I have the urge to add another couple of good cast bullet mil-surp rifles to my stable. They are sooo much fun. Let me tell you what I have and then you can tell me what I need as a new playtoy. I have:

30-40 Krag (2)
45-70 Trapdoor
1917 (30-06)
O3A3 (30-06)
Garand (30-06)
Persian Mauser 98 (8mm)
Swede 6.5X55

Any suggestion would be appreciated. I am not interested in spending a fortune, just something in the 2-3 hundred dollar range.

You are missing the funest of all to shoot !
any of the Mosin nagants. Get a great rifle for less than 100 bucks if you have a C&R.
M-38
91/59
44
91/30
M91
some places have them on sale now for 59 bucks, arsenal wrapped untouched in 50 years or so, last one I got was in like new condition including the bore.

Chargar, I have a number of milsurp rifles that I only use with cast bullets. Of those I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the K-31 Swiss (7.5 x 55mm, Schmidt-Rubin carbine) or the M 39 or M28/30 Finnish Nagants (7.62 x 54R). Generally the bores on these [three] are VG to pristine and with the proper CB are 2 moa or smaller shooters. Although brass can be somewhat of a problem, it is not impossible or impossibly expensive to obtain. E.g., Graf & Sons promises to have both of the aforementioned in stock by mid-September and Midway has Lapua 7.62 x 53R (same as 7.62 x 54R and of excellent quality). Moreover, the K-31 digests a wide variety of CB designs & weights, from the Lee 13gr. "wadcutter" to Lyman's 195gr. #311644, so long as they're sized to .309". With the Finnish Nagants, Lyman #'s 311291 and 314299 do very well if the bore is between .310" or .313". Hope this helps, ...Maven

Charger...I'd have to add the 7.7 Jap and the 8x56R Austrian. The Austrian was hard to find brass and boolit moulds for but that has changed to the better some now. Buckshot and I are two shooters who load and shoot for it. The 7.7 Jap is easier as you can make the brass from 30-06 and the 8mm mauser is good to make brass too because you don't have to trim it like the brass made from the 06. I've also had good success and great accurately with the .303 British rifles too although some here will say they are too hard to get to shoot because of their wide varying groove diameter and some other idiosyncrosies.

Joe

Charger..forgot one of my favorites..the 7.65 Argentine mauser...I particularly like the 1891 carbines. Same with these, brass can be made from just about any of the 30-06 family.

Soon brass for all these rifles is suppose to be available from Grafs as soon as they get it on thier shelves.

Joe

What is a good source for these rifles...I am particularly interested in a Finnish 7.62X54R. I forgot to say on my list that I have a Romanian M44. I have no shot it yet.

try here,http://aimsurplus.com/
http://www.aztecguns.com/M91_30.htm
http://www.southernohiogun.com/ammunition.html

1903 RI, Mas 36 and 49/56, M39 28/30 91/30 M44 M38 & M91/59 Mosins, 7.7 Jap, 8x56R, SKS and AK-47, 7x57 mauser, 1912-61 mauser, and FR-8 are all good. Orygun

........Charger, looks like you have a pretty good battery there. I know Maven has been talking about his good results with his K-31, and the beauty is it uses common 30 cal bullets. Hopefully Graf & Son comes through with their new domesticly produced and import boxer brass for things from the Rimmed Russki to the 7.7 Jap :-)

As with any of them it's condition, condition, and in addition it's condition! Yet I do see one glaring hole to fill. It would be good company for your others and that would be one of my favorites ......... an 1891 Argentine.

Either a Loewe or DWM long rifle were superbly crafted. With no sidesaddle extractor the bolt operates almost as slick as a Krag, and the straight line feed is smooth. They're a slim and trim rifle, even with the extended magazine, which I kinda like the looks of.

Although a 'fat 30' they don't seem to have the spotty bore-groove measurements some of the others do, and are easy to get shooting well. A very attractive rifle overall, IMHO.

........Buckshot

I've got a Spanish made 93 actioned carbine that was reballed to .308 and is a lovely cast bullet rifle. Mine came with a flawlessly smooth barrel and it is a handy comfortable carbine to shoot. A friend has an Isreali rebarreled 98 action and while good, the barrel was nowhere near as nice as this Spanish model.

regards,
Graycg

Gray,

Is that the 1916 Spanish Mauser in 308? I've got one of them myself and never tried any cast in it. I've heard it's really for the CETME (45,000CUP) rounds anyway. Full up 308 isn't supposed to be a good idea to run through it. May try some cast. What type bullet are you using and what diameter?

Thanks, Headstamp