I just got off the phone with my dad. He was cleaning out the closet at our house and came across the guns that my grandfather brought back from the war. One of them is a Mosin Nagant that is in mint condition. It is stamped with the date 1945, and has a Soviet Hammer and Sickle on it.
Now I have another rifle to buy ammo for. It's 7.52xwhat?
Thanks.
Like some others already pointed out, be aware of the barrel dimensions at the throat and the muzzle. Many Mosins are cursed with sewer pipes for barrels due to the only ammo available being corrosive. Check the bore for pitting and the like before purchase. Even if you get one with a nasty bore, it will still be a fun gun to shoot for a relatively low price compared to more conventional chamberings like .308, 30-06, and .223. Make sure you find one with a decent barrel and you should be set. ALWAYS clean the rifle directly after shooting to keep it from being attacked by corrosion.
$250 is a great price, if the Mausers have nazi markings on them. There were a whole bunch of captured Mauser K98's imported from Russia over the past 10-15 years. These rifles were part of a Soviet make-work project from the 1950's, where piles of rifle parts were marked rather crudely with new numbers using electric engraver, and then re-assembled into complete rifles.
Most, or all of these rifles are without cleaning rod or front sight shroud.
-Still, a great buy, if the bore looks good.