Mosin Vietnam bringback

[Crunch130]

Please forgive the ramble, but I'm a pint low of blood right now and my brain is a little slow.

I was at the store looking at Valentine's cards for my wife, as is another guy, and somehow we started talking rifles. Turns out his dad brought a Mosin back from Vietnam. He said "sniper" so I assumed he meant "sniper." As in 91/30 sniper with scope. After all, his dad was a full bird colonel and should have had no problem bringing it back.

I'm not an expert in all things Mosin. I have one M1939. Anyway, I mention his rifle is probably worth at least $1,000. And we keep talking, and he mentions the side-folding spike bayonet. And we keep talking, and I tell him it's worth $1,000 or more with the scope. And he says the scope must be in one of those numerous boxes he hasn't unpacked yet; maybe he even has capture papers. Ya' know, all those boxes that aren't unpacked yet.

This being a small town, I write down a couple Mosin websites, my name & phone. I asked him to look for unit markings, to help verify the provenance if he can't find the capture papers. It would sure be nice to hear back from him once he finds that scope. I tell him even if he can't, a 91/30 sniper without scope should still be worth at least $600. Not that he would sell it, as his dad brought it back from Vietnam.

So I'm on my way home, and I'm thinking "hope he FINDS the scope" and then side-folding spike bayonet, and then SCREEEEECHHH!!! My hemoglobin-shy brain came to a screeching halt! (Don't worry, I was still driving my car.)

91/30's don't HAVE side-folding spike bayonets. No scope. He DOESN'T HAVE a 91/30 sniper! DARN! He must have either an M44 or a Chinese T53 carbine! Still cool, but I totally blew it.

So, can any of you experts advise how common T-53 or M44 carbines were in Vietnam? Which is more likely, my guess would be the T53?

Anyway, I hope this was good for a laugh for a few of you.

Regards,

Crunch

[uxo2]

Bring back papers are important.
Even if it's a ChiCom.

[surplus-addict]

T53's were very common, M44's not as much, at least to my readings.

But lots of mosins were used, and a lot of Chinese aid was given: hence, a LOT of T53's.

[Vlad 11]

Yea likely a Type 53 from what it sounds, though there were Russian carbines in smaller quantities,

A lot of the Vietnam T53s seem to be the 1960 dated

[dotfortune]

Can't say I'm an expert on the Mosin, or the Vietnam War. What I do know is that VietCong fighters were strapped for proper fighting equipment, and used whatever they could get their hands on. It's not hard to imagine a few of one of the most prolific rifles ever made NOT falling into VC hands.

Some digging on 7.62x54r(dot)net led to this gem: http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinRareVNM44.htm

That being said...I can certainly imagine a fighter improvising a sniping rifle out of an M44 or similar carbine - considering the South East Asian's generally smaller stature than Westerners, an M44 might fit such a fighter as plenty big. This is all speculation of course, but it makes for fun thought exercises.

EDIT:
I believe I got these pictures SOMEWHERE here in the C&R forums...they were said to be from the Vietnam War era, but unfortunately, I'm not able to confirm that.

[GOEX FFF]

More Mosin T53's / M44's in Nam

[NOTABIKER]

my ARMY bud brought a SKS back in 1970 and has papers but i lost track of him . he lives back east and his ph# no longer answers. i keep trying.

[Fate]

Plenty of sniping happened with non-scoped rifles in WWI, II, Korea, Vietnam and on and on and on.

Sniper is the person, not the weapon used.

[Lucky Scott]

The papers are everything. Plenty of T53 rifles and lots of people saying they were vietnam bring backs, but without official documentation there is not the same value.
I learned a long time ago, "Buy the rifle, not the story"!

I have a T53 with no import marks, and it has that rough, "Been in battle" look to it. No import marks could mean it is a bring back. But it is just a T53 and has no documentation.

There is a mosin on gunbroker right now with no official documentation, but the guy that brought it back signed a letter and has a ton of photos to try to prove he brought it back. Claims he didnt need documentation because it was a bolt action, but lots of guys like me look at the deal as "No government documentation, not a real deal".

[Crunch130]

GOEX FFF,

That first picture you posted also shows two French 1907 Berthier rifles, and possibly a Mauser! (The Berthiers make sense as Vietnam was a French colony, but those rifles were REALLY OLD by then!)

Thanks to all for the great replies.

Crunch

[pitfighter]

Great pics, Goex!

Pit.

[kcheung2]

On that last pic, the wood on some of those look way too good to be T53. They look more like laminated M44s.

[BrokerB]

Definitely laminate. I wm waiting to get pictures of a friends bring back. His dad was a bomb assessment guy. Brought back an sks...one side completely scorch ed black..the other side brand new. He laughed saying the other soldiers only wanted good condition, but this rifle truly showed battle. I look forward to seeing pictures and I will post them here.

[GOEX FFF]

Yeah I was going to comment too on the Berthiers. Pretty cool.

If you also notice in the 2nd to last pic, there looks to be a 91/30 sniper. The PU mount is pretty distinguishable.



I have an all matching, non-import T53 that's a Nam bring back. It all looks as if it's been through the jungle and back. T53's certainly had a lesser quality of wood used on them than their Soviet counterparts.

[NOTABIKER]

few war bring back guns from VN were taken off dead soldiers, or combat. most were found hidden and never used. still a war bring back but not much in the way of seeing war. now WW 2 is different a lot were battle field picked up and brought home or from surrendering combatants.