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If you had to choose 1 type

SKS Ray

SKS Ray

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I may have asked this before but we have some new members and posters here that are into surplus guns and I've finally decided on my choice.
If you had to choose to collect 1 type of milsurp gun, be it Colt revolvers, 1911s, German Lugers, Mauser rifle types, Mosin rifles types, Garands, etc., what would you choose and why?
Lets face it, collecting is expensive and theres a lot of nice stuff out there for the grabbing. Mosins for example are cheap enough to start with 91/30s and easily drift into rare and expensive Finn models. I know, just ask my credit card companies.[rolleyes]
After buying and shooting diferent types though I still have to stick with the SKS carbine.
There's a lot of variants out there that keep the hunt fun, they're easy to work on and relatively easy to find parts for since most are interchangeable, plus I just plain love the design and function they have. Factor in that they've been introduced to a possible ban list and that makes me want even more.[smile]
 
M1 Garands
1. They are combat proven, highly effective battle rifles.
2. Innovative in that they were the first widely issued semi-auto.
3. There are enough variations in manufacturer that you could build a diverse collection.
4. Beautiful, when viewed as a almost perfect blend of steel and wood/form and function
5. It's the gun that Roy Scheider used to kill Jaws.
 
If time and money were no object, Swiss rifles.
There's lots to choose from, fron the single shots through the autoloaders.
Except for the K31s, they are all getting expensive and rare.
I already have a couple of .41 Vetterlis and they are both interesting and ,of course, very well made.
 
The Finns. As discussed on another forum recently, I find that I "accumulate" other milsurps, but I "collect" Finnish Mosin Nagants. There is a difference.

I particularly love the history of these guns, especially when you look at something like the rifle I acquired recently. At first glance, it looks like any other Mosin-Nagant Model 1891. Then you notice the manufacturer's name:
New England Westinghouse. Then you do some research, and find out that the Russian Czar placed an order of about a million with two American firms (including Westinghouse, based out of Chicopee, MA) because he didn't have enough rifles going into WWI.

Well the revolution comes along, the Czar goes bye-bye, and the new government cancels the order after about 225,000 Westinghouse Model 91's are delivered to Russia.

You look at the stock and you noticed a two-piece arrangement, and the letters "SA" stamped into the reciever. You see that the range markings on the rear sight base (measured in Russian "arshini") are now crossed out and replaced by range settings in meters. Now you learn the rifle was captured by the Finnish Armed forces at some point, refurbed, and placed into service. Years go by, the rifle is placed in the Finnish Reserve Arsenal, which eventually sells off its stock. An importer in North Carolina buys the rifle, and then I buy it from him.

In 92 years, this thing has gone from Massachusetts, across the Atlantic to Russia, been captured by the Finns, brought back to the US, and is now back in Massachusetts where it all started.

Oh, and it shoots pretty good, too!

Ken
 
1911's. If you ever had to carry a Garand on a 20 mile forced march you can
learn to hate that beautiful rifle. Every mile it gains weight until you feel like
your carrying a 105mm on your shoulder. [smile]

TBP
 
I could see myself going for M1 Carbines. They're American made, there's a huge variety of manufacturers (how cool would it be to say "My computer and my rifle are made by the same company"?), and they're fun to shoot.
 
I'm both ashamed and pleased (more money!) I don't have one yet. I'm worried though... the pressure is mounting. M1 maybe....
 
It would be a toss up between a 1911 and M1 Garand ... I guess it would have to go to the rifle as I could pick off people at a further range.
 
If money were no object, I'd have to go with the 1911 or the M1 Carbine.

Both are as simple and perfectly functional as can be designed. One 1911 was made by a typewriter company (Remington Rand), another by a sewing machine company (Singer) and carbines were made by jukebox companies, (Rockola), a typewriter company (IBM), and an automotive company (General Motors).

There are so many variations of each that you could search for years finding all the different stuff that's out there.

An added bonus is that the 1911 will take a lot less room to store than a Garand, and the Carbine a little less also.

1911's and carbines will keep you busy and broke for a long time.

Right now, although I have quite a few guns, I only have 2 of any one kind (Mosins), primarily because they're cheap. I've been eying a Chinese model lately.

I need more 1911's and carbines...they hold the most interest for me.
 
M2 BMGs...

So many different types (pintle mounted, turret mounted guns on B17s, fighter versions, ground versions, tank versions, coax versions, the rare sniper variants)

Or failing that, Carbines.
 
Since I already have started with some woodless Dane M1's from CM and a single Swiss K31 I guess I am going to have go with those. I can see myself having a little bit of everything though. I want a M1 carbine or two, I wouldn't mind another K31 and a few more Garands, and the Mausers and Mogins look nice too. Dammit - I'm going to need a bigger safe
 
Maybe I'll be virtually alone in my opinion but I think I'd rather have an arsenal of Enfields. Don't get me wrong, I really like the Russians and the Finns, but there is something about that Enfield action and ten round mag that appeals to me. Maybe it's just because that is what I was shooting today.[smile]
 
I started out collecting 1911's and variations, then went to anything US mil. related.
I now have a diverse collection of US mil and many other countries mil. firearms.
My favorites are still the 1911's and a1's for pistols
As far as rifles, my M14 would be my choice.
 
My personal favorites are Browning designs. Rifle or pistol matters not. Plenty of different places to start and plenty of common and rare items to make collecting worth the effort. You can also justify the Class III items. (^_^) (No, I have no Class III yet)
 
M-1A because the M-14 took the Best features from the 03 and the M1 Garrand. The M-1A to shooters is kinda like the A-10 Warthog is to Pilots. That is what the Marines taught me how to shoot.

AR-15 A2 because I shot in competition for over 10 years and learned to respect its ability and its reliability. Great Firearm. That is what the Army taught me how to shoot.

M1 Carbine. It looks like a rifle should, feels good, light, accurate for short range and inexpensive to shoot. It does have a tendacy to jam more than normal. Keep it clean and lightly oiled.

I own them all and love them. I own a Beretta as well and don't fancy to it as much as a M1911A, just never bought a M1911A. I am not as much of a Pistol shooter as I am a rifle.

Military Firearms are designed to protect a Man's Life. That tells me RELIABILITY in all situations, unlike a sporting Rifle. For a Rifle that is a bit of Both.

Remington 700 with Bull Barrel and Scope. it has a 5 lock bolt and I had the Great Privelage of shooting a TOP GUN Match and pulled second relay behind one of the gentlemen who designed it and I was awe struck at the ability of that Firearm with someone who knew it, behind it. A 50 with 8Vs out of a possible 50 with 10Vs at 600 meters and a 25 mph fishtailing wind is awesome period. His spotter barely moved during the who string.
 

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