I have one on the way from the EE.  Have some surplus 8x56r on the way as well.  What should I know before hand?

thanks.

-mark

I was looking at getting one of these also and did a little research since I knew absolutely nothing about these guns.  This link had a lot of useful info, hope it helps.  Sorry you'll have to cut and paste it.

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/surplusrifle/vpost?id=205557&trail=

Get ready to feel the burn...
Nothing else quite like it. (That I've shot). Like getting hit on the shoulder with a hammer!

I have 4 as of yesterday...they are pretty cool, and perfectly different than the other cheap carbine. I also have an 1895 long rifle, but haven't shot it yet!

Quoted: What should I know before hand?

You should know that your shoulder will never forgive you.

Seriously though.  Read up on the bolt removal and perhaps disassembly.  I took the bolt out of mine and accidentally let it "snap shut".  It was a bitch to get it back to a point that I could put it back in the rifle.

And for me, the 8x56R round in a carbine is truly the most brutal recoil I've ever felt.  The combination of the extremely light rifle, metal buttplate and huge round make it fun in a painful kind of way.

It's a pretty neat rifle with the straight-pull bolt and all.  Not as smooth as a K31, but functional.

LL

yeah read about the recoil as well, already have a slip on rubber pad for the buttstock, and I'll also have as always with my milsurps, my recoil pad on my shoulder.

call me a wimp, or someone who would rather shoot all day then quit after a few boxes.

Quoted: yeah read about the recoil as well, already have a slip on rubber pad for the buttstock, and I'll also have as always with my milsurps, my recoil pad on my shoulder. call me a wimp, or someone who would rather shoot all day then quit after a few boxes.

My Turkish Mauser, which is an $80 beater, has a buttpad on it. I have the same outlook. There's nothing like a day at the range, shooting 200+ 9mm, 200+ .45, 300+ .223, 200+ 7.62, AND 150+ 8mm.

If you are going to disassemble the bolt, get good instructions, it can be a bitch to get back together.

Also be aware, sometimes when you remove the bolt, the bolt head will snap closed. You can only get it back in in the open position. You will need to learn the "dime" trick, which will generally result in gashed knuckles until you get the hang of it.