Author Topic: 1944 M44 without import marks  (Read 2063 times)

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Offline Phosphorus32

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1944 M44 without import marks
« on: May 20, 2020, 08:58:21 PM »
I found this on the rack at the LGS about 16 months ago. When I picked it up, I didn't see any import marks in the usual places, and the price was good for an M44, so I gladly brought it home.

I recently disassembled it to examine it closely and take some pictures. There are definitely no import marks anywhere. It has the beat up corroded look with a blood-stained(?) sling consistent with use in SE Asia. I think it's very likely that this was brought back from Vietnam, but there are no DD603 or similar papers to prove it 100%.

The transliteration of the letter prefix really cinches it, ВБ = VB = Vietnam Booty   ;) rofl








































Offline Bob_The_Student

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2020, 09:30:51 PM »
Why do you think it was in SE Asia?  rofl

WTH, you been holding out on us for a long time on your stash. Good stuff, P32!

Definitely blood or could it be rust? If it is indeed blood that's pretty wild. Is there anyway (I know, I'm just hoping) to figure out where this rifle has been?

Offline Ghost51xxx

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2020, 10:11:11 PM »
Is there anyway (I know, I'm just hoping) to figure out where this rifle has been?

A DNA test kit from Ancestry dot com should reveal who the owner of the blood is or at least the country.

Offline Phosphorus32

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2020, 10:14:54 PM »
Why do you think it was in SE Asia?  rofl

WTH, you been holding out on us for a long time on your stash. Good stuff, P32!

Definitely blood or could it be rust? If it is indeed blood that's pretty wild. Is there anyway (I know, I'm just hoping) to figure out where this rifle has been?

I’d say it’s reasonably likely that it’s blood, and definitely not rust. There is a definite rust spot at another location on the sling and it’s a very different color.

Offline Phosphorus32

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2020, 10:34:47 PM »
Is there anyway (I know, I'm just hoping) to figure out where this rifle has been?

A DNA test kit from Ancestry dot com should reveal who the owner of the blood is or at least the country.

That would be very interesting but the DNA is very likely to be badly degraded after 50 years of poor storage conditions. I’m not going to gamble on it.  :)

Online Shoot The Refurbs

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2020, 02:34:45 PM »
Makes me wish i still had the an M44 we captured in Afghanistan. When i left country it was still sitting in the mayor cell.  >:(
-STR

Offline Phosphorus32

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2020, 03:13:32 PM »
Makes me wish i still had the an M44 we captured in Afghanistan. When i left country it was still sitting in the mayor cell.  >:(
-STR

Interesting! Did you get any pictures of it or other captured small arms?

It’s unfortunate that non-NFA items aren’t allowed back as DD-603 eligible war trophies anymore. I get the more modern select fire AKs etc. being used to equip “friendlies” but bolt action Mosins, Mausers, Lee-Enfields and various semiautomatic rifles like SKSs, and MAS 49s etc, I don’t get the military prohibition of those being brought back.

Online Shoot The Refurbs

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2020, 01:07:53 AM »
I've got pictures of me with some of the AK's we captured and gave to the APPF among them i noticed a couple early 60s russian examples from both tula and izhevsk. i tried to explain to the afghans how much afghani it was worth if it was in the US and they thought i was screwing with them.  rofl

Online Shoot The Refurbs

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2020, 03:54:12 PM »

Interesting! Did you get any pictures of it or other captured small arms?




Stumbled across this the other day while going through some pictures. I'm the windowlicker on the left, clearly pleased with the homoerotic humor involved in the pose we have selected. (Honestly wanted to put any other picture to show the AK's but they were unfortunately blurry and out of focus.)
The one in my hand is either the 63' tula or the 61' izzy unfortunately i didn't think to take close ups and this is probably the best picture i have of the AK's we captured and gave to our APPF.
IIRC the one in my buddy's hand was a yugo, the one on the wall behind me is the other russian one either the tula or izzy, the next is a romanian with the dong handguard, and lastly the ultra bubba on the wall. notice the m4 handguard on the bottom, it is held in place with a single wood screw and wobbles greatly. this speaks volumes for the rest of the gun, many replacement parts smacked together with very limited resources for tooling, etc.
The amount of use they've undoubtedly seen is baffling. on the Tula the recoil spring retainer is so worn down that if you are not careful you can lift it directly out while it is in its correct grooves, meaning that without the receiver cover on the weapon the spring wont stay put.
Wish i would have paid more attention to these things looking back, crazy to think this was taken less than a year ago.


-STR

Offline Phosphorus32

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #9 on: June 12, 2020, 05:49:48 PM »
Very cool STR  8) Thanks for posting the pic!

I would like to see one of those fully functional (well, at least all the notches do something) Russian AKMs in person. Of course I'd rather not pay the price of "travel" to the location, so better you than me in my 58 year old bag of bones  :))

Offline Bob_The_Student

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #10 on: June 12, 2020, 07:33:33 PM »
Great picture of the AK's. Thanks for your service and the post.

Offline Bubbazinetti

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2020, 08:47:21 PM »
STR, Is that a M240 Bravo along the wall,on the floor under the bubba?
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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #12 on: June 12, 2020, 08:57:50 PM »
STR, Is that a M240 Bravo along the wall,on the floor?
M240L, We only had a few Bravos left and put them on our CROW video operated turrets since they were a bit bulkier than the limas. Any of the ECPs where you would need an LMG but might have to move or displace we put Limas and SAWs. When we actually went out on ops we left the 240s in lieu of MK48's.

Very cool STR  8) Thanks for posting the pic!

I would like to see one of those fully functional (well, at least all the notches do something) Russian AKMs in person. Of course I'd rather not pay the price of "travel" to the location, so better you than me in my 58 year old bag of bones  :))
Well I'm glad you guys enjoyed and thanks for letting me share. Trust me a lot of days i wake up and think i'm ATLEAST 58  :))
I'll keep digging and see if i can find any pictures of historical military significance. I remembered there was a scrapyard of old russian tanks that were around the base we were at from the soviet afghan war but can't seem to find the pictures... funny how they have a way of disappearing when you get back. cry1

Offline Larry D.

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #13 on: June 12, 2020, 09:31:45 PM »
I also noticed that you airborne types have good trigger discipline.
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Offline Bubbazinetti

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Re: 1944 M44 without import marks
« Reply #14 on: June 12, 2020, 10:05:22 PM »
Wow,I guess.I didn't realize the MK48 was 34% lighter than a M240.Huge difference when you have to carry it around for long periods.
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