Retail market on C&R Rifles is as sparse as Ive ever seen.

[Flammenwerfer]

I'll be surprised if the Korean ones are as bad as stated. At least not as bad as the last imports from S America or some other third world country. Either way I'd take my chances on a worn garand or carbine.

I think a lot of the uncertainty comes from the known quantities of corrosive ammo made in Korea post 53 and their indifference in using it. I completely agree, I'd love to have the opportunity to grab several of them...if I could have time to really look over them. CMP will be able to take the best available parts for the build, hopefully it'll be large quantities.

 

[Gunanddoglover]

Saying prayers to the gods of milsurplus.

 

[dakota port]

the worst thing about mil-surp firearms is that after ww2 the designs became more full-auto oriented thus we don't get the chance to buy them. WW2 used alot of weapons for the previous wars fought in europe so bolt actions were used extensively to save money/materials and the US govt doesn't really care about bolt actions being imported, they concentrate on limiting semi-auto and full-auto entry

 

[Wolfhunter]

Last cool rifle I scored was a mosin dragoon. Got it for Christmas and although it's in frigging awesome shape I'm sure my mom over paid for it.

I'm hoping with our regime change things will change for the better. Maybe some sanctions will be lifted and we will be seeing all kinds of Russian stuff coming in

 

[Hayata]

Picked this one up on inauguration day at CMP...I'm sure I over-paid...but won't know until I get 'er to the range...

 

[00formula6spd]

What SN 03's are shooters...I forget. Guess I could look it up.

 

[Wolfhunter]

I want....

 

[Hayata]

What SN 03's are shooters...I forget. Guess I could look it up.

From CMP::

M1903*
WARNING ON “LOW-NUMBER” SPRINGFIELDS
M1903 rifles made before February 1918 utilized receivers and bolts which were single heat-treated by a method that rendered some of them brittle and liable to fracture when fired, exposing the shooter to a risk of serious injury. It proved impossible to determine, without destructive testing, which receivers and bolts were so affected and therefore potentially dangerous.

To solve this problem, the Ordnance Department commenced double heat treatment of receivers and bolts. This was commenced at Springfield Armory at approximately serial number 800,000 and at Rock Island Arsenal at exactly serial number 285,507. All Springfields made after this change are commonly called “high number” rifles. Those Springfields made before this change are commonly called “low-number” rifles.

In view of the safety risk the Ordnance Department withdrew from active service all “low-number” Springfields. During WWII, however, the urgent need for rifles resulted in the rebuilding and reissuing of many “low-number” as well as “high-number” Springfields. The bolts from such rifles were often mixed during rebuilding, and did not necessarily remain with the original receiver.

Generally speaking, “low number” bolts can be distinguished from “high-number” bolts by the angle at which the bolt handle is bent down. All “low number” bolts have the bolt handle bent straight down, perpendicular to the axis of the bolt body. High number bolts have “swept-back” (or slightly rearward curved) bolt handles.

A few straight-bent bolts are of the double heat-treat type, but these are not easily identified, and until positively proved otherwise ANY straight-bent bolt should be assumed to be “low number”. All original swept-back bolts are definitely “high number”. In addition, any bolt marked “N.S.” (for nickel steel) can be safely regarded as “high number” if obtained directly from CMP (beware of re-marked fakes).

CMP DOES NOT RECOMMEND FIRING ANY SPRINGFIELD RIFLE WITH A ”LOW NUMBER” RECEIVER. SUCH RIFLES SHOULD BE REGARDED AS COLLECTOR’S ITEMS, NOT “SHOOTERS”.
CMP ALSO DOES NOT RECOMMEND FIRING ANY SPRINGFIELD RIFLE, REGARDLESS OF SERIAL NUMBER, WITH A SINGLE HEAT-TREATED “LOW NUMBER” BOLT. SUCH BOLTS, WHILE HISTORICALLY CORRECT FOR DISPLAY WITH A RIFLE OF WWI OR EARLIER VINTAGE, MAY BE DANGEROUS TO USE FOR SHOOTING.
THE UNITED STATES ARMY GENERALLY DID NOT SERIALIZE BOLTS. DO NOT RELY ON ANY SERIAL NUMBER APPEARING ON A BOLT TO DETERMINE WHETHER SUCH BOLT IS “HIGH NUMBER” OR “LOW NUMBER”.
Currently M1903 and M1903A3 models are not available and CMP is not accepting orders.

 

[00formula6spd]

From CMP::

M1903*
WARNING ON “LOW-NUMBER” SPRINGFIELDS
M1903 rifles made before February 1918 utilized receivers and bolts which were single heat-treated by a method that rendered some of them brittle and liable to fracture when fired, exposing the shooter to a risk of serious injury. It proved impossible to determine, without destructive testing, which receivers and bolts were so affected and therefore potentially dangerous.

To solve this problem, the Ordnance Department commenced double heat treatment of receivers and bolts. This was commenced at Springfield Armory at approximately serial number 800,000 and at Rock Island Arsenal at exactly serial number 285,507. All Springfields made after this change are commonly called “high number” rifles. Those Springfields made before this change are commonly called “low-number” rifles.

In view of the safety risk the Ordnance Department withdrew from active service all “low-number” Springfields. During WWII, however, the urgent need for rifles resulted in the rebuilding and reissuing of many “low-number” as well as “high-number” Springfields. The bolts from such rifles were often mixed during rebuilding, and did not necessarily remain with the original receiver.

Generally speaking, “low number” bolts can be distinguished from “high-number” bolts by the angle at which the bolt handle is bent down. All “low number” bolts have the bolt handle bent straight down, perpendicular to the axis of the bolt body. High number bolts have “swept-back” (or slightly rearward curved) bolt handles.

A few straight-bent bolts are of the double heat-treat type, but these are not easily identified, and until positively proved otherwise ANY straight-bent bolt should be assumed to be “low number”. All original swept-back bolts are definitely “high number”. In addition, any bolt marked “N.S.” (for nickel steel) can be safely regarded as “high number” if obtained directly from CMP (beware of re-marked fakes).

CMP DOES NOT RECOMMEND FIRING ANY SPRINGFIELD RIFLE WITH A ”LOW NUMBER” RECEIVER. SUCH RIFLES SHOULD BE REGARDED AS COLLECTOR’S ITEMS, NOT “SHOOTERS”.
CMP ALSO DOES NOT RECOMMEND FIRING ANY SPRINGFIELD RIFLE, REGARDLESS OF SERIAL NUMBER, WITH A SINGLE HEAT-TREATED “LOW NUMBER” BOLT. SUCH BOLTS, WHILE HISTORICALLY CORRECT FOR DISPLAY WITH A RIFLE OF WWI OR EARLIER VINTAGE, MAY BE DANGEROUS TO USE FOR SHOOTING.
THE UNITED STATES ARMY GENERALLY DID NOT SERIALIZE BOLTS. DO NOT RELY ON ANY SERIAL NUMBER APPEARING ON A BOLT TO DETERMINE WHETHER SUCH BOLT IS “HIGH NUMBER” OR “LOW NUMBER”.
Currently M1903 and M1903A3 models are not available and CMP is not accepting orders.

Thanks for the look up. some folks do not know of this.

 

[MRH]

There isn't alot out there and what's there seems to be priced really high. Did it dry up or are importers sitting on them? Not sure..

On a similar note, i used to like Classic Firearms but now i don't. That whole "they go on sale at noon on Monday" and "these are the last so get yours before they're gone" crap is nothing but a money grab and drives prices up. Trouble is....it's working

I used to love milsurp rifles because the cost, almost universally across the board made it so easy. Of course we're talking 20+ years ago. I understand prices go up in that amount of time but nowadays milsurp stuff costs almost as much as anything else. Don't get me wrong, I love the history of all kinds, but the surplus prices back in the day were definitely the appeal for me. That's why Mosins were so appealing. The cool history and quality of the rifles for the money.

These days I'm thinking we can drop the name surplus. By definition it is fitting, technically, but my idea of surplus means bargains. Not much out there anymore.