I'm planning on finally using my C&R, I had a Mosin before, and since they are so plentiful I wanted to get a different type of bolt action rifle. I was wondering what type of ammo after 54r is the most common in surplus form? I want to make sure I get a rifle that doesn't require reloading or hard to find rounds from PPU or S&B. I was thinking about getting a "sporter" Enfield and fixing the stock, but I'm not sure how easy finding surplus 303 is, another idea is getting some Mauser, but there are so many variants I have no clue which rifle to start with. So I figured I used ammo as the starting point and find a rifle based on that. Granted I'd love to get this French Mas at a store near me, but ammo on that can be fairly spotty. Same with an FN-49 or if I had more money and SVT-40.
Besides 7.62x54r what C&R rifle used surplus ammo is most common?
- Thread starter gfanikf
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Not much.
All the .303 British surplus is long gone.
Most all the good 8mm Mauser ammo is gone.
Same with the 7.65 Argintene, 7x57 Mauser, etc.
Except 30-06 & .308 surplus can still be had.
rc
All the .303 British surplus is long gone.
Most all the good 8mm Mauser ammo is gone.
Same with the 7.65 Argintene, 7x57 Mauser, etc.
Except 30-06 & .308 surplus can still be had.
rc
Wildbillz
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Surplus is a fickle mistriss. What is common right now will not allways be. I would think about that and plan accordingly. Learn to reload and it will open new worlds to you. Wasn't all that long ago that you could get 8mm Mauser for less then $100 a case. Now? While it can be found its getting harder and harder to find and forget cheap. But you can order brass and bullet to reload without much of a problume. Just my thought on it.
As to what guns?
If your going to lock into ammo that is avalible now.
Mosin Negants are a good deal. Cheap and the ammo is out there. Stock up!
98 Mauser, Just about any of them in good shape is going to do what you want. The Yugos have a differant lenth receiver so some of the parts if you had to replace them would be harder to find. But good solid guns. The M48 if you can find one at a reasonable price would be a good first pick. Remeber to stock up on ammo and that most if not all of it is crossive (same for the 7.62x54R)
Any of the US made rifles in 30-06 Springfield. M1 Garand, 1903, 1903A3, 1917. Ammo for these can be had easly (not cheaply) and is most everywhere in the US. I would look to the CMP for the gun. Prices have gone way up but they are one of the best deals out there. WWW.ODCMP.Com Your going to pay more for the gun up front but have less issue with ammo and replacement parts in the long run. This would be the option that I would go for if it were me.
Best of luck and YMMV
WB
As to what guns?
If your going to lock into ammo that is avalible now.
Mosin Negants are a good deal. Cheap and the ammo is out there. Stock up!
98 Mauser, Just about any of them in good shape is going to do what you want. The Yugos have a differant lenth receiver so some of the parts if you had to replace them would be harder to find. But good solid guns. The M48 if you can find one at a reasonable price would be a good first pick. Remeber to stock up on ammo and that most if not all of it is crossive (same for the 7.62x54R)
Any of the US made rifles in 30-06 Springfield. M1 Garand, 1903, 1903A3, 1917. Ammo for these can be had easly (not cheaply) and is most everywhere in the US. I would look to the CMP for the gun. Prices have gone way up but they are one of the best deals out there. WWW.ODCMP.Com Your going to pay more for the gun up front but have less issue with ammo and replacement parts in the long run. This would be the option that I would go for if it were me.
Best of luck and YMMV
WB
BCRider
Member
Yep, pick the caliber you would like to shoot and set up for reloading. I can turn out a match grade round for about 40 cents for 7mm-08 ammo I shoot. And that's with the elevated prices charge on all the reloading components up this way. In the US you should be able to load a really nice rifle round for around 30 cents. Or a bit more for powder if it's a big case.
Up this way the only good deals on surplus ammo are for the 7.62x54R and 7.62x39. Although recently someone has found a cache of .308 surplus. Seems like it's pretty much a one time thing though.
Up this way the only good deals on surplus ammo are for the 7.62x54R and 7.62x39. Although recently someone has found a cache of .308 surplus. Seems like it's pretty much a one time thing though.
desidog
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Surplus ammo is worthwhile if the cost savings outweigh the time savings of cleaning regular ammo vs. corrosive. (The same can be said of reloading.)
In other words, If i save $10 buying corrosive ammo, and then spend an extra hour cleaning after shooting, i come out behind because i value my time at more than $10/hr. Sure, it's enjoyable, but so is my day job...
In other words, If i save $10 buying corrosive ammo, and then spend an extra hour cleaning after shooting, i come out behind because i value my time at more than $10/hr. Sure, it's enjoyable, but so is my day job...
Surplus Ammo
You basically just have to look around on the web. I own a 1891/30 Mosin-Nagant but only shoot Bear brand russian ammo because I can get it so cheap at $9.95 for a box of 20. (new manufacture, berdan primer)
I just did a quick web search and found surplus 5.56x45, 5.45x39, 7.62x51, 7.5x55, and .30-06 to name a few. Many of the military surplus rifles were manufactured in huge numbers, and are still available for purchase so their corresponding ammo is also available. Good luck and have fun!
You basically just have to look around on the web. I own a 1891/30 Mosin-Nagant but only shoot Bear brand russian ammo because I can get it so cheap at $9.95 for a box of 20. (new manufacture, berdan primer)
I just did a quick web search and found surplus 5.56x45, 5.45x39, 7.62x51, 7.5x55, and .30-06 to name a few. Many of the military surplus rifles were manufactured in huge numbers, and are still available for purchase so their corresponding ammo is also available. Good luck and have fun!
THe weakening value of the dollar is to blame. Plus the supply of surplus ammo is dimiishing. Many have switched to modern calibers. The only long lasting supply will be the Russian 54 R as they are still being used since 1891 by the Russians. They stick to what has worked for a good 120 yrs in existence. The SKS and AK 74 rounds will also be assured in our lifetime. Buy now before they can get pricey.
Kachok
Member
While I have shot plenty of surplus ammo in the past I have gotten completely away from it. When I shoot rifle I want top shelf accuracy and a bullet designed for quick ethical kills on whatever game I am hunting, surplus ammo does neither, so I have no use for it. I handload too so there is really no cost benefit for me either.
shinyroks
Member
+1 on getting yourself a reloading rig-up. That way you can have whatever caliber you choose, and the cost to reload stays the same. besides, someday you may decide that you want you are over your "blowing ammo" stage, and surplus wont necessarily fit your bill of accuracy. Reloading isnt always for economy, it is just a plus most of the time.
If you reload carefully, you can also improve reliability over surplus.
just my .02
If you reload carefully, you can also improve reliability over surplus.
just my .02
mr.trooper
Member
Privi Partisan is your friend.
They make new manufacture non corrosive ammo of good quality for a whole heap of obscure and military calibers, and they usually do it for <1$ per round.
True, your not going to be able to shoot 400 rounds of 303 or 8x56R in a day - but would your shoulder handle that anyway? What you do have, is good clean ammo for just about any milsurp you come across.
They make new manufacture non corrosive ammo of good quality for a whole heap of obscure and military calibers, and they usually do it for <1$ per round.
True, your not going to be able to shoot 400 rounds of 303 or 8x56R in a day - but would your shoulder handle that anyway? What you do have, is good clean ammo for just about any milsurp you come across.
Robbins290
Member
i agree with mr trooper.
Moose458
Member
How about a SKS and 7.62x39. You can't get cheaper than that and it is C&R, plus they a fun shooters.
It has been five years since I turned 18 and in that short period of time I've seen alot of surplus ammo that used to be stocked everywhere dry up. Stock up on 7.62x54r, it won't be around forever.
I still see .303 ammo around but it is either really expensive or so old and corroded that I wouldn't shoot it. I bought some .303 British ammo a couple years back and half of it would go "Click...BANG!" with up to three seconds between the click and the bang.
I still see .303 ammo around but it is either really expensive or so old and corroded that I wouldn't shoot it. I bought some .303 British ammo a couple years back and half of it would go "Click...BANG!" with up to three seconds between the click and the bang.
WardenWolf
member
8mm Mauser is pretty common, and still pretty widely available.
beatledog7
Member
It's possible that supplies of what used to be common and therefore cheap cartridges are still around.
If in 1970 I had possessed a butt ton of high quality surplus ammo, say, .303 Brit, I would have held on to it until the supply seemed almost gone and the price was through the roof, then I'd have "announced" a sudden find and released it at as high a price as the market would stand.
Could be someone is doing that, just waiting for the right time.
If in 1970 I had possessed a butt ton of high quality surplus ammo, say, .303 Brit, I would have held on to it until the supply seemed almost gone and the price was through the roof, then I'd have "announced" a sudden find and released it at as high a price as the market would stand.
Could be someone is doing that, just waiting for the right time.
Ignition Override
Member
If you can find very cheap bullets and fairly cheap powder, reloading the brass should be straight forward and save money after a few hundred rds.
Considering how many of us reload .303, after buying boxes of Prvi. at about .75/round, paying .50/rd. for CMP M2 Ball doesn't seem so bad.
Considering how many of us reload .303, after buying boxes of Prvi. at about .75/round, paying .50/rd. for CMP M2 Ball doesn't seem so bad.
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