http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=273256

I know nothing about Surplus Firearms but wouldn't mind picking up a Mosin.  How do you know a "good" Mosin without buying FTF.  Any tips on buying Surplus Firearms online?

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=273256

I know nothing about Surplus Firearms but wouldn't mind picking up a Mosin.  How do you know a "good" Mosin without buying FTF.  Any tips on buying Surplus Firearms online?

Luck of the draw

That's what it seems like

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=273256

I know nothing about Surplus Firearms but wouldn't mind picking up a Mosin.  How do you know a "good" Mosin without buying FTF.  Any tips on buying Surplus Firearms online?

I had good luck with Bud's Gun Shop.  Reasonable shipping, and no complaints on quality.

Haven't ordered from, but hear good things about, the Mosin Crate.  They give several pictures and do a good job rating them and describing any flaws.

http://www.themosincrate.com/#!rifles-1/cl1

The gun show is coming up in a couple of months, so you might find a nice one there.

I used to want a Mosin as they were inexpensive as well as the ammo.  However, the currently available stock seems to be more expensive and hit or miss on condition (like mentioned above).  I'm not looking for a collectors item as I would want to shoot the gun, but I've also heard some wide ranges of conditions that can show up to your door. 

I get emails from Aim Surplus from time to time with Mosins.  Maybe sign up for their newsletter and see what comes up.  Sort of random when they show up and they do seem to sell out quickly.  I'd still like to get an inexpensive SKS one day, so I check their ads from time to time. 

Southern Ohio Gun has 91/30's with hex receiver fro $280.00. Don't no condition. Cheap surplus ammo can be hard to find at times. OGC brings in spam cans sometime. New ammo can be expensive.

Did a review on these super cheap super accurate surplus rifles

I bought mine back when they were dirt cheap. Nowadays, I wouldn't want to pay what they're selling for. I think price was the best thing about them, and now they aren't cheap. Even the ammo is increasing in price. If you just want a surplus gun that's around the price range of a mosin nagant you might also look at yugo mausers. Even enfields, k31's, and eddystones/1917s are starting to be in the same price range as mosin. I'm waiting until prices inflate to the point where I can trade 2 mosin for one 1917

I think both of mine were imported by century arms? Not too sure though. The bore diameter on one is 0.005 bigger than the other one, so expect a lot of variance and bring calipers if your going to check one out in person. If you want to buy offline I feel good recommending AIMS surplus. I never bought a gun from them but I have bought parts and never had issues.

I bought mine back when they were dirt cheap. Nowadays, I wouldn't want to pay what they're selling for. I think price was the best thing about them, and now they aren't cheap. Even the ammo is increasing in price. If you just want a surplus gun that's around the price range of a mosin nagant you might also look at yugo mausers. Even enfields, k31's, and eddystones/1917s are starting to be in the same price range as mosin. I'm waiting until prices inflate to the point where I can trade 2 mosin for one 1917

I think both of mine were imported by century arms? Not too sure though. The bore diameter on one is 0.005 bigger than the other one, so expect a lot of variance and bring calipers if your going to check one out in person. If you want to buy offline I feel good recommending AIMS surplus. I never bought a gun from them but I have bought parts and never had issues.

Yup.  Inexpensive gun and ammo is why I got interested in them.  Same with SKS, but now they are all getting pretty pricey.  One of my friends bought an SKS a while back for something like $60-70 or something like that and it was a good/decent shooter, and that's all I would want.  Something fun to shoot and cheap and plentiful ammo.  No quite the case anymore.   

I used to want a Mosin as they were inexpensive as well as the ammo.  However, the currently available stock seems to be more expensive and hit or miss on condition (like mentioned above).  I'm not looking for a collectors item as I would want to shoot the gun, but I've also heard some wide ranges of conditions that can show up to your door. 

I get emails from Aim Surplus from time to time with Mosins.  Maybe sign up for their newsletter and see what comes up.  Sort of random when they show up and they do seem to sell out quickly.  I'd still like to get an inexpensive SKS one day, so I check their ads from time to time.

An in-expensive SKS?  Good luck. I own 3 of them,
purchased as presents for family on the mainland.
Which is where the rifles are located.
I used to collect guns till I came to Hawaii.  The milled
trigger group SKS type 56,  I wouldn't part with. 
The stamped ones run $350 and more on the mainland.
I've seen them as high as $500 here.

An in-expensive SKS?  Good luck. I own 3 of them,
purchased as presents for family on the mainland.
Which is where the rifles are located.
I used to collect guns till I came to Hawaii.  The milled
trigger group SKS type 56,  I wouldn't part with. 
The stamped ones run $350 and more on the mainland.
I've seen them as high as $500 here.

I'd be down to spend around $200, maybe a little more, max.  But yeah, not holding my breath for that pricing nor thinking it would be realistic to get one at that pricing.  Though if I came across one. . . 

Or I'd be interested in really any mil-surp gun in 7.62x39.  Again, if available for not much $$$.  I am not against spending $$$ for quality guns and I have good/great quality ARs and AKs already, so the SKS or CZ VZ52 would be fun guns to own and shoot.  Though I realize that I'm probably at least 10 years too late for sub $200 pricing. 

I got mine from Aim along with a couple other firearms, all C&R, a Nagant revolver and a P-64. They were quite satisfactory.
The Mosin Crate may be a bit more expensive, but is well respected in the national collector's community.
Not so much a luck of the draw and they do some neat specialty collector variants.
Hope this helps
Aloha