Mossberg 44US

-Another step closer to having a complete US training rifle set! 15 years ago I started in the path of US issue .22 trainers with the search for a Springfield 1922. An auction back home in SW Penna featured an amazing .22 rifle collection that brought out everyone from far and wide. The late consignor was well known and many wanted to take home something of his. I wanted one of two stupid nice 1922s. Unfortunately for me they were some of the last lots in the catalog so I got to watch lots of other items sell first. What I hated missing out on were a half dozen Mossberg 44US rifles from the CMP, still wrapped in their plastic storage bags. As I knew the 1922s would sell high I had to hang onto my cash and watch all six sell for between $220-250 ea. In the end two deep pocket collectors, one of whom spent over $15K by my tally, out bid me and I went home empty-handed. But the yearn for a sealed bag Mossberg stayed with me.
-Didn't see any come to sale for quite a while until this fall where three were listed in a midwest auction, all still in the sealed bag. I watched the first two sell light, $300 and $250. So I jumped in for the last one. Had to spend $350 for it so it wasn't a killer bargain but it's what my heart wanted and I feel like I didn't go crazy over market for it. Can't stress to the young collectors out there to not lose hope when something slips from your grasp. You just need to be diligent and it'll come back around eventually!
-She's all correct with the Mossberg Micro-click sight and the funky red & green safety indicator "buttons" that are so often missing. A few storage bumps and bruises to the furniture and a "1" stamped into the left side of the butt stock. Best guess is a rack number. Added a vintage Garand sling while I look for a period correct Mossberg sling.
-The only downside to it all was the plastic Thermo-set trigger guard had shrunk. Very typical with this material, you see so many Mossbergs with the gap between the guard the stock inletting and even a twist that has it rub one side of the trigger. So out came the new Master Appliance heat gun, a soft jaw clamp and feeler gages. Applied light heat and slowly pulled in the trigger guard with the clamp while keeping a 25 thou gap with the trigger using a feeler gage. She pulled back perfectly and now no drag on the trigger!

-Here's what I used to pull back the Thermo-set trigger guard and the nifty result.

A jewel. And that was a nice piece of work on the trigger guard.

I bought one from CMP long ago. I swear it was new...Best shooting 22 I have out of a decent number of 22s. You did well.

mawkie said:

-Another step closer to having a complete US training rifle set! 15 years ago I started in the path of US issue .22 trainers with the search for a Springfield 1922. An auction back home in SW Penna featured an amazing .22 rifle collection that brought out everyone from far and wide. The late consignor was well known and many wanted to take home something of his. I wanted one of two stupid nice 1922s. Unfortunately for me they were some of the last lots in the catalog so I got to watch lots of other items sell first. What I hated missing out on were a half dozen Mossberg 44US rifles from the CMP, still wrapped in their plastic storage bags. As I knew the 1922s would sell high I had to hang onto my cash and watch all six sell for between $220-250 ea. In the end two deep pocket collectors, one of whom spent over $15K by my tally, out bid me and I went home empty-handed.

Click to expand...

This has happened to me more times than I wish to count.

Awesome I have one and it is dead accurate

Very nice ... and a clever fix for the trigger guard.

Abulg1972 said:

This has happened to me more times than I wish to count.

Click to expand...

If we could arrange the lots to fit our needs. Here's a funny story. Years ago my brother and I attended a gigantic auction in Central PA. It was a massive sell off of stuff from Springfield Sporters, the folks that sell all the military parts. The owner had passed and his kids were forced to raise cash to pay for taxes on the estate. Pallet loads of Enfields, MNs, Mausers, you name it. Sarco and Century staff were running all over the place. Amidst all this were some unique single piece lots and one of them was a Walther K43. It was slated to sell after lunch but all of a sudden up it comes around 9:30 and catches everyone by surprise, selling for a stupid cheap $750. My brother yells foul after the hammer falls and is joined by a growing chorus. Turns out someone begged the auctioneer to move the lot up because he couldn't stay past noon. Yeah, sure. Almost got away with it! The auctioneer negates the sale and we start up again. This time hammering for $500 more, much closer to market value for the early 90s.

I have one also, it’s my favorite .22. Mine is stamped NTC and a rack number. I believe NTC stands for naval training center which is in San Diego, as I’ve been told

kingfish said:

I have one also, it’s my favorite .22. Mine is stamped NTC and a rack number. I believe NTC stands for naval training center which is in San Diego, as I’ve been told

Click to expand...

Rack numbers and any kind of unique markings are what I drool over. Anything that adds to the history of a collectible.

I actually have two from the CMP. First one from 15 years ago (June 1944). Loved it but CMP was sold out. Five years later, they had them again and I couldn't help myself, even at about double the price (Sept. 1944). Both nicely complete. In between, CMP also had Mossberg US M-144. Talk about a heavy barrel, yes. About five years ago, I found in a local pawn shop a Springfield M-1922, originally an M-1 but reworked to M-2 standards. I paid a little more for that one.

Love the .22 trainers; Romanians (3), Polish (early Archer).

I had a chance a few months ago to get on of these in a trade deal. We couldn't make it work out in the end. Wish I had gotten it. Would have made a nice addition to my old .22 collection.

c&rdaze said:

I actually have two from the CMP. First one from 15 years ago (June 1944). Loved it but CMP was sold out. Five years later, they had them again and I couldn't help myself, even at about double the price (Sept. 1944). Both nicely complete. In between, CMP also had Mossberg US M-144. Talk about a heavy barrel, yes. About five years ago, I found in a local pawn shop a Springfield M-1922, originally an M-1 but reworked to M-2 standards. I paid a little more for that one.

Love the .22 trainers; Romanians (3), Polish (early Archer).

Click to expand...

I got quite a few trainers from the CMP back in the 2003-2005 timeframe, including a pair of Mossberg 144LSB rifles. In that era, they had some very interesting pieces that the DOD was dispositioning. The star of my own collection is that I was able to score one of the very few Winchester 52C rifles, along with the period-correct Redfield International sights. In the same period, I got a pair of Remington 513T rifles, and a H&R M12.

JoeR

Thank you for sharing, and great work on the restoration of plastic - surely nerve racking work with something potentially brittle!

Question, I have 2 Cub Scout's, with the elder one aspiring to be a Boy Scout, and I've begun searching for just the right 22LR (preferably bolt) guns to buy them as their first guns to teach them on.

Yes and I know I could easily go out and buy them plain jane Ruger American's, or pass along my basic Savage MKII or even my basic Henry Lever 22LR. I've even debated getting them CZ 452's, or maybe Browning T-Bolt's. After some thought though, I'd really rather get them each something vintage, timeless, and definately wood. Something they'd be proud to keep and maintain long after I am gone.

Being that you've obviously given all the 22 trainers lots of thought, which would you buy for your Son as their first 22 bolt gun to pass along as something worth keepin as a collector? Something like this Mossberg?

TIA, --JB

My first ever gun was a Remington 580 single shot when I was 10. I still have it 49 (49? WTF??)years later. Great shooting little rifle. They made a Magazine fed version, the 581.
That said, the Mossberg outshoots it.

JBinDC said:

Thank you for sharing, and great work on the restoration of plastic - surely nerve racking work with something potentially brittle!

Question, I have 2 Cub Scout's, with the elder one aspiring to be a Boy Scout, and I've begun searching for just the right 22LR (preferably bolt) guns to buy them as their first guns to teach them on.

Yes and I know I could easily go out and buy them plain jane Ruger American's, or pass along my basic Savage MKII or even my basic Henry Lever 22LR. I've even debated getting them CZ 452's, or maybe Browning T-Bolt's. After some thought though, I'd really rather get them each something vintage, timeless, and definately wood. Something they'd be proud to keep and maintain long after I am gone.

Being that you've obviously given all the 22 trainers lots of thought, which would you buy for your Son as their first 22 bolt gun to pass along as something worth keepin as a collector? Something like this Mossberg?

TIA, --JB

Click to expand...

For my son's first .22 rifle, I chose a CZ-452 Scout. The benefit is that that the stock comes with a shorter LOP, appropriate for a 11-12 year old, and also that it comes with a single shot adapter as standard equipment. When he's ready for a repeater, you just swap out the adapter for any CZ .22 rifle magazine. Also, thinking very long term, the Scout action will fit into any CZ-452 stock. So, if he wants to keep it as a light, accurate squirrel rifle when he grows up, he can easily find an adult-sized stock for it.

To your direct question about a vintage rifle, you should look either at the Winchester 69A or 75, or a Remington 5-teen series (510-514). A word of caution, however. as mentioned above, I was lucky enough to get a couple 513T rifles from the CMP, move than 10 years ago. But those would NOT be a good rifle for your son. They were designed as dedicated target training rifles and have a very long, heavy barrel, as well as a stock with was designed for an adult. They did make a 513S (for Sporter), which is a very nice rifle, but they've become collectors' items, so carry a high price tag.

JoeR

JoeRinMD said:

For my son's first .22 rifle, I chose a CZ-452 Scout. The benefit is that that the stock comes with a shorter LOP, appropriate for a 11-12 year old, and also that it comes with a single shot adapter as standard equipment. When he's ready for a repeater, you just swap out the adapter for any CZ .22 rifle magazine. Also, thinking very long term, the Scout action will fit into any CZ-452 stock. So, if he wants to keep it as a light, accurate squirrel rifle when he grows up, he can easily find an adult-sized stock for it.

To your direct question about a vintage rifle, you should look either at the Winchester 69A or 75, or a Remington 5-teen series (510-514). A word of caution, however. as mentioned above, I was lucky enough to get a couple 513T rifles from the CMP, move than 10 years ago. But those would NOT be a good rifle for your son. They were designed as dedicated target training rifles and have a very long, heavy barrel, as well as a stock with was designed for an adult. They did make a 513S (for Sporter), which is a very nice rifle, but they've become collectors' items, so carry a high price tag.

JoeR

Click to expand...

Thanks for the informative responses JoeR. Given the extra options of upgrading the stocks, and the 1 shot loading option, I think you've just sold me on getting 2 CZ-452's, or 455's, as I have just heard that they don't make 452's any more for some reason. I'll probably still look for an ole 22 bolt for myself, but these CZ's I've heard are real tack drivers. Hopefully my boys will keep theirs long into their grey years. Thanks. --JB

Nice find and even nicer work with a heat gun Mawkie!

Mossberg 46m(b)

JBinDC, If you want something vintage that shoots well, look around for an old Mossberg 46m(b). I recently "tactically acquired" my fathers. I think he paid $200 for it at a yard sale in PA a couple years ago.

I threw a 3-12 scope on there I had laying around and made pretty light work of my 1" (diameter, not thickness) steel plate at 100yds with cheap CCI Standard Velocity. I shot it at the Axis and Allies match up at Delta/Peachbottom last month and it didn't disappoint.

I love this rifle and my father's never getting it back. Haha.

Mawkie, that's a great looking rifle you found. Looks like patience paid off in the end. And regarless of price, you're happy. So that's all that matters.