JimM44

I like the M44 as you can tell by my handle and I do have a few of the M91 and 91/30 M38 and so forth.

Yes you are limited but the M44 makes a nice starter project and a great truck/Hog rifle, here's what I have done to several of them.

First I cut off the bayonet lug and then take a grinder and round out that part, some folks remove it but that's a lot more work.

Then I take the bolt appart, cut the little stub off, weld on a grade 8 bolt, heat and bend it down and weld the ball back on without the threads to the end of it. By taking the bolt appart you don't have to worry about the heat treated bolt head when you weld on the bolt body. Paint and bake on 1200 degree bbq paint and put in a synthetic stock.

I have down several different types of scopes, the long eye relief pistol scope where the rear site goes and also drilled and tapped for a regular rifle scope that the bent bolt handle goes under. You can't do the regular rifle scope without the bolt handle extension and bending to clear the scope.

Of course the 91/30 gives you a much longer barrel and no bayonet mods needed but I like the carbine length.

I have done a couple like this and donated to fund raisers they look like a modern rifle done this way and I include a couple boxes of soft point ammo, I also stay with the 147-148 grain weight bullets because the old ones weren't made for those 180-200 grain bullets.

This answers some of the questions of how this guy did his M44,

http://www.gswagner.com/mosin-nagant/mnsporter.html I hope this helps. Jim

Several months ago I got some and they were fine. They dropped the price to the one you mention so I order some more, got them last week. They are rusted inside and outside, I called and asked don't you think you should have mentioned this?  I was told they were getting down to the last few and the worst ones, the good ones went first.  They did offer a refund but I will keep them as I may be able to clean up the hex receivers and do a swap out with a round M44.

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