First time out w/ the M44: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times!

[Clay]

Well, what can I say, the title says it all. Today after work I hit the range with my brand new (to me) M44 I picked up Saturday.

It really is a fun rifle to shoot! There was another guy there who even commented "man, that's quite the cannon", and "I bet that thing is fun to shoot at night!" The fireball is COOL!

I did find that for me, it seems more accurate with the bayonet extended. I could hit a target consistently at 100 yards with it out. Couldn't hit it 20% with it in.

Now, on Sunday I went to the gunshow in Rockville and picked up two additions for this rifle. A rubber butt pad, and a compensator.

I shot 10 rounds with no changes just for reference.

Then I put on the butt pad, and shot 5 more. Not much change IMO.

Then I put the compensator on, chambered a round, sighted, pulled the trigger and could not believe the difference. It was like night and day. a .22 compared to a stock M44. I was really impressed! I chambered another round, sighted, pulled the trigger, and there was a lot more kick this time. Hmmmmm. I chambed another round, sighted......... sighted........ WTF is the front sight? WTF is going on here? I look at the end of the rifle and nothing is there.

No compensator.
No front sight.

:x mad:

I dont know how it happened, but somehow the compensator got blown off the front of the rifle and took the front sight with it.



I unloaded the rifle and set it aside and started looking. I found the main body of the compensator 5 feet out. I then found the locking collar of the compensator 10 feet out. I looked for 20 minutes and never did find the front sight.



So, now I have a broken front sight, a broken POS compensator, and an unsuable rifle.

There doesnt appear to be any marks on the inside of the compensator from where a bullet would have hit it to knock it off, so Im not sure how this happened, other than it did.

Here are some pictures:













So now this begs the question: what would you do????

Ive got a $100 rifle that will probalby cost more than that to have a gunsmith fix. IF I can find the part with the front site, Im sure I can replace it, but are they even out there?

Worst case I have a prime candidate for a scope mount I guess.