Got my T-53 today from Century

[Junk Yard Dog]

Oh for the days when they were three for fifty bucks

[dubois9837]

Oh for the days when they were three for fifty bucks

It's hard to believe how much they have gone up in price. I remember when I purchased a Laminate stock M44 in absolutely flawless condition condition from Classic Arms back in 2007 for $99. That was considered expensive for one then. I only decided to buy one at the price because of the amazing condition they were in. Now I wish i had bought 10. I have seen ones like it on gunbroker going for $350+


Who knows what these rifles will sell for in 10 years?

[Junk Yard Dog]

The last few years have been the dream of whoever imported these 25 years back and sat on them all this time. Back then they couldn't give them away, nobody knew what they were and equated them to the Chinese commission 88 rifles that were also around at that time. The 88's were rough and so were most of the '53's, people had the opinion that they were cheap crap like everything else coming in from China back then and dismissed them. I was actually given one for nothing by a dealer who didn't think it was worth selling ( I was buying other rifles from him) I still have it, it's cleaned up and shoots fine, I had to put it in a Soviet stock thanks to a big chunk of the buttstock being missing. Times have changed and most people now know that their original quality was better than most wartime Soviet M44's

[bunkysdad]

We learn something new about these almost every day it seems.

[Junk Yard Dog]

It also didn't help that at the time the type 53 was first imported there was no ammo available for them. Not long after Norinko brought in some Chinese 7.62x54r, but it was not impressive performance wise.