I think I may start a life's goal of collecting the small arms of WW2 for both the Axis and Allies.
Anyone undertook this? I call it a life's goal because of how many different arms were issued and the BAR (among many others) is way out of my price range currently.

I can start fairly easily with:
USA: Garand, M1 Carbine
Russia: Mosin Nagant
Germany: K98 Mauser
Japan: Arisaka T38, T99
Italy: Carcano M91
UK: Enfield

Any majors I am missing? I can't hope to get every variation, but it would make for a interesting collection.

I love to collect WW2 rifles too, but I've cut back a lot for money reasons.  Whenever I buy a gun, unless it's going to be used for personal defense or something, it's historical, peferably ww2 but not necessarily.

I have:

M1 Garand
k98k
m38
m91/30
no4mk1
m48 yugo(wish I would have bought more when they were $80  :\ )

I also used to have an m96 swedish mauser made in 1905.  But.. like a moron I sold it.  It's harder too now because ammo is too expensive and even components for a lot of these are expensive.  I look through an old catalogue from 5 years ago and I wish surplus ammo was still that cheap and available!  I love old guns, but I also don't like buying something I can't ever shoot.

If I had your collection and wanted to keep things in a reasonable price range I would either go with some pistols... Like the p38's that are still available for around 5-$600, or a 1903 springfield.  

Also, nagant revolvers and all 3 common types of mosin nagant rifles are readily available and cheap (less than 100 dollars cheap).  Might be a good time to snatch those.  A k31 would be nice too and will probably increase in value a good amount.. but I don't know if you could guarantee to get one from ww2 unless you looked at them in person with an sn list.

It's a good start.  You then have to get into the other semi autos like SVT40, G41, G43 etc etc.  Plu the sniper variants of each gun.

Then you can move onto the NFA side of things.

Good luck!

I've sort of fallen into that over the years.  Present stash is:

US - Garand, Carbine, 1903, 1917
UK - No4 Mk 1, No 2 Mk 7 (22 lr trainer version of the MkIII)
Italy - 1891 Carcano
USSR - 91/30
France - MAS 36 (a better rifle than most realize)
Also have a Yugo which fills the Mauser niche (not paying premium money for a K98).

Have zero desire to own an Arisaka.  A Swede would be nice, but price has gotten out of line.  Ditto for the Finnish Moisins.  The K31 does nothing for me.  A No 5 Jungle carbine would be tempting but the things are a bear to shoot.  

Be careful - it gets out of hand real quick

I love my M1 Carbines. Never got into the other WW II rifles. I guess I am easily satisfied...

I really want a Springfield 1903....someday

I have a few M1 Carbines, and M1 Garands. I think I should buy a Mauser 98 to go with my Dads 1943 Walther P38 and Luger.

I like the idea.  You do need a 1903.  I'd look to add a M1941 even though it was far from a major rifle.

You can get semi-auto versions of many WWII automatics, but then things would really get crazy.  That being said, a Ohio Ordinance BAR should be on the list. Uses many GI parts on a new semi-auto receiver.

Do you have a budget?

You need:

Rifles

USA: Garand, M1 carbine, 1903a3
Russia: nagant 91-30, Nagant m44, SVT 40
Japan: type 99
Britian: Enfield no2 mk IV
Italy: Caricano
France: Mas 36
Germany: K98 (manditiory), G-43, G41, STG 44  (optinal but nice)

Pistols

USA: 1911, S&W model 10 victory model
Russia: TT-33, 1895 Nagant pistol
Japan: Nambu
Britian: Welbly MK V, and S&W victory in 38 S&W, Browning Hi power
Germany: Luger, P-38

SUB macine guns
USA: M1 Thompson, M3 grease gun
Russia:  PPSH 41 (there are others like the 43 but why bother)
Japan none
Britian: STEN
Germany MP-44

Automatic Rifles
USA: BAR
Russia: DP-28
Japan: Nambu (bren copy)
Britian: Bren
Germnay: FG-42

good luck, I have an nearly complete collection, with a few missing from the above list

here is some advice from the other side of the veil.....Avoid getting caught up in the French & itialin stuff a whole lot ie: pistols since there was never a real issued pistol for these two, the jap stuff is nice but you don't have to go there you can just do allies or Europe.

Don't get caught up in the crazieness of period peoces if you can be satisfied without them.  A springfield GI 1911 cost $300 a real WWII 1911 cost $1300+, a romanian TT-33 cost $200 a russian  tt-33 cost $600.  You already have pointed out that you have done this with the Yugo mauser.

The SMG's are expensive but obtainable, MGS has a PPSH-41, Khar makes WWII style Thompsons, the MP-44 and the sten are the problems.

Quoted: You need: Rifles USA: Garand, M1 carbine, 1903a3 Russia: nagant 91-30, Nagant m44, SVT 40 Japan: type 99, Type 38 Britian: Enfield no2 mk IV Italy: Caricano France: Mas 36 Germany: K98 (manditiory), G-43, G41, STG 44  (optinal but nice) Pistols USA: 1911, S&W model 10 victory model Russia: TT-33, 1895 Nagant pistol Japan: Nambu Britian: Webley MK IV, and S&W victory in 38 S&W, Browning Hi power Germany: Luger, P-38 SUB macine guns USA: M1 Thompson, M3 grease gun, Reising Russia:  PPSH 41 (there are others like the 43 but why bother) Japan none Britian: STEN Germany MP-44, MP-38/40 Automatic Rifles USA: BAR Russia: DP-28 Japan: Nambu (bren copy) Britian: Bren Germnay: FG-42, vz26 good luck, I have an nearly complete collection, with a few missing from the above list here is some advice from the other side of the veil.....Avoid getting caught up in the French & itialin stuff a whole lot ie: pistols since there was never a real issued pistol for these two, the jap stuff is nice but you don't have to go there you can just do allies or Europe. Don't get caught up in the crazieness of period peoces if you can be satisfied without them.  A springfield GI 1911 cost $300 a real WWII 1911 cost $1300+, a romanian TT-33 cost $200 a russian  tt-33 cost $600.  You already have pointed out that you have done this with the Yugo mauser. The SMG's are expensive but obtainable, MGS has a PPSH-41, Khar makes WWII style Thompsons, the MP-44 and the sten are the problems.

I used to have a collection....... 12-41' M1903, M1903A3, Reissued M1917, M1 Garands, M1 Carbines, K98s, Persian Mausers (Czech 98s), M44 Mosin-Nagants, Type 38 Asaika, Ingilis Browning Hi Powers, Radom P35, P08s, P38s, Webley Mk IV, CZ27, Mauser 1914, PPK (Post Office marked).

Then there is the temporary collection I've found here in Iraq from that era.  P08s, M1911A1 (issued to me), TT33, Webley Mks IV and VI (most of the .455s from WWI), Astra 600/43, K98s, vz24, vz26, MP44, Sten MkII, PPSh41s, MP40 (reciever only), M91/30, M1919A6 and M2HB (still issued)

CD

Yeah I raq is a treasure trove of traditional WW2 russian and other stuff, I had an STG-44 we found in Ramadi.  PPSH-41's & enfields were common, I almost creid when they took that STG-44 from me.