Matching 1955 Type 53 - Vietnam bringback with Paperwork

[81turbota]

Hey everyone,

This is another recent acquisition where I took a gamble on an auction and lucked out bigtime. It's my second, but nicest, Vietnam bringback Type 53.

The pictures truly speak for themselves, it shows some patina but is in comparably excellent condition for a firearm that saw service in Vietnam. Bore is mint. Can anyone ID the sling? Looks like USGI, like a gas mask carrier strap.

[81turbota]

[Jimja]

Super nice pickup, I'm jealous

[userformerlyknownasfitty]

Yet another prime example of a firearm from 81turbota. Thanks for showing us.

[Beetle Bailey]

Very nice looking papered bring-back, congrats!

[Black Majik]

[dustoff31]

The large strap being used as a sling is US GI. It is a general purpose carrying strap that was used for carrying everything from field telephones to medics aid bags.

The small strap looks familiar, but I can't place it right now. I want to say it's part of a helmet chin strap.

[81turbota]

Thanks everyone! I now need a documented SKS to round out the "basic" Vietnam collection. T53, Tokarev and SKS.

People like Saigon1965 will say otherwise

Dustoff31- Thank you very much. Were you Dustoff? I was a crew chief in Bavarian Dustoff, 45th Med.

[dustoff31]

Thanks everyone! I now need a documented SKS to round out the "basic" Vietnam collection. T53, Tokarev and SKS.

People like Saigon1965 will say otherwise

Dustoff31- Thank you very much. Were you Dustoff? I was a crew chief in Bavarian Dustoff, 45th Med.

Yes, I was a flight medic with the 542nd, "DMZ Dustoff" at Camp Page, ROK back in the mid '90s.

[mievil]

Oh, hell. I would buy that in a heartbeat. Bah. If you ever wanna sell it, I'm you're dude.

[FLIGHT762]

The large strap being used as a sling is US GI. It is a general purpose carrying strap that was used for carrying everything from field telephones to medics aid bags.

The small strap looks familiar, but I can't place it right now. I want to say it's part of a helmet chin strap.

I noticed the USGI strap also. I have a Chinese SKS Vietnam bring back that also came home with the same USGI bag strap as a sling.

[KOOLKERRY]

Very nice piece of documented history. Congratulations .. Great photo opp too thanks for sharing : )

[SVT-40]

That's really a neat rifle, with a great history!!

I had a 1955 dated T-53 with a relatively close SN... Mine was imported just after 1986.

Amazing how these rifles traveled the world!! and both ended up in the US...

[Vlad 11]

Wow

Real nice score

[Enfield47]

Congrats James. That's a fine piece for your papered bring back collection.