pakmcc has got some misconceptions...
The M38 isn't a M44 with the bayonet taken off. It was actually the first carbine version of the M91/30, and preceded the M44. There were other, rare, earlier carbines based on the M91 (M1907 comes to mind), but the M38 was the first one based on the 91/30.
I have found the M38 to be very accurate - but this varies greatly depending on the rifle, of course. The M38s were used heavily and it's almost impossible to find a "clean" one. Almost all were rearsenaled, sometimes with M44 stocks; this brings me to counterboring.
The counterboring (making a new crown 1-3" inches from the muzzle) has nothing to do with accuracy, EXCEPT it was also often paired with re-rifling the barrel. This increases the bore size, which means that standard ammo will then be slightly out of spec - shooting a .311 bullet through a .313 bore, for example. This can be remedied by slugging the bore and using different bullets, of course. Some re-rifled barrels have bores as large as .318, though this is a worst case scenario and is uncommon.
That said, I have a counterbored M38 that will shoot circles around unissued M44s, with standard surplus ammo. It tends to prefer light-ball, especially the 147-grain Hungarian silvertip. I never slugged the bore, since the accuracy was good enough that I never needed to worry about it. Last time at the range I was with TWO experienced shooters with "mint" (as much as possible, anyway) M44s, one was getting 6MOA at 100 yards, the other 3.5MOA. Neither was particularly happy with this. I now get a consistent 2" at 100 yards with the M38, and occasionally slightly better.
That said, I think the M44 is the best bet here, with the M91/59 in second place, because of your needs - for a rifle that will be knocked around a fair bit in a truck, for general use etc. The M38 is fairly uncommon, and prized enough among collectors that they would make a poor candidate for a rifle to just beat the hell out of - unless it was in rough shape to begin with. They command a premium when in decent shape.
The M44 is, pardon the expression, common as dirt and you'd never have to worry about any devaluation. I'm less familiar with the 91/59, but I would say that as an equally uncommon variant of the Mosin, it probably also would do better outside of the truck.
You should be able to find an M44 for about $80 - for example, Wideners.com has them for that - if you have your FFL or C&R. Worth considering.
*edit* - AIM has M44s for $70, M38 (with rearsenaled M44 stock) for $80. J&G has the M44 for $80 also.
