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| The M44 | ||||
| In 1943 the Soviets realized they needed a carbine; their M38 was not able to have a bayonet mounted on it. They came up with the M1944 rifle, and a few M38s with attached, side folding bayonets were placed in battlefield trials. The M44 was adopted in 1944 and remained in production until 1948 in Russia, although many more were produced in Eastern Europe until the 1960s. The Izhveshek M44 is much more commonly found than Tulas, and the Tula is more sought after in the collector market. This is true in almost all models. All year M44s are of excellent quality, and the postwar 1946-1948 models seem to be especially high quailty. |
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