The next WWII rifle for my collection?

[cluttonfred]

I like WWII rifles and here's what I have so far....

M1917 Enfield
M1 Carbine
M1 Garand
Lee-Enfield No4 Mk1*

Yes, the M1917 is a technically a WWI rifle, but mine is arsenal refinished and therefore appropriate to WWII issue.

Now I am thinking about what else to add to my collection. There are a number of nice historic rifles that don't really interest me because I want shooters and I prefer a rear aperture sight to an open rear notch.

I am likely to add a couple more Lee-Enfields--it would be nice to include British, Canadian and Australian models if I can find and afford them. I also certainly need a Springfield and a 1903A3 would have the aperture sight.

Any other suggestions?

 

[ThePlato]

Get some Axis rifles? K98? Or Arisaka?

 

[Cosmoline]

Arisaka Type 99. Ammo is around and it's pretty easy to handload. The sights are excellent triangle front/aperture rear.

Finnish Mosins. The M28/30 and M39 have really nice iron sights.

Keep in mind you can get a Mojo aperture for most WWII era Mosins and Mausers. They take about five minutes to install in most cases. I don't think any WWII collection can be considered complete without at least a 91/30 and a K98k.

 

[rcmodel]

If you don't have an 03-A3 Springfield yet?
You haven't even got started yet!!

rc

 

[Vern Humphrey]

+1 RC Model!

If you don't have a M1903A3, you ain't right!

The 03A3 is a genuine WWII rifle -- Remington had a contract to make Springfields as a backup to the M1 Garand. Remington engineers figured out ways to make the rifle faster and more economically without harming the accuracy or functionality of the rifle -- using stampings instead of milled trigger guards, floor plates, butt plates and so on.

One of the great things they did was develop a new rear sight -- a peep sight. The standard M1903 was a thing of beauty and a nightmare to manufacture. The new sight, while cheaper and much simpler, turned out to be a much better sight.

 

[ol' scratch]

Get a 1903 Springfield that was rebuilt for WWII. Better yet, if you can get one of the USMC rifles.

You could get some WWII handguns too. I don't know what your budget is but a P35 with proofs is neat. A 1911, Luger, Radom, etc.

 

[nathan]

M 44 carbine. THe fireball blast and concussion are priceless to behold.

 

[texascarl]

How about a Swede M38?

 

[vellocet]

You did not mention your price limits, if any. You could get a Mosin, an Arisaka and a K98 for about the price of one Springfield. Pretty close.

 

[azgun]

Oh you have to get a mosin nagant

 

[jonnyc]

Plenty of interesting French and Italian rifles out there. Not to mention a nice wartime Swiss K31.

 

[Vaarok]

Don't be stupid and look for one. Save up your money and see which pops up locally and inexpensively that appeals to you first, and buy that.

If you're looking to spend money, you will. Cheap, good, fast. Pick two.

If you trawl gunshows, gunshops, and want-ads, I'd bet you'd find one of your list much cheaper and nicer than you expect, AND you don't have to decide which one from a list, just yes/no.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Cheap, good, fast. Pick two.

A young lady said that to me one time. I said, "I'll go with good and cheap, and you take as loooooooooooong as you like, Honey."

 

[madcratebuilder]

I would follow your desire to expand your LE collection. There are five manufacturers of the No4, two of the No5. Plus you can get lost in the world of No1 Lithgows. You can have a few dozen No4's and not cover all the variations.

You really need a M1903A3 to go with the Garand and Carbine.

 

[bigedp51]

Owlnmole

Question, I'm asking this question because I wear glasses and have chronologically gifted eyesight. Is your preference for aperture sights a necessity due to eyesight or because of better accuracy than open rear notch type sights.

You can wear a aperture and still shoot notch type sights.







I'm a little cheap, so I just drilled a hole in a pair of clip on sun glasses so I could shoot (see) rear notch type sights.

 

[Ro1911]

Ok if it were me, and I had the guns you listed, I would get a No. 1 MK III enfield, a french MAS 36, a mosin nagant, a carcano, a k98, and a arisaka.

 

[Chawbaccer]

Of course you will be buying a Johnson won't you ? It did have aperature sights.

 

[cluttonfred]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Nope, I don't think I'll be getting a Johnson, as my price range could perhaps be described as "less than an iPad" and a Johnson would cost several iPads or more. No, there is no medical reason for me to use aperture sights other than having poor vision generally, I just prefer shooting with that type of sight.

The Arisaka, Carcano and Mosin-Nagant rifles that I have seen have all had open sights. The MAS-36 is an interesting suggestion and I would love to find one of the funky MAS-36 CR39 paratrooper models with the folding aluminum stock.

Otherwise, I keep coming back to the Springfield 1903A3 and more Lee-Enfields, which would also keep me down to just three calibers. As I am unlikely to find an affordable M1A1 Carbine, I might get one of the new Auto Ordnance (Kahr) ones for plinking and SHTF.

Please keep the suggestions coming!

 

[mshootnit]

I think you should get a walnut K31 from 1942 or so. I know not used in the war, but surely were carried by those trianing to fight if need be, and designed and built for war. You really get attached to a K31 once you own one.

 

[Rail Driver]

Why not some of the rifles from the "other side"? I've seen quite a few very pretty German WWII rifles (bring backs in my grandfather's collection). You can (relatively) easily get a replaceable aperture rear sight for shooting purposes and leave the original sight for display/posterity.

 

[oldpapps]

WWII rifle for my collection

For a well rounded collection, look to the major players in the conflict.
Allies - England (including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa), France, Russia and the USA.
Axis Powers - German, Italy and Japan.
Then the 'also played' - Poland, China and so on. Mostly someone else's weapon or copy of someone else's design.

For the most part all of the British contributors used the SMLE, several versions are out there to pick from.
France both pre-invasion and Free French used the same MAS-36.
Russia used the Mosin and they are all over the place now.
The USA used the M1 Garand, 1903 (several versions, A3 being prominent), M1 Carbine, M1917 Enfield and M1941 Johnson.
German used several (Hitler wanted more?) including the Gewehr 41, Gewehr 43, Mauser Karabiner 98k, Gewehr 98 and I have an old GEW 88 with Nazi markings.
Italy used the Carcano M1891 (in 3 or more varieties) and the Steyr-Mannlicher M1895.
Japan used the Type 38, Arisaka Type 99 and Type 30 rifle (look for the crasanum [the flower on the receiver]). The Type 38 is reportedly the strongest blot action used during the Second World War.
There are several weapons to choose from.
I have a friend who started collecting SMLEs back in the 1970's. The last count I have from him was 28 versions and that was a few years back.

Enjoy you collecting.

OSOK

 

[Cosmoline]

The Arisaka, Carcano and Mosin-Nagant rifles that I have seen have all had open sights.

The Arisaka 99 should have aperture rear unless it's been hacked. It has two of them, IIRC. One flipped down, and another flipped up. Plus some have special sights for shooting down aircraft--very optimistically.

 

[Tom609]

I too vote for the M1903a3, and a "close second" suggestion for a Finnish M39. You would then have two of the most accurate military bolt action rifles ever made.

 

[Creature]

1903a3.

 

[cluttonfred]

I am still looking at my options... How hard is it to find the following, and any idea how much they might go for? I am not talking about mint, unfired or anything like that--just good shooters in good condition. Thanks!

U.S. M1903A3
Enfield P14
MAS-36