[pioneer461]

I received an M-44 and accessories as a gift from my son a year or so ago, and finally took it to the range a couple of weeks ago. Before doing so, I read a lot of stuff about the rifle, its history, etc. From my reading, I learned that the carbine is designed to shoot with the bayonet extended, and to adjust the sights to zero with the bayonet folded, I should use a light hammer and brass drift.

I found the alignment mark on the front sight, which was centered and tapped the sight left, to move the group right. Nothing happened. I tapped a bit more, again nothing happened. It was getting ridiculous, so I re-aligned the sight with the mark. I used Winchester, factory ammo, on a shooting bench, at the gun club.

Am I missing something (no pun intended )? Can anyone offer me suggestions? I'd like to stay away from optics to keep the gun original if I can. It’s too good of a gun to not shoot it, but would really prefer a folded bayonet.

[Pounce]

What happened after you realigned it and use the factory ammo?
How far off and from how far is it?
Mine shoots about 3 in. and 4 in. down and to the right from about 45 yds.
Suits me fine.As far as a scope you may want to check out Brownells.
They have bases for Mosins,K-31's, Garand, Enfeilds and I think Springfeild.
They run about $70-80. But the beauty of em is you don't have to drill and tap or change the rifle. They pretty much just screw on. Then find yourself a scope.

[pioneer461]

Pounce,
All of the rounds were on the left of center, no matter how much I moved the front sight. Very odd! When I extended the bayonet, the rounds shifted right, almost at the edge of the paper at 100 yds.

I'm not going to put optics on it. I want to keep it original.

I obviously need more range time with this rifle. May have to break down and buy surplus ammo.

[pioneer461]

I'll either get it to shoot where I want, or I will sell it.

[Pounce]

Keep it. History. Those base mounts from Brownells don't change anything. It will stay original.

[pioneer461]

I guess I'm just old school. I worked for Leupold for about 5 years ('01-'06). Companies in the shooting industry constantly trade products for "R & E" (research & evaluation), and we had a steady inflow of guns from all major gun makers. Every gun that came in, the marketing crew immediately slapped a scope on it. There are some rifles which just should not have scopes on them. Winchester / Marlin lever guns, military guns, other reproduction models, just somehow don't look right with glass on 'em. Especially modern optics.

As I said, I'm old school.

[Pounce]

Still, those 91/30's were excellent sniper rifles.(w/scopes) The M44 is a carbine. I see your point on that one. I like the way they look with a scope,Mauser's and the rest of those old war horses. I have quite a collection and have never had any altered. I may give it a 'shot' one day with one of those screw on's though. I'm old school also.

[pioneer461]

My only other old gun is a 1889 Springfield, Krag Jorgenson .30-40. The original owner sporterized the stock many moons ago, and made it a hunter. His grandson sold it to me while we both worked at Leupold. No scope tho. The smoothest action I've ever shot. What a sweetheart.

[Pounce]

Originally Posted by pioneer461

My only other old gun is a 1889 Springfield, Krag Jorgenson .30-40. The original owner sporterized the stock many moons ago, and made it a hunter. His grandson sold it to me while we both worked at Leupold. No scope tho. The smoothest action I've ever shot. What a sweetheart.

It's a shame about the stock. Still a good one to hang on to. You might want to look into a C&R.

[yellolab94]

I agree w/ ya pioneer, keep it the way it is!!!!! I can see if your eyesight is gone and get a setup that will not effect the integrity of the historic rifle. My M44 is temper-mental. Some days it will be on the money @ 50 yards and off @ 100 and vise versa. So I shoot a couple of rounds down range and see where they land and use the old Kentucky Windage!! Fun rifles