new guy looking for mosin

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eight433

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Hi. First I suppose I'll introduce myself. My name is Matt, I live in Michigan. I currently have 4 handguns and only one rifle (s&w m41, two replica BP 36 cal, H&A 32 cal snub nose, and a marlin 22 cal rifle)

I would love to expand my rifle collection, and want to start with a mosin nagant. I have not really made up my mind as far as WHICH mosin nagant though. So far, locally, I have come across two nice ones. The first is a 1952 polish M-44 carbine which has NOT been counterbored, but has a non-numbers matching bolt. The stock is beat up, but the bluing is nice and looks original. Asking price 130 bucks.
The second rifle is a 1933 m91/30 Tula made hex reciever with a matching bolt, but HAS been counterbored and arsenal refinished. asking price 170 bucks.
Which seems to be the better deal? Neither come with sling or ammo pouch. What are the advantages/disadvantages of each? I know the Polish m-44s are supposed to be top notch as far as mosins go. Any insight for a Mosin Newbie? Thanks in advance
Matt
 
I think the best general advice is to make your selection from between rifles which you can hold in your hands and inspect closely. I have seen several "excellent" condition Hex receivered 91-30s whose bores did not even approach excellent condition, but looked pretty ragged.

I've been futzing with these Mosins for a little while now. It is hard to say that any one model is clearly better than another, but it is a pretty safe assertion that the Finns are better as a group than anything you will find from other countries.

As far as Russian rifles go, I'd look long and hard at the sniper versions of the 91-30. Nothing you can't do with that rifle that you can do with a non-sniper variant. The scope is surprisingly good, for its vintage and low magnification. If you don't like the scope, it is readily removable, and you don't even have to remove it to use the iron sights.

The shorter carbine length rifles are really handy, and I have a real fondness for the M38. I think it is a great little rifle.

Other than collector value, I don't have much use for the bayonet feature of the M44. From what I've read, the rifles were regulated to shoot with the bayonet deployed. Not a bad idea for a combat rifle, but for almost any other use than making sure a deer or coyote is really, truly, dead before gutting and skinning, it is an appendage that just gets in the way, sort of like a third hand sprouting out of your forehead.

Good luck in your choices.
 
i second looking at a finnish m39. all they retained from the russian originals was the receiver, and most have undergone rebuild...some are as new, rebarreled and restocked. they are a little heavier, cost more money that the russian std rifles and are harder to find. but they are rarer and they will increase in value. and i have seen some with very good bores and little bluing for a tad under $200. i have 4, and 3 russian m44s, 1 m38, and one polish m44. i really like them all, and sense from the ads that they are getting harder to find. maybe consider a c&r license that allows you to receive these old rifles by ups? $30/3 years.
 
i've considered the m-39, but i am pretty well set between a 91/30 or an m-44 right now. I'd LOVE to have an AUTHENTIC and ORIGINAL 91/30 sniper, but the price and availability is prohibitive right now. I guess i am wondering how much of an impact the matching vs non matching bolt and the counterbored vs non counterbored crowns had on potential value increases in the long term (not that i'm expecting to make any money on one)
 
If you have the money buy them both. If not, get the one you like the best. Who cares if the numbers match, it's only 130 bucks. Ammo is dirt cheap. Just pick one up and plink with it. Save up and buy another. Can't beat these things for 100 bucks. JMO:D
 
Counter bored rifles tend to have also been re-rifled.Hold it up to the light [sans bolt of course] and you'll probably see ''ghost rifling''. My M38 and my M44 both shoot as well as my almost pristine 91/30.The Russians figured,quite rightly,that a rifle does not need Kentucky rifle like lengths for accuracy.Bob Micuelic did a ''barrel bobbing test'' some years back that bore this out. Often bolts don't match,quite a bit of parts swapping went on in the barracks,inadvertently while swapping stories and on purpose when bringing battle field salvage back into service.
 
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very good point. I am kind of leaning twards the 91/30, but i'm not gonna rush into it. I would like to buy both, but its not in the budget at the moment. I'm gonna check a couple more local stores and see what they have i think. I only live a mile away from some of the biggest gun shows in Michigan, or the Midwest from what i understand, but the next one is not scheduled until august, so I think I'll pick one up now, and pick up it's sister in the fall :D
 
I owned M44 and hated it. Bayonet makes it very heavy, as you change the distance , the POI changes too.
Being Polish made it is more of a collectible than a shooter.
 
another question i have is how valuable the original finish of the stock is. I have a history in woodworking and had considered refinishing one. Would this hurt or help the value? I would assume it would hurt the value. I sorta like the "been through hell" look though.
 
I'll put it this way .... I have refinished an ugly 91/30 to a beautiful ,like new , golden brown , eye candy ..... and got rid of it. The gun didn't have any character in it anymore.....
 
At that price, you can buy 2!! I have an M44 and 91/30. Both of them were purchased at Big 5 for oh...$80 or so. It was pretty hard to inspect that rifling/barrel with all that cosmoline and I found the M44 barrel to be pristine....91/30 barrel was not so great, and was also counterbored which I knew from the beginning, but who cares, it was $80 and I can still hit steel at 400 yards.

I shoot my M44 with bayonet folded and I haven't found that to be a problem personally.

Then go out and buy several 880 round cans.....for 3 times as much as the rifle....:D
 
id grab the m44 but then again im polish soooo

if you can get an actual 1891 not a 91/30 little more history

mine is a new england westinghouse 1891 made on a contract for russia and it has finish markings so it was captured at one time by the fins
 
Since you said you were in MI, I would check out MC Sports. They were running a sale down to 89.99 for any of their Mosins. The Gander Mountain in Grand Rapids said they would price match any local compatitor that had it in stock.

You may want to talk to shops and see what they will do. I ended up buying mine from MC because it had a better bore than the ones at Gander and Dunhams.
 
So I found another 1925 dated hex receiver with a NICE (but not perfect.... what I'm looking for really) stock, all matching numbers, no counter bore, and a decent bore/rifling. probably would have bought it on the spot except i couldn't identify which arsenal it was from. I THINK it might have been from the Izhevsk arsenal. It threw me off though because I memorized the 91/30 logos, not the logos pre 1930, and this is the first I've come across locally. They are asking 160 at dunhams though... i think i could find one cheaper elsewhere, but this one is in pretty nice shape and numbers matching shoulder plate, bolt, receiver, etc. The stock is in nice, original looking shape, and the accessories are included... worth it, or hold off?
 
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I got it :D
0527091920.gif
1925, still haven't identified the arsenal, but the stock is in pretty awesome shape, WITH all the accessories, all matching numbers (aside from the bayonet, not numbers matching) cleaning kit and sling also came with. good bore, no counter bore, hex receiver.

and they had the surplus ammo on sale, 440 count for 129 dollars :)

but the best part???
When I took the stub to the cash out, I kindly pointed out that the ad says 91/30's on sale (small print said "good condition") but that was the only description. She called a manager over and they rang it up for 89.99! Unbelievable! I'm happier than a pig in you-know-what! Now I really can afford to buy my M-44 too!
 
When I took the stub to the cash out, I kindly pointed out that the ad says 91/30's on sale (small print said "good condition") but that was the only description. She called a manager over and they rang it up for 89.99! Unbelievable! I'm happier than a pig in you-know-what! Now I really can afford to buy my M-44 too!
Click to expand...
You did well...really well, congrats on the new rifle!
 
"Counter bored rifles tend to have also been re-rifled.Hold it up to the light [sans bolt of course] and you'll probably see ''ghost rifling''."
Click to expand...

I've never seen this. I think it would be near impossible to "re-rifle" a bore without enlarging or destroying it.
 
that picture does not do it justice. I'll get some better in the sunlight when i take it to the range. I shoot my .22's and pistols in the back yard against a firewood backstop, but this ain't no little boy gun. I don't think my neighbors with kids would be as accepting haha.


this is an incredibly close representation of the markings on my rifle, showing it to be
Foremost
Ordnance
Factory
(of the) USSR
at Tula
1923-1928
0115.jpg
 
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