A Tale of Two Mosins (M44's from Samco Global)

[Phosphorus32]

My M44's arrived on Monday but I just got them cleaned up today.  At $169.95 each delivered to my door, and given what I received, I couldn't be much happier.  Just luck of the draw, but I got two 1945 M44's built on hex receivers!  Those rate a 7 on the "rarity index" Rarity of Mosin Nagant Rifle Variations

The M44 with a НИ7037 barrel SN has a receiver with a "P" on the tang, so I don't know the origin of that receiver.  The M44 with the HE5434 barrel SN is built on a 1930 Tula receiver (30 "star" on the underside of the tang).  The stocks appear to be wartime since there are no sling escutcheons in the buttstock and only the minimalist lower metal band type escutcheons in the front sling slots.  They also appear to be oiled stocks rather than shellacked and they're in quite good shape.

The "P-Izhevsk" M44 has a trigger pull of 5 lb 7 oz, whereas the "Tula-Izhevsk" M44 measures 4 lb 10 oz, based on an average of 10 measurements.  The latter is 4 oz higher than my Izhevsk PU sniper.  They also are comparable to my T53's at 5 lb 3 oz and 5 lb 6 oz.

Daylight is scarce now so my apologies for the indoor pics 

[Ol Relic]

Cool-what are the odds of getting two hex M44s in one order?!  Somebody posted a hex (also from Samco, I believe) over on Calguns-maybe I should order one from them.   

Both stocks look to be wartime Izhevsk.  Are they mixmasters, or partially matching? 

[Phosphorus32]

Yeah, I was surprised to get one hex let alone a pair of them.  No refurb marks that I recognize either.  Both are mixmasters; the only matching parts are the buttplates and barrel shank SN.

[Justin Hell]

Those are gorgeous!  It is pretty amazing you got two hex receivers too. 
Great score, congrats! 

I have been considering getting an M44, because since getting a T53 in a trade, I really have found respect for the short barrel Mosins.  I just wish I realized that before getting a 91/30...being so used to carbine length, having something that requires two zip codes to fire is a lil awkward for me.  It does hang nicely with my shotgun though.

[Phosphorus32]

Thanks Justin.  My first rifle was a 91/30 (probably true for many people), so I have a soft spot for them.  Still, the carbines definitely seem handier. I bet the Soviet soldier liked the M44 better for city fighting.

[Loose}{Cannon]

I have a 91/30  (prolly in box hidden somewhere) and I have no idea what exactly what year is is, hex/round etc.  I just know it was $89 and is like 16 feet long.   Bwahahahahahahahahahaha

These look great man....  "kinda" makes me wish I had one.

[Justin Hell]

If the difference between a M44/T53 and a 91/30 is the same 'feel' as a proper SKS vs. a Paratrooper...I am in trouble once I get my first Paratrooper.  I also really like the side folding bayonets...something I wish the SKS explored somewhere in its design evolution, even for just awhile.

I like the short barrel Mosins...although not being a big fan of bolt action, the T53 is a heck of a lot of fun to shoot.  I scout scoped mine with a cheapo setup...but it is rock solid and scary accurate.  I was so so with the irons...but didn't really put much down the pipe before scoping it. 

The 91/30 sight radius does a number on my eyes...

[Dannyboy53]

Beautiful pair Phosphorus! I'm like LC...they make me sort of wish I had one like them. Was there any particular reason for them being made with a hex receiver other than that being the metal stock available at the time?

[Phosphorus32]

Beautiful pair Phosphorus! I'm like LC...they make me sort of wish I had one like them. Was there any particular reason for them being made with a hex receiver other than that being the metal stock available at the time?

Thanks Danny.  The M44s were made from 1943-48 ('43 was just a small batch of 50,000 for field testing).  By '44 the Soviets were turning out Mosins by the millions and they were mostly all new production but they did recycle old 91/30 receivers on occasion.  They stopped making hex receivers in the early 30's (can't recall which year) and hence never made hex receiver M44s from all new materials. These are definitely built on recycled hex receivers.  The star and the '30 on the tang of the one example shows that this receiver started life at Tula in 1930.  It's a bonus that these M44s are unrefurbished since most of the Mosins being imported now have been refurbed. 

Justin, the only scoped Mosin I've fired is the 91/30 PU I got from Classic but it's quite accurate and a blast to shoot.  I'm sure these carbines would be the same and it sounds like the setup on your T53 bears that out.  I do like the feel of the shorter carbines, easier to "swing" onto target; don't have that *beep, beep, beep* repositioning the crane arm sensation to them.

[Dannyboy53]

Thanks Phosphorus! Looking at those carbines too long will sure "fling a craving on ya".

[Justin Hell]

Justin, the only scoped Mosin I've fired is the 91/30 PU I got from Classic but it's quite accurate and a blast to shoot.  I'm sure these carbines would be the same and it sounds like the setup on your T53 bears that out.  I do like the feel of the shorter carbines, easier to "swing" onto target; don't have that *beep, beep, beep* repositioning the crane arm sensation to them.

A 91/30 PU would be the only reason I could think of to pick up another loooong gun.

The first time I shot the T53 with the scope I about peed myself...I thought the scope glass was coming back at me, it was dusk, and I wasn't familiar with the fireball yet, much less a visually amplified one.  Getting used to a scout scope was easier than I thought, it sure does look funky though.

Shooting the 91/30 is very akin to swinging a boom around...  It would be neat to have one rechambered to 410, since it is already so much like a shotgun.   Mmmm, milsurp quail gun....and bayonet repurposing.