Hungarian M44 - What would you do?

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Capybara

Capybara

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Hi all:

I bought this Hungarian M44 at a gun show about two years ago for $150.00. It has had the hand of Bubba laid upon it unfortunately but the metal looked brand new unissued, as in this thing has rarely, if ever been shot. I took care of that, having put a few hundred rounds downrange with it, it is a great rifle, fun to shoot, very accurate for an M44. The stock has been sanded, varnished, the sling escutcheons were inexplicably painted gloss black along with the barrel bands and the magazine and Bubba also installed sling bases (why do this if you have the Mosin dog collar fittings right there?!?!) I have been hunting for a Hungarian stock for two years, have only seen one decent one pop up on Gunboards and I was about 10 minutes too late.

If this were your gun, would you:

1. Keep it as is as a fine shooter than has been Bubba'd?

2. Keep up the hunt for an 02 Hungarian stock? Maybe someday I will find one?

3. Find a nice, clean Russian stock and transfer the action over to it to have a Hungarian/Russian mess?

I'm not in a hurry, but every time I take it out to shoot, the present stock bugs me because it is so cheesy looking.

Thanks for your opinion.

IMG_4110_zpsrzd5ue2q.jpg
 
Capy,

That has to be the prettiest M44 I have ever seen....I think Bubba actually made it look BETTER than stock.

Call me silly but I would leave it alone and shoot it.

-kBob
 
I have a couple of Hun M44s and they're both good shooters. One looks effectively new and the other looks like it was used to singlehandedly club a T34 tank to death. In other words, it's got "character". :)

Was the current stock sanded to the point that the barrel bands are loose on the stock? One of my Russian M44s had a stock that was sanded very aggressively. I ended up replacing it with a laminated stock set that Tiger imports had for sale a year of so ago. ( I think it was royal tiger imports. I could be wrong.) If the only annoyances are cosmetic, I'd just shoot it as is, but keep looking for the correct stock.

I don't know if the picture that you posted is of your rifle but if it is, it already ha a Russian stock. The one unique feature of the Hungarian stocks is that the front sling slot is farther back than the rest of the M44/M38 stocks:

attachment.php


The wood doesn't look right either. It looks like birch, but most of the huns I've seen have either beech or another type of wood that doesn't have much grain in it. I've got one of each.

Matt
 
Most of the Hungarians came from Romania and are already mixed to some extent. I'd keep it and be pleased with what you got, keeping an eye out for a replacement Hungarian one when you found it.
 
Thats beautifully redone. Aside from its debut in WW2, the M44s had seen wide used in Nam.

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If you don't like the finish of the stock why not strip it off and put it back to original or to a finish of your choice. I use Homer Formby's TungOil on the woodwork I refinish and am very happy with the result. It takes about 7 or 8 coats followed by two coats of Birchwood Casey stock conditioner after a couple of weeks.
 
I see the difference in your Hungarian picture Morcey2, I had a feeling this might be a Russian because it has no "02" on the butt stock, but I never knew that about the sling mount. The barrel bands seem to fit fine. I suppose the fun thing to do would be to try to refinish it back to match an original finish, although Liberty Tree also sells decent condition Russian stocks sets for $80.00. The metal is very nice on it, it's just the stock that bugs me.

Thanks for all of the advice guys, you've given me several paths to consider.
 
It's a $150 gun. I wouldn't be to concerned about bubba and collector value. I think it looks pretty good myself. If it where mine I'd remove the bayonet and lug, put some Mojo sights on it and make it a real shooter. It's all reversible.
If you want to restore it you should be able to locate a stock marked 02. A lot of them had some serious repairs. Others had foreign stocks and not marked 02.
 
I have seen other M44s with the blonde wood coloring which I find to look just fine. Personally I wouldn't screw with it, it is a damn fine looking rifle as is.

The lower M1 Garand is a 50s with a birch stock, sometimes called the "orange wood". I like the look and am not about to place it in walnut.

Old%20and%20New.png

Obviously, your rifle to do with as you please but were it my rifle I would leave it alone.

Ron
 
Thanks for your advice carbine85 and reloadron. It's all moot at this point as my gun fund is empty, just had University tuition to my daughter and kitchen remodel for the wife. I will probably just leave it alone at this point, was just curious what the braintrust here thinks about it.
 
There are some decent looking plastic monte carlo style stocks out there but not sure if they will fit the carbines. I just had my M44 out today for the second time since I bought it 20 years ago. Cant believe I've left it in the safe so long. Awesome shooter.
 
Gee, Bubba has improved. My Hungarian M44 (miss that rifle) had a terribly done stock. Upper hand guard was missing, finish was nonexistent, wood had a long drawn out encounter with an orbital sander. All the corners had been rounded off and smoothed out. Front end of the stock had been cut and trimmed back a few inches.

Bought it for $150 as a shooter, shot the snot out of it, ended up selling it for $200 with accessories and ammo a few years later. Previous owner had done some trigger work on it, had a ridiculous amount of slop in the trigger, but maybe a 4 pound pull after the slop was taken up. A crisp snap to fire it, which was consistent with every shot.

I also had a 91/30 Izzy hex, and the Hungarian trigger was way better than the Rooskie.
 
USAFVet:

Someone on another board is telling me that some Romanian arsenal refurbs were done with painted escutcheons, stock rings and magazine, although this has black gloss, I can't imagine an arsenal using gloss? Stock has definitely been sanded and varnish slopped on, you can see the brush marks all over.
 
I don't think the Hungarians were overly valued, so I would just leave it. Looks nice as said. If you want one unmolested just buy another gun, and keep it orginal, rather then swapping out stocks.

I got a 50s Romanian. Sear screw loosened on me. I did read about putting locktite on this.

I wouldn't mind a Finnish one someday.
 
Capybara said:
USAFVet:

Someone on another board is telling me that some Romanian arsenal refurbs were done with painted escutcheons, stock rings and magazine, although this has black gloss, I can't imagine an arsenal using gloss? Stock has definitely been sanded and varnish slopped on, you can see the brush marks all over.
Click to expand...
Mine wasn't an arsenal refurb, is was a garage level assault with a sander. Shot great, looked terrible.

Anyway, if the rifle you posted is the one in question, it looks freaking nice! If it's a rough as you say, I'll have to take you at your word. I'm sure someone out there has dropped a Hungarian M44 into an Archangel stock and has the original wood left over. I'd hit some of the Mosin specific forums and ask around.

I'd try here, first. http://7.62x54r.net/
Lots of Mosin purists out there who will probably help out restoring that rifle.
 
I would lightly sand the poly, but not through.... Then get some tinted poly and apply... It will darken it up some.

On second thought: Only if your good a finishing wood.. Otherwise it's a decent looking rifle the way it is.
 
I think the "keep it as it is" votes are winning. I am a terrible wood worker, the refinishing thing? I would probably end up making it look worse. I will keep an eye out for a Hungarian stock set and if I get lucky, I will find one. If not, it is a fine shooter and a blast to take to the range.
 
Have found a fellow poster who is going to trade me his Hungarian stock for this one and a few bucks. Fingers crossed, this Hungarian may become a Hungarian again!
 
Is there any value in Hungarians? I have never heard it mentioned as being that sought after. There are no numbers on the stocks so it doesn't matter, but myself for historical sake would prefer the original.
 
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