more missed opportunities

I've been on the lookout for high quality rifles that shoot 7.62x54R because whatever the price of the rifle, I know I can offset by a significantly cheaper ammo budget than most other calibers while still having steel core bullets.  I'll have to put more effort into maintaining them, what with the corrosive ammo and all, but still, I'm dead set on it.

The problem being that most precision rifles in this caliber are either of a dreadfully low quality or are so exquisite that they are beyond any reasonable price point.  Despite the attractively low prices of Mosin Nagants, they do require a bit of work and modification to get them to a point that they can shoot accurately over a distance.  Consequently, that makes the price jump up to the point that they are no longer much cheaper than just getting another rifle with all the features you want built in.

What a beauty.  Now that's a real man's biathlon rifle.

Now getting to the meat of the matter, which is the Finnish Mosin M/28-76.  It was issued in both target and sniper models, a majority of them imported here being of the target variety.  It has everything I'm looking for, nice stock, cool sights, can take an optic after being tapped and racked, still can shoot run of the mill 54R ammo, all for less than $600; that is, when they first appeared.

Now this guy has the dream setup, right here.

But now it seems it's impossible to find one, and when you do, the seller wants twice that much.  Phooey.  Anyone that comes across one of these for sale at that $600 range again, you let me know!