Buying an M-39 Mosin tomorrow, need advice

My wife is getting a new house, so I've gained permission to get a new rifle as soon as our old house sold. We accepted an offer yesterday (yay!) so tomorrow I'm going to order an M-39 from www.gunsnammo.com.

My priority is a good bore, followed by nicely figured wood in good condition, followed by good blueing. I'm looking for a good shooter. He has bore conditions in "New", "Mirror Sharp", "Bright Sharp Shiny", etc.

For those who have bought from him before, is there really any difference between these grades of bore condition? There are several "Bright Sharp Shiny" bore with really nice figured wood, but the new/unissued ones seem to have plainer wood in general. Will one typically shoot as well as the other?

It's probably not a big deal, but I just can't make up my mind.

 

I went with the better looking wood and just took my chances with the barrel. I wound up with "shiny" on this one but it shoots very well and I'm extremely happy with it.

 

You'll be fine with any of the barrel descriptions you list.

 

I suggest you get two, you can make one good one and sporterize the other......

 

Surplus Mosin's are a hit and miss thing sometimes... I got my M44 from a chain store. They just recieved 3 in. I looked at the prices, one of them was marked $50. I asked to see it. the wood was beaten and had a small crack. Hence the low price. The rest was brand new! the bolt face had no evidence of being fired. The barrel plugged full of cosmo. After cleaning it out in the store. I found the barrel in new unfired condition also. I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough! Got it home, with a couple of hours cleaning.. And alittle Accraglass repair on the stock. It looked great! The rifle shoot great! It has since undergone a facellift, but this is one rifle that will stay with me! http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/showthread.php?t=50907

 

It's hard to get a bad M-39. I've never seen one, at least. The worst you'll find is maybe one with a cracked handguard.

Buy the one that speaks to you and you won't be disappointed.

 

Three friends and myself bought one each from a dealer that had to order them. They came in individual boxes with the serial numbers and model of contents on the box. Two of them were arsenal refinished and looked unissued and two had about 40% bluing left. All had excellant bores and were packed with cosmo. We also bought a case of ammo to split between us. No one wanted to clean them, so they offered me a gallon of gas and my share of the ammo to clean the rifles for them. You should have seen the looks my neighbors were giving me when they saw 4 rifles in pieces lying in my driveway on cardboard.

 

noo, dont sporterize an m39!!

 

I'd get the best one they offer. They prices are very fair,and you
will be happy with the gun when you get it.
Pick up that polish M-44 as well,before I order it!!!

 

I really hope the poster who told me to sporterize one was joking. An M-39 is not a run of the mill Mosin. Not that I'd sporterize one of those either.

 

Here's what Id' do.
I've never seen a Finnish Mosin that wasn't a good shooter.
So, I'd look at the photos, read th4e descriptions, and if there's one that says "I gotta have this" buy that one.

If there's more than one speaking to you, buy the one that has the best bore/bluing/wood in that order.

 

A "must-have" book for M39 owners...




http://www.snipercountry.com/BVT_Reviews/RiflesWhiteDeath.asp

 

I've purchased *many* M-39's from www.gunsnammo.com - have been extremely pleased with the majority of them.

I will caution you however to READ THE DESCRIPTIONS CAREFULLY - he describes them accurately and I got a cracked handguard one time (my fault) for not reading the description carefully.

His prices are reasonable and you should be able to get a really fine rifle for about $300 to $350.

Good luck with it...and don't forget the ammo

 

If he has any with new or mirror sharp bores with a "B" barrel, thse are known to be excellent shooters. The B stands for Belgium. They are made by FN and are very good barrels.

 

i have a very low miles SAKO capture I bought 10 years ago.
Ive scoped it- my eyes arent what they used to be- and after many years of shooting, Im going to pillar & glas bed it, & relieve the handguard upper where the bbl exits.
While I know this upsets some people, Im curious if my groups will tighten up.
I added an aftermarket trigger a few months back, that made a nice difference....the bedding will extend a few inches fwd of the reciever....

 

cracks are usually also included in the pictures...

also pat burns is a she... pat=patricia

 

I suggest you do not listen to the above. The most you should do is put it in another stock.

 

The Finns shimmed the action, which was all you needed to do to get it to shoot well.

Ash

 

Well, I went ahead and ordered this one (1944 VKT) :








Here's the description:

90% + blue, new bore, matching bolt and a post war stock in excellent-like new condition.

The wood isn't all that fancy, but the new bore is what swayed my decision. $274.99 seems really cheap for what is essentially a hand picked M39. I'll make sure to post pics when it's here.

 

beautiful.

 

Nice looking VKT...

True, except we all know they're really Bill's rifles...

 

DO IT!!!

You will NOT be sorry!

Mine is loving Czech LPS 147gr.FMJ. The best ammo around, even though its corrosive. I just wash with soapy hot water, hot water rinse after a scrub and oil to keep it from rusting.
Spot on at 200 yards, a great ammo/rifle set up.

 

I already did...see post #19

 

man..........last week I was lookin' and lookin' on that sight sooooooooo tempted to get one,I want a Sako,he had one listed as like new.I hesitated trying to control my crazy gun buying craze that I have been on....


Went back latter after giving in to my "needs" and they were all gone....


SPORTERIZE!!!!!!!???????????


NO!!!!!!!!!!!!:banghead: NOT the Finnish M39!!!!!!!


MY GAWD! the are plenty of Russian "tentpoles" to do THAT with

 

I have a question.The antique ones he has that are built on the reciever that don't need a FFL,are those safe to use standard new ammo in?