4 More Excellent Military Surplus Guns

In case you missed our previous installment on 4 Excellent Military Surplus Rifles, one of the main points is that you don’t need to hit the closest Cabela’s or Sportsman’s Warehouse to get a shiny new Henry or Remington rifle.

Militaries around the world have been producing excellent rifles for well over 100 years, and many of them can still be found for sale as surplus guns.

Many military surplus guns are reliable, still very functional, and have a wide range of uses, from competition to hunting. Most of all, you can usually get milsurp at dirt cheap prices.

That being said, here are 4 more excellent military surplus rifles.

1. Mosin-Nagant

The Mosin-Nagant is, in many ways, the ultimate military surplus rifle. It was designed in 1891 in Russia and produced between the years of 1891 and 1973. Over 37 million have been produced and variants of this rifle have seen action in more than 30 high-profile conflicts around the world, ranging from the Russo-Japanese War and the Winter War, through two World Wars to the Vietnam War and beyond.

Primarily chambered in 7.62x54mmR, which is powerful enough to take many game species, the Mosin-Nagant is affordable and widely available, even today, almost 50 years after official production ceased.

Even though they’re pretty large and heavy, they’re affordable, readily available, accurate, powerful, reliable, feature an internal mag (no need to buy a second!), and have an effective range of nearly 1,000 yards.

2. SKS

The SKS tops many lists of “best” military surplus guns. It shares a lot of selling points with the Mosin-Nagant, such as affordability, wide availability, reliability, durability, and (generally) accuracy.

Also, it’s probably easier to find 7.62x38mm ammo for many people in the country, giving this gun an added boost in popularity.

The SKS has been in production in some form or other since 1945, and it has been adopted by so many countries around the world that production estimates are just that - estimates at best. Somewhere between 5 and 15 million have been produced and upwards of 50 official users have carried some SKS or variant through some point in recent history.

As a result, SKS rifles are typically pretty common in surplus wares, making them very popular rifles, even today.

3. Swiss K31

The Swiss K31 is a handsome straight-pull bolt rifle that was used by the Swiss Armed Forces between 1933, when it was released, until 1958. Because of its shorter service history, and the fact that only the Swiss used them officially, fewer were produced - somewhere around half a million or so.

However, these are still excellent military surplus guns, where you can find them. They also have a lot going for them.

The straight-pull bolt is highly ergonomic and helps keep your sights on target during firing. Also, the gun is well-balanced and easy to shoulder and aim, and due to its weight and balance handles recoil pretty well. This makes it an excellent target rifle, though it can also be used for hunting.

On top of that, the K31’s straight-pull design allows for rapid cycling and quick follow-up shots, which hunters will appreciate. It’s also paired with the 7.5x55mm Swiss cartridge, which is comparable in power to the 7.62 NATO.

4. M1 Carbine

If you like the M1 Garand, but want something that’s lighter handling and lighter on recoil, too, you’ll probably appreciate the M1 Carbine.

Designed as a lighter, more maneuverable alternative to the heavier M1 Garand in 1942, the M1 Carbine was produced between the years of 1942 and 1973. It saw service in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

Chambered in .30 Carbine, the M1 Carbine is much lighter than the Garand and its .30-06 Springfield while still packing a punch. It also accepts either 15 or 30-round detachable magazines, giving it vastly improved capacity over the Garand’s meager 8-round internal mag.

It was also produced in a number of variants, including the M2, which was capable of selective fire, and the M1A1, which had a wire-form folding stock, and was developed for paratroopers.

Lightweight, maneuverable, and light-kicking, the M1 Carbine is popular for everything from home defense to target shooting to hunting (where legal). The .30 carbine is too light for large game but perfect for varmint hunting and medium-sized game - plus, the semi-automatic action is perfect for small and medium-game hunters that need to make rapid follow-up shots.

That, and .30 carbine ammo is still relatively widely available despite the relatively high price.

In Search of Military Surplus Guns and Parts?

We carry a wide range of military surplus guns and parts, especially M1 carbine parts, SKS parts, and parts and accessories for the other surplus rifles mentioned here.

If you have questions about any of these platforms or need ammo, shooting accessories, or internal replacement parts, get in touch with us through our website, at 610-250-3960, or come visit us at 50 Hilton Street in Easton, Pennsylvania.