M44 "Scout" Rifle

jpwilly · 04-06-2008, 01:15 AM

This rifle started with trip to Big 5 a couple years ago. Thus far I've picked up a couple of M44's, an M38 and a few of 91/30's from them (so far). This M44 had no historical significance being a 1946 but was in really good shape. I wanted a project and decided on a "scout" rifle project.

I installed the AK-74 muzzle brake, self made adjustable trigger, ATI stock and can o Krylon Tan paint, Scout Mount and NcStar Long eye releif 2-7x32mm scope. This rifle is LOUD but is a real blast to shoot and not punishing at all with the brake. It shoots around 4moa with surplus ammo. This is one of my favorite rifles to shoot but it is un sociable at the range!

WISCSHOOTER · 04-06-2008, 01:17 AM

Lookin' good.

sh4d0ww4rri0r · 04-06-2008, 01:41 AM

Friggin sweet! Even my wife likes it!

SanDiegoRedneck · 04-06-2008, 01:56 AM

Thanks to you I am drooling all over the place. Extremely nice rifle

Geo M44 · 04-06-2008, 01:58 AM

Very nice. Another example of how versitile the MN's basic design really is.

sh4d0ww4rri0r · 04-06-2008, 02:06 AM

I see that the muzzle brake is a screw on assembly. Did you have to thread the barrel on that?

marion57 · 04-06-2008, 02:53 AM

Well I think its really a great looking rifle but you do know its not suppose to be community friendly LOL
I do know some of there guys with 6 or 7 hundered dollar rifles look up when you shoot a mosin LOL and they all are in disbelief when I tell em its under a hunderd bucks

Good Job!

sh4d0ww4rri0r · 04-06-2008, 02:55 AM

unsociable at range/ not community friendy... what does all this mean? seriously.

jpwilly · 04-06-2008, 12:39 PM

Quote:

unsociable at range/ not community friendy... what does all this mean? seriously.

The muzzle brake is threaded on to the bbl. I got the tap and die at ACE Hardware. By unsociable I mean loud and you can really feel the blast. The brake by design vents gasses up and to the sides / back toward the shooter. Shooters next to you at the firing line may find it a bit much. One comment in particular said it all, "I felt that move through my chest and out my back." On the other hand lots of people come over to check it out and I let them shoot it!

sh4d0ww4rri0r · 04-06-2008, 01:08 PM

DId you cut any length off the barrel? since removing the bayonet lug and sight assembly leaves a noticable difference in width along the barrel?

SwedeSteve · 04-06-2008, 02:33 PM

Really nice rifle! Isn't it funny how we all preface our "projects" with these obligatory statements!

LefthandShooter · 04-06-2008, 02:41 PM

A beautiful work of Art!

May I ask a rough cost involved?

jpwilly · 04-06-2008, 05:45 PM

The barrel was cut off just behind the front sight leaving 16.5" or more bbl. Total cost was $69 for rifle, $20 scout mount, $50 Scope, $20 Muzzle Brake and $25 for tap and die, $69 for stock, $5 can of paint, $15 for bipod, $5 for ammo storage on buttstock, a few bucks in tax and shipping on stuff. I performed all of the work. Came in just around $300 or so. Could have spent a lot more on the scope.

sh4d0ww4rri0r · 04-06-2008, 07:09 PM

Thanks JP!! THis will be my dream mosin project.

jpwilly · 04-06-2008, 07:45 PM

Thanks for all the feedback all! This was a fun and rewarding project.

xKANANDOx · 06-27-2008, 03:00 AM

Your gun turned out amazing, well done. So you said you bought the tap and die from Ace Hardware, did you need to widen the brake at all? Also I see this was posted in april, how is that thing holding up? still secure? I want to try this real bad, but I had bad experiences before with SKS brakes flying off down range.

Ferroflame · 06-27-2008, 06:22 AM

It looks like your scope is 2cm far back... Would that get in the way of loading with stripper clips? That's just something I kinda noticed in the pictures.

That rifle is beautiful, man. I plan on making one myself... Maybe towards the end of summer. Where'd you get the muzzle break and how hard was it to install?

tnjeff · 06-27-2008, 10:01 AM

Very Slick. Really nice job. I want one.

troy2000 · 06-27-2008, 08:13 PM

Good looking gun, and it also looks practical. But 4 MOA isn't extremely impressive... What distance are you shooting, and what surplus ammo are you using?

gandog56 · 06-27-2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpwilly

The barrel was cut off just behind the front sight leaving 16.5" or more bbl. Total cost was $69 for rifle, $20 scout mount, $50 Scope, $20 Muzzle Brake and $25 for tap and die, $69 for stock, $5 can of paint, $15 for bipod, $5 for ammo storage on buttstock, a few bucks in tax and shipping on stuff. I performed all of the work. Came in just around $300 or so. Could have spent a lot more on the scope.

Did you recrown the barrel after you cut?

04-06-2008, 01:15 AM	#1
jpwilly Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 82	M44 "Scout" Rifle This rifle started with trip to Big 5 a couple years ago. Thus far I've picked up a couple of M44's, an M38 and a few of 91/30's from them (so far). This M44 had no historical significance being a 1946 but was in really good shape. I wanted a project and decided on a "scout" rifle project. I installed the AK-74 muzzle brake, self made adjustable trigger, ATI stock and can o Krylon Tan paint, Scout Mount and NcStar Long eye releif 2-7x32mm scope. This rifle is LOUD but is a real blast to shoot and not punishing at all with the brake. It shoots around 4moa with surplus ammo. This is one of my favorite rifles to shoot but it is un sociable at the range!

04-06-2008, 01:17 AM	#2
WISCSHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: MILWAUKEE Posts: 101	Lookin' good. __________________ Their not movin', You're clear.

04-06-2008, 02:53 AM	#7
marion57 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 3,071	Well I think its really a great looking rifle but you do know its not suppose to be community friendly LOL I do know some of there guys with 6 or 7 hundered dollar rifles look up when you shoot a mosin LOL and they all are in disbelief when I tell em its under a hunderd bucks Good Job! __________________ You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold dead fingers!(Charlton Heston)

04-06-2008, 02:33 PM	#11
SwedeSteve Thor's Hammer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 12,179 Images: 1	Really nice rifle! Isn't it funny how we all preface our "projects" with these obligatory statements! __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers Last edited by SwedeSteve; 04-06-2008 at 03:54 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

04-06-2008, 02:41 PM	#12
LefthandShooter Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: In A House in NE Ohio! Posts: 1,691	A beautiful work of Art! May I ask a rough cost involved? __________________ CHRISTMAS: Celebrating Christ and the Gift of Eternal Life!

04-06-2008, 01:41 AM	#3
sh4d0ww4rri0r Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 186	Friggin sweet! Even my wife likes it!

04-06-2008, 01:56 AM	#4
SanDiegoRedneck Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 49	Thanks to you I am drooling all over the place. Extremely nice rifle

04-06-2008, 01:58 AM	#5
Geo M44 Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: The Desert Posts: 2,316	Very nice. Another example of how versitile the MN's basic design really is.

04-06-2008, 02:06 AM	#6
sh4d0ww4rri0r Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 186	I see that the muzzle brake is a screw on assembly. Did you have to thread the barrel on that?

04-06-2008, 02:55 AM	#8
sh4d0ww4rri0r Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 186	unsociable at range/ not community friendy... what does all this mean? seriously.

04-06-2008, 01:08 PM	#10
sh4d0ww4rri0r Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 186	DId you cut any length off the barrel? since removing the bayonet lug and sight assembly leaves a noticable difference in width along the barrel?

04-06-2008, 05:45 PM	#13
jpwilly Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 82	The barrel was cut off just behind the front sight leaving 16.5" or more bbl. Total cost was $69 for rifle, $20 scout mount, $50 Scope, $20 Muzzle Brake and $25 for tap and die, $69 for stock, $5 can of paint, $15 for bipod, $5 for ammo storage on buttstock, a few bucks in tax and shipping on stuff. I performed all of the work. Came in just around $300 or so. Could have spent a lot more on the scope.

04-06-2008, 07:09 PM	#14
sh4d0ww4rri0r Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 186	Thanks JP!! THis will be my dream mosin project.

04-06-2008, 07:45 PM	#15
jpwilly Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 82	Thanks for all the feedback all! This was a fun and rewarding project.

06-27-2008, 03:00 AM	#16
xKANANDOx Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Hawaii Posts: 2	this muzzle brake business Your gun turned out amazing, well done. So you said you bought the tap and die from Ace Hardware, did you need to widen the brake at all? Also I see this was posted in april, how is that thing holding up? still secure? I want to try this real bad, but I had bad experiences before with SKS brakes flying off down range.

06-27-2008, 06:22 AM	#17
Ferroflame Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 427	It looks like your scope is 2cm far back... Would that get in the way of loading with stripper clips? That's just something I kinda noticed in the pictures. That rifle is beautiful, man. I plan on making one myself... Maybe towards the end of summer. Where'd you get the muzzle break and how hard was it to install?

06-27-2008, 10:01 AM	#18
tnjeff Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 64	Very Slick. Really nice job. I want one.

06-27-2008, 08:13 PM	#19
troy2000 Resident Armed Liberal Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 9,937 Images: 9	Good looking gun, and it also looks practical. But 4 MOA isn't extremely impressive... What distance are you shooting, and what surplus ammo are you using? __________________ I won't insult your intelligence by suggesting you really believe what you just said. WF Buckley, Jr