Mosin M44 vs. Glenfield Marlin 30-30

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YankeeIronSights

New member
Folks, I have an opportunity to buy either a Mosin Nagant M44 or a Glenfield Marlin 30-30 rifle. Either one will be mostly used as a range gun for plinking and maybe, hunting in the future.

Which one do you feel provides an overall best value for the intended use? Home security is not a role for either rifle. If you could pick just one, which one would you prefer?


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Glenfield made a special run for K-mart back in the 1970's. The model 30 TK. If I could find one of those I'd buy it. They came with a straight stock, 1/2 mag and 18.5" barrels.

Some photos here, be aware some are mid identified. If it doesn't have the features described above it isn't the 30TK

https://www.google.com/search?q=gle...AgJEAE&biw=1242&bih=553#imgrc=WmfRUsawenY28M:


But unless the price was dirt cheap i'd not be interested in either. I don't care for the Mosin's and there are too many better quality lever guns out there.
 
Absolutely the Marlin, unless you think you might enjoy collecting milsurp firearms. Even then, the m44 is possibly my least favorite Mosin model.

For general shooting, hunting, even home defense, the Marlin wins hands down in my book.
 
Marlin by far.
At one time the M/N in any configuration was a sub $100 milsurp plinker with plenty of cheap surplus ammo available. I think Ibpaid something like $75 for my Hungarian M44, and something like fifty bucks or so per 880 round case for military surplus ammo.
The 30-30 is a timeless classic round, not too expensive, and much more fun to shoot out of an old lever gun.
 
Soviet made military rifle that was obsolete when first built and went out of production soon after in favor of the SKS then the AK47

vs.

American made budget version of a classic deer rifle who's base design is still in current production?

A rifle which has certainly been fired with corrosive ammunition, and may have a questionable bore due to that

vs.

A .30-30 that has vey likely never seen a round of corrosive primed ammo?

The Combloc surplus rifles became very popular in the US because with the fall of Warsaw Pact, they got dumped on the US market dirt cheap, along with shiploads of surplus ammo, again, dirt cheap.

That is no longer the situation, the cheap stuff is mostly long gone (and it never was hunting ammo to begin with).

If you want it because its a milsurp and becoming more and more a collectible, fine. Other wise, full speed ahead on the Marlin!
 
The Mosin Nagant M44 is a hard recoiling, very hard, 'carbine' version of a Russian battle rifle. Even at 9 pounds, it's not exactly fun to shoot with its 20" barrel. Lots of muzzle blast. However, the 7.62 x 54R will kill any game in North America with a hunting bullet.
The "Glenfield" in Glenfield Marlin comes from JC Penny. 'Glenfield' was a house brand of theirs. A Marlin(now owned by Remington who is owned by Vista Outdoors. A holding company.) M336 would be better than an M44. Not ideal for range shooting, but better. A 7 pound .30-30 will thump you, but not as bad as a Win M94 due to the stock design. However, the .30-30 is primarily a deer/black bear cartridge.
 
Mosin is more powerful, and could increase in value, provided you don't monkey with it. This assumes it is in original confutation and complete (and you don't pay too much for it).
Marlin is easier to put a scope on.
The iron sights suck pretty equally, I think, although you can probably put Williams peep sight on the Marin.
If the primary use is plinking, Mosin ammo is cheaper, even after the surplus dried up.
That said, you will find ammo for the Marlin pretty much anywhere that sells ammo, probably not as likely with the Mosin.
Corrosive ammo is much ado about nothing. Pour some water down the barrel and you are fine.
Accuracy is probably comparable.
Home defense goes to the Mosin, because it has a bayonet. :D
 
If I could shoot the M44 before hand, and it performed well, that'd be the one. Their value will continue increasing at a rate far greater than the Marlin/Glenfield.
If I couldn't shoot it, or it was disappointing, it's the Marlin/Glenfield.
 
What do you want the rifle for? The Mosin and the Marlin are both rifles, but they're not the same *kind* of rifle.

The Mosin is much more powerful; milspec 7.62x54R is between 7.62x51 NATO and .308 Winchester in power, and some imported civilian ammo is even hotter. It's a big heavy rifle, suitable for any North American game. If you get a good one, it's probably more accurate than the Marlin too.

The Marlin is lighter, more maneuverable, and the .30-30 will do the job for most purposes; it would be a lot more convenient as a hunting rifle.
 
I have a Chinese Type 54, copy of the M1944 M-N and a Marlin 330C. Only caution with the M-N is they used corrosive ammo, many of the M-Ns i have seen had rough bores, judicious handloading and carefully sized bullets would help.
 
Just sayin"

m38_fireball.jpg
 
Unless I'm mistaken, the ammo cost for a Mosin Nagant is less than 30-30. They're also very interesting rifles. I handled one that had been re-bored to 8mm to clean up the corroded rifling. The owner hand loaded his cartridges and claimed very good accuracy. He also stated that it was fun to form his own brass.

Jack
 
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