My $44 '44' M44 trunk gun

[JeffLrrp]

Posted this success story in a few other forums.

Its almost like fate was with me today.

Im at Gander Mountain to pick up some ammo, and I wander over to the used guns section, as per normal.

Lo and behold, I see a 1944 dated Mosin Nagant M44 carbine. An Izzie. Wooden aftermarket sporter stock. Im estatic, because I really want a Mosin. I look at the price = $39.99 WOW.

Im thinking, this has got to be a junk gun. So I start checking the gun over.

Rifling: very strong. Barrel as dirty as all get out. Some very, very light pitting (or so my eyes tell me. May just be the buildup of crud, though).

Stock: dinged up, but not the standard stock, so no summer shoots with oozing cosmo outta the stock

Bolt and action: a little sloppy, but not bad for 40 bones.

The Creme de la Creme: All matching serial numbers on the bolt, magazine baseplate and barrel = WOOHOO.

I decided even if it was a substandard shooter OR a unshootable paperweight, it still was worth $40.

Total price after background check fee and tax = $43.99

The game plan is to spend a few hours cleaning her up, find some surplus ammo, shoot a hundred rounds through her and than regulate her to trunk gun status. As long as it can find center-of-badguy at 50-75 yards im good. Im under no illusions as to this (or me) being a tack-driver.

How good y'all think I did?

[Im working on getting a picture or two up. Ive got to find my camera, though

 

[SteveCase]

Wheres the pics man where are the pics

 

[chuwee81]

haha, nice find.

 

[twofourthree73]

$40? I didn't think they sold anything for $40 at Gander Mountain. Nice find.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Now you need to chamber it for .44!

 

[chevyforlife21]

4o bucks at gander huh? lol ive seen standard m44s there for 18o bucks

 

[Dr_2_B]

Sorry dude. We're withholding judgment until you post those pics.

 

[Maverick223]

Now you need to chamber it for .44!

..with a 24" long barrel...making the OAL...44".

 

[Cosmoline]

Those are great truck guns. You can pop out the bolt when you leave and the rifle is useless to a thief. The bolt doubles as a nice defensive weapon. Just put it in your fist with the knob sticking out between your fingers.

 

[Nugilum]

 

[ijosef]

4o bucks at gander huh? lol ive seen standard m44s there for 18o bucks

My thoughts exactly! My local Gander Mountain stores don't exactly have the friendliest prices.

 

[tks394]

Love my M44

Shoot dude
I got a M44 in pristine condition from a guy I bought several guns from. Laminate stock, bore shiny as all get out. Tight action. very clean hardly ever been fired, not a scratch Bayonet still attached and cleaning rod. No sling though. It had that "New Gun Smell" to it, and an Ishvesk (spelling?) I didn't know the price structure so I plunked out 150 bucks for it. It was worth it. I love that little gun. And, Yes!, all the numbers matched.

I will have to take pictures but I'm lazy. Might be in a new thread I'll call "best M44 (or Mosin) pics"

 

[stubbicatt]

Good for you. Hope you enjoy your new toy.

 

[Sunray]

"...center-of-badguy at 50-75 yards I'm good..." Bet it'll do minute of deer with good ammo. Two or 3" at 100. Shoot it off a bench before you decide where it's going to live. Getting a rifle into action, out of a trunk, isn't exactly quick. There's no such thing as a zombie.
Hard to beat $44 for a battle rifle, of any make, though.

 

[W.E.G.]

The Nagant makes an excellent "platform."

 

[kis2]

each one of those pictures made me cry a little. the first one made me throw up in my mouth a little.

 

[P.B.Walsh]

Dude, the SBR Moisin is SWEET, I bet she put out one big fireball!!

 

[MD_Willington]

They do make one helluva fireball - I shot one in mid day sunlight and could still see a big'ol fireball... A friend has one that I had a great time using, the trigger is not the typical MN pull, it was like it had a trigger job from the factory.

 

[Ignition Override]

Very nice photos from you guys.
Not only the large flash but the loud boom is rewarding, however....

Recently, a TN "Wildlife and Fisheries" Officer (with sidearm holstered) suddenly appeared in the trees at the river where I plink.

He had mistaken the sound of my Lee-Enfield "Jungle Carbine" for a black powder rifle. Once he saw the little rifle, he went back to his truck.
During deer season, some of you guys with MNs etc near rural roads will also attract some extra attention.

 

[caribou]

I got into Mosins in the early 90's and picked up a few 40$ m-27, 28/30's and palin ol' 91's. No M-44's then.
I later started buying Centurys "U fix-ems' and missing parts" Mosins of varied type, but it was mostly a missing screw or sling swivle or sight part or just the rust that should have been there, but was missing, from a wired bundle of 6 for 100$ Often, the most damage was to the stocks from wire and tossing about in shipping...... steam iron often helped there...
Man I miss those days, but I have turned a 40$ M-27 or 20$ 91 (matching metal, flat rear sight base) into 400$

Great buy, a Rifle is always a good investment.

 

[RevDerb]

Shoot! I think that I could MAKE a camera within 5 days of purchasing (and boasting about it) a new gun.