m44 russian $195 at collector source
- Thread starter themouser
- Start date
My cleaning rod is loose as well....probably some crud in the retaining block, nothing serious..I am going to try a mix of handloads and ball ammo...the bore has some wear so some .312 dia projectiles should help..
Just to summarize what markings we've found:
Triangle 21 on bolt (Chinese bolt - possibly, not much clear info on it) - someone please post if they find evidence online...
Russian receiver and original stock - non-refurb and no import markings
Albanian name was etched into one.
Here's what I believe is lettering (or numbers) scratched in to the stock, it would be under the barrel between the two clips,
Russian Alphabet (I think)? That "7 with a b attached looks to match ^
The Albanians had Chinese help with arms and they had influenced the design and building of their sks...it is possible that they also supplied parts for refurbing M44's....if you think you have a Chinese bolt would you please post pics of it with the serial number on the bolt body itself...would like to see one...
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Agim is an Albanian given name for males.[1] People named Agim include:
Agim Canaj, former footballer player and current football coach
Agim Çeku, former Prime Minister of Kosovo
Agim Kaba, American actor, artist and director
Agim Krasniqi, Albanian nationalist and former leader of a band of insurgents
Agim Ramadani, Albanian writer
Agim Shabani, Norwegian footballer
Agim Qirjaqi, Albanian actor and television director
Agim Zajmi, Albanian painter
Agim Çeku[a] (born 29 October 1960) is the Minister of Security Forces for the Republic of Kosovo. He has been Prime Minister of Kosovo and a chief of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). He was born in the village of Ćuška[1] near Peć, in the Yugoslav province of Kosovo (in present-day Kosovo).
I think we're looking at a hoard of rifles from Albania or Kosovo (a country with a large Albanian population), most likely. I think CS didn't want to share the fact that these were from a mostly Muslim country/area. There was a war in Kosovo from 1998-99, these may have seen action.
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I think it's a common name, but definitely Albanian. Lots of Albanians in Kosovo, therefore Albania or Kosovo seem to be the likely source of these. There were many conflicts in this area, the former Yugoslavia. Russian rifle with a Chinese bolt made it to the Albania/Kosovo region somehow (in my hypothesis, anyway)... I'm certain these rifles have traveled many miles.
Strange Marks on my Bolt (Triangle 21) {Mosin Nagant Forum}
"I recently got an m44 and went to check the serials and stumbled upon some strange marks on the bolt. The serials on all the other parts match expect for the following on the bolt. also there is a tiny tiny a and some other lines on the other side of the bolt.
Postby Junk Yard Dog » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:54 am
A little more information about your M44 would help, are there Chinese characters on the top of the barrel with a date from the 1950's? In any event it looks like you have a Chinese type 53 bolt, triangle 21 mark, the type 53 is what the Chinese called their M44 after the Soviets sold them the equipment to make it after WW2. Welcome to the forum, post some pics of the rest of the rifle, good closeup of the markings will help ID it for you.
Re: Strange Marks on my Bolt
Postby Junk Yard Dog » Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:34 am
What is the history of the carbine? Did you buy it from a dealer? Is there an import mark on it someplace, sometimes these can be very small and near the muzzle. I can see from the pic that your rifle is not one of the refurbished ones, no Ukrainian refurb stamp on the barrel, it could be a bringback from Vietnam. There was some Soviet aid to North Vietnam that would have included M44's, and Chinese type 53's were a common sight all over 'nam. A possibility anyway, most headspace issues on the Mosin are solved by swapping the bolt head, not the entire bolt. It's an interesting rifle that probably had some story behind it.
If it was years ago then possibly it came in from China with the first loads of type 53's, Russian rifles were sent to china to aid Mao during the communists fight against the Nationalists. We will probably never know, but if the rifle came out of a dealer crate wearing that bolt and an import mark then the chances are good it came in from China. If the dealer is still around maybe you could ask him if he remembers that lot of rifles, chances are the rest of them were Chinese '53's. No need to post a photo of the import mark, just read what it says, as to things like the loose sight, and the condition of the wood and the bayonet, these are typical type 53 hallmarks, the Chinese used these rifles hard."
So what do you guys think?
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Definitely sounds plausible. I cleaned up the metalwork on one of the two I ordered today. Bore is in excellent shape. Little bit of pitting below stock line and on the bayo. I cleaned it removed the rust and reblued. Turned out beautiful. Stripped the finish on the stock. Want to use a Jacobean finish on it. Wood is in surprisingly good shape. No cracks or repairs even on the handguard. No engraving just a few dings. same as others I have the /21\ mark on the bolt. Numbers don't match but it should be a beautiful shooter.
- Location
- Brantford,Ontario
I got mine Yesterday, Its a shooter grade gun for sure the bore and rifling look new but the bluing on the gun is ok at best and the stock has large chunks missing out of it, But I cant complain I am still more then happy with it 
