I've been reloading 7.62 X 54R for my M44 for about 13 years now, using Privi Partisan brass. I bought lots of it when it was readily available years ago. I load 100 grain Speer "plinkers", 130 grain Speer hollow points and Hornady 150 grain round nose and spire point. I use Dupont IMR3031 as it was recommended to me as being a good all around powder and had characteristics close to what the original military type propellant had. Works fantastic. I have fired thousands of rounds through that little carbine and the accuracy simply astounds me for a short military rifle. It's almost as good as my Swedish 6.5's which are unbelievable. 1 inch groups WITH IRON sights at 100 yards are not uncommon with that little M44. This gun is a Polish one manufactured by factory #11 and the fit and finish is as good as any top quality sporting rifle I own. I bubba'd the gun for hunting, removed the bayonet and had the bolt turned down as well and the stock was very much lightened and refinished. I hate straight bolts and just had to have that bolt turned down. GRINThis was all done by a professional gunsmith and it made a great looking, light little hunting rifle. About all I can complain about is that if you take a shot on the edge of dark while hunting, the muzzle flash is SO bad you better make sure that the first shot counts as you won't see right for a minute. Typical for a very high power load in a very short barrel. Now before anyone panics about another gun nut hacking on a new, never issued military rifle, let me say that I bought 2 of them when I bought this one and the one is still packed in cosmoline and has never been fired and has been put away as a collectors item. It shoots as good as it looks too. I have taken many deer with this little gun over the years and even my wife used it for 3 seasons from a stand although she did complain about muzzle blast and recoil using the factory Privi Partisan 180 soft points. The gun has a couple pounds shaved off it so I did eventually cave in and give her a different gun to shoot that didn't punish her so bad. I used to rib her about being a "wimp" though. ha! ha!