Mosin Nagant M44 Russian - Pics!

[nebraska_farmer]

Picked one up today at Gander Mountain. Paid too much for it, but I've wanted this model (or the M38) since last year and never came across one 'til today. Just sharing pics with you all!

 

[GoF150xlt]

Very nice!

That looks great! I have also been watching out for an M44, to join my 91/30 and M38. How I wish I had bought one when they were more plentiful! (aka less $$$$$)

 

[elwoodm]

nice wood on that one. what year was it made? i got a 1944 and 1945 izzy that look used but not in bad shape and shoot great. i sure wish the gander mtn around me wasn't so worthless and had guns like that for sale

 

[YZ]

You didn't say how much you have paid, and I am not asking. This one may well be unissued (post-1945). From Gander, less than $300 is just fine.
The M44 has been underpriced for so long, it seemed normal. But it couldn't last indefinitely.

 

[Lj1941]

Nice Purchase

That gun looks like a very nice example. A similar rifle is 1ST on my C & R list. You say you paid too much but after a period of time, you will think that the price was good. Enjoy it. I always have 2nd thoughts about spending money too.

 

[nebraska_farmer]

One last pic:



YZ:

All I'll say is that I did pay more than $300, it was an impulse buy

 

[baz]

Nice looking example. I picked up one of the laminated M44's from Aim Surplus a few years back (I won't say how little I paid for it ), and it is one of my favorite guns to shoot. It shoots as well as I can (which is ok--I can hit the pie plate at 100 yards easy enough). Everybody should have one.

 

[Tolkachi Robotnik]

You'll enjoy it.

I paid $87.13 for my M44 and I've shot it more than any center-fire rifle since the purchase. Mine doesn't have all matching numbers. It will do a lot of things so have fun.

It looks good to me.

 

[Orion8472]

nebraska farmer, . . . it looks like it has really good metal. The shot of the date looks very nice! Sometimes an extra nice one is hard to find, but what a person pays for something is only a matter of how much they want it. I've paid more for a gun before, . . . sucks for a while, but having it is better.

I have two of them, myself. A "beater" and a nice one [like yours]. FUN to shoot!

 

[Cosmoline]

Does it have the slashed square? Is it a counterbore? It looks to be in very good shape. Should be a fun shooter. They always are.

My next buy is going to be a blonde Polish M44. Had one years back and always regret parting with it. Only the ill informed dismiss the M44 as "pot metal." They are in fact considerably stronger than most American made military rifles. And when the zombie horde comes there'll be no better choice ;-)

FWIW I've found the bayonet out/bayonet in thing gets overplayed. I have better luck just taking a brass punch and sighting in for whatever ammo it likes best, leaving the bayonet folded.

 

[YZ]

Since you know everything about the Mosin already you well know that Remington and New England Westinghouse had contracts to build 3,300,000 Mosin Nagants. At least 1,000,000 were built, and were issued to US troops for a period.

Amen to that. Interestingly enough (but not entirely surprising), the Soviet and Russian commentators have trashed the American Mosins ever since. Reading their complaints about the shoddy quality of American production, you would wonder how the country came to depend on the Lend Lease supplies to survive the Nazi blitzkrieg.

 

[AethelstanAegen]

OP, that is a fine looking M44! I've found Mosin-Nagants to be rather addictive. I just added an M44 to the collection last year too and it's a heck of a lot of fun to shoot. I went shooting with some friends the other day and they were all surprised when my WW2 era M44 shot better at 100 yards then they're new hunting rifles. You certainly will enjoy that rifle and don't feel bad about the price. If it's worth that much to you, that's all that matters.

 

[justice06rr]

Congrats on your M44!

If you like it, don't feel bad if you over-paid a little. You cannot find an M44 for less than $230 these days. I think $250-300 is average. But it is a very robust rifle so its worth its value no matter what you paid.

I'm glad I bought one last year for $175. not the cheapest but still an excellent price for an all-matching number in excellent condition.

Happy shooting!

 

[Sergei Mosin]

Amen to that. Interestingly enough (but not entirely surprising), the Soviet and Russian commentators have trashed the American Mosins ever since. Reading their complaints about the shoddy quality of American production, you would wonder how the country came to depend on the Lend Lease supplies to survive the Nazi blitzkrieg.

Ahh, the joys of Cold War propaganda. Couldn't have been too bad - plenty of Remington and New England Westinghouse parts were used on refurbished 91/30s and a few (very few!) American Mosins are known to have been cut down to 91/30 size and refurbished themselves.

 

[YZ]

Cut down to 91/30 size? Did you mean to carbine size?

Wonder if anyone reading this has a US made Mosin.

 

[AethelstanAegen]

Cut down to 91/30 size? Did you mean to carbine size?

The original Model 91 was longer than the Model 91/30. Most were converted over to the Model 91/30.

 

[dickydalton]

I got my 44 about 15 years ago smothered in cosmoline and in a plastic wrap for about $60, if I remember right. It shoots fine but I don't shoot it a lot.