I picked up a Izhevsk M44 - my first ever - yesterday with two cans of ammo (880 rounds) for $125. It seems to be in excellent shape for a rifle that old with a dark bore. I corked the barrel last night and filled it with Shooter's Choice Copper Remover after having scrubbed on the bore for an hour or so.
This morning I dumped out the solvent. The lands are bright, no pits, but the grooves are dark. I ran a nylon brush through it at least 30 or more times. Then a patch soaked in the solvent. It came out blue!
I have not yet shot the rifle but I really think it is going to be fairly accurate and well worth the money.
I guess it shouldn't be a big thing on an old surplus rifle, but I like a sharp, clean and shiny bore. I've foamed the barrel and am letting it sit before I hit it again. Is it a lost cause to get the bore shiny? Should I just shoot it and not worry too much about the bore?
Thanks, guys!

Just shoot it, after a while with regular shooting and cleanings it will brighten up. I must have run a hundred pounds of patches through mine when I first got it.

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Quoted: Just shoot it, after a while with regular shooting and cleanings it will brighten up. I must have run a hundred pounds of patches through mine when I first got it.

mine was the same way but like r32 said shoot and clean it good. mine brightened up some after several rounds run thru it , it'll get better just shoot it and enjoy it

I shot mine today and it was fun! I bought the thing for $99 at Fleet Farm on a lark simply because the thing was mint/pristine and looked like it had never been shot. Reciever date is post war, so why not? I was prepared for all the legendary flash and recoil, and could not find any light ball, so I shot russian regular heavy ball...guess what? The recoil ain't so bad at all, just a hair more than a .30-30... and it figures as the gun weighs 8 lbs...at 100 yards today I could keep all five shots in a five inch bullseye easily, with some holes touching and in the center. Got 440 rounds for $40...I must admit it was really fun, and except for the poor safety, I would hunt deer with mine anytime. It's a sleeper favorite of mine now. The more I shoot it, the more I like it.

where'd you get it? I could use some ammo.

Quoted: where'd you get it? I could use some ammo.

Got it from Sumo at the OK Hometown Swap Meet yesterday.

crap, I knew I should have went..........

I'll have to keep looking fer ammo.

Took the M44 to the range and shot it in the rain at 100 yards. Just used elbows off the bench. The first shot was the flyer/ The next 4 were as quick as I could work the bolt. If I'd used a solid bullseye, I know I would have done better. But the rain started coming down too hard and I had to quit.
As far as the rifle goes, I"m tickled!

Sweet! Nice shooter there.

Some more time at the range with the old M44 gave some pretty good groups for a rifle with crappy short radius sights. The first group was high, the second group was lower but I started stringing them as the barrel got hotter. Over all, I'm impressed with this old rifle at 100 yds.
You guys were right, the more I shoot it, the cleaner the bore is getting. I heated it up at the range, hit it with a cleaning foam, and the bore is shining up some.

It's truly amazing that you can have sooooo much fun with a cheap rifle  ! !

Now you need to go and get a 91/30  ! !

Quoted: It's truly amazing that you can have sooooo much fun with a cheap rifle  ! ! Now you need to go and get a 91/30  ! !

I probably won't. I'm left handed and working a right handed bolt too much will screw up my regular shooting of left handed bolts.
I got it for a loaner deer rifle. Hell, if I take a kid again this year and he kills a deer with it, I"ll give it to him. It'll work on a deer easily out to 200 yds just like it sits.
Taking a kid deer hunting, having success, and then giving him the rifle he shot it with is full of rewards. I've actually done it and hope to do it again this coming deer season!
Besides, I don't have too much money in the rifle!

Southpaw ? ?

That ain't good  !

Read "somewhere" that all the Rusky south-paws were all put on the front lines  ! !

Remember -- the 54R is the 30-06 class.  Buy a box of soft points and the rifle will do it's job during deer season.

And a little story:  My son, who is now 16, has been shooting with me for the past 10 years or so.  Never fired a M-N until last weekend -- a M-44.  Was shooting at a steel gong at 100 yards.  Sure could make it ring  !    Thought the rifle was pretty cool and went thur about 100 rounds or so.  Had a real funky yellow bruise on his cheek the next day.

Gotta love those cheap shootin' M-N's ! !