Mossin Nagant M-44 For First Rifle...Crazy?

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I turned 18 recently and have been looking to start my firearms collection now that I finally can. I will be picking up a .22LR and would like something a little more as well. AIM Surplus is offering Mossin Nagant M-44 rifles for a good price and reading reviews and articles as well as watching videos I am interested in getting one. But before I do I would like to hear what experienced shooters think about this. Am I crazy for considering picking up a Mossin Nagant M-44 so early?
 
Nope, not at all, see if you can find one localy so you can hand pick it and yes it is a wounderful rifle it has plenty of kick and class you will love it.
 
Nope, the Mosins are great, reliable, tough, can actually shoot pretty good, and the ammo is relatively cheap. And for about 100 bucks, it can't be beat, and besides, your eventually gonna get one anyway!!! if you don't like the kick, get a butler creek, SMALL SIZE, slip on pad , for about 8 bucks, can't be beat!!!
 
Am I crazy for considering picking up a Mossin Nagant M-44 so early?
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Early as in being 18? I don’t think so, Russian solders younger then you were using them so no reason why you can’t. It’s a great first centerfire and a perfect way to start one’s collection.

If you haven’t already I’d read up on them and the ammo:

http://www.7.62x54r.net/
 
Sure, get one. Don't get a carbine though, they'll kick you into next week and the muzzle blast has to be experienced to be believed. Get a 91/30 rifle and you'll have a lot more fun with it.:)
 
if you don't like the kick, get a butler creek, SMALL SIZE, slip on pad , for about 8 bucks, can't be beat!!!
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How well does that reduce the recoil?

I've heard people mention the recoil a lot.

I have one--I got a .22 and an M44.
 
It'll beat the snot out of you, be aware of that. It's not for the faint of heart. Plus the mechanicals are...rough, to say the least.

I have the M38 carbine. Recoil is an understatement. But it's handy and I like not having that goofy bayonet on the front.
 
the butler creek pad doesn't reduce the recoil at all really, but it makes it more spread out and more of a shove, than a tight fast smack to the shoulder. If we were to graph it, maybe drop 5 recoil lbs.
 
I say get 2. One you can Bubba, one you can clean up and show off. They are beautiful once you get past the Cosmoline. Take the Bubba and shoot the snot out of it. As far as kick, if you can shoot a shot gun comfortably you will have no problem. My now 18 year old daughter(5'5" 115lbs) takes mine over at the range.
Plus they make a great big BOOM!
 
Well, My 2nd rifle ever was a m44. The first was a 8mm mauser. I still use my m44 to teach the ever important lesson about recoil to the "newly pro-gun" friends I take to the range and teach gun saftey to.
 
I'd mention that if you get the Mosin, it's probably a good time to pick up a case of ammo (or two, if you can afford it). It's not getting any cheaper.
 
plus one to the post above. If you get one from AimSurplus, get a tin or two of ammo to go with it. Remember that most of the surplus 54R ammo is corrosive, so you'll have to use an ammoniated solvent or warm water down the bore and on the bolt-face before the regular cleaner.

The M44 is great, but a recoil pad will help. The sound is incredible!!!
 
The longer barrel of a 91/30 seems to reduce the recoil of the 7.62x54r cartridge, and I believe it is a better choice if you want to hit what you aim at. However, the M44 is a great choice. The best piece of advice I can pass along is to pick the one with the sharpest rifling, cuz that's where the biggest impact will come from.
KKKKFL
 
Good on you for even asking the question. The purchase of a .22 LR is a good one...so you can really hone your skills of marksmanship without the blast and recoil of a high power rifle.

1) The full power cartridge / metal buttplate / poorly designed stock / crappy triggers / crappy sights / so-so accuracy is not really the best to learn on. It will frustrate you, induce a flinch and otherwise make marksmanship an afterthought.

2) A 22 rifle will be inexpensive, ammo will be inexpensive and you will learn good traits.

3) Get some instruction (if you haven't already). Even if it is from a family friend who takes marksmanship serious.

Time spent actually learning to shoot rather than just making noise will pay off for you in the future.

I can't tell you how many guys I can outshoot at the range with my milsurp Swede 96 and iron sights, compared to their Remington/Winchester/Savage Magnum-boomer with 3-9x40 scope. Mostly because they learned to pull the trigger instead of actually learning to shoot.

But go ahead and buy the gun...they're not making any more.
 
I'll second Iamkris' motion. M-44s can be a hoot, but the noise, shock wave and recoil aren't going to help you shoot better. None of my buddies even wanted a turn at the trigger of mine this weekend, after watching me send a few rounds downrange.:eek:

Practice your form, skills and technique with the 22, and become proficient before lighting up the M44. Give those good habits a chance to get established, and then go blow things up. Just remember relatively cheap ammo has its downside--it's not terribly accurate and you have to clean up properly every time or you'll have a sewer pipe for a barrel.

I think a better choice for a newer shooter is an SKS. They're a lot more pleasant to shoot, and still fairly easy to find. I don't thinks M44s or 91/30s will be sold out for quite some time, but there's no denying the "burn down your village" appeal of the blasted things. Just don't develop a ferocious flinch from firing long cartridges in short guns.
 
Yes buy one, it'll help you appreciate rifles a lot more down the road that will actually shoot with usable accuracy and won't have an absurd muzzle blast.Cheap guns with cheap ammo have their appeal, but you usually get what you pay for.
 
I say get one. Those are the cheap guns to get. When I was 18 it was the Enfield .303. and Swedish Mausers. I wish I had known more about guns I would have bought the mauser insted of the enfield. Of course shortly after that there were the 75 dollar SKS's, I really wish I had bought one or three.
 
the butler creek pad doesn't reduce the recoil at all really, but it makes it more spread out and more of a shove, than a tight fast smack to the shoulder. If we were to graph it, maybe drop 5 recoil lbs.
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Sounds good. Reduce, modify, as long as the pad affects the recoil.
 
One word of caution Mosin Nagants multiply fast and i only have a few compared to others.

From the top Finn M39 built in 1941 0n a 1897 receiver, Finn M28, 1943 91/30 ATI mount and bolt handle adjustable trigger, 4-12 Simons scope, 1943 91/30 scout, Darrel mount, NcStar 4x illuminated pistol scope, adjustable trigger

Carbines, 1948 M44 scout, Darrel mount, NcStar 2-7 pistol scope, adjustable trigger, 1945 M44 Mojo rear sight, 1943 M38, 1954 WZ48 Polish trainer 22 single shot
 
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They're cheap. Picking up an M-44 probably will not prevent you from buying another rifle, so it's not a high-risk proposition.

This is a good thing, as you will soon really want a different rifle.:)

The only real downside is, when you have a spouse, she probably won't understand that, of the 25 rifles bouncing around the house, most of them were bought "just 'cuz", and you don't really plan to shoot them. This makes it more difficult for her to understand why you want to buy yet another rifle for hunting or target shooting, since you only actually shoot two or three out of the big pile of junk in the closet.
 
Hooptie i like that 91/30 pistol. If you reload you can load 13GR Red Dot with a 150 gr .308 bullet that will make a Mosin Nagant shoot like a 22 accurate too.

Mike
 
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