I originally wanted an M39, then decided to go for a boomstick M38/M44. I couldn't find any M38s with M38 stocks locally (in-state eliminating the FLL transfer), so I got a numbers matching '46 Izzy M44 with a decent post war stock from Sayreville Sportsman. Its all cleaned up already ready to go! You can def get them cheaper than what I paid, but you have to work on all the damn cosmoline thats on there. I got the carbine, 60rds of ammo, and a real nice leather gun bag for 200 out the door. I have a couple tins of russian surplus on the way, and got a box of silver bear, brown bear, and some czech rounds to try out.

 

 

 

Looks nice. Surplus ammo is so cheap and yet still excellent. Any planned additions to it? Scope mount/long eye relief scope, etc.

Yeah, works out to .20c a round on the surplus stuff. Almost as cheap and shooting my 9mm! I think I'm going to leave it as is. I'm adding a rubber recoil pad, but that's it. If I get a M39 I'll consider mounting a scope to it...

Recoil pad is a shoulder saver. My shoulder is still a little bruised from firing a M44 over the weekend - and it had a rubber recoil pad as well.

Where did you get the ammo from? Sportsmansguide has a good price on it. It comes out to about 22 cents/round with shipping

check it!

 

http://ammoseek.com/?gun=rifle&cal=277& ... sortby=cpr

 

Widener's unknown 7.62x54R rifle 149 SMA76254B Russian 762x54R 149gr Light Ball rnd Spam can $79.00 440 $0.18

 

880rds, 180.05 shipped.

Nice. Didn't know about that site. Thanks.

I went over to Bullethole yesterday afternoon with a couple friends. The place was full of people plinking away. The guy next to me was shooting his .223 AR. I unpack and load up. I let the first round rip. My 257lbs body is jerked back, all I see an impressive massive muzzle flash, and the noise... the NOISE!!! I swear the entire range stopped firing for what seemed like 10 seconds after I let the thing go. The AR guy looks around the booth and says, WTF is that thing!!!!!!

 

...and that was the first time shooting the M44 :mrgreen: WHAT A BEAST.

It is! Did the guy shooting his AR have a muzzle brake on? If not, the sound from it was probably a plink compared to the M44.

 

Wait - you were able to shoot 7.62x54R at the Bullet Hole? I thought they didn't allow it.

 

Oh yeah - how's your shoulder?

I specifically asked them if it was ok for 7.62x54R last time I was up there... they said yes. They mentioned they will allow rifle up to but excluding .50. Umm, I don't think there was a muzzle break on his... and yeah it sounded like a .22. After shooting the M44, my 9mm feels like a friggin .22 too! I still have the metal bone crusher on the buttstock. I shot around 30rds and have a little bruising. Nothing too bad... if you poke at it, it just feels like a sunburn or somethin. The rubber recoil pad goes on this week and we'll give it a go. Really, its not that bad with me being such a big guy.

Cool, I'll keep that in mind.

 

Yeah that recoil pad helps so much. I'm not a big guy either (5'9" 170) and a hundred rounds did a number on my shoulder.