Like you, I find the Mosin Nagant's to be ugly, awkward, crude and unattractive. I agree that they were just what Dr. Zhivago ordered for the russian peasant army.
The Finnish M-39 is a much better built rifle, while still Mosinesque, and as accurate as all get out.
I am a fan of the 8x57 cartridge and the K98k Mauser, but if I were to be zapped back in time and had to hump a bolt action rifle in WWII, I'd be hoping to end up with a No.4 Mk1 Enfield. With a 10 shot magazine capacity and a properly mounted Peep sight, I'd much rather work with that, than a Mauser, Mosin or Arisaka.
