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I don't get on this forum enough but I'm hoping to get some credible advice here as I've done so in the past. I have 2 rifles that I would appreciate your opinion on.
Matching 1953 Romanian M44:
This rifle has sentimental value so I plan on keeping it forever. As you can see there's a very serious stock repair on the left side of the stock. Is there anything I can do to prevent further damage to the stock without damaging its collectors value? What are my options if I want to shoot it in its current configuration? I have tried a 155grn cast boolit over 10grns of Unique but I was still afraid I might damage the stock.
Matching 1954.4 Chinese T53:
I'm on the fence about this rifle. I'm considering trading it to a friend or selling it and fishing for another because I was hoping to find a matching T53 in better condition. But what if I don't find another one in better condition? How scarce are they? The rifle has some surface pitting but a very nice bore. The butt plate is lined out and force matched so I'm not sure if it's actually a matching rifle. What is the best method of removing as much surface rust as possible without harming the collectors value? Is there a solution I can soak the action in? How do I stop the cancer from getting worse?
That looks like a pretty nice t53 to me. They are a total crap shoot as to what you will find in what condition. They are not rare by any means. To stop the rust use gun oil and a brass bore brush. Put oil on the rust then brush lightly with the bore brush till the oil turns brown. If it needs more then repeat.
The commerce which maybe carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of these people important ~Thomas Jefferson~ (to- Lewis and Clark)
Looks like the Hun is matched to the stock. Kind of a typical type of repair but I haven't seen one that extensive. I'd guess if they thought they could repair it then its good enough. Maybe get a spare stock just for shooting. The T53 looks pretty good. Keep it while you look for a matching one. They are not common though. Looks like a little blood pitting on the mag.
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The commerce which maybe carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of these people important ~Thomas Jefferson~ (to- Lewis and Clark)
Hmm although that stock looks like they repaired the heck out of it and looks very tenuous I have fired a similar repaired 91/30 for years just like it sits which as I said is very simlar to that. If you are kind of scared of it take and run some thin super glue into the cracks from the inside of the stock where it can not be seen. Lots of rust on almost all type 53's. If the method suggested above does not stop and maintain the rust I would say it just was not meant to be stopped. I use Kroil Oil at first and then switch over to Balistol Oil when I am satisfied it is stopped. Any similar oils would work just fine though. Really that is a kind of nice and still typical looking type 53 and I would be satisfied with that. That white accent in the lettering drives me crazy but many collectors like it! You know you have to consider this too. Do I want the nicest all matching rifle which is not typical or do I want a real representative piece? That comes under collector choice (like the white accents) I would say and neither approach can be considered wrong as it is a personal thing. Bill
The 53 is rifle #600 of the 1st production run of the 1st year of production. Matching 53's are a hard to find beast, pity it's not in a original Romanian stock, but a great rifle none the less.
“The only real power comes out of a long rifle" - Joseph Stalin
That is one of the best Romanian stock repairs I have ever seen, very cool
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
Junk Yard Dog wrote:That is one of the best Romanian stock repairs I have ever seen, very cool
How can I cure you of this? Repeat after me that is a very neat armory repair and does not have to be Romainian it can also be Russian and on a 91/30 also. They, all the Combloc coutries made repairs very similar to that. What am I going to have to do dig those darn rifles out of the safe to break you of this. JYD you aren't one of my kids but you are starting to act like them though! Heck you are probably young enough yet to be one of my kids come to think of it! Bill
That is a really neat looking stock repair. Right off the top of my head that does not sound like a hot load. If you want back it off in 1/2 grain increments and see how it shoots. If you are really worried about the stock, "Liberty Tree Collectors" (One of our sponsors) sells M44 stocks and you could use that one to shoot, the other one to display (and as an added bonus, the rifle would be apart to clean after shooting already) As to the T53, that one is a typical one, one that was all matching would be a real rarity. Relative to cleaning it up, I have used this product with great success. http://www.big45metalcleaner.com/
Damn, I'll bet that's going to leave a mark! Probably hurt too!
"I think Congressmen should wear uniforms,
you know, like NASCAR drivers, so we could
identify their corporate sponsors."
"When I die, I want to be facing my enemies surrounded by their dead bodies and piles of spent brass"
"Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience." - Mark Twain
I don't think the T53 is matching, I have one with its original bolt and it has the full number on it, not just the last four, also the barrel, bolt and magazine plate all have different fonts.
I had to go back and look. I thought I missed something
BuckeyeSgt wrote: by the time I read through everything I guess I forgot what I was looking at.
The commerce which maybe carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of these people important ~Thomas Jefferson~ (to- Lewis and Clark)
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
Thank you for your replies. I would've never known about the Hun stock if I didn't post this. I assumed it was Romanian since the stock is stamped numbers matching to the rifle. The T53 is part of a batch I recently got from Century. I'm not sure why the numbers may have been tampered with on the T53. I guess the chase is half the fun.
The Romanians stuck my Hungarian M44 in a Polish stock, this is just how they refurbished rifles with no budget, swap parts around until something works.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
by the time I read through everything I guess I forgot what I was looking at.
