I'm Confused - Need some help

[qz2026]

So, I got this 1940 9130 Tula in. Prewar stock but not matching. Looks to have been refurbed at one time but heavily used since. Lots of bluing left, some splotches of old finish on the stock and a VG+ bore. Outside of the barrel had been oiled but there were a couple of active shallow rust beginning. Lots of stock repairs that can mostly only be seen from the inside with one of those vertical type (Romanian) repairs. Most guys would say "Romanian herd", but here's the thing which literally kept me tossing and turning last night.

Under the hand guards in big letters are: the guys name, rank, serial number, USMC, 1968

First thing that popped into my head was Vietnam rifle. His serial number is correct for 1968 - about 20,000 more than mine which simply means he came in the Corps about 6 months after I did. 1968 was the Tet Offensive when large numbers of NVA were in the South. The likelihood of one of these being captured then is pretty high. It could have been refurbed and then taken out of storage and sent to Vietnam via China - possible. The rear sight is pinned - I'm not sure when they started doing that as part of the manufacturing process. Not much grease as with most Romanians. Only in places where you would have to detail clean to find. Here's the thing though - it's an early Century import. So, I am baffled. On the one side I tell myself that the writing in the hand guard is legit and appropriate for the period. And why would someone buy one of these rifles within the last 20 years or so, and write that stuff in the hand guard? Of course he could have major PSD. So, I tossed and turned last night trying to figure out how a rifle could be captured in VN and then end up being imported by Century. The two seem to be an oxymoron. You would only do something like this if you had captured the rifle yourself IMHO as a mark of ownership. I wonder what the U.S. did with the stock pile of captured arms they acquired in VN anyway - if anything other than burning them. The seller indicated that he purchased it from a dealer in GA who had purchased it from an old man who was thinning his collection. I've asked him if he can dig some information out of the dealer. I've already reached out to some organizations to try and locate the owner. Pity that the Marine Corps does not main these records. I'd like to offer to return it to him.

So guys, what do you think? Like I say, I'm confused... If this is a Vietnam rifle, how does it get to Century????

[millman]

I think the name was put there to make someone think it was a bringback.

[qz2026]

I think the name was put there to make someone think it was a bringback.

Well, I'm thinking that this was written by the actual Marine. Unless you were a Vietnam era Marine, you wouldn't necessarily have known to use that format and know that this s/n matches with the 1968 date. Whether this was done 10-15 years after being released from active duty is totally unclear to me. No Marine veteran I know from that era would attempt to grandstand like this - although, I suppose any thing is possible. I am not implying that this was a bring back. All I'm attempting to understand now is how, if this was actually done in country, the rifle could get to Century. I suppose there is also a possibility that the stock was humped.

[steelbuttplate]

I have something similar, a '46 M-44 that was listed as a '46 T-53 which got my attention. It was refurbed Chinese style, a little grease here and there and lots of rust, blood, even the firing pin and spring were rusty. It has several stock repairs that look like they were done in a tunnel, lots of dings, little bluing and a dark oily stock. It is also a Century import with a 4 digit number, so I guess that makes it an early import? It also has a Chinese bolt. No names on this one.......SBP.....63 MN's

[qz2026]

I have something similar, a '46 M-44 that was listed as a '46 T-53 which got my attention. It was refurbed Chinese style, a little grease here and there and lots of rust, blood, even the firing pin and spring were rusty. It has several stock repairs that look like they were done in a tunnel, lots of dings, little bluing and a dark oily stock. It is also a Century import with a 4 digit number, so I guess that makes it an early import? It also has a Chinese bolt. No names on this one.......SBP.....63 MN's

Similar in that yours for sure was "refurbished" in Romania after being used in the Balkans and probably stored in a nice moist and salty environment until they sold it to Century. By the sounds of it, they probably threw yours on the pile and walked away... Mine wasn't quite as bad as that although there was active rust inside the bolt body - a first for me.

[zeebill]

Just shoot and enjoy the rifle for what you know it is! Your's! If you take and try to figure all this crap out you will drive yourself nuts eventually. They were meant to fire and enjoy, not ponder and keep oneself awake about till all hours of the night. Congrats and enjoy it! Bill

[redspoon]

What ever it is or was, I think it's pretty darn cool. I would be tickled to own that one. I'm leaning toward a bringback. Congrats

Red

[qz2026]

Just shoot and enjoy the rifle for what you know it is! Your's! If you take and try to figure all this crap out you will drive yourself nuts eventually. They were meant to fire and enjoy, not ponder and keep oneself awake about till all hours of the night. Congrats and enjoy it! Bill

I know Bill... But, half the fun of owning these rifles for me is trying to figure out the story they are trying to tell. Unfortunately, these "used" rifles give plenty of hints to me. And, I fall hook line and sinker into their traps

[millman]

What ever it is or was, I think it's pretty darn cool. I would be tickled to own that one. I'm leaning toward a bringback. Congrats

Red

I don't see why a bringback would have a Century mark on it. I think it most likely the former owner put the writing in there to remind himself of his service in VN.

[redspoon]

I don't see why a bringback would have a Century mark on it.

Yeah you're right, I missed the import part. I was just going by the heavy use after refurb. Speed reading at my age is dangerous.

[millman]

I don't see why a bringback would have a Century mark on it.

Yeah you're right, I missed the import part. I was just going by the heavy use after refurb. Speed reading at my age is dangerous.

I'm with you there.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Not a bringback with a 1990's Century import mark on it. Very likely this Marine was just using his old service info as a way to identify what was his. Likely that same marking will be found on any piece of gear he owned, or owns . I note that it's also done in a fairly modern style sharpie marker.

[bunkysdad]

Once a Marine, always a Marine. I wasn't one, but I get it. Semper Fi

[Brake Weight]

Would it be possible the original bring back rifle was garbage and replaced with a refurb? Meaning stocks were original bring back.

[qz2026]

Who knows... JYD hit it on the head. Modern sharpie. Didn't have those back in the day.

Pretty unusual for a Marine to mark up his possessions like this post active duty. But, a lot of us had an identity crisis after returning home to a hostile country. Some fared better than others...

[bocephus]

Any sort of data base to look this guy up? Maybe you could ask him.

[qz2026]

I've tried a search through a couple of Marine outfits that were in VN and no joy. The Marine Corps, itself, mysteriously did not keep detailed records, at least, that are available to the public. I don't think they ever digitized DD214's. The MC was never given much of a budget - we did a lot of scrounging. I have yet to send a note off to the 3rdMarDiv in Okinawa to see what they may have. 90% chance he was with them unless he was attached to one of the air wings.

[redeuce]

Not a bringback with a 1990's Century import mark on it. Very likely this Marine was just using his old service info as a way to identify what was his. Likely that same marking will be found on any piece of gear he owned, or owns . I note that it's also done in a fairly modern style sharpie marker.

I agree. Looks more like a rifle a guy bought and wrote his name on.