Fellow C&R collectors:
The latest SOG mailing has a nice selection of all four C&R rifles available in numerous flavors this month. The prices appear very reasonable so I'm thinking I should finally purchase a bolt-action battle rifle to add to my growing collection of SA battle rifles. I don't particularly like bolt action rifles but I feel drawn to them due to the historical connections.
I'll eventually end up owning at least one of each during the coming years. The question here, however, is which one should I purchase first?
I'd just like your quick opinion of the ones offered here based on your experience with the overall performance, condition, and shrinking availability of these common rifles. Like the SKS, more and more of these rifles are becoming rarer to find in large lots and the prices have started to rise. In addition, as the lots become smaller, the quality of those left on the market begin to diminish leaving only the really rough ones out there.
If there are multiple arsenals (Romanian, Russian, Hungarian, etc, etc.) please indicate your preference, too. BTW, I don't hunt with them nor add scopes to them so I'm not concerned about that aspect of these rifles. I do, however, restore them and try to regularly shoot them and make them as accurate as I can. I just like the old iron sites, big caliber, and historical significance.
Any and all inputs will be very much appreciated as this is the biggest and most experienced group of firearm owners on the 'net and, while I try to read up on this subject, I'm perplexed as to how to start.
Rome
The latest SOG mailing has a nice selection of all four C&R rifles available in numerous flavors this month. The prices appear very reasonable so I'm thinking I should finally purchase a bolt-action battle rifle to add to my growing collection of SA battle rifles. I don't particularly like bolt action rifles but I feel drawn to them due to the historical connections.
I'll eventually end up owning at least one of each during the coming years. The question here, however, is which one should I purchase first?
I'd just like your quick opinion of the ones offered here based on your experience with the overall performance, condition, and shrinking availability of these common rifles. Like the SKS, more and more of these rifles are becoming rarer to find in large lots and the prices have started to rise. In addition, as the lots become smaller, the quality of those left on the market begin to diminish leaving only the really rough ones out there.
If there are multiple arsenals (Romanian, Russian, Hungarian, etc, etc.) please indicate your preference, too. BTW, I don't hunt with them nor add scopes to them so I'm not concerned about that aspect of these rifles. I do, however, restore them and try to regularly shoot them and make them as accurate as I can. I just like the old iron sites, big caliber, and historical significance.
Any and all inputs will be very much appreciated as this is the biggest and most experienced group of firearm owners on the 'net and, while I try to read up on this subject, I'm perplexed as to how to start.
Rome