They are not incredibly low prices any more.
Indeed...
Prices soared during the reign of Emperor OBunghole I, in the Dark Times of 2009-2016, as folks rediscovered this old, hard-hitting, bolt-action warhorse.
7.62x54R is a good round. Been around a long time, does it’s intended job quite well.
I believe I paid 85.00 bucks for mine, way back in the late ‘90s.
Fun to shoot, a bit o’ recoil to let you know you’re alive and shooting a Man’s rifle, and a satisfying BLAMMM!!! out the muzzle to make you smile.
I bought four of them like six years ago at Dunham Sporting Goods Black Friday sale, $79 each. Cosmoline was a pain.
I got one at The Alamo in Naples, FL a couple years ago. Cost $200 with bayonet and original cosmoline. It was an 1897 and in quite nice condition.
Got it for my 17 yo son to go along with his original 03A3.
It is LOUD! Seemingly louder than the .30.
I originally thought I overpaid for it but now I think I did ok as nice ones are hard to find.
Best $75 I ever spent.
It’s the shorty though, the M44.
Turned into one of my favorites.
Great for the old prices but some years ago I was able to pick up Swiss K31’s for less than $200 and it was a no brainer.
The one I kept isn’t outwardly pretty but the machining is a work of art and it’ll print a 1/2” 5 hot group at 100 yards if I do my part. Rang the 800 yard gong plenty with it as well.
Only real bitch is reloading is a nightmare for the 7.65x55. The gun is so well made that oal and case length has to be within a few 1000th’s or you’ll have a jam or ftf and have to smack the bolt to clear make it fire and clear it.Pretty much gave up after I loaded a few hundred rounds with soft points for hunting legality and bought cases of GP11.
About $300 to $400 for a good one. Mine just 10 years ago I paid $125.
CC
And the ones made when the Russians were being pushed back deep into Russia and losing small arms by the hundreds of thousands aren’t such great shooters as the tolerances were allowed to slip in favor of numbers.