I bought my first Mosin Nagant, a '34 Tula M91/30, last Jan. I didn't intend on getting any more, but after the first 5 shots I caught Mosinitis
bad.
My second, a '42 Izhevsk M38, was gotten a week later in an even-trade for a spare binos I had laying around. I started looking at M44s & M38s just days after buying my 91/30. My bankroll hasn't allowed for an M91, M44, or preferrably an M39 lately.... but I will get them. Oh yes... they will be mine.
The shellac on my M38 was in pretty sorry shape when I got it, flaking off in abundance, and the wood was dented, scratched, & gouged in many places. So I decided to refinish it with an eye towards durability rather than originality. I got the majority of the damaged spots out, and resurfaced with BLO & Tung Oil. I like the result, but now I'll have to get another M38 in an original state.
Personally, I like my M91/30 the most for it's silky-smooth bolt, unmarred bore, and the ease with which I can consistently punch the 10/x out of my 300m targets using it's plain ol' iron sights.
But oddly enough, I've picked up the M38 more often instead when going to the range. It's not as pretty as my 91/30, it's action is chunky & rough, and it doesn't like feeding with stripper-clips. But if it ain't just one of the handiest rifles I've ever used, and it's been out camping with me a lot. And at the range it always gets the unsuspecting's attention with the first shot, especially when the sun is going down. That, and it likes to set off multiple car-alarms.
Guess which is the Mosin Nagant!
