Mossberg Model 44US
O.F. Mossberg & Sons · Rifle · Discontinued · 1943
Also known as: Mossberg 44US, Mossberg M44US, 44 U.S.
Overview
The Mossberg Model 44US is an American bolt-action .22 Long Rifle training rifle produced by O.F. Mossberg & Sons for the U.S. War Department during and after World War II. Feeding from a 7-round detachable box magazine and fitted with a heavy target barrel and a micrometer-adjustable receiver peep sight, it was issued to teach basic marksmanship fundamentals to U.S. troops rather than to prepare them for combat. Its full-length military walnut stock and sling swivels approximated the handling of the service rifles of the era at low ammunition cost.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3629 g (128.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1099 mm (43.27") |
| Barrel Length | 660 mm (25.98") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 7 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 330 m/s (1083 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 141 J (104 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 90 m (98 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | 6 Grooves, Right-Hand Twist |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Long Rifle · primary — also known as .22 LR, 22 LR, 5.6x15mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: 7-Round Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Micrometer Click Receiver Peep Sight, Heavy Target Barrel, Military Oil-Finished Walnut Stock, Front And Rear Sling Swivels, U.S. Property Markings
Production
Estimated total produced: 58,000 · Production years: 1943-1949
About 58,000 delivered under War Department contract 1943-1945; ~19,000 more scheduled but cancelled. Civilian 44US(a)-(d) variants continued postwar.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: O.F. Mossberg & Sons
Discontinued: 1949
Notes
Manufactured under War Department contract; roughly 58,000 units were delivered from 1943 to 1945, with a further 19,000-plus scheduled but cancelled near the end of the war. Postwar civilian and successor variants (44US(a) through 44US(d)) continued into the late 1940s.
Background
The 44US series gave a generation of American servicemen and later civilian riflery programs an affordable, accurate .22 trainer that mimicked the feel of a full-size military rifle, making it a prized collector piece with its U.S. Property markings.