Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Shot The Polish Mosin Nagant Carbine Today

I bought this rifle back some ten or fifteen years ago for about $100.00. Great rifle. Seems like new, so I imagine it came out of the factory back in 1948 (that's when this one was made), then got put right into storage till being shipped to the US as war surplus. They are today going for about $350.00.



When I bought it, I also bought two spam cans of Russian 7.62x54mmR for dirt cheap. I don't know how old it is, but the cans look pretty old fashioned, so could be pre-WWII. They are almost certainly corrosive, so I will have to clean the rifle tonight or tomorrow the latest, using water liberally, before finishing up with Ballistol.



Some more shots of the rifle:







The reason the folding bayonet is extended is because that's how you're supposed to shoot them. They were actually sighted in at the factory with the bayonet extended. They were meant to be only folded for storage or transport. Once in the field of battle, Soviet block soldiers were meant to extend them and leave them extended, unless getting into a transport of some kind.

Accuracy was damned good considering the ammo is likely pretty old. I was getting consistent sub-2 inch groups at 100 yards at will from the bench with the rear sight set to the 100 meters position (It can go up to 1,000 meters). And, as you can see, the windage was perfect. My point of aim was the bottom of the V. My first group is circled. Then I put another five shot group in the same place. All ten rounds form a group less than 2 inches in size.



I then brought the target back to the 50 yard line and tried my hand at shooting it standing and unsupported. Not bad. All roughly where they should be, other than the one that landed way up top on the seven. My fault, not the rifle's. I accidentally pulled the trigger before lowering it to the bullseye. That trigger breaks pretty light.



The Polish Mosin Nagants have among the best reputations for the model. The trigger on this one is very nice, with a 3.5 lb break that's pretty crisp and consistent after a tiny bit of stacking. It stacks to the wall, then breaks cleanly.

The 7.62x54mmR (the R stands for rimmed) is at a power level roughly like 7.62x51mm NATO. It was designed for a much longer barrel, though, so it sent a huge flame plume from the muzzle each time I fired it. Like a big plasma ball. I imagine it looks spectacular at night.

Great accuracy. I never shoot my Mosins enough. I got 3 of them. Great old rifles, and built like a tank.

Try some heavy ball ammo around dusk for some pretty impressive flame. I have a model 38 and it’s a hoot to plink with. I remember the good days 440 round spam cans for lessthan $75 delivered.

I mean they beat a sharp stick. They are indestructible and pretty accurate. But dang I just don’t enjoy shooting them. I hate that bolt handle.

Find your headstamp here: http://7.62x54r.com/MosinID/MosinAmmoID.htm

I got a couple cans of the Hungarian silver tip 147 steel core ammo. Yet to shoot it in the Hungarian M44. Bore is kinda rough. Gonna scrub and DBC bore one of these days.

http://7.62x54r.com/

Nice rifle TRH.

Yeah, the bolt handle is too short to give the amount of leverage that you'd like for its operation.

Thanks. The bore on this one looks factory new.

You are a lucky man to get a good bore. When the scroungers were importing these back in the day it was luck of the draw unless you paid for select examples.

I have a 44 also and it shoots just as well with the bayonet folded as it does with it extended.

Other MNs I shoot I put a rubber boot over butt 'cause that steel plate hurts after awhile. I had a Soviet M38 that i wish I never sold. Handy little carbine, similar to the M44 but no integral bayo.

I'll put the boot on this M44.

I’ve got a 44 and a 38. The 38 shoots really well. I’m not all that sure about the 44. I’ve shot it about twice and I can’t remember how it did.

Beautiful rifle - and nice shooting'. Good luck with it.

Nice post hawk… The nagants are a blast to shoot!

Back a decade or two ago…
Cold Duck and a hot nagant!
anonymous pictures website

Damn, you have some nice guns. That ammo is probably from the sixties or seventies. It is called "copper washed." It is corrosive, but not very corrosive.
I have even seen it advertised as non corrosive, but, it is not non corrosive.

The Commies can't put a chicken, or a roll of paper towels, on the shelves of a grocery store, but they could make good guns and ammo.

I got and M44 Polish $50 2/17/2002 1952 and have converted it to 223 with a Remington 222 take off barrel and bottom eject.


I have converted mosin nagant actions to 7mmRemMag, 300WinMag, 25 Krag Ackley, and 6.5 Vostok as repeaters and 45/70 and 223 as single shots.

Very nice. Appears to be an M44.

As Simon mentioned, ammo appears to be copper washed. What is the bullet weight?

I have a hex receiver Russisn Ivhevsk 91/30 with all matching numbers I bought for $78 many years ago. Don't have a ton of ammo for it. Better part of 1 spam can, maybe. Steel core heavies, IIRC. I call it one of my "ally guns".

That, plus they're uglier than a hat full of ass holes and handle like a split cedar fence post. I wouldn't want one around taking up space that could be occupied by a good rifle.

147 grain. They are ugly rifles. I have a Finnish rework made by VKT in 1941, now that is a pretty nice rifle. Great sights.

Thanks for posting Hawk.

Mine shoots high with the bayonet folded.