T53's get no respect!

[Dannicus]

I just had the chance to hand pick a T53 and I came home with a fine rifle. Other than the stock condition, the fit and finish on these things rivaled any M44 I've seen. very clean machine work, they did.

The finish on the stock looked like it was caked in excrement, but it was solid, with no cracks. What struck me about these T53s is that they all had pretty decent bores. The one I took looked as if it were never fired, except there was brass residue in the chamber so I know it was. That and the extractor was chipped, but I have one coming in the mail.There was no pitting anywhere on the gun and the bluing was about 80%.

The stock cleaned up nice. I just cleaned it and oiled it. No sanding or eurethane. I'll post some pics later.

[C&Rtrader]

They can clean up nicely. Here are some before\after pics. See post #43

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?p=10929407#post10929407

[lasbrg]

Also, who actually collects Type 53s? Most people seem to buy them as shooters or as a cheaper version of the M44. If anyone does collect them, what do they look for besides condition?

What I know (rather, what I think I know) is that the Type 53s on market now were all imported by Century from Albania, along with the SKS Type 56s. But, unlike the "Sinobanian" SKSs , no one really seems to care about the history of the Type 53s. As the OP says, Type 53s really do seem to get no respect at all.

[Gutz]

Weren't the T53's made on Soviet machinery??

I have one, it's definitely seen better days (the stock) but shoots awesome.

Post Pics OP.

[89 Vision]

Love mine. They feel like real warhorses. Certainly hope more will be found and imported.

[yellowsled]

I got a few. Great triggers and quality made. Stocks are generally rough though. I still love em

[mosinnagantm9130]

Also, who actually collects Type 53s? Most people seem to buy them as shooters or as a cheaper version of the M44. If anyone does collect them, what do they look for besides condition?

Mosin collectors, Chinese firearm collectors, Vietnam war collectors.

The rarest year is 1956, next is 1960. Look for matching numbers, overall condition, or a T53 with Vietnam capture papers.

[bikr4jc]

Wow I have a '56. Not matching and wad road hard and put away wet... Lol.

[TrexTracker]

As the OP says, Type 53s really do seem to get no respect at all.

Let's keep them that way. Great value for the money. Russian carbines have gotten popular in the last few years that their price skyrocketed.

[Buffalo Dude]

Mine is great. Well used condition, but still attracts a lot of attention!

[knucklehead0202]

gonna grab one sooner or later while they're cheap. got an m44 but why not have another shooter?

[Barryt]

I love mine.

[Chaos47]

Mosin collectors, Chinese firearm collectors, Vietnam war collectors.

The rarest year is 1956, next is 1960. Look for matching numbers, overall condition, or a T53 with Vietnam capture papers.

According to this link the 1953 is more rare then 1960..

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?228896-Development-Usage-and-Collecting-the-Chinese-T-53-Mosin-Nagant

1953 - Lapin’s book (The Mosin-Nagant Rifle) states production began in May 1953. The earliest number reported, A27xx, is dated July 1953, but it is possible that earlier guns are out there. Highest number for 1953 is A586xx. Estimated total: 59,000.

1954 - lowest 100053xx (1954.1), highest 12807xx (1954.12). The next number is 13058xx (1955.1) which is about a 20,000 number gap between 1954.12 and 1955.1. I have to arbitrarily assign a number of 1290000 as the cut-off for 1954 for the purposes of this estimate, and say 290,000 were produced for 1954

1955 - For arsenal 296, lowest reported is #13058xx (1955.1) and the highest 13937xx (1955.3). However, using the arbitrary estimate mentioned above, numbering will start at 1,290,000, giving an estimate of 110,000for 1955 for arsenal code 296. Arsenal 26's 1955 lowest reported is 30134xx and highest is 33289xx, for an estimated 330,000. Thus, the total for 1955 would be about 440,000. Arsenal code 26 presumably produced for 9 months, 3 times as long as code 296. Therefore the figures of 330,000 for code 26 and 110,000 for code 296 do fit.

1956 - The lowest is 40016xx and highest is 40530xx for an estimated 54,000. In 1955, the production averaged over 35,000 per month. At this rate production ended in very early 1956.

1960 - Series A - K were reported as well as “I”, which looks like an upside down exclamation point. There has been 9000 numbers in different series reported to suggest that the series were fully completed. However, only 2 numbers were reported for Series “K” and the high number is 03xx. If “k” was the last series, I cannot say if 10,000 were made to complete this series. For now, we can say that an estimated 120,000 were made in 1960.

I love my two 1953 Shi marked T53's. Both are number matching except the bolts and have great bores. Oddly they have the best condition stocks of all the T53 I have seen first hand despite being older.

Yes the T53 are worth collecting.
Its a funny thing about C&R collectors a lot of them complain that most 91/30 where arsenal refurbished but then these T53 come on the scene and they trash them for there condition.
These carbines have been there and done that and still look it.
At the price they are definitely worth it and will increase in value in the future.

[mosinnagantm9130]

Lapins book has a ridiculous number of errors, but he may be right on that point. I'm gonna have to do some more research...

[NOTABIKER]

i do not care who made my Mosin, SKS Mauser etc. the exact condition of the rifle i own is all that matters.
a yugo sks is just as good as a russian
a yugo m-48 mauser is just as good as a k 98
a chinese t 53 is just as good as my romanian m 44.
we sometimes split hairs too much on what is better.