MN run pretty affordable, from what I'm seeing locally. There was a special at a local shop, $89 plus tax. "Normal" price was around $150, are these the real deal or some knock offs?
$89 probably gets you a fresh one from the crate. then you get to clean the gunk off, and learn your way around it; doing this during a hot Summer weekend works better - the Sun does a lot of work FOR you. i wonder what variant you're getting there. 91/30s probably, but there's so many stamps and variations. some of the woods on those things clean up amazingly well.
I see alot of people talking about the Mosin's, but I gotta ask and not in any way trying to be an ass since I know exactly zero on the subject, but whats the big hoopla about an old ass rifle like that? Just a niche thing or something super special about them I don't know? Not that I need another hobby.
they're an old design, that stood the test of time. they were still being cranked out in the 40s, with special new runs in the 50s and even 60s. they're RUGGED and designed to work in a lot of climates without fail - something you can't say about some guns :> simple, easy to maintain, strip, clean, use.
the ammo is pretty powerful. it's relatively cheap from a large variety of sources from mil-surp steel to brand new in brass cased. some of that old ammo is DEADLY and not regarded officially as armor piercing
as well, the guns are old enough to qualify as C&R and aren't REALLY guns anymore according to the govt. pretty amusing for a time tested battle rifled - the assault rifles of their day.
they are variations and varieties, made in many countries, including the USA by Remington. some are VERY collectable. they make decent hunting rifles and can readily drop most things in North America, and the few exceptions might take 2-3 hits (i'm thinking grizzllers).
they're just INTERESTING. they have history. while the Russians invaded Finland with them, the Finns TOOK the rifle from Russians, and kicked their arses home, and then went about making a better standard rifle or three on the pattern. see: M39. the famous sniper "the white death" used a Mosin quite effectively.
they're cheap, good shooters, in a decent big game capable caliber with cheap ball ammo readily available for "plinking" (or appleseed shoots), and built tough as a tank, too. but mostly it's because they're cheap.
yeah, if you get a good one, you can hit steel plates at 400 meters which as the video dude said "boring regularity". you can make them gooder by bedding and some easy tweaks. some folx are claiming MOA or so at 100 meter. not bad. course, some won't be like that.
they go BOOM, esp the shorter carbine variations. fireballs. they got kick, which is fun - if you HOLD THEM WELL, they're not so bad. a lot of people don't do that i've seen. sucks to be them
if you're a gunny at all, they're worth checking out. not a lot of money, you can always sell it. certain variations will command MORE money over time. ridiculous amounts actually
for you survival nuts, you can buy a sealed metal can of 440 rounds for under $100 usually. it will last longer than you will stored well. a couple of those, and a gun, and you could live in a cabin in the mountains for the rest of your life probably when the end times come
a note to the Finnish models - they are works of art. the fit and finish is quite worthy. artic birch wood. very pretty.
you can also buy modern rifles that use the round, for fun. sporterized stuff to sniper stuff.
for some, once they get into milsurp, well, it's all over... all kinds of enfields and mausers and crap
there's also the SKS, precursor to the AK. some people love those guys. semi-automatic, modifiable (even legally sometimes ;>), reliable enough (esp if you do the firing pin mod), and they use 7.62x39, which is often seen around here for $185 for 1000. nice. esp if you do NOT LIKE AKs like i do. i'd have one but for lucking into a different rifle that uses the same round. probably will end up with a teak bedded yugo model at some point? problem: prices keep going UP on these.
