$50 M44 Might just be a SHOOTER!

[35 Whelen]

Had a fella on another forum offer to sell me a 1947 Izhevsk M-44 for $50. Said the bore was nice. Hmm...I thought about it for .002 seconds, then decided to buy it. It's my first M-44. Got it in UPS today, came straight home and sawed the bayonet lug off (sorry purists...). Slugged the bore and found it be a smidge over .312" (yeah!). Since I keep one of my powder measures loaded and set for 13 grs. of Red Dot and bags of sized and lubed 314299's pn my bench, I threw together some loads and ran out to the bench to try it just before dark. Due to low light and not wanting to waste time fiddling with the sights, I shot at 50 yds.:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/M44/M44Group.jpg

Woo-hoo!! Too bad about the 5 th shot though:cry:

The rifle is a little rough with some pitting on the cocking knob and the top of the barrel, but it is to be a project gun. I'll be modifying it somewhat along the lines of Junior42's project, except I'll be welding on a very low bolt handle and mounting a receiver sight as well as a scout scope. I've recently re-Parkerized an Ishapore 2A (first time to do this)with my home parkerizing set up and I plan to do the same with the M-44.

35W

[DLCTEX]

I was searching for Imformation on a rifle for a friend and thought maybe it was a Carcano, but the picture of your rifle is a ringer for it from what I can see. What country of manufacture and use? What cal.? What is one worth in good usable condition? Thanks forany help> DALE

[35 Whelen]

I was searching for Imformation on a rifle for a friend and thought maybe it was a Carcano, but the picture of your rifle is a ringer for it from what I can see. What country of manufacture and use? What cal.? What is one worth in good usable condition? Thanks forany help> DALE

This one was made in Russia. It's a 7.62x54r. You can buy run-of-the-mill rifles like this one all day long for $70 and up. I waited to find one that was a)- Cheap and b)- had a good bore.
35W

[DLCTEX]

I did a search and the one I have appears to be a model 91/30. Would it still be a 7.62X54R ?
DALE It has 1937 and Izhevsk marks on it.

[35 Whelen]

Yep...that'd be the caliber!
35W

[Three44s]

The 91/30's are 7.62X54R

Three 44s

[Mk42gunner]

35W,

That is still under 2 minutes of angle; not bad for a first try.


Robert

[dmftoy1]

So is it counter-bored? (Just curious)

How about a picture of the sawed off bayonet lugs? I"ve been tempted to do that to mine but just settled for taking the bayonet off. (nice group by the way)

Have a good one,
Dave

[35 Whelen]

Yep, I guess that'd be under 2 MOA. Can't wait to work it over and really wring it out. It's a beast of a rifle... trigger pull varied from 8-9 lbs. I worked on it briefly last night and got it whittled down to about 5 1/2. Took it out of the stock and I've NEVER seen the likes of pitting under the wood!! We're talking very severe pitting. But, I don't care as long as the bore is good, and it is.
dmftoy1, it is not counterbored. I'll get you a picture of the sawed off bayo lug. I did it with a hacksaw in no time at all. I also discovered that an M1 Carbine front sight fits perfectly on the barrel, so once I get a receiver sight mounted, I may use that for a front sight.
35W

[broomhandle]

Hi 35 W,

http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforums.yuku.com/topic/16428/t/An-Accurizing-Project-for-all-Us-Tinkerers-long.html?page=1


Lots of tune up tips on the M/N adjustment & shimming the reciver, seems to help very much.

It is really scary how well some of them shoot!

Best to you,
broomhandle

1926 Dragoon conversion 91/30
1936 M/n
1948 unissued M-44

[35 Whelen]

So is it counter-bored? (Just curious)

How about a picture of the sawed off bayonet lugs? I"ve been tempted to do that to mine but just settled for taking the bayonet off. (nice group by the way)

Have a good one,
Dave

Nope...no counterbore. OK, here's a picture of the sawed off bayo lug.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/M44/M44bayocut.jpg

Fired a 100 yd. group this evening. Man...that front sight looks like it covers a full 12" at 100 yds.!!
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/M44/M44100ydgroup.jpg

I've cut the bayo off and removed the handguard. The rifle's gone from 8.5 lbs. to a hair over 7.5 lbs.

35W

[dmftoy1]

That would be good shooting for me! :)

I'm using a counterbored 44 and I think it's capable of those kinds of groups (shooting at 50 yards is all I've done so far), but the limiting factor is the trigger and the guy behind the gun. :)

Have a good one,
Dave

[35 Whelen]

That would be good shooting for me! :)

I'm using a counterbored 44 and I think it's capable of those kinds of groups (shooting at 50 yards is all I've done so far), but the limiting factor is the trigger and the guy behind the gun. :)

Have a good one,
Dave

Dave do you know the process for working thos triggers over? Here's some links to some really good info:

http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=118&t=36992
http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=118&t=529
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/mosinnaganttrigger/index.asp

Good stuff!
35W

[mj2evans]

You can also help the trigger feel with shims between the trigger and the ears on the receiver. You still need to smooth up the inside of the ears but there will likely be a lot of room for the trigger which leads to a real crappy feel. A few washers cut from shim stock really improves the feel of the Mosin trigger. I like my Mausers and 1903a3 but I couldn't feel any better armed as when I am shooting a Mosin Nagant.

[dmftoy1]

Yup, I've just started working on the trigger. Right now I've got a shim in there made out of an old citi-bank credit card and it's an improvement and I just got some shim material in the mail from newsmokepole64 to make metal one's. I just need the weather to improve enough that I can get out and try it! :)

I've been trying to eyeball a location for a set screw to take out some of the "takeup" but so far I haven't been too lucky.

Have a good one,
Dave