T53 has amazed me!

[Picknlittle]

I told ya'll that my T53 landed last week, but I was headed outta town for a few days, so I disassembled it and sprayed all metal and the bore very liberally with WD-40. I got back Sunday afternoon and went to work. This thing was nasty! Plenty of funk & gunk and the bore at first glance was questionable at best.

I wiped the exterior metal parts down and was very surprised at the crud that just seemed to have melted away. I brushed the bore maybe 90 seconds then with a Hoppes 9 soaked patch I pushed out some serious funk. One more soaked patch, let set for 10 then scrub maybe 2 minutes. After my third dry patch I was amazed at how lite gray the patch was so I took a peek down the barrel. WOW! No black, no pits, just sharp rifling and shinny metal.

I filled the barrel with copper foam and got a cup of coffee. 20 minutes later I swab it out and soak another #9 patch. When I dry patched it the second and third times I was blown away.

Then I went to work on disassembling everything else. Geez, the crud was thick. I two hours I had a clean, tho somewhat rusty gun. A wire wheel and brushes will be needed here. Off to the bathtub with the stock. Glad my bride is outta town,....this would have been war!

After 30 minutes of brushed, brillo pads, very hot water, dawn detergent and a mess of elbow grease, the stock was ready to reassemble with clean, oiled barrel and receiver, to dry.

I still have a bit of work to do but I am so amazed at the general condition of this gun. Sweet! My 440 rnds of Hungarian 147 gr light ball ammo arrived yesterday! Life is good!!!!

 

[DMK]

That's the beauty of surplus arms. Often you find a real jewel under all the gunk and grime.

Of course, I have a soft spot for worn finishes and beat up stocks.

 

[Picknlittle]

I decided that after I stained it walnut and lightly buffed it with 0000 steelwool, that I'd just spray a light varnish coat for now. I still haven't decided if I want to re-blu it or leave all that character in tact. If I decide to go whole hog later I can. I'm ready to shot this thing!:

 

[Hoppy590]

gunna go out and order another arnt you! i know i am

 

[Picknlittle]

I can see a collection beginning to form.

 

[Hoppy590]

MUHAHA you have Mosin-itis

wait till you get through the russians to the Poles, and then the Finns.

 

[yhtomit]

Having fired but a single Mosin, I can understand the appeal -- authoritative thump, great accuracy (in the one I fired), historical value despite the (as yet) low prices ... congratulations!

Sounds like a picture or two would be in order

timothy

 

[Picknlittle]

I don't own a digital camera except for the one in my phone. The screen in my phone was broken (I'm a landscaper who is very hard on his toyz). I just got my replacement phone today. I have one more top coat to apply in the morning so I should have the barrel back in tomorrow afternoon. I'll get some picks up then.

I wish I had pics of teh disgusting thing before I started

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

I was lucky. After spiffing up my 3 my friend let me do his two T53's. His turned out better because I know he's picky. So he got 5 coats of tung oil with some light sanding between coats. Except for the dings and gouges the stocks are as smooth as silk.

I experimented with some Birchwood-Casey bluing paste on the magazine/trigger housing on my worst T-53, which was virtually all silver on the exposed part below the wood and it turned out beautiful with 3 applications. I think I'm going to completely re-blue that one and leave the other 2 as-is.

My Chinese Mauser's should be arriving any time now.

 

[CajunBass]

I wish I had pics of teh disgusting thing before I started

They look any worse than these two? Mine cleaned up pretty well also. I'll have to get some pictures after I finish downloading the camera from my wifes trip to Chicago.

Now I've got a third one to work on.

 

[Picknlittle]

It's hard to tell from the pics. Let's just say that after taking it out of the box and handling it (not stroking or carrassing ) for just a couple minutes, my hands were black, sticky and greasy. It was lava soap time. The gunk looked like thick, heavy grease with sand and dirt and maybe a rock or two mixed in.

Letting my last coat dry today. Will reassemble this afternoon and try to get some pick up then.

 

[Picknlittle]

Okay,...here are a couple pics.

I'm so chompin at the bit to shoot it! Maybe later thin afternoon