Apparently the Poles make the best M44's; the Finns make the best shooters overall.
I just got my first Finnish M39 home, and it looks like they not only built a new rifle around the receiver, they tweaked everything from the firing pin spring to the trigger to the latch on the floorplate. Everything is smooth as silk, and I can actually work the safety without a crowbar and a pair of vice grips.
The barrel is much heavier, although since it's shorter it isn't all that noticeable until you put it side by side with a Russkie and look down the muzzles.
I'd like to find a Finn. Never seen one in the shop, though.
One of them had the furniture replaced with a synthetic Monte Carlo stock, though. Not only does it look ridiculous, I have trouble lining up the military sights with that stupid cheekpiece in the way.
But what's there is in better shape than the other one. It even has a good, two-step trigger pull. I'll be buying goodies for it after Christmas. Or, if it shoots noticeably better than the other one, I might just temporily swap stocks.
I was surprised to find two of them near me at the same time.
They only made around 100,000 of the M39 Finns (as opposed to about 17,000,000 Russian 91/30's), so they probably aren't going to get more common unless the Finnish government has a stash they haven't let go of yet.
But keep your eyes open. The gunshop owner I bought one of mine from said the guy who sold it to him bought it at a Big 5.
First of all, I"ll say Polish as never owned a Finn but will put it on my list.
Secondly I was stationed at Minot in the early 70s. Best hunting and fishing I've experienced but the cold and drifting "snirt" was difficult to take. I left there for Fairchild AFB in Spokane and loved that place too.
mc:nod:
AIM Surplus has a small supply of M-39's right now but they are around $235.00-really makes me appreciate getting my Sako for $99.00 when Inter-Ordnance still had them. I just wish I'd bought a few more!
Minot 
