Com-Block Carbine Day - M44 Boom Stick vs Yugo 59/66 SKS

Rich_357 · May 30, 2016, 12:30 AM

I took the Yugo and the the M44 out to my friends range today. I’m too tired to write up a good comparison but I will follow up tomorrow. For now, the name BOOM Stick is well deserved; my lord!

Rich_357 · May 30, 2016, 01:19 PM

The 59/66 and the M44 are comparable in size and weight. The SKS being a 7.62x39 semi auto and the M44 a 7.62x54 bolt action; both are 20” inch barrels.

The rounds: The M44 was firing Herter’s 180 grain at $11 per 20 rounds. The SKS, was firing Red Army Standard 122 grain at $6 per 20 rounds. There is quite a size difference!!!

Accuracy: We were firing at a fairly short distance, probably 60 yards. Both rifles were quite accurate; I’d call it a tie. The M44 seemed to throw debris at the target; the rifling is fine so I’m guessing that it’s the unburned powder.

Recoil and Report: The Yugo hits you mildly and is actually a pleasure to shoot. The M44 can be felt down to the bone!!! I put about four rounds through it and called it a day; the rifle definitely needs a butt pad! My friend was standing three feet from me when the M44 went off; he said that could feel the ground shake from the concussion.

Break down and cleaning: The M44 wins this hands down. First of all the Red Army Standard 39 rounds are DIRTY!!!! We put less than a dozen shots through the Yugo; the barrel and the gas tube were GROSS afterwards!!! Surprising, the Herter’s 54 round left far less debris in the M44’s barrel. The M44’s bolt is easily removed and disassembled; this makes clean up a breeze. The Yugo on the other hand can be a pain in the butt. The gas tube release lever is incredibly tight, far tighter than my Type 56 ChiCom. I usually end up having to use a small screw driver to push it in and out of place.

Anyways....Fun range day!

doofus47 · June 1, 2016, 09:29 AM

Thanks for sharing.

SC4006 · June 1, 2016, 10:44 PM

The M44 most certainly is something else. It's the only gun I own that will consistently produce visible fireballs even on a bright sunny day.

deerslayer303 · June 2, 2016, 06:31 AM

Thanks for the post! The M44 and Mosins are murder on a shoulder if you are kinda leaned forward shooting them off a bench. But I've found they are not so bad in a more upright position like standing.

Fal 4 Me · June 2, 2016, 07:53 AM

I have both these carbines and enjoy them both. I don't think the M44 has that bad of recoil, at least compared to my lightweight Savage 30-06.

CLC · June 3, 2016, 01:48 PM

Not to start a crap storm, but Yugoslavia was communist in name only. For some reason I really like Tito

SIGSHR · June 3, 2016, 02:40 PM

I have a Chinese made Type 53-copy of M44. I can see why Uncle Sam adopted a carbine load for the 45-70 and having a carbine version of a fairly powerful rifle-for troops that aren't that big or robust-sort of a Great Idea that Doesn't Work.

CLC · June 3, 2016, 02:58 PM

Well the M/N carbines weren't designed for front line troops. Imagine, carrying a mortar all day everyday.

SIGSHR · June 3, 2016, 03:06 PM

The M1944/Type 53 were throwbacks, the Soviets had fielded the PPSh M1941 and PPS M1943, like the M-1 Carbine more suitable for troops whose main function is to do something else.

Rich_357 · June 4, 2016, 09:23 PM

You guys are the experts. What I read about the M44 was that the Russians learned that the full sized M/N was not designed for urban warfare. They cut it down to the M38 and the M44 carbines with the same round. It was the size that they desired but the round is too big for the rifle. It is extremely cool though...in a shocking kind of way!!!!

dakota.potts · June 5, 2016, 12:23 AM

I imagine those heavy bullets weren't helping the recoil at all. You will probably get a slightly more enjoyable shooting experience shooting something lighter such as a 147 grain round out of that. I know those M44s have quite a kick and concussion. We actually had an RSO ask us if we had a Dragunov brake on ours because we were interrupting their conversation at the other side of the range nearly 100 yards away every time we pulled the trigger. And yes, that thin steel butt plate does hurt.

May 30, 2016, 12:30 AM	#1
Rich_357 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2016 Posts: 268	Com-Block Carbine Day - M44 Boom Stick vs Yugo 59/66 SKS I took the Yugo and the the M44 out to my friends range today. I’m too tired to write up a good comparison but I will follow up tomorrow. For now, the name BOOM Stick is well deserved; my lord!

May 30, 2016, 01:19 PM	#2
Rich_357 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2016 Posts: 268	The 59/66 and the M44 are comparable in size and weight. The SKS being a 7.62x39 semi auto and the M44 a 7.62x54 bolt action; both are 20” inch barrels. The rounds: The M44 was firing Herter’s 180 grain at $11 per 20 rounds. The SKS, was firing Red Army Standard 122 grain at $6 per 20 rounds. There is quite a size difference!!! Accuracy: We were firing at a fairly short distance, probably 60 yards. Both rifles were quite accurate; I’d call it a tie. The M44 seemed to throw debris at the target; the rifling is fine so I’m guessing that it’s the unburned powder. Recoil and Report: The Yugo hits you mildly and is actually a pleasure to shoot. The M44 can be felt down to the bone!!! I put about four rounds through it and called it a day; the rifle definitely needs a butt pad! My friend was standing three feet from me when the M44 went off; he said that could feel the ground shake from the concussion. Break down and cleaning: The M44 wins this hands down. First of all the Red Army Standard 39 rounds are DIRTY!!!! We put less than a dozen shots through the Yugo; the barrel and the gas tube were GROSS afterwards!!! Surprising, the Herter’s 54 round left far less debris in the M44’s barrel. The M44’s bolt is easily removed and disassembled; this makes clean up a breeze. The Yugo on the other hand can be a pain in the butt. The gas tube release lever is incredibly tight, far tighter than my Type 56 ChiCom. I usually end up having to use a small screw driver to push it in and out of place. Anyways....Fun range day! Last edited by Rich_357; May 30, 2016 at 03:07 PM.

June 1, 2016, 09:29 AM	#3
doofus47 Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: live in a in a house when i'm not in a tent Posts: 2,483	Thanks for sharing. __________________ I'm right about the metric system 3/4 of the time.

June 1, 2016, 10:44 PM	#4
SC4006 Senior Member Join Date: June 27, 2012 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 525	The M44 most certainly is something else. It's the only gun I own that will consistently produce visible fireballs even on a bright sunny day. __________________ I don't always go to the range, but when I do, I prefer dosAKs. They say 5 out of 4 people are bad at math.

June 3, 2016, 01:48 PM	#7
CLC Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2011 Posts: 603	Not to start a crap storm, but Yugoslavia was communist in name only. For some reason I really like Tito __________________ In god we trust, all others must pay cash.

June 2, 2016, 06:31 AM	#5
deerslayer303 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Location: Leesville SC Posts: 2,652	Thanks for the post! The M44 and Mosins are murder on a shoulder if you are kinda leaned forward shooting them off a bench. But I've found they are not so bad in a more upright position like standing.

June 2, 2016, 07:53 AM	#6
Fal 4 Me Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Location: WI Posts: 236	I have both these carbines and enjoy them both. I don't think the M44 has that bad of recoil, at least compared to my lightweight Savage 30-06.

June 3, 2016, 02:40 PM	#8
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	I have a Chinese made Type 53-copy of M44. I can see why Uncle Sam adopted a carbine load for the 45-70 and having a carbine version of a fairly powerful rifle-for troops that aren't that big or robust-sort of a Great Idea that Doesn't Work. Last edited by SIGSHR; June 3, 2016 at 03:05 PM.

June 3, 2016, 02:58 PM	#9
CLC Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2011 Posts: 603	Well the M/N carbines weren't designed for front line troops. Imagine, carrying a mortar all day everyday. __________________ In god we trust, all others must pay cash.

June 3, 2016, 03:06 PM	#10
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	The M1944/Type 53 were throwbacks, the Soviets had fielded the PPSh M1941 and PPS M1943, like the M-1 Carbine more suitable for troops whose main function is to do something else.

June 4, 2016, 09:23 PM	#11
Rich_357 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2016 Posts: 268	You guys are the experts. What I read about the M44 was that the Russians learned that the full sized M/N was not designed for urban warfare. They cut it down to the M38 and the M44 carbines with the same round. It was the size that they desired but the round is too big for the rifle. It is extremely cool though...in a shocking kind of way!!!!

June 5, 2016, 12:23 AM	#12
dakota.potts Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2013 Location: Keystone Heights, Florida Posts: 3,084	I imagine those heavy bullets weren't helping the recoil at all. You will probably get a slightly more enjoyable shooting experience shooting something lighter such as a 147 grain round out of that. I know those M44s have quite a kick and concussion. We actually had an RSO ask us if we had a Dragunov brake on ours because we were interrupting their conversation at the other side of the range nearly 100 yards away every time we pulled the trigger. And yes, that thin steel butt plate does hurt. __________________ Certified Gunsmith (On Hiatus) Certified Armorer - H&K and Glock Among Others You can find my writings at my website, pottsprecision.com.