Buy Which? Moisin/Nagant M38 or M44?

[Ohio Gun Guy]

I would buy on condition. Get the nicest one. If thats I tie, I personally would get the longer barrel (M38). In my experience they kick a little less, plus I like the historical aspect. I have a 1942 Izzy. The absolute most common Mosin Nagant made! But I love it!

 

[jon_in_wv]

I have the 91/30 and the M44. The 91/30 is just too long and unwieldy for a truck gun. The M44s regularly have pretty decent bores but the bayonet does throw off the POI a bit. Mine shoots about 8 inches right at 50 yards with the bayonet folded and is dead on with it out. For an $80 rifle I think its a great shooter though. I would get the m44 and either remove the bayonet or just make sure you change your POA when its folded up.

 

[kingcheese]

an m38 is the same as an m44 but it has no bayonet and a better stock for feel in my opinion

 

[Coronach]

If you're ordering online and you want the best odds of getting a rifle with a good bore, get the M44. Many of the ones flooding the market recently were either unissued, or saw little use and were arsenal reworked, slathered in cosmoline and put into huge crates and stored in a massive warehouse along with the Ark of the Covenant.

The M38s were put in the same warehouse, but they saw a LOT more use before they got there. Think "Stalingrad". Some of them are good. Some of them are beat straight to heck. If you're ordeirng online, you're never really sure which you're gonna get.

That said, the M38 is a better handling gun. It also recoils worse than the M44. No free lunch.

Mike