What is a K-54 firearm?

[mnguyen84]

While reading a memoir about someone's life in Vietnam, during and after the Vietnam War, I came across a passage that notes of a VC using a Soviet made K-54 rifle.

When I google k-54, the results come back as either a pistol or shotgun. According to Wiki, it is a pistol that is chambered for a 7.62x25mm (1,378 ft/s) platform...which seems a bit strange, because that looks like a rifle cartridge. but then again, there are pistols that fire .223 rems.

Anyways, if anyone knows of anything about this firearm, please clue me in.

[Chaos47]

7.62x25 is a bottle necked pistol round.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62%C3%9725mm_Tokarev

http://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-54

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TT-33

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_54_pistol

The M20 was a version of the Type 54 made without factory markings to conceal the weapon's origins. Many of these were provided to Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War.

http://muasieu.com/showthread.php?t=60651&page=1

[ClarenceBoddicker]

He may be mistaken it for the Type 24, which is a Chinese made K-98 clone. He may also be confused about what an SKS or AK is called. The Russian made SKS is called the M-1945. The Chinese made SKS is called a Type 56 carbine & an AKM is called a Type 56 rifle. Yes, the Chinese weapon nomenclature is kinda lame. Does he say what round it fired or if it's bolt action, semi auto or selective fire? What time period & corps zone (MACV I, II, III or IV) did he serve in? Generally, the VC got issued the worst weapons until later on in the war. Did he fight regular VC or the better equipped main force VC? After Tet '68 most of the non main force VC were wiped out, due to them being used as suicide 1st wave attacks or being abandoned by the NVA when the tide turned during Tet. As the NVA got stronger, they had no use for the VC, as they view them as a potential rival for power after the south was "liberated".

[mnguyen84]

the scene takes place in a labor camp in the southern part of VN after 1975. in the story, the VC guard shoots a a southern Vietnamese prisoner. it's just a minor detail in the story that I wanted more clarification on. Thanks for the help.