Mosin M44 vs. Glenfield Marlin 30-30

YankeeIronSights · December 15, 2019, 01:46 PM

Folks, I have an opportunity to buy either a Mosin Nagant M44 or a Glenfield Marlin 30-30 rifle. Either one will be mostly used as a range gun for plinking and maybe, hunting in the future.

Which one do you feel provides an overall best value for the intended use? Home security is not a role for either rifle. If you could pick just one, which one would you prefer?

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Nanuk · December 15, 2019, 01:57 PM

Marlin

jmr40 · December 15, 2019, 03:21 PM

Glenfield made a special run for K-mart back in the 1970's. The model 30 TK. If I could find one of those I'd buy it. They came with a straight stock, 1/2 mag and 18.5" barrels.

Some photos here, be aware some are mid identified. If it doesn't have the features described above it isn't the 30TK

https://www.google.com/search?q=glen...mfRUsawenY28M:

But unless the price was dirt cheap i'd not be interested in either. I don't care for the Mosin's and there are too many better quality lever guns out there.

5whiskey · December 15, 2019, 03:25 PM

Absolutely the Marlin, unless you think you might enjoy collecting milsurp firearms. Even then, the m44 is possibly my least favorite Mosin model.

For general shooting, hunting, even home defense, the Marlin wins hands down in my book.

Pathfinder45 · December 15, 2019, 03:32 PM

Marlin, without a doubt.

the Black Spot · December 15, 2019, 04:36 PM

Marlin

10-96 · December 15, 2019, 05:07 PM

Marlin- all day long.

Cheapshooter · December 15, 2019, 05:20 PM

Marlin by far.
At one time the M/N in any configuration was a sub $100 milsurp plinker with plenty of cheap surplus ammo available. I think Ibpaid something like $75 for my Hungarian M44, and something like fifty bucks or so per 880 round case for military surplus ammo.
The 30-30 is a timeless classic round, not too expensive, and much more fun to shoot out of an old lever gun.

O4L · December 15, 2019, 07:50 PM

Glenfield.

Blindstitch · December 15, 2019, 08:13 PM

Marlin all the way.

**44 AMP** · December 15, 2019, 10:14 PM

Soviet made military rifle that was obsolete when first built and went out of production soon after in favor of the SKS then the AK47

vs.

American made budget version of a classic deer rifle who's base design is still in current production?

A rifle which has certainly been fired with corrosive ammunition, and may have a questionable bore due to that

vs.

A .30-30 that has vey likely never seen a round of corrosive primed ammo?

The Combloc surplus rifles became very popular in the US because with the fall of Warsaw Pact, they got dumped on the US market dirt cheap, along with shiploads of surplus ammo, again, dirt cheap.

That is no longer the situation, the cheap stuff is mostly long gone (and it never was hunting ammo to begin with).

If you want it because its a milsurp and becoming more and more a collectible, fine. Other wise, full speed ahead on the Marlin!

T. O'Heir · December 16, 2019, 11:17 AM

The Mosin Nagant M44 is a hard recoiling, very hard, 'carbine' version of a Russian battle rifle. Even at 9 pounds, it's not exactly fun to shoot with its 20" barrel. Lots of muzzle blast. However, the 7.62 x 54R will kill any game in North America with a hunting bullet.
The "Glenfield" in Glenfield Marlin comes from JC Penny. 'Glenfield' was a house brand of theirs. A Marlin(now owned by Remington who is owned by Vista Outdoors. A holding company.) M336 would be better than an M44. Not ideal for range shooting, but better. A 7 pound .30-30 will thump you, but not as bad as a Win M94 due to the stock design. However, the .30-30 is primarily a deer/black bear cartridge.

emcon5 · December 16, 2019, 01:15 PM

Mosin is more powerful, and could increase in value, provided you don't monkey with it. This assumes it is in original confutation and complete (and you don't pay too much for it).
Marlin is easier to put a scope on.
The iron sights suck pretty equally, I think, although you can probably put Williams peep sight on the Marin.
If the primary use is plinking, Mosin ammo is cheaper, even after the surplus dried up.
That said, you will find ammo for the Marlin pretty much anywhere that sells ammo, probably not as likely with the Mosin.
Corrosive ammo is much ado about nothing. Pour some water down the barrel and you are fine.
Accuracy is probably comparable.
Home defense goes to the Mosin, because it has a bayonet.

Hawg · December 16, 2019, 02:06 PM

Marlin

DubC-Hicks · December 16, 2019, 11:22 PM

For me, I choose the M44. I find it more fun to shoot, and I'm also a milsurp collector.

FrankenMauser · December 17, 2019, 12:34 PM

If I could shoot the M44 before hand, and it performed well, that'd be the one. Their value will continue increasing at a rate far greater than the Marlin/Glenfield.
If I couldn't shoot it, or it was disappointing, it's the Marlin/Glenfield.

TRX · December 17, 2019, 01:11 PM

What do you want the rifle for? The Mosin and the Marlin are both rifles, but they're not the same *kind* of rifle.

The Mosin is much more powerful; milspec 7.62x54R is between 7.62x51 NATO and .308 Winchester in power, and some imported civilian ammo is even hotter. It's a big heavy rifle, suitable for any North American game. If you get a good one, it's probably more accurate than the Marlin too.

The Marlin is lighter, more maneuverable, and the .30-30 will do the job for most purposes; it would be a lot more convenient as a hunting rifle.

SIGSHR · December 17, 2019, 03:48 PM

I have a Chinese Type 54, copy of the M1944 M-N and a Marlin 330C. Only caution with the M-N is they used corrosive ammo, many of the M-Ns i have seen had rough bores, judicious handloading and carefully sized bullets would help.

emcon5 · December 17, 2019, 10:49 PM

Just sayin"

Jack O'Conner · December 18, 2019, 05:37 PM

Unless I'm mistaken, the ammo cost for a Mosin Nagant is less than 30-30. They're also very interesting rifles. I handled one that had been re-bored to 8mm to clean up the corroded rifling. The owner hand loaded his cartridges and claimed very good accuracy. He also stated that it was fun to form his own brass.

Jack

FTG-05 · December 18, 2019, 06:09 PM

A commie POS rifle vs. a tried and true American rifle?

Is this a trick question?

Pathfinder45 · December 18, 2019, 11:46 PM

The best reply so far:

Quote:

A commie POS rifle vs. a tried and true American rifle?

Is this a trick question?

Really put a smile on my face.

Blue Duck · December 19, 2019, 12:30 AM

The Mosin 44 is not the Mosin I would choose. There is a model, more rare, but I have one. I think it called a mod. 38 which is slightly longer then the 44 but shorter the 91's. And they also made a Finish Mosin which is shorter then the 91's but longer then the 44's, but also heavier.
There is a lot of junky Mosins out there and the bolts don't usually match the rifle, so headspace might be an issue. However, a good Mosin is a far better gun then one might first imagine.
And they have pretty good iron sights on them, however, the Marlin would be better for a scope, and the 30/30 rounds are cheap and easy to find, and about all 30/30 ammo is hunting ammo. Ammo for the Mosin is mostly military ball, and not suited for hunting.

The Mosin can be very accurate, and in the Finish/Rush winter war of 1939, one of the most famous snipers in the world, who fought for the Finn's, racked up over 600 kills in about 6 months, with a good many taken at up to 600yds with a Mosin. So that Mosin served in some of the most severe winter weather conditions, every encountered in combat and obviously worked. The Marlin Glenfield would not have held up under those conditions, I don't think.
But for hunting deer in the good old US of A, the Marlin would be probably the best choice. Why not own both if you can. The Mosin is one of my favorite milsurps, just don't plan on using the safety as it's too hard to manipulate.
I have been told that the 44 with the folding bayonet had the sights regulated to shoot with the bayonet, and would need to be monkeyed with if you take the bayonet off. I had one for a little but did not shoot it enough to verify that story, as that gun did have some headspace issues, and I gave up on it, but the rifle I have now works fine, and it's slight longer then the 44, and does not have a bayonet. Recoil is not bad at all, on my gun.

Bottom line, though, the Marlin would be a better deer gun.

emcon5 · December 19, 2019, 12:53 AM

Quote:

A commie POS rifle vs. a tried and true American rifle?

Well, technically it is an Imperial rifle. It happened to be made under the commies, but aside from the length and the folding pig-sticker, it the “Three Line Rifle, Model of the Year 1891”

HistoryJunky · December 19, 2019, 01:15 AM

I'd take the Mosin. I have shot an M44 and used to have a 91/30. They are very fun guns to shoot even with the recoil.

I guess it depends on what you'll use it for. I personally enjoyed pretending I was a vodka-drunk Russian soldier with a commie rifle made by the millions fighting off the Germans.

X54R used to be pretty cheap in the spam cans and I think it is still considerably cheaper than .30-30. A lot flatter shooting too.

I'm not a particularly large man at about 150 pounds and I never found the recoil to get in the way of having a good time.

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December 15, 2019, 01:46 PM	#1
YankeeIronSights Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2012 Location: USA Posts: 261	Mosin M44 vs. Glenfield Marlin 30-30 Folks, I have an opportunity to buy either a Mosin Nagant M44 or a Glenfield Marlin 30-30 rifle. Either one will be mostly used as a range gun for plinking and maybe, hunting in the future. Which one do you feel provides an overall best value for the intended use? Home security is not a role for either rifle. If you could pick just one, which one would you prefer? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

December 15, 2019, 01:57 PM	#2
Nanuk Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2005 Location: Where the deer and the antelope roam. Posts: 3,082	Marlin __________________ Retired Law Enforcement U. S. Army Veteran Armorer My rifle and pistol are tools, I am the weapon.

December 15, 2019, 03:21 PM	#3
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,805	Glenfield made a special run for K-mart back in the 1970's. The model 30 TK. If I could find one of those I'd buy it. They came with a straight stock, 1/2 mag and 18.5" barrels. Some photos here, be aware some are mid identified. If it doesn't have the features described above it isn't the 30TK https://www.google.com/search?q=glen...mfRUsawenY28M: But unless the price was dirt cheap i'd not be interested in either. I don't care for the Mosin's and there are too many better quality lever guns out there. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

December 15, 2019, 03:25 PM	#4
5whiskey Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2005 Location: US Posts: 3,652	Absolutely the Marlin, unless you think you might enjoy collecting milsurp firearms. Even then, the m44 is possibly my least favorite Mosin model. For general shooting, hunting, even home defense, the Marlin wins hands down in my book. __________________ Support the NRA-ILA Auction, ends 03/09/2018 https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=593946

December 15, 2019, 05:07 PM	#7
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	Marlin- all day long. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

December 15, 2019, 03:32 PM	#5
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	Marlin, without a doubt.

December 15, 2019, 04:36 PM	#6
the Black Spot Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2009 Location: arkansas Posts: 218	Marlin

December 15, 2019, 05:20 PM	#8
Cheapshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 8,306	Marlin by far. At one time the M/N in any configuration was a sub $100 milsurp plinker with plenty of cheap surplus ammo available. I think Ibpaid something like $75 for my Hungarian M44, and something like fifty bucks or so per 880 round case for military surplus ammo. The 30-30 is a timeless classic round, not too expensive, and much more fun to shoot out of an old lever gun. __________________ Cheapshooter's rules of gun ownership #1: NEVER SELL OR TRADE ANYTHING!

December 15, 2019, 07:50 PM	#9
O4L Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2015 Posts: 646	Glenfield.

December 15, 2019, 08:13 PM	#10
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,692	Marlin all the way. __________________ NRA Lifetime Member

December 15, 2019, 10:14 PM	#11
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,818	Soviet made military rifle that was obsolete when first built and went out of production soon after in favor of the SKS then the AK47 vs. American made budget version of a classic deer rifle who's base design is still in current production? A rifle which has certainly been fired with corrosive ammunition, and may have a questionable bore due to that vs. A .30-30 that has vey likely never seen a round of corrosive primed ammo? The Combloc surplus rifles became very popular in the US because with the fall of Warsaw Pact, they got dumped on the US market dirt cheap, along with shiploads of surplus ammo, again, dirt cheap. That is no longer the situation, the cheap stuff is mostly long gone (and it never was hunting ammo to begin with). If you want it because its a milsurp and becoming more and more a collectible, fine. Other wise, full speed ahead on the Marlin! __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

December 16, 2019, 11:17 AM	#12
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	The Mosin Nagant M44 is a hard recoiling, very hard, 'carbine' version of a Russian battle rifle. Even at 9 pounds, it's not exactly fun to shoot with its 20" barrel. Lots of muzzle blast. However, the 7.62 x 54R will kill any game in North America with a hunting bullet. The "Glenfield" in Glenfield Marlin comes from JC Penny. 'Glenfield' was a house brand of theirs. A Marlin(now owned by Remington who is owned by Vista Outdoors. A holding company.) M336 would be better than an M44. Not ideal for range shooting, but better. A 7 pound .30-30 will thump you, but not as bad as a Win M94 due to the stock design. However, the .30-30 is primarily a deer/black bear cartridge. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

December 16, 2019, 01:15 PM	#13
emcon5 Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 1999 Location: High Desert NV Posts: 2,850	Mosin is more powerful, and could increase in value, provided you don't monkey with it. This assumes it is in original confutation and complete (and you don't pay too much for it). Marlin is easier to put a scope on. The iron sights suck pretty equally, I think, although you can probably put Williams peep sight on the Marin. If the primary use is plinking, Mosin ammo is cheaper, even after the surplus dried up. That said, you will find ammo for the Marlin pretty much anywhere that sells ammo, probably not as likely with the Mosin. Corrosive ammo is much ado about nothing. Pour some water down the barrel and you are fine. Accuracy is probably comparable. Home defense goes to the Mosin, because it has a bayonet.

December 16, 2019, 02:06 PM	#14
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	Marlin

December 16, 2019, 11:22 PM	#15
DubC-Hicks Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2009 Location: Backwoods, Northern MI Posts: 1,031	For me, I choose the M44. I find it more fun to shoot, and I'm also a milsurp collector. __________________ ”Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars.” ~Unknown

December 17, 2019, 12:34 PM	#16
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	If I could shoot the M44 before hand, and it performed well, that'd be the one. Their value will continue increasing at a rate far greater than the Marlin/Glenfield. If I couldn't shoot it, or it was disappointing, it's the Marlin/Glenfield. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

December 17, 2019, 01:11 PM	#17
TRX Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2008 Location: central Arkansas Posts: 400	What do you want the rifle for? The Mosin and the Marlin are both rifles, but they're not the same kind of rifle. The Mosin is much more powerful; milspec 7.62x54R is between 7.62x51 NATO and .308 Winchester in power, and some imported civilian ammo is even hotter. It's a big heavy rifle, suitable for any North American game. If you get a good one, it's probably more accurate than the Marlin too. The Marlin is lighter, more maneuverable, and the .30-30 will do the job for most purposes; it would be a lot more convenient as a hunting rifle.

December 17, 2019, 03:48 PM	#18
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	I have a Chinese Type 54, copy of the M1944 M-N and a Marlin 330C. Only caution with the M-N is they used corrosive ammo, many of the M-Ns i have seen had rough bores, judicious handloading and carefully sized bullets would help.

December 17, 2019, 10:49 PM	#19
emcon5 Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 1999 Location: High Desert NV Posts: 2,850	Just sayin"

December 18, 2019, 05:37 PM	#20
Jack O'Conner Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2005 Location: Manatee County, Florida Posts: 1,976	Unless I'm mistaken, the ammo cost for a Mosin Nagant is less than 30-30. They're also very interesting rifles. I handled one that had been re-bored to 8mm to clean up the corroded rifling. The owner hand loaded his cartridges and claimed very good accuracy. He also stated that it was fun to form his own brass. Jack __________________ Fire up the grill! Deer hunting IS NOT catch and release.

December 18, 2019, 06:09 PM	#21
FTG-05 Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 1999 Location: TN Posts: 301	A commie POS rifle vs. a tried and true American rifle? Is this a trick question?

December 19, 2019, 12:30 AM	#23
Blue Duck Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2006 Posts: 402	The Mosin 44 is not the Mosin I would choose. There is a model, more rare, but I have one. I think it called a mod. 38 which is slightly longer then the 44 but shorter the 91's. And they also made a Finish Mosin which is shorter then the 91's but longer then the 44's, but also heavier. There is a lot of junky Mosins out there and the bolts don't usually match the rifle, so headspace might be an issue. However, a good Mosin is a far better gun then one might first imagine. And they have pretty good iron sights on them, however, the Marlin would be better for a scope, and the 30/30 rounds are cheap and easy to find, and about all 30/30 ammo is hunting ammo. Ammo for the Mosin is mostly military ball, and not suited for hunting. The Mosin can be very accurate, and in the Finish/Rush winter war of 1939, one of the most famous snipers in the world, who fought for the Finn's, racked up over 600 kills in about 6 months, with a good many taken at up to 600yds with a Mosin. So that Mosin served in some of the most severe winter weather conditions, every encountered in combat and obviously worked. The Marlin Glenfield would not have held up under those conditions, I don't think. But for hunting deer in the good old US of A, the Marlin would be probably the best choice. Why not own both if you can. The Mosin is one of my favorite milsurps, just don't plan on using the safety as it's too hard to manipulate. I have been told that the 44 with the folding bayonet had the sights regulated to shoot with the bayonet, and would need to be monkeyed with if you take the bayonet off. I had one for a little but did not shoot it enough to verify that story, as that gun did have some headspace issues, and I gave up on it, but the rifle I have now works fine, and it's slight longer then the 44, and does not have a bayonet. Recoil is not bad at all, on my gun. Bottom line, though, the Marlin would be a better deer gun. Last edited by Blue Duck; December 19, 2019 at 12:48 AM.

December 19, 2019, 01:15 AM	#25
HistoryJunky Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2010 Location: Freeport, IL Posts: 833	I'd take the Mosin. I have shot an M44 and used to have a 91/30. They are very fun guns to shoot even with the recoil. I guess it depends on what you'll use it for. I personally enjoyed pretending I was a vodka-drunk Russian soldier with a commie rifle made by the millions fighting off the Germans. X54R used to be pretty cheap in the spam cans and I think it is still considerably cheaper than .30-30. A lot flatter shooting too. I'm not a particularly large man at about 150 pounds and I never found the recoil to get in the way of having a good time. Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk