World War I/II Era Bolt Action Rifle- I want one, but which?

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I have hunted with "modern" hunting rifles, then I got into surplus, then I got into K31s. I find it to be my favorite and most accurite surplus rifle. This is my latest project that I plan to hunt with this fall.
 

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Sorry guys...

Well, everyone is going to hate me. Im taking delivery of another rifle in the morning.

Anybody that knows me, or actually reads my posts, knows that I am a huge fan of gas piston semi automatic weapons. But I cant pass up a deal.

Fella I work with is selling me his BARELY USED S&W M&P-15 Sport, 2 pmags, bulldog tac bag, 100 rounds of 556, all for $600. It only has 80 rounds through it...i know this because 40 were shot by him, the other forty by me the same day! I loathe DI guns, but for the price, I cant help it!

Now Ill have two of them. Guess one is a zombie killer, the other a truck/deer/varmint/SD gun. The Sport is the only one Ive ever kept, and I kinda want another one. Its paid for, so thanks for all the help. You guys are the best. Ill post pics of it (even though we all know what they look like) after work tomorrow.:)
 
I own most of the bolt rifles mentioned and my personal favorite is the Finn Nagant. It's a little heavy, but ammo's cheap and it shoots great. Second choice would be K98. Congrats on the new gun by the way, and good luck getting a bolt action in the future.
 
You have been given a lot of options based on a lot of opinions, which everyone rightfully has, including myself. I call myself a milsurp collector and own or have owned most every one that has been suggested. I'm partial to the Mausers, especially the Swedes and Argentine, and even the 1908 Brazilians.

However if you're like most of us, your best bet will be whichever one you find that feels the best and is in good enough condition and is priced right; be it USA, German, Swede, Argy, Finn, Swiss, Russian, British, Japanese, Italian or what. It's your choice to make.
 
I have about 2 dozen 98k/gew.98/98b rifles, both sniper and standard. I like them. I have often beat guys fielding garands on the CMP range, but the semi has a distinct advantage in the rapid fire event, and if I compete seriously, I'll take the M1 without a second thought. As good as the 8mm m98 is, I think the m96 6.5x55 swede is better, and I own quite a few, sporter and original. late in the war, the germans even admitted in their sniper program that the 6.5 and even 7x57 were superior cartridges to their 8mm, so if you are shooting distance, its an honest self-assessment. The '03 is for all intents an expensive .30 cal m98 with different sights. the 03a3 is the same rifle with superior sights. Enfields are cheap, accurate and have a large mag capacity, any of the Finnish M91 line is usually superior to the cheaper Russian models in terms of fit, finish, and accuracy. My m39's and m28 shot as well or better than my 'tuned up' soviet 91/30 early war sniper rebuild.
But I have to be honest, the way you were trying to bash me in another thread, I thought you knew everything there was to know about ww2 rifles in total. Try to be civil, ok? Good luck with this hobby, it is fun and addictive. But reloading for your surplus rifle is always recommended.
 
xerxesthecat said:
I have about 2 dozen 98k/gew.98/98b rifles, both sniper and standard. I like them. I have often beat guys fielding garands on the CMP range, but the semi has a distinct advantage in the rapid fire event, and if I compete seriously, I'll take the M1 without a second thought. As good as the 8mm m98 is, I think the m96 6.5x55 swede is better, and I own quite a few, sporter and original. late in the war, the germans even admitted in their sniper program that the 6.5 and even 7x57 were superior cartridges to their 8mm, so if you are shooting distance, its an honest self-assessment. The '03 is for all intents an expensive .30 cal m98 with different sights. the 03a3 is the same rifle with superior sights. Enfields are cheap, accurate and have a large mag capacity, any of the Finnish M91 line is usually superior to the cheaper Russian models in terms of fit, finish, and accuracy. My m39's and m28 shot as well or better than my 'tuned up' soviet 91/30 early war sniper rebuild.
But I have to be honest, the way you were trying to bash me in another thread, I thought you knew everything there was to know about ww2 rifles in total. Try to be civil, ok? Good luck with this hobby, it is fun and addictive. But reloading for your surplus rifle is always recommended.
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If you felt I was bashing, I apologize. I fancy myself an enthusiast, not an expert. I know what gun shoots what, what action each has, and everything in between. But, as far as this subject goes, I want to hear from you guys what FUTURE milsurp bolt gun is the cats meow.

Xerxes, your knowledge and additions to this thread are as valued as anyone else's, and once again, if for any reason I rubbed you the wrong way, not sure of where or when, but I'm sorry anyway.
In summation, I messed with a few k98s after work today. I think, funds allowing, this will be the model.
 
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inclinebench, the picture makes it look like maybe a 25" barrel?

To the OP, Mausers and their Springfield clone do feel really great. :)

John
 
When you say "project gun" do you mean that you're looking for an old military surplus bolt rifle to hack up? There are plenty of cheap, used, sporters or previously hacked-up "sportorized" milsurps out there already that cutting up and ruining yet another good old bolt rifle really makes no financial sense, or any other sense, at all. For every 1 or 2 high quality "sporterized," or what ever you want to call them, rifles out there are 50 or 100 hack jobs. Sorry, but every time I see a fine old miliatary bolt gun drilled for a scope and setting in a plain old "drop-in" stock or worse it just makes me sad/mad for the loss. Now if you mean that you mean that you would like an old milsurp bolt gun to hunt deer with and shoot at the range because thats another story entirely. I'm not sure what you have against the 30/06, especially for a rifle that will "double as a deer rifle" but that eliminates the Springfield and 1917 Enfield. The 8 mm 98 Mauser or M48 is probably the next best, only because of a more limited selection of bullets compared to the 30/06. The 303 Lee-Enfield is right up there also. A M96/M38 is right up there near the top too and makes a great deer rifle, although you could buy a good M48 for less. The K31 is not bad but not a lot of widely available hunting ammo choices. Mosin, Arisaka and Carcano would be at the bottom of my personal list, probably in roughly that order due to the wide availability of cheap Mosin rifles and ammo..
 
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Nothing beats a Finn M39. I recommend you get it first. Ammo is just so available and affordable. SGammo has the Russian heavy ball which usually translate to tighter groups. Enough said.
 
Bushpilot said:
When you say "project gun" do you mean that you're looking for an old military surplus bolt rifle to hack up? There are plenty of cheap, used, sporters or previously hacked-up "sportorized" milsurps out there already that cutting up and ruining yet another good old bolt rifle really makes no financial sense, or any other sense, at all. For every 1 or 2 high quality "sporterized," or what ever you want to call them, rifles out there are 50 or 100 hack jobs. Sorry, but every time I see a fine old miliatary bolt gun drilled for a scope and setting in a plain old "drop-in" stock or worse it just makes me sad/mad for the loss. Now if you mean that you mean that you would like an old milsurp bolt gun to hunt deer with and shoot at the range because thats another story entirely. I'm not sure what you have against the 30/06, especially for a rifle that will "double as a deer rifle" but that eliminates the Springfield and 1917 Enfield. The 8 mm 98 Mauser or M48 is probably the next best, only because of a more limited selection of bullets compared to the 30/06. The 303 Lee-Enfield is right up there also. A M96/M38 is right up there near the top too and makes a great deer rifle, although you could buy a good M48 for less. The K31 is not bad but not a lot of widely available hunting ammo choices. Mosin, Arisaka and Carcano would be at the bottom of my personal list, probably in roughly that order due to the wide availability of cheap Mosin rifles and ammo..
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I got another AR. Smith Sport, to replace one I sold last week. I'll be getting a K31 in the near future.
 
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