Type 53 Vietnam bring back

[Paladin507]

Hi,
I’m new to the Forum, I’m cleaning up a type 53 (1960) Vietnam bring back. Replaced broken and missing parts. All numbers match, it appears to me that the stock has been changed seems to be very primitive, it’s very rough inside. It has slots for sling, and has the holes for cross bolt but a cross bolt won’t fit and I will not alter this rifle. Also a butt plate does not fit, possibly the stock was shortened.

Any thoughts ?

[Junk Yard Dog]

Hi,
I’m new to the Forum, I’m cleaning up a type 53 (1960) Vietnam bring back. Replaced broken and missing parts. All numbers match, it appears to me that the stock has been changed seems to be very primitive, it’s very rough inside. It has slots for sling, and has the holes for cross bolt but a cross bolt won’t fit and I will not alter this rifle. Also a butt plate does not fit, possibly the stock was shortened.

Any thoughts ?

These rifles weren't used by the NVA, they were the rifles given to the VC in the south, and Charlie was both rough on a weapon and using them in extreme conditions. These rifles tend to be in rough shape today, and worse, some were deliberately sabotaged by the VC and left were some GI would find it. Beware of any bolt that's painted, or stained black as that could be one indication of a purposefully softened bolt set to blow if GI Joe fired his captured enemy rifle. I would leave the rifle as is, broken parts and all, this is a piece of history that graphically illustrates the sort of enemy we were fighting over there at the time, or at least one of the enemy's anyway. The NVA had the more modern gear. Rough as it is, that is the condition it was in when last used by Charlie. My own VC bringhome is also matching number, something that was not common with the rough condition type 53's imported from China in the late 1980's. No import marks is also another good indicator of a VC bringhome, however in my case I bought it directly from the veteran so I know the history.