M44 Russian question

zaitcev said:

I don't really like the M44 because of the permanently attached bayonet. But if you pop it off, you're ruining the value of the gun. Better find a nice M38 or M59.

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The Russian M44 bayonet is held in place by a heavy screw that is heavily staked at the threaded end to prevent casual removal. In other words a semipermanent assembly.

Mosin rifles are now collectibles, not cheap rifles for the hunter on a tight budget, and are best left as-issued for the collector value.

People have soaked the screw and threads in penetrating oil overnight and used a good well fitted screwdriver with lots of torque to remove the screw. That leaves the mount on the barrel with jagged points on the side. The bayonet and screw can be kept and re-installed, but removal can leave detectable marks. That will affect resale value.

30 odd years ago I bought a used Mosin Type 53, Chinese version of the Model 1944, that was imported by Navy Arms NJ. The stock was in sad shape and the bayonet had been removed due to some "sporting purposes" import restriction. They even treated cleaning rod under the barrel as an unacceptable military feature. I paid $35 for it as a foul weather backup gun. Semi-sporterized the sadsack stock, ground down the bayonet lug on the barrel. 20 round packs of Military ammo were $5, 20 round boxes of factory softnose about $15. A few years ago I found a complete M44 stock for $65. In 2008 spam cans of brass cased heavy bullet ammo were $45 for 300 rounds.

The days of these being cheap and expendable poor man's deer rifle are long past. As-issued and unmolested they are collectibles today. And ammo prices creep up.

M44s are FUN. They aren’t great utility guns because they are heavy and have a typically not great trigger (but they’re tough and will get the job done.) They are a great gun to just take out and shoot on a sunny Saturday. Value these days is probably $300-450. About where every other bolt action that can shoot and not self destruct is, tbh…

And last I checked, 7.62x54r is not only available it’s notably cheaper than about every full power centerfire cartridge. You can get new PPU online for under a buck per round. Surplus available too. Not the absolute bargain it was in 2005, but…. Not hard to find, and in fact probably easier to find than .308/.30-06, and definitely easier to find than .30-30 or .270 or other American staples, sad to say.

The sporting ammo I bought back in the day for my Mosin was Hansen, very good ammo; Hansen ammo was made by PPU or ΠΠУ (pi pi upsilon) before US buyers began to recognize PPU as good stuff and would buy it under their name. Buying PPU hunting ammo beats the alternative of pulling the full metal jacket military bullet, necksizing the case, seating and crimping a .311" hunting bullet made for .303 Brit.

I do shoot my Type 53/M1944 Frankenmosin in the local military rifle matches. There's usually a M1944 or M91/30 Mosin shooter or two or three at the matches. They are fun. Bright orange balls of fire at the muzzle.

As for the weight of an M44, blindfolded I can't tell the difference between the heft of my carbine and my Mosin 91/30 rifle. The barrel on the M44/T53 is much thicker than the barrel of the M91/30 rifle and the Model 1938 carbine.

Dibbs said:

You have the sticker out front, in case the pig gets underfoot, the 7.62 X 54R is strong enough to knock them out, and if you're pressed to it, they make a fair club.

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Always wondered why they call it a pig-sticker -- now I know

I collect the Mosin rifles & own many M44s. People put down the Mosin Nagant because it's a rugged stick rifle but that's what makes it great. It's hard to accessorize unlike the AR. It's just a simple gun that does what it was made to do. It's just as accurate as high quality rifles with the right ammo.
I was shooting at the range with my 91/30 PU sniper next to a precision rifle shooter & he got pissed off & left because he couldn't hit with his fancy gun as good as I was hitting with that old stick rifle. So don't count the rifle short.
Right now I have seen the M44s selling for $400 to $500 depending on condition.

My M44's shoot as well as my other Mosin's on avg. Then there is the one that shoots exceptional for no rhyme or reason.

The only Mosin that I kept longer than a case of cheap ammo could be shot through it, was the Finnish M39.

I have one in the safe that I only shot once along with ammo. I have no plans for it. Maybe I will trade or sell it someday.