i had some feed issues on mine and after looking noticed the feed ramp was a little bent up on the sides. also got an m44 and the ramp on them seem beefier
after removing the pins on mine i kept bangin and it would not come off. figured it was soldered so just used a blowtorch and heated up until the solder started dripping then came off easily
i pretty much cleaned off all the cosmoline from the m44 i got but i thought about putting it out in the sun last sunday. left the stock out on the deck for an hour and still had cosmo oozing out from the wood.
i shot about 40 rounds two weeks ago. about 10 on m44 and the rest on a 9130 with a 16 1/2" barrel. first time shooting mosins and i couldve gone all day. just a little blacknblue but no pain at all. recoil was'nt bad at all and don't feel the need for rubber pad.