Mosin nagant91/30

I have a couple rifles I aquired in a trade involving baseball cards several years ago. I wasn't sure at the tiime what I was getting but they seem to be 91/30's. One is dated 1944 and has a Hammer/sickle stamp. It has a laminated stock and the numbers match up except the number on the bolt looks like it was etched with an ingraver and the last number looks like a one instead of a seven that's everywhere else. I also has a folding bayonet.

The other is dated 1953 and doesn't have all the marks the older one has. I has a solid wood stock and also a folding bayonet.

It seems most of the ones I've looked up have detachable bayonets. I shot one of them a couple years ago and remember a pretty good thump. It was also late in the day and was blinded by the muzzle flash. I could look it up I suppose but does anyone know if they make ammo suitable for hunting for these rifles? I have a 1943 Mauser I have used for deer hunting and enjoy shooting as well.

There is something about these old pieces that makes one wonder. They come from a time so different than we know now. The Mauser is very well worn and the older Nagant looks broken in as well. I wonder about the ones who carried and faced each other with them.

Are they both the same length? Does the '53 dated piece have a number "11" in an oval on the receiver? If so, it's a Polish M44 carbine.

If the other rifle is the same length, but does not have a bayonet, it's most likely an M38 carbine.

I'll take a closer look and try to load some pics. Both have the side. folding bayonets though.

Thank you
Tom

In that case they're both M44 carbines. The receiver markings will tell the whole story.

OK. They are the same length and the newer one does have the oval with an 11 in it. At least now I know for sure what they are.

Thanks
Tom

I found this website that saved me from having to ask the question what the difference in a 91/30 and a M44.

Mosin–Nagant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sounds to me like you have a Soviet M44 carbine made at Izhevsk in 1944 and a Polish M44 carbine made at Radom in 1953.

The Polish M44s are generally accepted to be the best made of the Mosins - check these sites for more info....

Polish M44

Soviet M44

The Polish M44 Carbine

The Model 1944 Carbine

as far as the ammo goes there is a variety of brands avaliable. they include privtz prime, wolf, sellior and bellot just to name a few and pardon my bad spelling of the names.