M44 Mosin Nagant Review

plouffedaddy · Dec 29, 2012

First off, I'm not a Mosin Nagant aficionado but I'll do my best here...

Both of my rifles are Izhevsk laminated rifles and came loaded with cosmoline; once removed the bore and finish on the metal looked excellent.

Pros:

-Price. These rifles can still be found for around $200.
-Build quality. These rifles are overbuilt--in a good way. The actions are very smooth for a surplus guns and when you fire the rifle it just feels like a quality gun.
-Ammo. The 7.62x54r round has great ballistcs performance and is relatively inexpensive. I just ordered a crate 2 weeks ago for $0.18/round in fact.
-The shorter 20'' barrel and 7.62x54 round produce a large fireball with just about every shot; who doesn't love a good fireball??
-Good accuracy for a surplus gun. With 147gr Bulgy surplus I was getting around 4'' with irons at 100m. With "AK style" irons, that's not bad for me.

Cons:

-The safety is poorly designed. I can only imagine what it must have been like for a Russian soldier to come around a corner, see a German soldier, then realize his rifle was on safe... My guess is they probably left the safety off for that very reason.
-If you want to use optics, the bolt needs to be modified/replaced.
-Weight. While they cut 8'' off the old 91/30 to create the M44 the rifle still weighs 8.7lbs.

Chrono Data:

147gr Bulgarian Surplus: 2649fps, 2291 ft/lbs energy

All in all, the M44 is a great rifle considering the cost. Well built, accurate enough for a variety of uses, and fires a cartridge that can take down most about anything you'd find in North America.

Here's my video review of the M44 with some shooting, I go over the basic features/operation of the rifle, discuss the history and development of the rifle, and go over the pros & cons:

M44 HD Video Review Link

Apple a Day · Dec 29, 2012

In the entire history of the Mosin Nagant there have only been four documented cases when anyone has actually used the safety.
True story

ROCK6 · Dec 29, 2012

I need to dig mine out...they are a lot of fun at the range! My only recommended upgrade would be adding Mojo peep sights; a vast improvment for iron sight use.

ROCK6

nathan · Dec 29, 2012

If a VC woman can sling it around working in the paddies and can luckily hit the hydraulics of a passing Huey causing them to crash land , then they were not bad after all.

ApacheCoTodd · Dec 29, 2012

I'm fascinated by the effect the extended bayonet seems to be having upon the muzzle flash in the second photo.

Laying some visual proof to the stories of varying POIs with it extended, retracted and removed altogether.

Any more of those types of shots?

Surculus · Dec 30, 2012

plouffedaddy said:
Cons:

-If you want to use optics, the bolt needs to be modified/replaced.
-Weight. While they cut 8'' off the old 91/30 to create the M44 the rifle still weighs 8.7lbs.

Optics: nix, go w/ a scout mount and EER optic. No messing w/ bolt handle required. Besides, doesn't the Mosin have a bolt-on bolt handle? Easiest handle to change out there, iirc.

Weight: You don't want to do any extended strings firing full-powered ammunition out of a rifle that's any lighter. 9# is fairly typical for full-size battle rifles, and there's a reason for it: not only is it difficult to make them lighter [when using classic machined steel & solid wood], but 9# is enough to keep recoil manageable while still light enough not to kill you just from lugging it x-country all day. Sometimes, weight is your friend. Remember, no fat, no flava!

nathan · Dec 30, 2012

Their sold out today. Even the lowly M 44s are being scooped up fast...

http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=F3M44

browneu · Dec 30, 2012

I thought I'd never see the day where you can't find a nagant in stock at the online retailers.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

Steel Horse Rider · Dec 30, 2012

The M-44's have been out of stock here for several years. I did see a photo of Venezuelan troops drilling with M-44's so I figured our buddy Chavez had scooped the supply..

nathan · Dec 30, 2012

7.62 x 54 r surplus still available but they be gone , just a matter of time as people are buying everything at hand.

Voodoochile · Dec 30, 2012

ApacheCoTodd said:
I'm fascinated by the effect the extended bayonet seems to be having upon the muzzle flash in the second photo.

Laying some visual proof to the stories of varying POIs with it extended, retracted and removed altogether.

Actually I think it has to do with the camera than anything, I'm betting that the muzzle flash is a result of the picture being taken but not finishing till his reaction to recoil was shown.

Sweet review, makes me appreciate mine & my buddys M44 even more.

cyclopsshooter · Dec 30, 2012

I'm fascinated by the effect the extended bayonet seems to be having upon the muzzle flash in the second photo.

I bet recoil. Fireball is further away in the second photo and I doubt he was aiming that high.

ApacheCoTodd · Dec 30, 2012

cyclopsshooter said:
I bet recoil. Fireball is further away in the second photo and I doubt he was aiming that high.

Duh! Muzzle climb. I never even went there.

I should think with that snappy red star on his tee shirt that plouffedaddy would have scared that beast into behaving better.

nathan · Dec 31, 2012

Surplus Ammo gone as expected.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=A76254B

plouffedaddy · Jan 1, 2013

I should think with that snappy red star on his tee shirt that plouffedaddy would have scared that beast into behaving better.

I know, I failed :uhoh:

Surplus Ammo gone as expected.

SGAmmo has a bunch in for around 17 cents/round right now. Probably won't last long.....

Sailr · Jan 1, 2013

Surplus ammo for M44

Try AIM Surplus for 7.62X54 ammo

MaterDei · Jan 1, 2013

I've got 3 M44s and 1 91/30. I like the 91/30 better, wish I had three of them instead.

Cook Tula shirt, where did you get it?

justice06rr · Jan 2, 2013

Thanks for the review and pics. Mosins are definitely a fun collectible, and very addicting too!

Cosmoline · Jan 2, 2013

I actually love the safety and don't have a problem using it. I think people just use their finger muscles too much instead of their arm muscles.

The M38 weighs more like a carbine would. The M44 was intended to be a replacement for the 91/30 so they weren't concerned about making it lighter weight.

Sergei Mosin · Jan 2, 2013

Shirt looks to be from 1791 Apparel.

nathan · Jan 2, 2013

I dont have a M38 but have the M 91 59 . It s a dandy of a big boomer , too. I got it for $100 from AIM in 2003. Man, ten years of owning one is quicker than i thought. Its 3 inch grouper at 100 yds on sandbag, not a bad investment.

M44 Mosin Nagant Review

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