Mossberg M44 U.S. Trainer ………..( f 707) SOLD

 Mossberg M44 .22 Training Rifle

Bolt action, magazine fed .22 LR bolt action training rifle designed and built to fill a massive requirement of the US Army during WW2.  The rifle is 43″ in overall length.  The round barrel is 26″ long and the trigger pull is 13.1/2″ to the centre.  Stocked in a sporting style with a flat steel butt-plate and two sling swivels.  The stock has a distinctive pistol grip where the plastic trigger guard extends down the front of the pistol grip.  This extended guard has indents for placement of the remaining fingers of the right hand that grip the rifle.  The stock is unusually bulky for a .22 rifle but this was an attempt to familiarise the troops with the full-bore rifles they would move on to.  Hence, the fore-end is deep in thickness for the same reason.

Finish over the barrel and action is grey phosphate, the bolt body being plain steel.  The bent bolt handle though, has been case-colour hardened and this is still most apparent.  The butt-plate, the magazine and magazine plate under the rifle are all blacked.  The rear sights are a fully adjustable set also finished in the black.  The top bar of the sight bracket is marked as follows;- “MOSSBERG-MICROCLICK / S-100  PAT. PEND.”  They function well with definite and positive click adjustment, holding perfectly and robustly in position as required.

When discovered in the U.S. this actual rifle was inside a sealed plastic bag and swabbed with a heavy grease.  The bag however had become ripped and had to be separated from the rifle where it was starting to become one with parts of the stock and action.  The petro-chemicals in the thick storage bag were beginning to melt.  It is my opinion that this rifle was reconditioned at the end of its service life and then bagged and put into storage.  The bore is in very good condition with excellent depth and sharp definition.  There is no apparent misting or pitting.  The magazine and trigger guard were sourced brand new when this rifle arrived in the UK this year.

The top of the round phosphate barrel is marked:- “O.F. MOSSBERG & SONS, INC  / NEW HAVEN, CONN,  U.S.A.  / 44 U.S.  22L.R.  / U.S. PROPERTY”   The action is also marked;- “U.S. PROPERTY / SER.NO.  117791”  There is a simple left to right safety catch to the rear of the action, the red and green markers it was issued with are absent but the catch functions perfectly.  Serrated trigger.  Bolt cut-out in stock to the RHS of action.

A fine tidy example of a training rifles that served well during conflict for the allies and is now ready to see the light of day again.

Stock No’  f 707

£ 625.   SOLD

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