Mosin-Nagant In Vietnam

[oldarmyguy65]

The Viet Cong used Mosin-Nagant carbines in the early to middle stages of the Vietnam war. It is my understanding that a large proportion of these were copies manufactured by the Chinese. Supposedly, some were actually Russian in origin, both purpose made and cut down rifles. Does anyone have information on these rifles and have they been showing up on the military surplus market? At my Vietnam Veterans of America chapter we have one on display ( next to a SKS ) but it doesn't show any markings of manufacture. It does have an attached folding bayonet.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I have four rifles that were brought back from Vietnam by American servicemen returning home. French Lebel carbine bought on the streets of Saigon mid 1960's by a civilian working for a US company, Hungarian BM52 sniper rifle captured 1971 by an officer serving in the USMC, and a Chinese type 53 carbine captured 1969-1970 in that area they called hamburger hill , Chinese SKS captured during Tet 1968. The Chinese type 53 is a near identical copy of the Soviet M44 made on machinery provided by the USSR to China. The Chinese provided the rifles to North Vietnam as military aid and many were sent south to arm pro communist forces there, VC. Being a bolt rifle they were a common enough war souvenir that was legal to bring home, they can be identified by the lack of an import mark. Later during the 1990's the Chinese military dumped thousands of surplus type 53's on the US market, these will be import marked as they are post 1968 imports. Not so long ago a shipment of type 53's came in from Albania, seems Albania was on the outs with Soviet Russia and turned to the PRC for arms. The type 53 isn't rare here, at one time you could have bought one for $25, type 53's brought home from Vietnam, especially documented ones, are rare and sought after by collectors. It's hot enough to fry an egg on my car right now so remind me later on this weekend to take some pictures of the '53 for you, it's leaning against the wall in my bedroom at the moment.

[martin08]

The Mosin Nagant rifles most commonly found as bringbacks would be the Chinese T53, the same basic design as the Soviet M44. Most, if not all, of the 1960 dated carbines were sold or given as aid from China to Vietnam. Other year T53 carbines can also be found with capture documents.

There are also Soviet M44, M91/30 PU sniper and Hungarian M52 sniper war trophies found in far fewer numbers.

On occasion, the scrubbed and/or sanitized Chinese carbines without manufacturer marks will show up, such as the one on display at your chapter hall.

[oldarmyguy65]

Thank you all for the information. It will help put to rest all the various theories we have floating around as to their origin. I served with the 1st Cavalry during 1966 - 1967. Never saw a mosin-nagant of any kind, the most common war trophy I recall was the French WWI Lebel. !966 was the time when packages home didn't get much investigation. Our CO's driver sent home a number of American weapons he got from both Viet Cong capture and ARVN sources. The one I recall most was a WWII M2.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Sorry, so damn hot this weekend I pretty much passed out in front of the TV with the AC blasting, but I will shoot some pics soon.