Best military bolt action for the money?

[albanian]

All things considered, what do you think the best military bolt action rifle is for the money?

Here is how I came to my choice; I weighed all these critiria and came to my pick based on the guns I have owned. I think it should live up to the spirit of what it was intended to do. They were designed to be tough, dependable, accurate under stress, reliable, powerful, and trouble free. They were not supposed to be benchrest guns, they were inteded to be shot from various positions so things like balance and fit are more important than in other rifles.

Here is what must be considered:

1. Price. If it costs $50 and does everything as well as a $300 gun, it wins.

2. Trigger. The better the trigger the better the groups.

3. Sights. If you can't see the sights, you can't shoot.

4. Action. Solid, slick, fast and smooth are what we want.

5. Safety. It has to be in the right place and feel good.

6. Accuracy. The more accurate the better but it is not the most important thing in a military rifle.

7. Balance. If it comes up to the shoulder fast and easy, you will be able to score faster shots.

8. Workmanship. Is it made well?

9. Reliabilty. Not often a concern with guns of this type because most are 100% reliable, if one isn't, it is out.

10. Power. More power means better range and the ability to destroy more stuff!

11. Capacity. The more the better but it is not this particular gun's intended strength.

12. Ease of field stripping.


Based on all these points, I have chosen my M-48A as the rifle that best fits. It was cheap ($69) and it is one of the best military surplus bolt action you can buy. Mine has an outstanding trigger, great balance, solid action, more than enough power, good accuracy, 100% reliablility, great workmanship and is tough as nails.

I picked my M-48A out of 6 military surplus rifles I own.
1. Mosin M-44
2. Enfield #4 MKI
3. 1917 Eddystone
4. 1938 Turkish Mauser
5. 1931 K-31 Karabiner
6. Yugo M-48A Mauser

 

[PATH]

Mauser then Enfield. I own both. Accessorizing the Mauser is easy as there are so many things you can do with it. In the original configuration the Enfield has the smoother action. The Nagants are nice but I like the Enfields and Mausers!

 

[critter]

M48A all the way! I have 2-unissued-SWEEEET.

 

[Greg L]

Given criteria #1 I was leaning towards a M/N until I got to #5 . I owned one for a few years before I found out that it even had a safety (also takes the K31 out of contention. It is logical in its own Swiss sort of way but it isn't in the sense that anyone could pick it up & quickly figure it out).

Sooo, the various families as a whole (other countries mfg on the same action type fall into the large group),

Enfield
Mauser
K31
M/N

 

[Jaeger]

K31
Enfield
Mauser
Moisin Nagant

 

[Hutch]

Albanian, you scare me. I have all of those less the K-31! To which I add a chink knock-off of the M44, a 91/30 and a 1903A3 Remington.

 

[sitkablacktail]

Mauser then the mauser and wait oh yea the mauser. The saftey on the Mosin Nagant scares me.

 

[SMLE]

Personally, I put the Lee Enfield at the top in all categories. Of course I'm slightly deranged on the subject as I already own 20 of them and am always looking for more.

 

[jem375]

Swede 96
K31
MK4 #1
forget the rest....

 

[roo_ster]

Swiss K31: you can get 'em for less than $100 & will shoot rings around most other milsurps. Only the Swedes & Finn MNs are close...but cost more.

Now, if you had included coat of ammo, it might be different....

 

[BamBam-31]

Your list sounds like it's describing a Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk. II.

 

[GD]

My most accurate rifles in order by accuracy (first is best):

1. Finnish M28/30
2. Finnish M27 Tikka
3. Finnish M28 Tikka
4. Finnish M39 B-barrel
5. Swedish M96
6. Finnish M39 VKT
7. Finnish M28 SIG

Other than the Swede, none of my Mausers come close to the Finn rifles. I have several Russian mosins and Enfields that don't close either. With one exception, all 20 of my Finn rifles shoot 2 MOA or better.

 

[armoredman]

I only have my M38 mosin, but it has everything you list but one - real sticky extraction, especially the milsurp stuff.....

 

[DMK]

For a battle rifle, I can't decide between two rifles:

Enfield #4 - Meets all criteria except the cost. These are getting pricy these days. It's also longer and heavier than I would prefer. On the other hand, it has the best sights of any of the WWII bolt actions save the Springfield 1903. It has a slick action, convenient safety, it's rugged and has a ten round capacity.

Mosin-Nagant 91/59 Carbine - It's roughly finished and has a practically useless safety, but it's light and handy, yet built like a T-34 tank and fairly accurate. It also has a cost advantage at about $100

Third choice would be a 1903A3 Springfield. The only reason the Enfield beats this IMO, is because the Enfield has a a ten round mag and a slightly quicker action. I like the Springfield's more powerful round though.

If I had to go to battle and only had these old bolt actions available to me, the 91/59 is probably the one I'd choose unless I knew I would be dug in and defending. Then I'd pick the No. 4 Enfield. The '54R round is probably slightly more powerful than .303, but with the 20" carbine barrel, it's probably a draw.

Of course, I wouldn't want to be using any of these against Garands!

 

[MrMurphy]

I'd actually pick the Lee-Enfield No4. Mk1 over the rest. The length can be a problem but no more than for a Mauser or M-N 91/30. The speed and smoothness of action, capacity, easy to use safety and handiness when shouldering tend to put it rather high on my list. The Mauser is excellent but the Lee Enfield's sights are excellent. I prefer them to the 1903A3.

 

[Snake Jenkins]

My choices are the 03A3, No. 4 Mk1, and the Columbian Mauser in .30-06.

Snake

 

[mainmech48]

Kinda surprised that no one mentioned the Ishapore SMLEs in 7.62 NATO. All of the virtues of the SMLEs (except for the much-improved sights of the N0.4) and surplus ammo is still pretty cheap.

I bought an inexpensive receiver mount and put an old 3x9 scope on mine. Shoots into 2.5 MOA with surplus ball from a rest.

Including the mount, I have less than $200 in it. Not a bad deal. IMHO.

 

[cdbeaver]

Snake, you've struck again, and hit the target dead center.

The old Springfield, with its .30-06 cartridge, is one great piece of weaponry. But, then, most all Mauser-type actions are satisfactory.

 

[444]

This is a topic I frequently discuss. I shoot in Vinatage Bolt Action Rifle matches as often as I can, including yesterday. We all have our faviorites and get to compete head to head with them. Yesterday's match ran out to 400 yards. Something that is interesting about these matches also is that the ability to rapidly reload the rifle is important: Just like in combat. So, having stripper clips, detachable magazine, or a large capacity magazine is a plus.
For my money, the best bolt action mil-surp rifle out there is the Schmit Rubin K31. They are all in excellent mechanical condition and most are pretty decent cosmetically. They are accurate, extremly well made and have a detachable magazine.
Second would be the Yugo Mauser M48 because all the ones I have seen are new or like new.

My experience with the Enfield and my experience only. I own four Enfield rifles and wanted to like them. They are said to have the fastest action of them all. They have a large capacity magazine that would elimate reloading completely for the matches I shoot. But, none of mine shoot worth a crap. They MIGHT be able to keep them all on a dinner plate at 100 yards. I realize they are not all like this, but for me to get four out of four wasn't a good omen for me. Another problem with the Enfield is the huge chamber. This is good for a combat rifle ensuring postive function even under horrible conditions. But, mine arn't battle rifles any longer. For the handloader this means you get a case life of a couple reloads before the case seperates. It also means that you can't possibly get the bullet anywhere near the lands. Then I also don't like the triggers on them either.

The '03 Springfield very well might be the ultimate. However it costs several times as much as most of this other stuff. That isn't all bad but I don't want one bad enough to pay the vig.

The Sweede Mauser is also superb. My only complaint with it is that the closest sight setting is 300 meters. I shot my Sweede in one of these matches. They had a novelty bowling pin match at 50 yards. I was holding a few FEET in front of the pint to hit it with my Sweede.

The Moison Nagants are out for me. I own a few of them but seldom shoot them. The sights are almost impossible to adjust for windage. If it doesn't shoot to point of aim, you are probably in trouble. I am not into Kentucky Windage.

I will stick with my K31

 

[ocabj]

Get a Czech VZ24 from Empire Arms. I recently received one from them and it is in unbelievable condition. The wood is immaculate and bluing is superb. I didn't have to clean the cosmoline off the stock because it appears Empire did it already. I did degrease the metal though, and disassembled the bolt. The bolt is pretty smooth too. A lot easier to open/close/cock the bolt than my 91/30.

I agree with 444 about the Mauser sights. Learn how to hold under if shooting under 300 yards. Once I figured out the hold, I was banging away at the 200 yard metal plates at the shooting range.

 

[chas_martel]

Swiss K31

Non better!

 

[Abakan]

Get an M937 which is a Portugese Mauser or if you can find them cheap some Izzy Mauser in 308.

THE M397 has the best sights of all the Mausers I ever tried and it`s a true 98 System ( not like the 04/39 which is a Mannlicher System )

THe Enfields, Swiss K31, Swedish M96 and 38 and Finnish M39 also are excellent guns.

 

[MinScout]

It's a toss up between the Mauser K98 and the no. 4 Enfield. I think every man should have at least one of these. I have both.

 

[jem375]

444........put a taller front sight in like I did on the Swede, shoots great now at shorter distances............

 

[444]

Yeah, I know taller front sights are available, but I want to leave these rifles in, as issued condition. I buy these rifles for their historical value. I also like to keep with the spirt of these matches, or at least what I consider the spirt of these matches to be. I don't want to build up a "race gun". I accecpt these rifles as soldiers used them long ago, warts and all.