Bought a new rifle

**Eville** · 12-08-2008, 07:08 PM

A Russian M44 picked it up for 140 even after taxes. I was going to get a 91/30 for 150+tax/fees, but the loser at the pawn shop wouldnt sell it to me because I am under 21, even though in the good old state of Indiana you only have to be 18 to buy a rifle. so i went to a competing pawn shop and after filling out a firearm transfer form and a 5 minute waiting period, walked out with the m44.

**JFellows** · 12-08-2008, 09:37 PM

Nice Mosin.

**mrtr33** · 12-08-2008, 09:55 PM

What do you plan on doing with it?

I heard they don't shoot real straight, but my source was a little bit less than reliable. It looks really nice. Have you fired it yet?

**Eville** · 12-08-2008, 10:44 PM

ill just be playing with it mostly, paper and bowling pins and such. Everyone who i have talked to has had very good things to say about them, especially considering the price. havent gotten to shoot it yet, still at my apartment at school. ill take it out probably first thing when i get home for christmas though.

**DeeDubya** · 12-09-2008, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by Eville

ill just be playing with it mostly, paper and bowling pins and such. Everyone who i have talked to has had very good things to say about them, especially considering the price. havent gotten to shoot it yet, still at my apartment at school. ill take it out probably first thing when i get home for christmas though.

I'm an avid shooter and would like to offer a few suggestions for safety. Before you shoot it: Obviously check the barrel for obstructions and run a wet patch through followed by a couple dry. Many older military style rifles have been sent through a Russian armourer and might have been rebarreled or otherwise repaired to bring them up to RFI (Ready For Issue) in case of WWIII. After you fire the first round, carefully examine the case for signs of high pressure or excess headspace. High pressure will be evident by difficult case extraction and/or an excessively flattened primer. Excessive headspace will be indicated by a light colored ring just above the base. This is where the case willl stretch or in a worst case even crack or separate.
If you detect either of these condition the rifle is not fit to shoot and should be retired as a wall hanger.
Be safe and have fun shooting.

**Eville** · 12-09-2008, 08:50 AM

thanks for the tips. This is my first surplus rifle, so I definitely would not have checked for either of those.

**slcraiders** · 12-09-2008, 09:31 AM

5 minute waiting period?

**bigwhiteash** · 12-09-2008, 10:03 AM

Those can be very effective hunting rifles, if you get a good one.

I have a hunting buddy who recently modified his with a nice composite stock, and scope.

LINKY

They can actually be quite accurate, if you spend a bit extra on quality ammunition, or reload your own. My buddy's will shoot <2" groups at 100 yards.

**Eville** · 12-09-2008, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by slcraiders

5 minute waiting period?

yep, gotta love Indiana! the guy called some phone number, gave them my name, race, etc. a couple of minutes later he wrote down an approval number and sent me out of the store, gun in hand.

**WhiteWidow** · 12-10-2008, 12:24 PM

Cool. I shot an AR-15 and a Henry 44 Magnum bolt-action rifle the other day. Talk about being able to perforate someone's ass!

**Kenyth** · 12-13-2008, 08:29 AM

As American citizens, I think we should all be able to purchase and own rifles as long as we don't have a record of felony criminal acts. Pistols, as much as I would like to see sold as freely, are too commonly used in crime. A waiting period and background check for these is prudent.

Surplus eastern block weapons are a good start to the shooting hobby for an economical price. The 7.62 short ammo is a good all purpose round, with decent power and accuracy. It will easily bring down most medium sized game. The ammo is cheap and readily available, and it makes a good target weapon to learn on. As long as the weapon was well maintained, it should be very reliable.

**Nocturnus** · 12-23-2008, 10:42 AM

I had one of those, but it was not fit to fire, so I ended up selling it for what I got it for. I had a nice 8mm Mauser that I had to sell a while back. Mactching #'s on it all. :( Was a nice rifle.

**597** · 12-23-2008, 11:14 PM

Nice gun. I got one myself and love it. Just a word of advice you'll probably be happier leaving it in military stock (I had one before and sportized it with the Mosin Stock made by ATI, and had a scope mount put on. The thing actually shot worst and I preferred the iron sights, oh and the caliber ended up ruining the cheap scope I put on it). Another word of advice is if you use the old military ammo clean the gun immediately after every use (the beridian primer ammo has salt in the primer and can eat away at the metal if not cleaned properly). If you want to spend the few extra bucks get newer ammo made by wolf. Both types of ammo can be found at a decent price at www.cheaperthandirt.com

**CoventryCat86** · 12-24-2008, 01:24 AM

I have a Crossman Power Master 760!

**Dickson** · 12-24-2008, 05:42 AM

Not to jack your thread but, I bought a Browning BARII Safari, the one with the iron sites, a few years back. It had10 rounds put through and I put another 6 siting(sp) it in. I bought it for a song and a dance, A steal, I think as I was looking it up on line and the price doubled for one in average condition.

**Rmac58** · 12-25-2008, 04:23 AM

Nice rifle, once you're sure it's good to shoot, extend the bayonet, may be more accurate.
If you get the chance, shoot it near dusk, it has a bright flash, and nearby leaves will rustle.
I also have an M39. Careful with those Mosin Nagant's, they have a tendency to breed! See the baby?

EDIT: Yeah, the old ammo is cheap, and the rifle needs to be cleaned after, but not a big deal, you should do that anyway. Using Hoppe's #9 works fine. The corrosive gunpowder is the culprit, I understand, not the Berdan (named after the inventor) primer. That is just very difficult to use again, or reload. Far more problematic than Boxer (named after the inventor, again) primed.

Second pic, you can almost detect two dots surrounding the center strike, those are the primers. You need to remove both to reload.

Third pic is of a Boxer primed spent brass, note the single primer, much easier to extract.

**ashauler** · 12-25-2008, 04:45 AM

Originally Posted by Rmac58

Nice rifle, once you're sure it's good to shoot, extend the bayonet, may be more accurate.
If you get the chance, shoot it near dusk, it has a bright flash, and nearby leaves will rustle.
I also have an M39. Careful with those Mosin Nagant's, they have a tendency to breed! See the baby?

Welcome to the board from Kansas.

**Eville** · 12-25-2008, 12:23 PM

Nice rifles. I finally got out to shoot mine out back a little a week or two ago, i am absolutely in love with it. From what I had heard, I was expecting the kick to make my shoulder sore after a few shots, but what I got was quite the opposite. As far as felt recoil is concerned, this was much lighter than I thought it would be, much less than the 30-30 I usually shoot.

**Rmac58** · 12-25-2008, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by Eville

Nice rifles. I finally got out to shoot mine out back a little a week or two ago, i am absolutely in love with it. From what I had heard, I was expecting the kick to make my shoulder sore after a few shots, but what I got was quite the opposite. As far as felt recoil is concerned, this was much lighter than I thought it would be, much less than the 30-30 I usually shoot.

If you know where to place the butt on your shoulder, you'll be OK. Took me too long!
I have a couple more bolt action rifles, and two semi auto's, also a lever action.

ashauler, thanks.

**JFellows** · 12-27-2008, 10:04 PM

My newest addition...Winchester 101 (the old Sears model, to be exact) O/U shotgun. It was actually left to me by my late grandfather and I finally got around to bringing it home. She's a beauty:

I need a better camera.