Author Topic: was shooting my M44 today.... (Read 721 times)

kevin.303 · « **on:** July 26, 2004, 12:41:53 PM »

and noticed a few oddities about it. i was shooting prone and would have to get on my knees to brace stock and wrench the bolt open after every shot. i didn't want to budge. also the case from the shoulder to the neck was burnt black. something clicked in my mind that wasn't right. the ammo i was using was the yellow tipped hungarian hardball. i think it may have something to do with when i purchased it 6 months ago i stripped of aresenal grease and lubricants but i don't think i re-oiled it. its also a parts gun so that might have something to do with it. is this a seriuos problem?

BTW, i didn't notice a 3 foot spout of flame from the muzzle like everyone says there should be. i was practicing for the upcoming deer season and i thinl they have nothing to fear. the closesti came to the bullseye was after i fired my last cartridge i charged and ran the target thru with the bayonet.

RB Rooson · « **Reply #1 on:** July 26, 2004, 05:05:30 PM »

Well, if the bayonet will get the job done......

kjeff50cal · « **Reply #2 on:** July 26, 2004, 08:05:37 PM »

Did it group on the target? When I first shot my M44 It printed 6" to the right and about that much above POI (point of aim) To adjust for windage right to move POI left and vise versa. the front sight pin can be gently (I said gently) upward to lower POI. The 100 meter setting is actually sighted in for 200 meters!!! (don't know why). My trigger came with a 4 lb pull yours may be heavy causing a "pulled shot". Also check your muzzle, the crown maybe damaged. Finally the recoil of a M44 is an attention getter :eek: . Get a slip-on recoil pad (medium size) or shooting vest when range shooting (even then after 40 rounds a session with a pad your shoulder will twinge). I shoot my Hungarian M44 with 1952 vintage Hungarian ammo (yellow tip) and it also does not "light up", but put some Czech "training rounds through it and the fireball is awsome!!!

kjeff50cal

kevin.303 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 27, 2004, 12:19:08 PM »

yes mine has a very heavy trigger pull. the target was set at about 75-100 yards, and the few shots that did hit the paper where about 4-6 inches to the right of where i was aiming at, but level with my aiming point. on top of that i'm not the greatest shot with anything bigger then a .22. next time i'm going to try it with 148 GR. sporting ammo and use a bipod or a rest and be more careful between shots.

i did have a slip on recoil pad and after 20 rounds, 9 of which where fired in some what rapid succession, my shoulder definitely was aching. i found it was better if i held as tightly to my shoulder as i could and it was a bit steadier with a bit less noticable upward movement.

1911crazy · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2004, 03:29:45 PM »

kevin303 You have to bump the front site to the right just a little at a time till its dead on at 100yds. your lucky you got an easy one to site in. BigBill

Mikey · « **Reply #5 on:** July 28, 2004, 02:19:58 AM »

kevin.303: before you adjust your front sight, change your brand of ammunition. The description of the fired cases make it sound as though it was not good ammo. Try some 200 grain Sellier and Bellot - it's reloadable if you choose to reload for that rifle. Your 3' sheet of flame is normal for that length barrel and that cartridge. But, the overly difficult bolt sounds like the rounds you fired were pretty hot, and that bolt should work just as easily as you can imagine. Be careful with that ammo.

I recommend removing the bayonet before you change anything. My brother's M44 shot about the same as yours, but to the left. Just removing the bayonet helped close up the groups. We finally decided to completely remove the bayonet lug (down to the pins that hold it in place), and that helped even more. After a good bedding job, the S&B ammo shot to poa at 100 yds and grouped at about 2", which is pretty dang good for a mil-surp.

When you take your M44 apart, you will see that it is a pretty simple rifle. If your trigger is stiff, your bolt is prolly still packed with crap - you may have to disassemble the bolt and clean it inside and out to get it to lighten up the trigger pull - do the same to the trigger group. I think they just dunked those things in hot cosmo and the stuff seeps in everywhere. HTH. Mikey.

Mikey · « **Reply #6 on:** July 28, 2004, 02:24:50 AM »

kevin.303 - sorry, fegot one more thing - when we disassembled the rifle we noticed the stock impacted on the barrel significantly, at the end of the stock. We had to relieve the stock significantly to eliminate that impacted area. It was a bit strange as I recall, because when we set the rifle in the stock I noticed that the barrel literally laid right on the wood at the end of the stock - this is not something you would have seen with the upper handguard on and it almost stymied us, until I whipped out the ol dreaded dremel tool and worked away at it until we could fit a folded index card all the way to the end of the barrel channel right up to the end of the chamber area. Then, she shot really great. Mikey.

S.S. · « **Reply #7 on:** July 28, 2004, 02:40:39 AM »

A down fall to some surplus ammunition is that the cases are steel.
This material does not readily expand like brass does. therefore
the chamber is not sealed upon firing. Burning debris can flow back
and get between the case and the chamber wall. (black case necks)
This debris can cause the hard extractions also.

kevin.303 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 28, 2004, 12:51:36 PM »

one of the problems is that the only SP ammo available i this caliber around here is Bell 148 gr. the funny thing is the surplus is the 174 gr yellow tipped hungarian that everyone seems to use. i bought it at the place i used to work at and know it was stored in a sealed metal box and still had the inspection slip from the fifty's inside. it is steel cased. should i use bore solvent to clean out the cosmo? i took the bolt apart once and it took a long time to get it back together. i'll do it soon and then post what happens. i finally got the internet on my home computer.

1911crazy · « **Reply #9 on:** July 28, 2004, 01:18:11 PM »

I use kerosene to clean cosmoline first if its heavy applied then bore cleaner to finish the cleaning. You don't have any Russian made Wolf SP or Barnaul SP ammo up in the north country?? Can your local gun shop order you some?? The price of the barnaul ammo can't be beat the regular price is around $6 on sale its been $4+ and its 204gr SP. BigBill

kevin.303 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2004, 03:34:07 PM »

SIR is now the only firearms dealer in winnipeg since thier main competitor just went belly up a week ago. www.sirmailorder.com is where i used to work and they are picky when it comes to ordering in stuff. in take months and they'll only do it if there distributor carries it. for example my cousin special ordered a left hand Remington 700 in .300 RUM. (and i got to play with it :grin: ) that was a 6 month wait. RCBS dies, out of stock at the time, were just over a year's wait before they finally recieved them. i here bass pro shops is opening a toronto location this october and if they start selling bulk ammo up here as well, i might be in luck.

www.districorp.ca sells igman sporting ammo at 11.99 a box andif you buy 500 rnds you get a price break. its brass cased and reloadable but i haven't heard much about it.i figure i'll buy one of those lee handloading kits for .303 and 7.62X54R and use those for now.i'm not concerned about saving money as much as i am about a good quality powder and bullet

one final thing bill, you might want to fix your signature, i haven't huigged my SURPLUP today but idid hug my SURPLUS.

Mikey · « **Reply #11 on:** July 29, 2004, 01:57:53 AM »

Geez kevin.303 - what are the restrictions in Canada on your going into the sporting goods business yourself. Sounds like there is a market for ya up there. Mikey.

kevin.303 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 29, 2004, 05:44:12 AM »

i forgot to mention after i disassembled the trigger group and cleaned it the trigger still felt creepy, but not as creepy as before. that's all right cuz' you can't expect a $50 surplus to perform like a custom built.

1911crazy · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2004, 06:22:49 AM »

kevin.303 You can't order ammo from the states here and have it shipped to you?? Like maybe sportsmans guide or AIM can ship it to a local dealer for you? I would think there has to be a way around it. It sure sounds like an opening for a local shop would be the hot ticket for you there in the northland for sure. I have thought about doing it here but the state and local laws are a killer there's just too much red tape. For me even to sell a gun here locally i have to call for a back ground check on everyone for any firearm. One must know the laws and our limitations for sure. And with all this homeland security stuff too inplace everything changes again. Its not like the old days anymore. BigBill

kevin.303 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 31, 2004, 10:08:46 AM »

i'm a little young yet to open my own shop but it is something i've given a lot of thought to for the future. i could drive down to the grand forks cabelas but i don't think anything like that can cross the border via mail or courier service. you wouldn't happen to interested in bankrolling it would you?

one of the few laws up here that works in favour of gunsmiths is a law against frivilous lawsuits.