First Military Surplus to Start my Collection?

[bsmith918]

If you were in OKC, I'd let you look over a few of my milsurps to see if anything speak to you. If you go the CMP Garand route, join the Garand Collectors Association. It's around $20/year and you get a nice quarterly magazine. I would also try to handle an 03A3 and M39 too. Also, I actually like the feel of my K11 to my K31, though the K31 is the more updated one.

 

[dlbleak]

If you were in OKC, I'd let you look over a few of my milsurps to see if anything speak to you. If you go the CMP Garand route, join the Garand Collectors Association. It's around $20/year and you get a nice quarterly magazine. I would also try to handle an 03A3 and M39 too. Also, I actually like the feel of my K11 to my K31, though the K31 is the more updated one.

M39 is not a bad choice at all. Wish I had my 1911 swiss long rifle back...taller brother to the k11

 

[coolhandluke]

If you prefer a semi-auto I 100% agree with looking into a CMP Garand as your first purchase. If you are leaning towards a bolt rifle I would recommend either a 1903A3, a Finn M39, or a Lee Enfield No 4 MK II. All three have nice sight set-ups and are fairly easy to find ammo for which can be a problem with the Swede and Swiss rifles if you don't reload.

If I could honestly only own three milsurps they would have to be...

1. M1 Garand
2. 1903 or 1903A3
3. M1 Carbine

 

[ronny]

Yeah, but you're GI-biased!

 

[coolhandluke]

Yeah, but you're GI-biased!

Only a little.

 

[Frost45]

Definitly a 1903A3 but I also like the M14 (M1A) if you want a detachable magazine