/30, but only in general terms. They will not outshoot a Finn, nor will they outshoot all Soviet Mosins.

I guess I should have said a Mauser or Mosin that isn't sporting a cracked stock and shot-out barrel with a bolt that has rusted locking lugs.

In other words, either rifle in a decent state of repair won't have a problem hitting a reasonable target at 300 yards.

I can stay right within minute of nazi with my M44 at 300 yard with iron sights. I'm not the greatest shot and I do miss on occasion. The rifle is certainly capable of matching my accuracy which, I'd guess is a bit less than the average Soviet conscript who got a few days training.

I'm probably just as good with my Yugo Mauser (which is actually a captured German mauser)

 

[Cosmoline]

What kind of Yugo do you have? I'm not aware of very many being captured K-98k's. There are pre-war Czech Mausers that were used by Yugoslavia and the M-48's that were made there.

 

[rbernie]

Yugo M98's aren't that uncommon. I see them more often that VZ24s or the like....

Last time I was there, Military Gun Supply had two racks of 'em...

 

[Ivy Mike]

rbernie hit it on the head. Mine is a captured K98 rearsenaled by the Yugo's.

They are easily identifiable usually by ther Mod.98 marking on the side of the reciever just aft of the Preduzce 44 stamp. Very nice rifle although some clown ground the Yugo crest from the top of the receiver.

Mine was sporterized by my late grandfather though. It no longer sports its original stock and was at one point set up for scope rings.

Still shoots like a dream...as any piece of German hardware usually does.

 

[jefnvk]

http://samcoglobal.com/rifles.html has the Yugo 98's for $129-149. Pretty much the same condition as the Russkie captures I have seen. Some good, some not so good.

Edit, and yeah, either will be good for a man sized target at 300. Just depends on wwhat you like. Both are the same price, usually, with the Mosin having maybe a slight advantage ($10-15) at the low end. Ammo is abou tthe same price. Just comes down to preference, I don't care much for the Mosin bolt. Some love it, just a decision you have to make for yourself

 

[cracked butt]

Dammit Jefnvk, I had sworn off buying another rifle for the next few months, now you wrecked it for me.

 

[slzy]

with all this talk of safetys,and i know it is easy to bash the french ,what about those french rifles that did'nt have any safrty at all? was the high command trying to give hints to the soldats?

 

[Ash]

I have a captured K98k that was recrested with the Yugo crest. This one is neat in that the stock carving is pretty intricate, carved by a Moslem with Islamic symbols and Alla Hu Akbar in Phonetic English (not Cyrillic). I got it directly from Century Arms several years back when I still had my C&R. I needed it for my WWII display and having a scrubbed and remarked reciever was of no consequence. The bore is pretty terrible, but the carving is why I kept it. I have wondered if it had been captured by Partisans and one was a Bosnian Moslem.

Ash

 

[jefnvk]

Dammit Jefnvk, I had sworn off buying another rifle for the next few months, now you wrecked it for me.

I try my best