That stock work is interesting. My brother picked up a Chinese 22LR trainer last year that had some similar work done to it. The stock was not correct for the rifle and the wood very much resembled the wood that has been spliced into the lower magazine well area of your stock. The wood looked walnut'ish, but it was very porous sapwood that had been epoxied to fill all of the knots in the wood and covered with a dark colored finish.
I think it was more for function than style points. It looks like the triggerguard would have been half covered by the stock without inletting that area.
Clint,
Have you ran across photos any modified Vietnam bring-back Mosins before? I'm not saying that they don't exist...I just haven't seen any. I have seen some pretty cobbled together Chinese and North Vietnamese rifles before, but never an M44. If the stock and front sight work was done by the Vietnamese, I would think that it's safe to say that bubba at least added the recoil pad and sling swivels.
Older imports were marked on the barrel behind the front sight. Since the barrel's been chopped it would be impossible to tell if it's an import or not (if no markings on the receiver).
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