Noob needs help

[hunterUK]

Hi guys i am about to get my first mosin rifle and I need your help there are two rifles I have seen that I like both are m44's and both are the same price one is a Russian 1943 with very nice laminate stock with Average blueing and a good barrel there other is a polish 1953 which is immaculate more than likely unissued both have matching serial numbers I'm just torn between them both as I live in the UK I can't buy both as I have only one slot on my licence.

I am not a die hard collector which ever rifle I decided on will be used for target shooting and admiring is one more sought after than the other and if so why.

So any help or advice would be appreciated I will try to add some picture but in the mean time any opinions both positive and negative
Would help a lot.
Many thanks

Information

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[Eaglelord17]

There are a fair bit of unissued Polish M44s out there as they made a bunch and put them in storage. I have heard from people that the Polish M44 is one of the nicest Mosins ever made. The Russian M44 however has some history, in particular is it is a 1943 manufactured M44 it would have been used in combat trials as they made 50,000 in 1943 as trials rifles before official production started.

Either way they are nice rifles, condition and fit and finish would go to the Polish M44 (they actually took there time and made a nice product rather than the Soviets who were pumping out as much stuff as they could), but history wise the Russian M44 has very good points. Either way you will likely enjoy it, hope this helps.

[Aragorn243]

Same price, I'd go for the Polish, no hesitation.

[zip code]

NO...get the Russian! Way more value! It's not that often that a trials [ read experimental ] carbine / rifle comes along from any country. Granted 50,000 were made, but combat losses and hard use will have taken their toll on that number.
In my collection I have three neat M44's. A 1943, a Tula made one and one with a hex receiver. Any one of those is worth way more than any run of the mill M44. The trials carbine will impress other MN collectors.
But then again, why not get both?