1948 M44. Dark bore

[matt167]

Friend of mine just picked up a '48 M44 in really nice condition overall, except the bore. I looked at it when he bought it and suggested that it probably wasn't much of a shooter and was a big risk with that bore. Couldn't see anything, just pitch black.. He bought it anyway. cleaned it up and fired off a few rounds noting it WAS fairly accurate. But the ammo he got with it ( triangle box, can't think of what it is ) was spitting primers. I told him to wait for me to grab my Okie gauges and firing pin gauge but he didn't.. So I thought the spit primers were due to loose headspace. But everything checks out. What could it be? The ammo 'looks' ok but it is what I would call flee market special

[tjtM38]

He definitely needs to check the firing pin protrusion. If it measures within tolerance, then change to another kind of ammo. All surplus for this round should be considered corrosive.

[matt167]

I checked it and it was close to spec according to my original multi tool but slightly over, but it does not line up with the hash marks, not that they are the end-all.. I told him to pull it apart and clean it, and then the firing pin protrusion could be adjusted... I also told him that most of the ammo he got with it was probably junk, and I knew at least the silver tip was corrosive. I gave him a box of Red Army Std, just so he had some known good ammo

[WeldonHunter]

I checked it and it was close to spec according to my original multi tool but slightly over, but it does not line up with the hash marks, not that they are the end-all.. I told him to pull it apart and clean it, and then the firing pin protrusion could be adjusted... I also told him that most of the ammo he got with it was probably junk, and I knew at least the silver tip was corrosive. I gave him a box of Red Army Std, just so he had some known good ammo

Wasn't sure about a few things so I didn't respond before. You said it "spit" the primers but do you mean the primers ruptured or split or that the primers were forced out of their pocket in the base of the shell? You also mentioned the ammo he got with it was "Triangle Box". Do you mean the box looked like the ones in the ammo can in the picture below? Also, did it come on stripper clips? If this is the case that ammo is actually not junk. It's Russian Surplus dated from the 40s (the stuff in the pictures is 1947) and is lead core and on real Russian Izhevsk factory stripper clips. It is also corrosively primed like all surplus for these. I've shot a lot of this ammo with no problems. Just like all surplus ammo you need to clean the rifle correctly right after shooting which is very easy.

[matt167]

No stripper clips, however those are the packages just degraded. He treated it as corrosive as I told him to... I don't think the ammo was bad if it was stored correctly, but for sure it had gotten wet hence me calling it flee market special... He got some silver tip surplus ( which I have a pile of as well ) and some unbranded, 60's-70's looking red and green packages that said 7.62x54R hunting ammunition as well. I told him that it is all suspect due to improper storage. Some might be ok, but some is obviously not.

As for spitting primers. I mean that the round appeared to over pressure, and primers were blowing out of the case. Not every one he shot blew out, but all were deformed

[WeldonHunter]

No stripper clips, however those are the packages just degraded. He treated it as corrosive as I told him to... I don't think the ammo was bad if it was stored correctly, but for sure it had gotten wet hence me calling it flee market special... He got some silver tip surplus ( which I have a pile of as well ) and some unbranded, 60's-70's looking red and green packages that said 7.62x54R hunting ammunition as well. I told him that it is all suspect due to improper storage. Some might be ok, but some is obviously not.

As for spitting primers. I mean that the round appeared to over pressure, and primers were blowing out of the case. Not every one he shot blew out, but all were deformed

Yeah that ammo might also have come in these triangle packs that aren't on strippers. I have the same ammo that's also lead core from 1946. I have 4 crates of it I've never opened so all I know is that it's in sealed tins that are painted green if I remember correctly. The key is you mentioned it wasn't stored correctly. No idea why any of this ammo would be blowing primers out. I would think the bolt face would still support the primers even if it was over pressured and just smash/flatten the primer some. Different ammo is definitely the way to test the theory. That is after making sure the firing pin protrusion is definitely correct. In case you're having trouble with this it's covered down the page here. https://russian-mosin-nagant-forum.com/app.php/page/48

[qz2026]

I'd test it with a different bolt or a different firing pin. Sounds like the firing pin is rupturing the primer...

[Thagomizer]

Perhaps the bore is seriously corroded to the point that bullet friction is increased to a dangerous level.
I have seen active rust that nearly closed off a bore and some peoples thinking is "just shoot it out".
Just my 2 cents.

[matt167]

I'm thinking it might be a firing pin issue.. The bore I don't think was a sewer pipe type rough, and he brushed it and patched it multiple times

I have a spare bolt that we can try swapping parts out of.. I would have NEVER bought this gun, but I think he was in love with the stock. It IS a nice looking gun

[WeldonHunter]

I'm thinking it might be a firing pin issue.. The bore I don't think was a sewer pipe type rough, and he brushed it and patched it multiple times

I have a spare bolt that we can try swapping parts out of.. I would have NEVER bought this gun, but I think he was in love with the stock. It IS a nice looking gun

Keep one thing in mind about the bore on these guns. They will have "dark" bores. They won't have shiny bores like a newer firearm. This is in part because a lot of them had corrosively primed ammo shot out of them and weren't cleaned right away. If it has lands and grooves in the barrel that are at least decent and a good crown it should be a good shooter. I have a Polish M44 that does have a sewer pipe bore and it still shoots great. This is what the bore likes like in my 1943 Tula PU Sniper and I'd say this is about average wear.

[matt167]

By dark, I mean carbon/rust/ contaminates absorbed all the light rather than having a sheen.. That bore you show is pretty much what I call a 'good' Mosin bore.... His kind of resembled a train tunnel