Took my Nagant out this Weekend

[Starpower]

Northwestern Indiana had a nice break in the weather this weekend, so my partner and I, both who got M44's for Christmas, took 'em out to the range to try 'em out. Action was smooth, firing was a blast, (literally) and I had a nice group at 100 yds, but a little off to the right. The front sights have three marks to line up, and they don't, exactly. I need to move them a bit, but the AK sight pusher isn't wide enough to fit over the hood or onto the shoulder of the sight. It was a bit more accurate with the bayonet extended, (more weight forward?) but then the bayonet had to be cleaned too. Wolf ammo looked more like copper than brass, and some other off the wall brand had a brass looking case, packed 15 head to toe in a brown cardboard box with a white label. Wolf was a little louder, and left more of a lead impression on the target paper, and I shot that last to maybe help clean out some of the other corrosives. Yes, I cleaned it up good when I got home. Very satisfying experience, if I could just find a front sight pusher. Any resources or suggestions? (other than a big rock?)

 

[4v50 Gary]

Williams or Brownells sells a front sight pusher.

If all comes to worse, a brass drift and light tapping with a mallet.

 

[foghornl]

The M-44 does seems to change horizontal POI with bayo extended vs bayo folded. Has something to do with "harmonic barrel whip", but since I am not up on Physics & Metalurgy, that seems to be the gist of it.

Mine shifts about 4" @100 Yds with bayo folded vs. bayo extended.

 

[iamkris]

I had my MN M44 out this weekend as well. It was shooting 1-1/4" groups at 50 yards but they were 8" high and 4" to the left.

Extending the bayonet brought them to the center on windage so that "harmonic whip" theory must be correct.

I was able to drift my front sight with a brass punch and hammer.

 

[Starpower]

Nagant this weekend

A really big hammer? Will brass mar the finish? I mean, this thing is an antique, kinda, and I don't want a bunch of punch marcks on both sides of the sights, especially if all I really need to do is extend the bayo. Besides, I kind of like the side long glances I get with that big "knife" sticking out front, at the range.

 

[iamkris]

Antique yes...just and antique that they made a few million of

That's why we said use brass...brass is softer than the steel of the gun. Any damage that occurs is to the brass punch vs. the sight.

 

[Captain Scarlet]

cleaning your M44 rifle?

make sure to use some hot soapy water to clean your M44! to prevent
corrosion from the corrosive surplus ammo!

I think WOLF is non corrosive but the other ammo packed in 15 rd boxes
is probably slightly corrosive surplus ammo.

Hot soapy water is the best way to neutralize the corrosive acids.

 

[Starpower]

M44

I did clean it good right after I got home from the range. But my partner said hot Windex that had ammonia in it should be the first wet patches through, followed by several dry, then a couple soaked in #9, followed by more dry, then a slightly damp patch with oil. Now I hear hot soapy water? Even if there are a few million of them it's still as old as I am. And I'm nowhere near as accurate as it is! (That's why we keep Handi-Wipes in the bathroom) I suppose if I make sure to follow the hot soapy water patch with several dry ones and end with an oiled one, the water won't actually damage anything. I still got this thing for my Hoppe's #9 cologne. When my wife travels away for business, the whole house usually smells of it. It's not because she doesn't like the smell, I just have more time to play with 'em when she's not around to "honey-do".

 

[Captain Scarlet]

GI's used hot soapy water

I use a automotive transmission plastic funnel with hose in the chamber of
my M44 then I put my rifle slinged on a chair with the muzzle pointing to
the ground outside and just pour a gallon of hot soapy dishwashing
soap & water down my bore and use a cleaning rod with brush and pass it though several times, I guess windex should work too, anything that neutralizes the corrosive acids in the bore, bore solvent alone is not good enough.

Ive been using the hot soapy water treatment on mine for 10 years and it
hasnt rusted yet.

I had another rifle that I didnt use hot soapy water treatment just HOPPES
and then I put it away for a couple of months and the bore was rusted!
from using surplus Bulgarian ammo wrapped in brown paper wrappers.