Owning the newest rifles gets expensive fast.
But what if I told you that there was an entire group of firearms that are fun to shoot, interesting to look at and, best of all, that were generally much more affordable than the latest AR-15?
Sound too good to be true?
It turns out that you can add to your gun collection fairly cheaply by looking somewhere most people never bother: military surplus rifles.
These guns are battle-tested and make a great addition to any shooter’s collection. They are products of a bygone era, but they will still hit the target just as well as any modern gun…and they do it at rock bottom retail prices.
If you are new to the idea of owning military surplus rifles, or just interested in the topic in general, this article will cover a few of the best surplus rifles to own and what it is that makes them worth owning.
So Why Buy Military Surplus?
For new and old gun owners and collectors alike, the world of military surplus rifles and firearms is sometimes overlooked or considered to be only for collectors and not actual shooting enthusiasts. However, military surplus or mil-surp for short, rifles and firearms tick a lot of boxes relevant to anyone looking for a new rifle.
Fun to shoot? Check. Handsome to look at and display? Check. Budget-friendly? Check; well, sometimes.
Full of interesting history? Double check. See some stories of Infantry Life at War across some of the major conflicts of the last 100 years.
Accurate? Well, you can see where I’m going with this.
The bottom line is that military surplus rifles are worth researching for any aspiring or experienced gun collector and make for excellent rifles for shooters of all levels of experience.
This applies even more so to hobbyist gunsmiths or those who enjoy tinkering with their firearms. There are plenty of projects that can be done to surplus rifles ranging from simple to complex, but that is an article for another day.
Price
It isn’t unusual for an owner of a single gun to quickly find their collection growing as their budget allows. Owning guns is sort of like saying that you are just going to take one bite of your favorite food and then winding up eating the entire thing. One taste is just not enough.
However, the prices of guns can make it a challenge for a budget-minded gun owner to grow their collection at a fast enough rate to satisfy the itchy trigger fingers that are hungry for new triggers to pull.
Sure, a brand spanking new AR-15 with a full array of rails, accessories, grips, and sights, is a sight to behold and a joy to take to the range. However, that same AR-15 can also quickly soak up even an ample gun budget.
Not to mention all the ammunition that a semi-automatic rifle chews through at the range.
The Search
Searching for military surplus rifles and military surplus accessories can also turn into a sort of treasure hunt. I enjoy finding out of the way gun stores and military surplus stores and stopping by to check out what they have.
I have come across some great deals using this method. One memorable find was a few sealed boxes of match grade ammo for a Swiss K31 rifle that I found hiding in a dusty glass display case at a surplus store tucked in the back corner of an indoor flea market.
If you don’t want to hit up the flea markets near you, you can always pick up 480 rounds of some excellent match grade 7.5×55 Swiss (Schmidt-Rubin) – 174 gr ($270.00) for fairly cheap…at least for rifle ammo.
This aspect of military surplus firearm buying and collecting may not appeal to everyone. However, don’t be scared off by the mention of it.
Seeking out shops and stores like I this is entirely voluntary and not at all required to find and buy military surplus guns for decent prices.
Gun shows are pretty much a one-stop shop for most common military rifles and all of the ones I mention in this article are fairly easy to find.
That’s probably enough on the background of this stuff…let’s get into what you’re really here for – finding out more about awesome surplus rifles.
The Mosin-Nagant 91/30: The World’s Best $300 Rifle
The Mosin-Nagant is one of the most iconic and easily recognizable of all military surplus rifles.
It also happens to be one of the most widely available and affordable of all surplus rifles, which makes it a great choice for someone just starting out into the world of military rifle collecting.
The reason that the five-shot, bolt-action Mosin-Nagant rifle is so easy to find and cheap to purchase is that it is one of the most widely mass-produced rifles in history.
Since the design of the rifle in 1891, over 37 million individual Mosin-Nagant rifles have been produced.
Due to that immense amount of rifles, the prices on a Mosin today on the secondary market are extremely affordable. The typical advertised price on one of these bolt-action rifles is somewhere in the neighborhood of $300-350. Just a warning though, the prices of these are on the rise. A $200 rifle 5 years ago is often seen for $400+ now.
Not bad for an antique that helped defeat the Nazi’s is it?
Of course, they can also be had for even cheaper at gun shows and local gun shops that carry them. I have personally purchased Mosin-Nagant carbines at guns shows for under $100 and full-length models for not much more than that.
The beauty of buying military surplus rifles is that a dinged up stock or some other minor damage isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Unless you are strictly buying one to display, a damaged stock or another minor imperfection can lower the price, but won’t lower your enjoyment from owning the rifle.
In fact, I think that a little bit of damage or wear and tear only adds to the character of these rifles.
The year 1891 may seem like a very long time ago for a rifle to have been designed if it is to have any use to modern day gun enthusiasts and hunters.
However, the Mosin-Nagant, or simply Mosin as these rifles are sometimes affectionately called, stands out thanks to the simple and timeless design.
They were designed to fire when the trigger is pulled, send bullets where they are pointed and be easy to fix in the field. The Mosin-Nagant admirably meets all of those requirements.
There were also numerous variations of this rifle produced to meet almost any need on the battlefield.
There are way too many to list in this article, but the most common one is the Model 91/30 which is the rifle famously used by Soviet sniper Vasili Zaitsev during the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II. (Check out the movie Enemy at the Gates if you haven’t already)
That means that it can easily be used to hunt most big game if a cheap and effective hunting rifle is your goal.
The one downside…the weight.
This thing is heavy.
The Mosin-Nagant weighs about nine pounds when fully loaded and features a top loading five-round magazine that can either be loaded by hand round by round or via stripper clip for a much quicker full reload.
In comparison, a typical AR-15 with some accessories and a full magazine are generally a few pounds lighter when chambered for similar calibers.
Even if you only take it to the range every so often for a little throwback shooting action, this rifle is, in my opinion, a must own for any firearm enthusiast and surplus rifle collector.
Make sure the gun functions without any issues and you should be good to go. Mosin-Nagants are so durable that it would be surprising to find one that didn’t work!
Also, shooting one is dirt cheap. You can get 500 rounds of 7.62x54r ($240) for super cheap.
What is your take on the Mosin?
Turkish 8mm Mauser: Venerable, Cheap, Easily Modifiable.
The first rifle I ever bought for myself was an old beat up 8mm Turkish Mauser. Even though the day I bought that rifle was over a decade ago, I still remember it quite vividly.
After doing a lot of research, I got my dad to take me to a local gun show. When I walked out a couple of hours later, I was the proud owner of a slightly battered Turkish Mauser and a couple of boxes of surplus ammo.
The thing that I also walked out with and didn’t realize until multiple mil-surp purchases later was my new obsession with military rifles.
Similarly to the Mosin-Nagant, the Mauser is not just a singular military rifle. There are a lot of different variations from a lot of different countries, but they all have one thing in common: the venerable Mauser action and safety system.
One of best-designed actions in firearm history, you can find an iteration of the Mauser company that still sells brand new rifles to this day.
Mausers tend to really vary in price between different models. A Turkish Mauser like I have isn’t going to win any beauty contests, but it always goes bang when I pull the trigger and the cheaper price made me less concerned with doing things like refinishing the stock.
Turkish Mausers can easily be found for under $200 while other types like the Swedish Mauser and the German Mauser K98 can be significantly more expensive with some K98 Mausers crossing the $1000 price point.
Of course, the point of this article is to show you military surplus rifles can let you add to your gun collection without breaking the bank.
So with that in mind, I’ll recommend the Turkish Mauser as the ideal choice in this case. Ammo for this beauty is the cheapest you’re going to find other than pistol or rimfire ammo.
You can get 720 rounds of 8mm Mauser – 170 Grain FMJ ($330) which will probably last you for years.
The Swiss K31: Precision Swiss Craftsmanship on a Budget
Out of my entire personal gun collection, my Swiss K31 straight-pull bolt action rifle is one of my most prized rifles.
Everything about the Swiss K31 appeals to my personal tastes in a military surplus rifle and it is one gun that I could never see parting with.
The Swiss K31 bolt-action rifle or the Karabiner Model 1931 was the standard issue rifle of the Swiss armed forces from 1933 through 1958. It is chambered for the 7.5x55mm cartridge which is ballistically similar to the .308 Winchester.
This surplus rifle also features a six-round detachable box magazine. The Swiss K31 is well-known for being of a high quality and being quite accurate due to the tight tolerances used during manufacturing and a free-floated barrel.
The Swiss K31 is not your typical bolt action rifle. Instead of the usual up and over method of racking a new round into the chamber, the Swiss K31 action requires a straight pull back and a second push forward to chamber a new round from the magazine.
This straight pull action can greatly decrease the time it takes to chamber and fire and new round which makes for quicker follow up shots.
The straight pull action also lends itself well to keeping targets in the sight picture more easily thanks to the lack of lateral movement required to work the action.
A two-stage trigger is standard on the Swiss K31 which means it has a long take up before the trigger will engage the sear.
The trigger was designed this way with the goal of reducing unexpected firing during high-adrenaline situations.
In fact, the accuracy of the Swiss K31 easily rivals modern bolt-action rifles being manufactured today.
One other exciting feature that can be found on some K31s bought on the military surplus market is a small placard found behind the buttplate of the rifle that shows the rifle’s former Swiss government user.
In some cases, owners of surplus Swiss K31s have even been able to contact their rifle’s former owner.
Conclusions
This article doesn’t even begin to cover the huge variety of surplus firearms that are available to collectors and firearm enthusiasts.
The bottom line is that military surplus rifles are a great way to further enhance the hobbies of shooting, gun collecting, military history, hobby-level gunsmithing, and hunting. With all of the new rifles and firearms being produced brand new these days, military surplus rifles are often overlooked by people and especially by those who are new to firearm hobbies, shooting and gun collecting.
It is my belief that everyone who enjoys owning and shooting guns should own at least one military surplus rifle. Just don’t be surprised if you set out to add one such rifle to your collection and wind up with a new interest that quickly has you stalking gun show floors for more pieces to add to your collection.
Do you own any military surplus rifles? If you do, tell us about your collection in the comments section below. If not, does the idea of owning one appeal to you? We can also answer any questions you may have about finding, purchasing, and caring for these awesome (and functional) pieces of history.
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My brother and I began collecting milsurps about 20 years ago; mostly due to our childhood being spent shooting military bring backs that both grandfathers owned. We have an armory but here are a few of my favorites. 1. M1 Carbine: Lightweight, no recoil, deadly accurate, must have in the bug-out bag 2. Vzor52 or CZ52 pistol: arguably one of the greatest pistols ever made. Power+accuracy+durability+cool factor. The Czech 7.62 round is designed 25% “hotter” than the standard 7.62 round. This pistol can put a round through some level 2 body armor (I’m not allowed to specify) and into the wall behind the target with minimal deformation to the bullet. 3. Swiss 96/11: the most accurate rifle of WWII, the Schmidt-Rubin Model 1896/11. Being over 4ft long and firing the Swiss 7.5x55mm round; the 96/11 is not really a rifle but miniature artillery for your shoulder. If the guys at your range are not rubbernecking yet then the straight pull bolt action will get their attention. Especially when you rechamber a round and the casing shoots up vertically and busts the light above your booth.
My favorite is the M1 Carbine. Easy to shoot, 15 round mag. I don't know where my dad got it but he had me shoot it as a kid. When he passed, it was the one weapon that I made sure to keep from his collection.
I have several military surplus rifles. My prized possessions are a Garand, post World War II production by International Harvester and a 1903 A 3 by Smith Corona in 1943. My second tier is a Yugo Mauser, a 24/47 and what appears to be a very late production K 98.
Boy! my wife got me hooked on Mauser when she bought me a surplus 24/38 Czech for about $90 in 1997. This gun was in rough shape with missing and damaged parts.(Nothing serious!) But you knew that it had been abused a bit! Back then I was too busy making a living to really go out ad shop for parts. But now that the kids are gone,(And the wife) I have been finally able to start in on it after doing a lot of homework on this arm, and it's brothers. It has been an enjoyable experience! My boys an I have taken it out on many occasions into the woods and hunted with it, or done target shooting. My boys still recall those days! when Pass on, this rifle, and my others, will be passed down along the memories that my boys have now, and will create with their kids!
I found an awesome website that had all of the old Russian military weapons around 6-7 years back. I bought my Mosin Nagant from them but they had them by the crate for cheap and lots of other pistols, rifles etc. I cannot for the life of me remember the site or find them. Does anyone have any ideas? I purchased my Mosin for around $150-200 if u remember correctly. Any info of a site similar would be appreciated. Thanks.
Try Empire Arms in Florida
I found that militarysurplususa.com has good overall prices for Mosin Nagant parts as well as the rifle itself.
Does anyone know where I could purchase an old Turkish Mauser? I’m trying to buy my first old rifle so I don’t really know how to search for one.
I highly recommend Guns.com. I've used them a few times now and it's great, very good prices too on older rifles.
Thank ya sir, I assume I’ll have to check in regularly with the store for one in stock?
Probably, things like that are hit and miss.
Oh ok thank you! Have a good one
I bought my Mauser 96 around 20 years ago for $100. it's dated 1904 and has a bright bore. I sporterized it with new sights, turned down bolt. completely dismantled polished and hot tank blued the entire gun. It is very accurate and a lot of fun to shoot, one I will never sell.
North of the border collection SVT-42($225 US) long branch Lee Enfield 1942 ($55 US) Russian sks ($230 US)
I got the milsurp sickness in 2016. My first rifle was a Mosin 91/30, that looked like new, with bayo, oiler, ammo pouch and tools for $180. After that, I bought a Lee Enfield No1 MKIII. Three years later, my collection includes: 1. Mosin 91/30 2. Enfield No1 MKIII 3. Arisaka Type 38 carbine with MUM cover 4. Arisaka Type 99 5. K98 BYF43 6. Gewehr 98 Waffenfabrik Oberndorf 7. Springfield M1 Garand 8. Inland M1 carbine 9. Smith Corona 1903A3 10. Winchester M1917 11. SKS And, the bayos of all the previous rifles. WWI bayos are closer to swords than to a knife! I just love to see my 1917 with the bayo. Scary! Although the following shotguns aren't milsurp, the models were used in WWI/WW2 and later. Mine are commercial models, but I bought them because they were used by the military: 1. Winchester 1897 2. Winchester Model 12 3. Ithaca 37 4. Savage 775A (Browning Auto 5 clone) Someday, I would like to have: 1. Gewehr 43 2. SVT 40 3. 1903 4. Enfield No4 MKI 5. Enfield P14 6. Henry Martini in .303 7. K31 8. Carcano 9. Johnson rifle 10. Ross .303 rifle 11. MAS bolt and semi rifles There are many guns that Id like to have, but I'll never have the $ to own one. Like: 1. STG44 2. MP40 3. Thompson SMG 4. Grease gun 5. Sten gun 6. FG42 7. PPSH 43 8. M14 full auto 9. M2 carbine 10. MP18 11. BAR And of course, ammo to fire all those guns!
What rifle is in the second picture under the "Why Buy Military Surplus?" category?
Soviet SKS
That is not an sks but a Svt-40 I'm afraid, although both are quite similar.
Yep, you're right. Thanks for correcting me!
I have a 1917 Eddystone 30/06 (based on the Springfield Armory model), it was part of a crate load my local dealer lucked into and it was still packed in grease! Once cleaned and given a once-over by their smith it was all mine and I LOVE shooting this rifle. It still has a smooth bolt action, competent iron sights and easy top loading internal magazine which has all taught me to be a better shooter. And the ammunition cost can be so low that I can EASILY go from one bulk sale buy to the next without dropping more than $250 (at the most) and I can multi-task the ammo between the range and hunting; and I don't lose any integrity hunting with this ammo so don't judge because it's low-cost. I've recently become partially disabled and NEED to get out of the house, so I'm looking into Competitive Rifle Shooting for a new hobby and plan on using my trusty Army Surplus rifle. It's just so fun and easy to fire, it's become a passion. Good luck finding YOUR new/old passion ! ! !
Wow! If you don’t mind how much did that set you back and where is this dealer? Would love it get a surplus rifle, especially a US rifle!
The picture of the mosin is a 91/44 not 91/30
JUST A FEW=Mosin; Enfield(1mk3and 4mk1);spring03;spring 1898 Krag;M1;swiss1911;k98 last my favorite .52 Sharps rifle
I can't find anywhere where you can get a rifle for these prices. Can someone help?
Canada ;)
They are getting to be higher than a cat's ass.
I've got a 1943 Mosin Nagant with all matching numbers from the Izhevsk factory. Love the thing..though I do question why they decided to put metal on the buttstock..hurts the shoulder a bit.
Its for beating the pulp out of people
The metal plate and, if you've noticed, short length of pull is due to the very thick coats worn by the soldiers who carried those rifles. Replace (keep) the metal plate with a rubber one and you'll notice a big difference.
I don’t know which gun shows and shops he’s going to, but a $250 Mosin is about as rare as hen’s teeth. This seems a bit out of touch with reality.
Have to say around 10 years ago picked up an excellent. mosin for the unbelievable price of 80 dollars still covered in cosmolean an excellent shooter when taken to range. Wish I had picked up an additional. 1 or 2 others .
I got one last weekend at the Dallas Gun & Knife show. Pristine barrel & action. $200. Shoots Great!
That's pretty common, actually. I'm finding them all over for $150 to $250
Believe it or not, I recently purchased my first one (all matching numbers, with all the accessories except for the sling) for just around 200 bucks! Only been able to fire it a few times, and seems to be in great firing shape. I recently finished refinishing the stock and came out great.
I am a mil surplus enthusiast. I have about every rifle, swedisht mauser, Italian Carcono.. grerman k98,enfield and (Ishapore), arisaka (and last ditch with full "Mum"), 1873 mauser (deauteau) 1882 trapdoor mosin nagan t,91/30 (Tula star hex) and mosin M44 K31 and and 1911. Turkish Brazilian GEW, chilian ,columbian,And spanish. SKS. ,30cal Carbine. M-1 Garand, WW1 30-06 M1917 (Eddystone), 1908 manlicker P38 Byf 43 w/swastika P01 (manhurin) spanish ruby, , one I am missing is the French Mas, I'm sure I am missing a few with this post., and I am sorry if my spelling is bad It has taken many years of searching to find what I have.. oh and I am not a collector, I'm a shooter they are are in 100% working order w/ about a 2 to 3 inch at a 100 yards
I personally have stopped buying modern firearms, as they will be around for plenty long enough to amass a larger collection.However, I was able tot get my hands on 3 of the finest rifles I have ever shot. First being my Mosin Nagant 91/30 with matching numbers, made in 1943 in the Tula Factory. Second, My Fathers M14 service rifle from his time in Vietnam, also in pristine condition. Lastly is my Spanish Model 1893 Mauser, Unblemished, with matching numbers and no import markings.
Can you send me the website where I can buy all rifles
Nice, Patrick!
what I have seen I realy like .what do i have to do to buy your guns?
Hi Warren, we do not sell firearms.
I own a Lee Enfield .303, and a SKS, which I modded beautifully with after market pieces, and the FAL, plus a bolt-action .22 by Savage. The LE is an awesome piece of history but my ammo was so bad that I didn't hit anything, and I had a hard time finding ammo. I have to try again this Summer. My SKS is awesome; it is a all black gun now and works great and looks modern. The FAL, although not surplus, is a fantastic rifle, not a small thing for sure, but it is credible and powerful. I really want to add a K31 and a Mauser to my collection. Thanks for the article
Great article and very timely in my case. I learned to shoot with a Mossberg .22 rifle given to me by an uncle almost 50 years ago. After a 25+ year absence I'm looking to get back into shooting rifles but wasn't sure where to start. I'm going to start looking into the ones you mentioned. Thanks!
Glad we could help you out, Alan!
You forgot the Carcano. It was the Italy rifle that was made or design around same time as others you mention.
I'm a new shooter. And the information you guys provide really hit the mark. I love reading and learning and shooting. Thanks keep up the great work. TC NJ
This guy said it for me. Totally on the same track man.
Awesome, glad we could help! Be sure to let us know if there's something you'd like to see us write about.
Great... now I want a Swiss K31... and a Mosin... and a... damnit...
At least these are all relatively cheap!
There are many others that can be mentioned and probably should be such as the SKS, BM-59, and the Swedish Carl Gustav Mauser. SKS's, in excellent condition, can be found from the former Yugoslavian countries for $350, through good condition Russian or very rare Albanian manufactured rifles can run to $650 or more.
The SKS only barely got cut because we wanted to keep these on a pretty strict budget. We'll be going into depth on more milsurp rifles soon and we'll definitely be including the SKS, Arisaka, and the Garand. The Carl Gustav Mauser and the BM-59 are excellent choices too for anyone interested in this kind of thing.
I got hooked on milsurp rifles after inheriting my father's German K98 Mauser. The most accurate gun I own and beautiful to boot! When it comes to reliability and ease of maintenance the old milsurp rifles can't be beat.
what kind of " local sporting goods store in 2017, carries a rifle manufactured in the 1800s? we have a specialty gun shop and big guns-how's as our ONLY means t to find these great tools !
I got hooked on Milsurp rifles after buying my first Mosin at a local sporting goods store. Now it seems everyone is on this bandwagon. I cannot find a Mosin for under $270. That's only $150 less than a brand new starter AR.
Dave, I was thinking the same. Eric, you and your team have a great thing going here! Best wishes. Look forward to the next post!
Great article. The main problem with surplus rifles is that you can't have just one, trust me! It's easy to get hooked and you'll be surprised with the accuracy you can attain if you practice. On another note I wanted to compliment you guys on a great site. I've instructed weapons and tactics for 35+ years, retired but still contract training. I recommend this site to many shooters. Thanks for leaving egos out and sticking to the enjoyment of shooting. Best of luck!
Thanks so much for the kind words Dave, we really appreciate it!