The Top 7 Surplus Rifles

Intro, Swiss K31, and Carcano Cavalry Surplus Rifles

The video opens with a countdown of the hosts’ top seven surplus rifles, noting that many featured guns, like the Swiss K31, are not currently in stock and encouraging viewers to sign up for email restock alerts. The first highlight is the Swiss K31, a straight-pull bolt-action rifle chambered in 7.5 Swiss. The hosts praise the GP11 cartridge for its inherent accuracy and point out competition stickers on the example rifle, indicating match use. They describe the K31’s trigger as very light with a distinct two-stage feel, making it an excellent option for starting or expanding a surplus collection. The focus then shifts to the Carcano Cavalry model, emphasized as one of the more affordable surplus rifles. Its Mannlicher-style end block clip system allows quick reloads, and despite the rifle’s small, lightweight form factor, the available ammunition produces surprisingly light recoil. The hosts describe the Carcano as fun and easy to shoot, especially for those looking for an inexpensive, historically interesting surplus carbine.

Carcano History and Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk1 Advantages

Continuing with the Carcano, the hosts stress how soft-shooting it is with current ammunition, while acknowledging that hotter loads would increase recoil in such a light platform. They briefly address the rifle’s controversial place in history through its association with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, mentioning the magic bullet theory and the ongoing debates surrounding that event. The video then transitions to the Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk1. The Enfield’s 10-round magazine is highlighted as a major advantage over many surplus rifles that only hold five or six rounds. The hosts reference the broad family of Enfield variants, including the SMLE and the sought-after No.1 Mk1 “smelly” carbine-style rifles. They explain the Enfield’s cock-on-close bolt action, noting that using body weight on the forward stroke can make it faster in practice than Mauser-style cock-on-open systems. The long service life of the Enfield platform is emphasized, including continued use into the early 2000s by Canadian police forces.

K98 Mauser, 1903 Springfield Ties, and M1 Garand Origins

The discussion moves to a K98 Mauser marked “dou” with wartime eagle stamps, representing a classic World War II German service rifle. The hosts describe its Mauser action with cock-on-open operation and its chambering in 8mm Mauser (7.92x57), a full-power cartridge still widely used today. The rifle uses a five-round internal magazine fed by stripper clips and is praised for reliability and the way its action influenced countless modern hunting rifles. They compare the K98 to the U.S. 1903 Springfield, noting that the Springfield essentially copies the Mauser action, down to similar safety levers. The video recounts how Mauser successfully sued the United States over this design, though the judgment went unpaid once World War I began. The K98 is firmly positioned as one of the top surplus rifles. Attention then shifts to the M1 Garand, introduced as a legendary semi-automatic .30-06 battle rifle. The hosts outline its development by John Garand, including earlier .276 caliber concepts, and explain that it was ultimately chambered in .30-06 to use existing ammunition stocks, becoming an iconic Allied rifle associated with defeating fascism.

M1 Garand Operation and MAS 49/56 Direct Impingement

The M1 Garand segment continues with a closer look at its operation. The rifle uses an eight-round en bloc clip that is inserted into the internal magazine, automatically ejecting with a distinctive “ping” when empty. As a semi-automatic rifle, it offers a significantly higher practical rate of fire than Mauser-type bolt actions. The hosts warn about the risk of “Garand thumb,” where a shooter’s thumb can be caught by the bolt during loading if proper technique is not used. The video then introduces the MAS 49/56, showing an example with an improvised charging handle fashioned from a spent cartridge case. Though crude, this field-expedient handle works effectively. The hosts trace the MAS 49/56’s lineage back to pre–World War II French designs that were completed postwar. They emphasize its true direct gas impingement system, where gas travels through a tube and vents directly into the bolt carrier, rather than using a separate piston. The lighter 49/56 variant and its detachable magazine are discussed, including the unusual detail that the magazine is retained by a literal clip mechanism.

Finnish M39 Mosin-Nagant Upgrades and Simo Häyhä

The focus shifts to the Finnish M39 Mosin-Nagant, presented as a perfected evolution of the standard 91/30 Mosin while retaining the 7.62x54R chambering. Finland purchased receivers from Russia but produced its own barrels and completed its own stocks, resulting in a significantly improved rifle. The M39 features a beefier stock, an enclosed captured cleaning rod, and a heavier barrel. These changes, along with generally free-floated barrels, contribute to noticeably better accuracy compared to typical Mosins. The hosts highlight the two-part stock construction joined with interlocking finger joints; more rounded fingers indicate earlier, pre-war stocks. They point out markings such as Seiko receiver stamps and the ground-off Russian Imperial Eagle, evidence of the rifle’s mixed Russian-Finnish heritage. The conversation broadens to Finnish marksmanship culture and legendary sniper Simo Häyhä, known as the “White Death.” Häyhä famously used iron sights rather than optics, operating in harsh Finnish winter conditions and preferring closer engagement distances despite being capable of effective longer-range fire.

Hosts’ Favorite Surplus Rifles and SA58 FAL Giveaway

As the video wraps up, the hosts each select a favorite from the featured surplus rifles. One chooses the Swiss K31, praising its straight-pull action, excellent trigger, and accurate 7.5 Swiss GP11 ammunition. The other picks the American M1 Garand in .30-06, citing its iconic status, semi-automatic operation, and the distinctive eight-round en bloc clip with its memorable “ping.” The discussion then shifts to a current giveaway: a DS Arms SA58, an improved battle rifle based on the FAL and chambered in 7.62 NATO. The package includes a 20-round box magazine and an EOTech setup with both a holographic sight and magnifier. The hosts refer to the FAL as the “right arm of the Free World” and direct viewers to ClassicFirearms.com to enter the giveaway, noting that using the code word “FAL” provides extra entries. They close with a playful debate over what rifle deserves the title “left arm of the Free World,” suggesting options like the AK or AR-15 and inviting viewers to share their opinions in the comments before signing off.