| Honestly, I wouldn't give over $100 for a M44 unless it was perfect and had all the goodies with it(cleaning accesories, ammo pouch, stripper clips). The big thing to look for in one is bore condition. The rifle might be absolutely beautiful and still have a junk bore. Inspect for bore for rust, pits, lack of rifling. Most of these rifles if they have a good bore appear to have fairly deep rifling.
Another thing about the M44's or any Mosin in general is accuracy is picky when it comes to ammo selection/bullet selction because of the great variances in bore diameter. Mosin's bore diameters can vary anywhere from .308 to .312", one reason why most reloading dies come with two expander balls.
Surplus ammo is usually your best bet when it comes to cheap ammo, but the down-fall is the corrosive primers. If the bore is not cleaned often it can destroy it. I have had instances of the bore starting to rust in less than 30mins in mine, most likely accelerated due to the humidity at the time, but none the less, maintainance is a must.
And as forementioned, HEARING PROTECTION IS A MUST with the M44. The large round combined with a short barrel sounds more like a bomb than it does a gunshot. If you don't wear any, expect permanent ringing in your ears for the rest of your life. |