Here is a guide that provides zombie busters for the price hound consumer, along with information on how to get these items.

Remington 870

Right now you can buy one of these Remington 870 Tactical at just about any sporting goods store, gun store or gun show across the US. You can also pick them up with any number of modifications or get them separately and install them at your leisure. The matte starts at about $325.00. I picked mine up for less and I've seen them for more. There are numerous Rem 870s on Gunbroker.com. If you are like me, you will want to look at it, hold it, feel it and shoulder it before buying it. There is nothing like a good shotgun to "master key" a lock, knock in some hinges, clear a hall, kill game, knock your foes on the ground or maybe remove a limb. The 870 by my experience has been very reliable, a good shoot and, if worse came to worse, it is sturdy enough to use as a club.


CETME C: After World War Two the Spanish got a hold of a German weapons designer that worked on the Stg.45 project (the world's first prototype battle rifle). It uses the same roller delayed blow back system that subsequently are now used in H&K weapons and FNH's weapons. In fact the CETME rifle was prior to the very successful H&K G3 series. The CETME C was designed as a semi auto version of the original rifle to be sold in the US to civilians. The CETME C is chambered in 7.62x51 NATO or .308. Uses 20 round box magazines and has the ability to accept numerous attachments and optics. It runs as cheap as $500.00 USD and as high as $2000.00 USD. Check out the models thoroughly and stay away from the Century International Arms, Inc. versions if possible. Some of their weapons have durability issues. Cheap, powerful and accurate the CETME C is a battle rifle at a not-so-battle-rifle price.

Hi-Point Carbines: Going for fairly cheap ($220 MSRP for matte black 9mm) and chambered in either 9mm or .40, these carbines are affordable, surprisingly accurate and easy-handling. The 9mm version gives you the additional advantage of being able to share ammo with a pistol, allowing you to interchangeably trade weapons when the situation calls for it. Head to the Hi-Point website or Gunbroker.com to see what's available.

Surplus Rifles and Ammo.

You can find surplus ammo and rifles pretty cheap.

The mosin-nagant was used for years in the russian military for good reason. Its reliable, powerful and relatively accurate.

Just as an example, you can get a WWII Russian Mosin-Nagant in either a carbine version (M44) or a full length version (91/30) for around $60-80. Then pick up some 1950s Bulgarian surplus 7.62x54R at around $50/300 round case, Russian 1945-47 for $70/440 case, or the modern stuff for $150/500 case. Basically surplus stuff goes for about .16 cents a round and newer stuff for .30-.50 cents a round. Keep in mind thats just for the 7.62x54R

Generally if you want cheap reliable rifles/ammo, surplus is a good way to go. You have to be careful though, as price isn't a very good indicator of performance with surplus rifles. You can be looking at two rifles that cost and look exactly the same; one of them might have been built and put straight into storage without ever being fired while the other was issued to some grunt in 1940 and had its bore destroyed over the course of the war.
So generally you want to see the rifle and check the rifling in the barrel before you buy it.

If you want cheap easy to find rifles/ammo id look for a Mosin-Nagant, SKS, German K98 Mauser, or a Swiss K31.

The Mosin-Nagant ($80) has a ton of configurations, it's fairly accurate, and the ammo is cheap/easy to find. I really have nothing bad to say about this rifle. Check the bore and head space and you're good to go.


SKS ($150) is semi-auto, very reliable, and has cheap ammo. The SKS is one of the easiest semi-auto surplus rifles you can find at a cheap price. It has a 10 round non-removable magazine thats fed via stripper clip. The two most important features are its reliability and the fact that it shoots 7.62x39 (the same round as the AK) which is very cheap and easy to find.

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Deadslayer69

A carbine SKS with the blade bayonet, a fiberforce dragonov stock and a mildot illuminated scope, light folible bipod, 6 detachable 20 RD synthetic mags, noveske compensator: you have a perfect battlefield sniper rifle w/ little recoil, east to maintain, and simple to operate. I'm ditching my 597 tactical, and getting one this week i hope.
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The K98s ($200) are more expensive than Mosins but you get a generally better weapon for your money. They are accurate but the ammo's a little pricey and it's hard to find a complete one. The ones available now are mostly ones that the Russians captured and stripped all the parts they deemed "unnecessary" to the operation of the rifle. The Russian captures work "as is" but won't have Locking Screws, Cleaning rods, or sight hoods over the front sight. You can pick up a cleaning rod pretty cheap if you're not worried about all the parts being original and you don't really need the sight hood, but I'd pick up a set of locking screws. Locking screws are a set of 2 screws that insure that another set of 2 screws that hold on the trigger guard and floor-plate can't come loose. They aren't really needed but it's just one less thing you have to worry about. (Note: Late war models had a simplified design that did not include locking screws so check your rifle before you shell out the cash for a set...it might save you 5 bucks)

If you are looking for accuracy in a surplus rifle the Swiss K31($200) is the way to go. It was arguable the most accurate rifle of its time and shoots pretty good by today's standards as well. Go figure the freakin' Swiss made one of the best WWII era bolt action rifles and they never used it. The only problem with this rifle is that the surplus ammo is running dry and is actually more expensive than the modern stuff.

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HellfireRe

Mostly cheap weapons would be found at surplus stores but what if you don't find any stores. Then you should by old weapons from Hunting clubs or Shooting Ranges. They can be very cheap. Their only con is that if you buy old weapon it would be unreliable.




Mosin Nagant rifles are great. Good accuracy and range. How can you go wrong with a rifle that was in service for seventy years? Of course like many vintage weapons, the caliber is kind of an oddball. 7.62x54 Rimmed. Expensive that one. Usually around $15 for 20 rounds. But I got one once for an OG short sleeve Army issue Dress shirt. = $18.