The going price of an M38 these days.

I bought a correct M38/38 2 years ago for $650 at a gun show. Yup! I'm an idiot.
It was in A1 shape with a beautiful bore. Still, could not stand looking at it everytime I open my safe, knowing I got ripped off. Sold it this year for $450. Never even fired it! My biggest loss on a gun sale.
 
Still alive said:
I bought a correct M38/38 2 years ago for $650 at a gun show. Yup! I'm an idiot.
It was in A1 shape with a beautiful bore. Still, could not stand looking at it everytime I open my safe, knowing I got ripped off. Sold it this year for $450. Never even fired it! My biggest loss on a gun sale.
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You should have kept it - next year it will probably be worth $650. Especially if it was all correct and matching.
 
bp2626 said:
A refurb is a refurb. The nice bore is all that really matters.
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Yes sir, although we have both seen some ugly refurbs ;)

Is there any new proof from soviet documentation or the like, that all M38's in M44 stocks were post war? I have seen so called "non refurbs" in the M44 stocks, but fakes are certainly out there.
 
pcvando said:
Yes sir, although we have both seen some ugly refurbs ;)

Is there any new proof from soviet documentation or the like, that all M38's in M44 stocks were post war? I have seen so called "non refurbs" in the M44 stocks, but fakes are certainly out there.
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There is some wartime documentation but it's all in Russian and hard to access. Mostly from observations though, no one has ever found a real all original non-refurb in a m44 stock. We also know full well that m38 stock producing continued even post war.
 
350$ is a fair price for a M38. I would say 300-400$ being the proper range at the moment. It is funny that the M44s are worth more considering they have less history and are less practical (for the average shooter).
 
bp2626 said:
There is some wartime documentation but it's all in Russian and hard to access. Mostly from observations though, no one has ever found a real all original non-refurb in a m44 stock. We also know full well that m38 stock producing continued even post war.
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Interesting, I wonder why the Soviets would have put them in M44 stocks during rebuild. Maybe it was just more practical.
 
If you want it, buy it. These are nice handling rifles in contrast to the heavy, unbalanced, and clunky M44s which for some reason sell at a premium. Three fifty is a good price for one with a good bore regardless of whether it has a cut out for the bayonet. There aren't that many around and holding out for one 50 bucks cheaper might leave you with nothing; you aren't going to get one for $150 any time soon.

If you shoot anything you go through 50 bucks in ammunition and gas to get to the range pretty quickly. It always amazes me that people agonize over $25 or $50 for a rifle. The price difference between a "bargain" and "paid too much" is equal to a box of 100 174gn HPBT 0.311 bullets for a Mosin PU (about $75 including tax and shipping).
 
I do want. Finding M44's here and there but no sign of M38's. Anybody have them in stock? I agree $3-400 on the M38 and I'm seeing $395 M44's retailing so really the difference, IMHO, is the price of a bayonet. Some people like pokey things. Not a huge "premium".
 
I personally didn't want the bayonet. Just extra weight.

I might regret that decision when the Zombie apocalypse goes down. I guess I'll have to get by with my SKS' then. ;)
 
pcvando said:
Interesting, I wonder why the Soviets would have put them in M44 stocks during rebuild. Maybe it was just more practical.
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The Mosin refurbishment program was to disassemble down to base components, strip, clean, repair and reassemble at random with fitting as needed. For example, in a refurbished Mosin bolt the cocking piece, bolt body, firing pin, firing pin spring, bolt head, extractor and bolt guide are probably all from different rifles and different periods.

There are refurbished M44s in M38 stocks with bayonet relief cuts added.
 
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