Welcome everyone to the 207th edition of ‘Hot Gat or Fudd Crap?’, one of our many series here on TFB. If you’re new to the series, this is where we look at the most obscure firearms that are actually for sale and ask the question – is this Gat a sweet deal or only have Fudd appeal?  Each week the TFB staff weighs in with their thoughts, but readers get the final say in the poll at the bottom of each article.

In our last edition, our poll showed that you, the readers, decided the 6.8 SPC chambered AR-15 was just late 2000’s fudd crap.  

HGFC – 6.8 Throwback or Throw Away? — Poll Results

At this time the original auction still remains up with this time capsule from the late 2000’s still up for grabs. We can only hope that this gun will find its way to a new home in the very near future.  

In this week’s edition of HGFC, we look at a customized Izhevsh Mosin-Nagant M44 chambered in 7.62x54R. As is tradition, this very old school gat is currently up for sale on GunBroker for $699.99 Buy It Now.  

HOT GAT or FUDD CRAP?

Soviet Sniper or American Idiot?

HOT GAT or FUDD CRAP? Soviet Sniper or American Idiot?

Let’s see what the Staff had to say about this week’s offering:

“The price is right” – Nick C.

Selling this sniper rifle looking retro gat is GunBroker seller RAC Guns and Ammo, located in Sparks NV.  Let’s see what they had to say about this custom Mosin.  

HOT GAT or FUDD CRAP? Soviet Sniper or American Idiot?

For sale is a used 1944 Izhevsk Mosin Nagant M44

Receiver stamped 1944 production

Bolt action rifle chambered in 7.62x54r

Matching serial # on bolt handle and receiver

Gun is set in an Archangel stock and uses their proprietary 10rd magazines

Timney trigger

Rock Solid Industries scope mount

Knights Armament rings

Athlon 6-24×50 scope

HOT GAT or FUDD CRAP? Soviet Sniper or American Idiot?

A prior owner ground down bayonet mount and front sight hood in order to install a muzzle brake

HOT GAT or FUDD CRAP? Soviet Sniper or American Idiot?

In service since 1891, the Mosin-Nagant has been terrorizing new shooters and plaguing gun shows by the pallet for years. Speaking in generalities, almost everyone’s first experience with a Mosin-Nagant usually involves less of an actual shooting lesson, and to just “man up” and pull the trigger.  It’s for this reason that part of me always thought the $80 price tag should stick around forever. Sadly, with the Russian firearm ban and subsequent ammo ban, prices on these are slowly starting to go up.

HOT GAT or FUDD CRAP? Soviet Sniper or American Idiot?

Now that’s not to say these didn’t fit a purpose. I’m just saying that purpose might have been accomplished 100 years ago, and the future is now, old man.  With that said, the rifle before the M44 was the M38.  Developed in 1938, the M38 had 8.5 inches of barrel removed making the overall length of the rifle less than 40 inches.  As you might have imagined this was for urban warfare, and years later the M44 used the M38 and made slight changes to the forearm and a permanently mounted cruciform bayonet…that’s no longer there.  Look, all I’m trying to say is that Mosin-Nagants have always been very weird and very…soviet.  Is there a buyer out there for this gun? Maybe. But it’s certainly not me.

So what is a heavily modified piece of history like this worth?  Is this even worth saving at this point? As always I leave it up to you, the readers, to decide.

HOT GAT or FUDD CRAP? Soviet Sniper or American Idiot?

What do you think?  Is this Custom Mosin a Hot Gat or historically trashed Fudd Crap?  Be sure to let us know in the comments below, and cast your vote to let us know if this Izhevsk Mosin-Nagant M44 is a Hot Gat or Fudd Crap: