Value of Mosin Nagant

[gyvel]

I came across a Mosin Nagant M44 on GB that was dated 1943. Is there any big price difference between that and one dated 1944 onwards? It seems a bit odd that an M44 would be dated 1943. The guy's asking $379.95 for it.

[JimmyR]

I'm no Mosin expert, but I wouldn't pay that much extra for a Russian M44, even with the 1943 date.

Now, some variants of the M44 can be more valuable, depending on the history of the weapon, but without more detail, I'd pass.

[noelf2]

The 1943 dated M44's are rare, and very collectible. They were trials carbines and only 50,000 were made. The price doesn't surprise me a bit. With M44's running upwards of $250 (when you can find one), I think I would walk away with that M44 for $350 and figure I got a good deal.

[kilimanjaro]

Everyone has a 1944, the 1943 is scarce, if you can, buy it. Condition is everything, though.

[gyvel]

Everyone has a 1944, the 1943 is scarce, if you can, buy it. Condition is everything, though

Here is the link: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=427927159

It's a bit of a drive for me, but I might take a ride down and look at it.

[Jim Watson]

The world is mad.
We have discovered Significant Historical Artifacts and Valuable Collectors' Items among the warehouses of obsolete Mosin Nagants that had been resting in obscurity for decades. Another army surplus bites the dust. Maybe the last.

[Justice06RR]

Most M44's were made in 1944. I believe the 1943-made M44's are a bit more rare.

As others said, it would all come down that Mosin's condition. Inspect the bore, chamber, stock, and make sure all parts have matching numbers. Make sure it has the sling, cleaning rod, and bayonet as well.

For comparison, a standard Mosin M44 sells for $230. If the 1943 Mosin checks out and its in very good condition, I'd offer maybe $350 and go from there.

[kilimanjaro]

I always thought it was a sign of the callous Russian system that they issued 50,000 rifles to their soldiers, and used the eastern front as a huge test range, but I now think they needed arms so badly they just put them into service in 1943 and got around to formal adoption and designation in 1944.

The date stamp does read 1943ya, meaning manufacture in the second half of 1943.

[James K]

The shortened version called the M44 might have been "new" but the Russians had been "testing" the M-N since 1891, and had issued hundreds of times that 50,000 rifles by 1944.

Jim

[tobnpr]

As mentioned, the '43 M44 is a rarer animal. Value? In good cond. I think that might be reasonable given today's market- which I think are overpriced to begin with...

Relative "rarity" is found, here- a good source for info:

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinRarity.htm

[gyvel]

Relative "rarity" is found, here- a good source for info:

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinRarity.htm

Interesting: That guy lists the 43 date 1944 as a "7" in terms of rarity.

[Bezoar]

i dont really trust or agree with that list of mosin "rarity" at all. if you look at that WHOLE list, youll discover that the first year of 91/30 production, that was comprised of using up all existing pre 91/30 barrels, bolts, and actions, that collectors consider superior to all others, as the least desirable and rare.

[doofus47]

well, it looks like it has a re-arsenal mark on it, so....
it's probably in decent, if re-worked condition.
Buy it; shoot it. Sell it 10 years from now for $400.
If you need a M44 to complete your collection, go for it.

[gyvel]

If we're talking about the same gun, I have been meaning to drive down and look at it, but it is a bit of a drive and I'm not all that hot on Mosins anyway, although I have a few. I do have an interesting bringback Russian 1944 that I purchased from a Korean War vet in the 1960s.

It's a 1944 date with some original finish left and some red paint in the hammer and sickle which some tell me was applied at the factory. Don't know if that's BS or not.

What makes it interesting is that it has Chinese characters painted on the buttstock. I took it to my local Chinese restaurant and although the owner couldn't decipher all of it, he told me that part of it referred to some "committee."

Some enterprising Chinese or North Korean soldier also inletted the buttstock for a Mauser or Jap type sling swivel and made a homemade forward sling swivel that clamped around the barrel. Unfortunately, I took it off and I can't remember if I disposed of it (years ago) or threw it in some junk parts box.

It was always a good shooter, though, and (in my "youth"), I bayoneted more than one abandoned car in the everglades. It's a miracle I didn't snap it off, but I really didn't care what happened to it in those days. (Paid $20.00 for it. LOL)

Unfortunately, in those days nobody cared about "capture papers" and, to be honest, like my dad who fought in the Bulge after surviving the torpedoing of his troop ship in the Channel, just wanted to forget what they went through. I wish now that I had those papers with this gun. A genuine Mosin-Nagant bringback. LOL!!

[xssv]

There's a local guy selling one that looks like it is in really nice shape, except for the fact that he stained the stock with a redish furniture stain. Looks nice, but can't be good for the value. Oops. And he's retired and should have known better.

[gyvel]

There's a local guy selling one that looks like it is in really nice shape, except for the fact that he stained the stock with a redish furniture stain. Looks nice, but can't be good for the value.

You sure it isn't original Russian refurb varnish? I've seen more than one with a reddish varnish finish on them after refurb.

I actually went down and looked at the 1943 M44; It was in very nice condition with a bore that, while it wasn't mint, was very nice with just slight dullness in the grooves (and NOT counterbored).. He also dropped the price 50 bucks. I'm tempted...