Chinese T-53 Mosin

[35Rem]

What's the word on these? Any good? Junk?
This is the copy of the M-44 Mosin Nagant that the Russians made.
Thanks.

[NickSS]

I have owned a few of them over the years and I find them about on par with the Russian ones I have seen and used.  The Chinese use some strange wood but it works fine.  I bought two of these a bunch of years ago from Navy Arms and they were mint new at the time.  They shot as well as I have ever got a Nagant to shoot.

[ECV Slick]

I bought my Chinese T-53 back in the 1980's for only $39 and wasn't expecting much...  As it turns out the metal was nice and the bore bright & shiney!  However the wood looked like a dog's "chew toy" - but fortunately there was enough "extra" - that by the time I sanded out all the flaws, it fit the gun near perfect.  Accuracy-wise, I was amazed.  Some guys showed up at a public "open range" with a man-hole cover and took it ~800 yards up the hill.  Shooting mil-surp ammo, I was able to "bang the gong" 4 out of 5 shots on average.  I consider it to be one of the best surp deals I've found.

I don't often see T-53's available anymore - so if you're a collector of Mosins, you should consider getting it.