i always see milltary surplus guns for like 70 bucks are they any good? i thught about getting one for traget or maybe deer inside 100 yards or so what do u think?
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i always see milltary surplus guns for like 70 bucks are they any good? i thught about getting one for traget or maybe deer insi
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You weren't specific about the rifle in question, which makes a good answer more difficult. This is a fine reason to do your homework. Some military rifles are gems, and some are junkers or wallhangers. I purchased a cosmoline-coated M1909 Argentine Mauser that proved to be a remarkable find, and I purchased a M93 Spanish Mauser that had seen a great many rounds ignited by mercuric primers and received very little care. As "bargains" go, it cost far more to rebarrel and restock it to turn it into a decent shooter than it was worth. I've seen any number of Mausers, Enfields, Lee-Enfields, Krags even Springfields, that ran the gamut from excellent condition to well past their prime. Do the research, testfire it if you may, consider if it fits the role for which you intend, and enjoy the process.
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"Retired" military rifles run the gamut from excellent bargains to wallhangers. I can't recommend anything that will compete with $70, but you may want to consider Mitchell's Mausers. They advertise K98 Mausers for $249 and up that are very well made and worth more than their purchase price as a practical choice for an economic deer rifle.
One of my best purchases was a cosmoline-coated Model 1909 Argentine Mauser, manufactured on contract by DWM and chambered for the 7.65x53 Belgian Mauser cartridge. I purchased this piece for the action, as a foundation for a rifle I intended to have built. When the cosmoline was removed, the metalwork of the rifle was in unused condition. On testfire, it was admirably accurate. I still have that rifle after 15 years, and I consider it one of the best bargains I've ever encountered.
That was a success story; I'd be less than candid if I didn't say there have been a few disappointments, like the M93 Spanish Mauser in 7x57mm that had a bore so badly pitted (mercuric primers) that it was pathetic. I had to rebarrel and restock that rifle before it could be remotely classed as a shooter - which means that "bargain" eventually cost me much more than it was actually worth.
Take heart, there are bargains out there and they're well worth discovering, but do the research, examine each individual rifle carefully and weigh objectively whether the rifle you're considering will serve your purpose and be fun to shoot.
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