Mosin-Nagant M44
Tula Arms Plant / Izhevsk Arsenal · Carbine · Out Of Production · 1944
Also known as: Karabin obraztsa 1944 goda, Карабин обр. 1944 г., Type 53 (Chinese copy), M1944
Overview
The Mosin-Nagant M44 (Karabin obraztsa 1944 goda) is a Soviet bolt-action carbine adopted in 1944 to replace both the M91/30 service rifle and the M38 carbine. Its defining feature is a permanently attached, side-folding cruciform bayonet that hinges flat against the right side of the stock when not in use. The fixed bayonet adds significant weight at the muzzle, helping tame the recoil of the full-power 7.62x54mmR cartridge in a 514 mm barrel. The M44 served the Red Army through the closing months of WWII, Korea, and beyond, and was license-produced as the Chinese Type 53 in massive numbers - armatures of which were carried by NVA and Viet Cong fighters throughout the Vietnam War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4080 g (143.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1016 mm (40.00") |
| Barrel Length | 514 mm (20.24") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 765 m/s (2510 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2810 J (2073 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1000 m (1094 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 15 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.62x54mmR · primary — also known as 7.62 Russian, 7.62x54R, 7.62 Soviet
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Stripper Clip, Internal Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Cocking Piece Safety
- Features: Fixed Folding Cruciform Bayonet, Stripper Clip Loading, Iron Sights, Interrupter Magazine
Variants
- Mosin-Nagant M91/30 — Parent Rifle
- Mosin-Nagant M38 — Predecessor Carbine
- Type 53 Carbine — Chinese License Copy
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Soviet Red Army · adopted 1944 · as Karabin obraztsa 1944 goda
- People's Liberation Army (China) · adopted 1953 · as Type 53
- Korean People's Army · adopted 1950
- People's Army of Vietnam · as Type 53
- Viet Cong
Conflicts
- World War II (1944-1945)
- Korean War (1950-1953)
- First Indochina War (1946-1954)
- Vietnam War (1955-1975)
- Cuban Revolution (1953-1959)
- Hungarian Revolution (1956)
Production
Estimated total produced: 7,500,000 · Production years: 1944-1955
Soviet production at Izhevsk through 1948; license-produced as Type 53 in China through the mid-1950s with millions made; also produced in Hungary, Poland, and Romania.
Origin
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Designer: Sergei Ivanovich Mosin (base design)
Discontinued: 1948
Notes
The folding bayonet, while clever, is a frequent point of complaint in modern surplus shooters because it can shift point of impact when folded vs. extended.
Background
When the People's Army of Vietnam needed bolt-action rifles tough enough for jungle warfare, China's Type 53 - a carbon copy of the M44 - was its answer; American GIs frequently encountered Viet Cong sappers wielding bayoneted Mosin carbines that had already been through three previous wars.