I have kicked myself ever since. They would have made perfect weapons to cache for a rainy day or save to sell at gun shows. But I was young and dumb at the time.
The one Swedish Mauser (M96) that I picked up is in almost mint condition, with all matching numbers and a beautiful white birch stock. Even though I have a hard time working the action, it is a joy to shoot. But that metal butt plate is killer.
We have a sporting goods store here locally that is advertising Nagants for $85. I have a friend who works there in the gun department that says they're in pretty good shape.
Now I only have to figure out how to disguise it as a lamp or something to sneak it into the house, because the wife will NEVER believe that I bought a gun for only $85... LOL.
Rose's was absolutely the go-to place for cheap but otherwise excellent surplus military rifles. That's where my buddy's MK IV came from, and I also bought my M96 Swede there as well. It had been packed in grease for years but its bore was perfect. I cleaned it up, sanded and refinished the banged-up stock, and added some accessories like the flash suppressor and sling, and now have a beautiful artifact, dated 1900, all for $90.
You know you can get left handed bolts for the swedes,
Look in Shotgun News at the Sarco Inc. ads.
www.sarcoinc.com
They are 79 bucks for the bolt body or 125 for
a complete bolt, has a large 1 and a quarter inch
knob. MSR 487 or MSR 488.
They kind of stick up at an angle.