Which Mosin Nagant Model?

[phrogpilot]

I was in a large Farm store today and they had a huge number of very clean and nice looking M-Ns; 30s, 38s and 44s (with Bayonets). The 30s were $99, the 38s and 44s were $149-169 depending on "condition". The tag said Century Arms (importer) and they all were void of cosmoline and a quick check showed that numbers matched. I didn't have a light to look at the boars. My question is; i really like the look, size, weight and feel of the
M38; if you were going to own just one, is this a good choice. How about a $169 price? Thanks for your help.

 

[easy]

Fair price these days. Go get one. Or two.

 

[zoom6zoom]

The 38's have pretty much dried up on the market and are hard to find these days.

 

[Elm Creek Smith]

My M38 cost around $125.00. I like it much more than my brother's M44, but his only cost $89.00. The M91/30s are going for $119.00 at the guns shows recently.

The M38 is a handy little carbine.

ECS

 

[BHP FAN]

+1 for the M38 carbine.I have a M44 as well as the M38,and my brother has the M91/30,and I used to have an M39 Sako. The Sako was easily the most accurate of them all, but the M38 is a very close second in a much handier package.

 

[RevDerb]

IMO, at those prices you can't go wrong with any one of them. I have 2 M91/30's and an M44. They are all great fun to shoot and as accurate as the shooter. The M38 is the same as the M44 without the bayo and is becoming more difficult to find. Of course, the caveat here is always: "When in doubt, buy one of each." Only one? I think that I would go with the M38 because of the dwindling availability. The 91's and 44's should be in abundance for a while yet.

WARNING!: If you don't know it already, they ARE addictive.

 

[Brimic]

91/30, especially if its a hex receiver. M44s ok as well, though I don't think I'd ever pay more than $100 for a Russian Mosin unless there was something really special about it.

Get one marked as 'x' or excellent condition from century (there will be a tag in the trigger guard describing condition). Century tends to be a little 'generous' with their grading system.

 

[M2]

Two months ago I didn't own a single Mosin; now I have six to include a 1917 Remington and a 1944 Finn Sako M39 built on a 1898 Tula receiver, and a seventh (a Tula hex) on its way.

"Addictive" is an understatement!

Cheers! M2

 

[.45&TKD]

FYI, A lot of times the M44's barrels are in better condition than the M38's; not counter bored.

I bought an excellent condition 91/59 a few years back for $150, and I'm glad I did.

You can't really go wrong on the short barrel M-N's at those prices, given the current supplies.

 

[oldcrowraven]

what is name/location of this farm store?

 

[Cosmoline]

There are a lot of really ratty M38's out there. They were used hard in WWII and many had to be recrowned and rebuilt. Some of the bores seem to be oversized as well, which makes me wonder if the rifling wasn't recut to make shot-out barrels look new. If you see a good one, grab it!

Minty M44's are easier to find for the obvious reasons. But they're quite heavy--on par with a 91/30 rather than an M38.

I agree that you can get the light, handy feel in a minty 91/59 or the even nicer Czech 91/38. These were cut down from longer rifles and didn't see much if any use.

 

[phrogpilot]

Fleet Farm;

 

[Franco2shoot]

A bore light is essential in making a good selection. I have both 91/30 and M44 versions, but I looked long and hard for the best rifling I could find. Don't be surprised to see a bore that is pretty black. What you are looking for is nice sharp grooves. It took me nearly a month to get to a shiney steel look, lots of J&B red paste then grey before I got the results I sought.


KKKKFL

 

[Ignition Override]

A 38 or 91/59 is much harder to find than a 44.

If you fall into the trap of wanting laminated wood, you might not look carefully enough at bores/rifling.

For what it's worth, if you find a very bright bore and overall very good metal or better in any of these series, it should be snapped up.
Otherwise somebody else will grab it as you step back to think about it.

Somebody might be lurking there when the doors open tomorrow...

 

[.45&TKD]

I didn't have a light to look at the boars.

Just remove the bolt and point the barrel at a light in the store and look down the barrel from the chamber end.

The bolt pulls out by depressing the trigger as you are pulling back the bolt.

 

[ronbuick]

M38 or M44's or Finnish Mosin, the M38's are hard to find, but a nice carbine, and not bad weight wise, my O2's

Ron

 

[XCRmonger]

91/30. Loved mine.

 

[TomADC]

I see Big 5 has 91/30's for sale again $99.99