the sks in use by the PAVN actual Vietnam wartime footage

[omega]

this old training / propaganda film from the PAVN shows the SKS and the M44 in use by North Vietnamese militias

two of my favorite Vietnam era surplus rifles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0ggRGlfljs

[onelonehorseman]

Some great footage there. SKS, M44, PPSH and others.

[omega]

Originally Posted by onelonehorseman

Some great footage there. SKS, M44, PPSH and others.

I also saw some Mausers, possibly old captured German WW2 rifles given to the North Vietnamese by the Russians.

notice the militia member wearing a East German M56 stahlelm? (steel helmet)

some of the other members of the anti aircraft gun crew have a mixture of Soviet and eastern bloc helmets including the distinctive East German Darth Vadar style helmet with the large dome shape.

and some of the militia members appear to be from local hill tribes, not ethnic Vietnamese.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Would you like to be issued the smooth shooting, reliable semi-auto rifle, or the bolt action kick like a mule shoulder buster?

[omega]

Originally Posted by Bobby Ricigliano

Would you like to be issued the smooth shooting, reliable semi-auto rifle, or the bolt action kick like a mule shoulder buster?

I would prefer the sks, the M44 seems to be more of a militia rifle , but many of them were also captured by US soldiers in enemy weapons cache sites in the jungle,

the front line troops carry AK's & SKS more commonly

most of the females carrying the M44 probably weighed less than 100 lbs, Im sure they didnt enjoy firing the M44 Mosin Nagant that kicks like a mule, but they were probably used to hard labor, and they got use to it.

[Dan_Eastvale]

Yeah,

They likely just wore and used whatever uniform, helmets, rifles they could scrape together. Whatever was donated to them. Probably never given a choice..

[omega]

Originally Posted by Dan_Eastvale

Yeah,

They likely just wore and used whatever uniform, helmets, rifles they could scrape together. Whatever was donated to them. Probably never given a choice..

here's a female North Vietnamese soldier manning an anti aircraft gun, also wearing one of those East German steel helmets with the leather Y straps.

[Dan_Eastvale]

The East German government had the largest 'Gastarbeiter' program with N Vietnam...They had several thousands of young people there for 5 years working and training in various industries after which they would return to N Vietnam with the knowledge achieved..

[fleetline]

hanoi-jane-1.jpg

What kind of helmet is this B!#ch wearing?

[Rickrock1]

Sks watch later.

[CALI-gula]

Originally Posted by fleetline

Attachment 643641

What kind of helmet is this B!#ch wearing?

A dunce cap.


.

[pitfighter]

Chinese ZB30's 8mm and Dshk - 14.5mm - an interesting mis-match born of necessity, covering a few different calibers.
7.62mm PPsh, 8mm, 7.62x39, 7.62x54 -
Re-supply after a heavy AA session must have been a complex issue.

[Cali-Shooter]

Originally Posted by Bobby Ricigliano

Would you like to be issued the smooth shooting, reliable semi-auto rifle, or the bolt action kick like a mule shoulder buster?

I think you've already answered your own question.

Smooth shooting and reliable semi-auto vs. shoulder buster?

The answer is obvious.




The shoulder buster!

[Saigon1965]

Wonderful post OP - Thank you -


The NVA itself was pretty well equipped - The VC/village defense force/militias was a different story -

Originally Posted by Dan_Eastvale

Yeah,

They likely just wore and used whatever uniform, helmets, rifles they could scrape together. Whatever was donated to them. Probably never given a choice..

Post-war - Some cousins went to work in East Germany - Part of the war reparation programs - Ended up staying after the wall went down -

Originally Posted by Dan_Eastvale

The East German government had the largest 'Gastarbeiter' program with N Vietnam...They had several thousands of young people there for 5 years working and training in various industries after which they would return to N Vietnam with the knowledge achieved..

Good observation Pit - A collector friend had a VN bring back Dshk!

Originally Posted by pitfighter

Chinese ZB30's 8mm and Dshk - 14.5mm - an interesting mis-match born of necessity, covering a few different calibers.
7.62mm PPsh, 8mm, 7.62x39, 7.62x54 -
Re-supply after a heavy AA session must have been a complex issue.

Things havent changed much.....modern day propoganda training with local defense force - Now with old M16s -

[onelonehorseman]

Originally Posted by Saigon1965

Wonderful post OP - Thank you -


The NVA itself was pretty well equipped - The VC/village defense force/militias was a different story -




Post-war - Some cousins went to work in East Germany - Part of the war reparation programs - Ended up staying after the wall went down -




Good observation Pit - A collector friend had a VN bring back Dshk!




Things havent changed much.....modern day propoganda training with local defense force - Now with old M16s -

^^ Are they actually planning on shooting down aircraft with those?

[Cato]

I recall a post a few days ago of a clip of Apocalypse now with the helicopters shooting up a village. I kinda felt like it was a war crime until I saw that video. Looks like total mobilization means every VC in that village is a combatant.

[peppermintman]

Had jet lag on my last trip to see the in-laws had me watching late night tv propaganda. Seen many VC charging and over running America base with bayo extented on sks's doing the deed on American soldiers. Hard thing to see. Then the loud music coming from the loudspeakers on telephone poles to wake up the population. It's all one sided but of course you're over there.

[NOTABIKER]

Originally Posted by Dan_Eastvale

Yeah,

They likely just wore and used whatever uniform, helmets, rifles they could scrape together. Whatever was donated to them. Probably never given a choice..

They were commie cannon fodder anyway.We could have killed the entire population of North VN and china would have just sent in chinese to replace them.

[Saigon1965]

I would tend to think that's propoganda training more than anything -

Every soldier is useful -

Originally Posted by onelonehorseman

^^ Are they actually planning on shooting down aircraft with those?

When I was last in Hanoi some years ago - The loud speakers are still hung on poles at all major intersections -

Originally Posted by peppermintman

Had jet lag on my last trip to see the in-laws had me watching late night tv propaganda. Seen many VC charging and over running America base with bayo extented on sks's doing the deed on American soldiers. Hard thing to see. Then the loud music coming from the loudspeakers on telephone poles to wake up the population. It's all one sided but of course you're over there.

[Dan_Eastvale]

Originally Posted by NOTABIKER

They were commie cannon fodder anyway.We could have killed the entire population of North VN and china would have just sent in chinese to replace them.

If the US had actually declared 'War' we could have ended it in a day.