Mosin Nagant M44
- Thread starter AKJeeper
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AKJeeper
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Wow, I didn't know that the M44 commanded a higher price than the usual 91/30. I don't feel so bad about spending what I did on it now. Hopefully this one will be a better shooter than my hex receiver 91/30.
Thanks for the comments, everyone!
Thanks for the comments, everyone!
mortablunt
Member
You guys are really making me consider picking up a Mosin ASAP.
Fishslayer
Member
Ordinary Big 5 type M44s with counterbored sewer pipes for barrels are going for more than $150 these days. IF you can find them.
That's some beautiful wood and my guess is that a strong, shiny bore makes that one a real winner. Nice score. It's a beauty.
That's some beautiful wood and my guess is that a strong, shiny bore makes that one a real winner. Nice score. It's a beauty.
AKJeeper
Member
Thanks. I'll follow up with a range report once I can get some time to make it out to the range.
AKJeeper
Member
For what it's worth - I have yet to see a Mosin packed with arsenal cosmoline that had a sewer pipe bore. However, I have seen quite a few that had bad crowns, or had been counterbored at some point in its life. The sewer pipe Mosins I've seen have all been in pawn shops, or rifles offered for sale by private owners.
After cleaning the cosmoline from my 1933 91/30, I found that it had a somewhat dark bore, but no rust pitting. The rifling isn't all that strong in it, but I think it's because the rifle probably saw lots of use from the war - a gunsmith suggested that the wear on my rifle may have been from a cleaning rod. He gave my rifle the OK to shoot, though...it headspaced just fine. It tends to shoot high and left if I don't have the bayonet attached to it...and tends to hold groups around 2-4MOA.
Another observation - the postwar Mosins I've looked at tended to have less overall noticeable wear. So you might want to look at finding one of those if you want a shooter.
After cleaning the cosmoline from my 1933 91/30, I found that it had a somewhat dark bore, but no rust pitting. The rifling isn't all that strong in it, but I think it's because the rifle probably saw lots of use from the war - a gunsmith suggested that the wear on my rifle may have been from a cleaning rod. He gave my rifle the OK to shoot, though...it headspaced just fine. It tends to shoot high and left if I don't have the bayonet attached to it...and tends to hold groups around 2-4MOA.
Another observation - the postwar Mosins I've looked at tended to have less overall noticeable wear. So you might want to look at finding one of those if you want a shooter.
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1858remington
Member
I absolutely love my M44
Got it for free from a buddy who also had a 91/30, and didn't like the recoil of the M44.
Mines Chinese made, and mint condition.
The trigger is the best I've ever had on a surplus gun.
The rubber butt pad is a must to tame the recoil and give you the needed stock length.
Got it for free from a buddy who also had a 91/30, and didn't like the recoil of the M44.
Mines Chinese made, and mint condition.
The trigger is the best I've ever had on a surplus gun.
The rubber butt pad is a must to tame the recoil and give you the needed stock length.
BCRider
Member
Jerrygu, I don't think you need to worry if it comes with the cosmoline still on and in it. Out of the two I've bought "new" which came still greased up one had a spot of rust pitting on the outside of the barrel where the wood apparently was touching and it likely didn't get coated. But it's never an issue with the inside of the barrel which allows free entry to the "soup" they dip the guns into.
Steel Horse Rider
Member
If the "corrosive primer" hysteria carried much validity wouldn't most of these old communist block surplus weapons bores look like 1970's vehicles in the upper midwest? That is why I don't put a lot of credence to such talk, or maybe communist block soldiers were completely dedicated to cleaning their weapons immediately after firing them every single time?
Roan
Member
Steel Horse Rider: While I agree that the corrosive primer concerns are exaggerated, the reason most of the Mosin-Nagants look pristine has more to do with the political and military climate of the Soviet Union just after WWII. If you remember, the USSR entered WWII woefully unprepared, lacking weapons for even their existing military much less the millions of immediately needed conscripts. After the Great Patriotic War ended, the USSR decided that they weren't going to get caught in that situation again. So they took every weapon they could get their hand on and, instead of scrapping them like most militaries, did a factory refurb on all of them and stuck them in storage. The weapons that are reaching market are mostly this variety, unfired and uncleaned since the late 40s.
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