M44 Manufactured in 1943 Trials Rifle

[Signalboss]

Pictures of my matching M44 Mfg. in 1943 Trials Rifle, unfortunately it has an import marking and has been Counter Bored.

[SA1911a1]

That is slick, counterbore or not.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Made in tiny numbers compared to other Mosin types they are rare to own no matter counterbore or not. These rifles were used in war, the largest conflict in human history to date, so it's not surprising they show wear. The numbers match because it went through a post WW2 Soviet refurbishment that had the serial numbers matched to the barrel number during the refurb process. 1943 91/30's or M38's are common given the huge production during the height of the war, 20 years ago collectors would whine about finding mostly 1943 date rifles when searching at a show. Now that same 1943 they passed over then is worth 400+ today, more than that most likely but I haven't kept track. I often wonder how many of these 1943 M44 trials rifles were passed over by collectors not in the know of what they where back then. My first 1943 M44 was bought when I was in ignorance of the fact it was a low production trials rifle, I just bought it because it was $79, and I was buying a lot of Mosins at that time due to the cheap prices. Seller had no clue either as it had not been cherry picked out of the pile to be sold at higher price. The second one I bought at the then market value of around two hundred knowing full well what it was. The next one I saw was years later and going for more that the first five or six M44's I bought put together, I passed on that one. Counterbore, import marking don't mean jack shit, you are very fortunate to have found that rifle. Because of the Cold War surplus arms from the Soviet block were not coming into the country until after the wall came down in 1992. This means they will all be import marked except for a what came in from Spain in the 1950's or the tiny number brought back by GI Joe from Korea, and Vietnam. Most of the collectors looking at this post who don't already have one from years back will likely never get a chance to have one unless they spend a great deal of money, and time hunting one up that somebody will part with.

[Signalboss]

Thank you each for your response, this rifle and my 1917 which I posted are staying in my collection, Unfortunately, I'm paring down my collection because I'm getting up there in age.
The ones I'm selling off are another M44 which is matching and has a 1944 date, nearly identical as this one, a nice matching M38 Mfg. in 1939, a M91/30 Tula Mfg. 1927, a M91/30 MO Double Date marked 1922/53 with an Izhevsk barrel and Tula Receiver and Finnish M91 Tika with a WW1 contract Remington Receiver, this one I'm still up in the air about selling.
I have a PE Mosin that I'm up in the air about selling, I believe it was cobbled together at S.O.G., Receiver might be a Sniper, but the scope definitely isn't. I might keep the Finn in its place.