Now I just need a .30-06 battle rifle

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Yeah, is the 1917 actually "Enfield-like" (60º throw, cock on close), or is it really just a 98 Mauser variant?
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The M1917 is a '98 Mauser with a cock on closing action (but not a 60 degree bolt throw) and a side-mounted 2-position safety. Originally developed by the British (as the P13) for a slightly modified .280 Ross cartridge, the basic Mauser action was selected because the Lee wouldn't stand the pressures.
 
Whichever I come across first when in money, really. The Garand doesn't any special attraction for me, although it's certainly a nice rifle.
 
Are all these old service rifles (garand,mauser,m44 etc) all just surplus from 50 years ago? Do they still make these rifles? Or why are they so cheap?
 
quatin,

Yep, old surplus. 1917s haven't been made since the close of WWI. M-1 Garands not since the late '50s and '03s I think were last built at the close of WWII.

Good old USGI rifles are far from "cheap" for the most part. Not terribly expensive, but you're into the $500-800 range for a good one.

The old Mausers and Mosin-Nagants and others run significantly less. Mostly imported from overseas and made in huge quantities (so were the US rifles too, but any way....). I like Mausers for their generally good quality and solid actions. Haven't had a chance to try an SMLE, though they sound nice too.

Get a Garand, an '03 AND a 1917. Then you've got a little bit of everything! :evil:
 
"Get a Garand, an '03 AND a 1917. Then you've got a little bit of everything!"

Actually, get 3 of each! You need that many to use the stacking swivel :D
Still have to pick up a couple of M1917s to round out things for me.
 
M1917

I saw two fellows shooting an M-1917 at the range this weekend and chatted with them. The poor thing seems to have been the subject of many different bubba-type modifications over the years, but it shot reasonably well despite its beat-up condition.
 
http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/index.htm

The Garands are still relatively cheap because the Civilian Marksmanship program is still selling them. They are selling rifles out of the US military inventory. This program or one like it has been around a long time, but I think they relaxed the requirements 10 years ago or so. I think more and more people have been buying them especially with the WWII nostalgia of the last 10 years.

FYI, the CMP is out of 1903 rifles. THey only have rack grade M1917 rifles. I think the Garands are limited to rack and field grade.
All new aftermarket Garand rifles are $900 to $1000 from what I have seen. I figure the prices will increase once the CMP runs out.

Has anyone seen any price changes on 1903 rifles since CMP ran out? Maybe it is too soon.
 
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