Century M53’s are beginning to ship now

[Der Alder]

Darvius and Tomcatshaas…
Yes it does look better with unpainted wood to me too. The M53 butt stock I’d got from Angola was really in good shape. It too was of course painted black, but I stripped it, steamed out the serial number on it, sanded and stained it with a mix walnut with a touch of red…looks much better to me with the wood (I’m a wood kinda guy).

Tomcatshaas… the drum I got from Allegheny is marked with some number 2’s with a circles…Yugo I assume??? I don’t see any waffens. The sling is yugo too. It’s got a nice older look, but is still soft and strong, nice metal on it too. I’m happy with both for the money. Besides for an M53 like mine I guess these would be correct for it if they are yugo.

[Der Alder]

Bmwr12…
I’m not real familiar with these as to the mounts and such that you asked about. I was planning on getting a post war MG3 tripod for it, so I’ll post a pic of the mounts and perhaps you kind folks can tell me if these are the correct mounts for tripod use.

[Der Alder]

1turboturtle…
Yeah century stuck with my order price. My dealer (he’s a good guy) ordered it for me with no mark up or fees other than transfer. Got it for $2187 + some change…can’t beat these for the money.

BTW,
Here it is with the wood stock...does make it look better eh?
Also I painted in the rear sight leaf (white) for a more finished look.

I hope I didn't use up all the site's bandwith with all my pics.. (I'm like that guy with a new baby)
I hope these helped you all out.

[Bil]

Very nice-and for only a bit more than a kit with receiver!Looks real good.The pin on the rear of the grip-it looks like the original pin-one piece is a hollow tube ,the other has the slotted head and two 'fingers' that spread and catch.Just pinch them together and slide it through,then the other slides out also.I am not sure how it mounts in front,as you said,consult the manufacturer first-I would hate to see anything happen to your new 'baby'! ---bil

[Der Alder]

I guess I was on the right track then by the sounds of it. That's pretty much what it looked like to me as I stated, but I hated to start squeezing or prying without knowing for sure.
Thanks Bil

[bmwr12]

May I ask how you stripped the black paint off of the stock and what you used to refinish it? I plan on doing what you did to mine when I recieve it. Thanks

[Der Alder]

May I ask how you stripped the black paint off of the stock and what you used to refinish it? I plan on doing what you did to mine when I recieve it. Thanks

bmwr12,
On the M53 wood stock, first I removed the metal (all but the wires). Here is what I discovered on taking mine apart too BTW…

In order to get the metal off, if you look inside the stock where the retainer button/pin goes through there is a piece of thin sheet metal that is bent up over a nut (it keeps the nut from turning). Use a small screw driver to bend this metal down and out so that the nut can be turned. On this I used a 10mm open end wrench, while holding the button with the slot so it doesn’t turn. Once the nut is free of the threads, pull the retaining button/pin, spring and related parts out. Then remove the large square nut on the inside that retains the bolt that goes through the stock. I found a 17mm socket will work adequately on this nut. Install is the reverse, but one thing I did find on mine was if I retightened the nut on the button all the way down, the butt stock assembly would not fit back on the buffer plate. Mine needed to be backed off about a turn after being tightened down in order to install and latch properly.

I used bix paint stripper (gel type). To strip the black paint off. It’s a little stubborn to get off. First I spread the stripper on (use rubber gloves eye protection when using this stuff). I let it sit for a few minutes, then scratched and scrubbed the painted surface with a wire brush, which helps the stripper get into the paint. I also used a pot scrubbing pad to work it in. Took a few applications, but this got the vast majority of the black paint off.

Then I took an iron (on high steam) and put wet paper towels on any dings and steamed them out, along with the stamped serial number (doesn’t match anyway) and after a couple of times it raised the stamping right out.

Then I sanded it out with a vibrating sander which speeds things up so long as you are careful and don’t get carried away. Otherwise if you are not familiar with to using one, it may be best to do this by hand. Stay away from the wire wrapping too as much as possible.

On the stain, used Birchwood Casey walnut. This stain is water based. My stock was beech and very light when stripped and sanded and wanted it somewhat dark so I used it straight. The next part is a matter of preference, but once I got it almost as dark as I wanted I then mixed some of this walnut in a bowl with a few drops of red food coloring.

The wire may have gotten sanded and polished slightly so if you don’t want it too look bling, take some cold blue and go over it. I gave it just a touch as I didn’t want it black, but I wanted to take some of the silver bling out of it.

Next is the protective coat. For this I used Birchwood Casey true oil, which is a poly base coating. Could have went with an oil, but in doing so I figured I’d run a chance of rubbing through the stain (light wood under it remember). So I applied a couple of coats (3 I think) without sanding. At this point it’s not shiny when dry, but if you go any more it will be, which I didn’t want (again, matter of preference). So at this point I just rubbed it out a bit with some 0000 steel wool, which made it smoother and uniform (again being careful not to break through the stain). Then I followed that up with some Howard Feed and Wax.

There are lots of other ways of doing this too, but this works for me.

[PvtJoker]

That's a nice firearm, and a good job on the stock.

[MGMike]

Bmwr12…
I’m not real familiar with these as to the mounts and such that you asked about. I was planning on getting a post war MG3 tripod for it, so I’ll post a pic of the mounts and perhaps you kind folks can tell me if these are the correct mounts for tripod use.

Hi Alder:

The M53 will fit both the MG3 tripod and the Anti-Aircraft tripod. The big pin that sticks out of both sides of the grip mount is the rear attachment point, and the rectangular block in your photo is the front attachment point. The block is also the only attachment point for the A-A tripod (and for jbaum's ring mount .

Here's a shot of my MG3 tripod holding the front shroud section by the mount block.

Have fun with your M53

MikeD

[tomcatshaas]

Bmwr12…
I’m not real familiar with these as to the mounts and such that you asked about. I was planning on getting a post war MG3 tripod for it, so I’ll post a pic of the mounts and perhaps you kind folks can tell me if these are the correct mounts for tripod use.

Hi Alder:

The M53 will fit both the MG3 tripod and the Anti-Aircraft tripod. The big pin that sticks out of both sides of the grip mount is the rear attachment point, and the rectangular block in your photo is the front attachment point. The block is also the only attachment point for the A-A tripod (and for jbaum's ring mount .

Here's a shot of my MG3 tripod holding the front shroud section by the mount block.

Have fun with your M53

MikeD

OMG! what happened to your m53! Was that an out of battery explosion?

[MGMike]

[quote="tomcatshaas

OMG! what happened to your m53! Was that an out of battery explosion? [/quote]

Yup.....an OOB by some bird with a cutting torch

MikeD

[PvtJoker]

Bmwr12…
I’m not real familiar with these as to the mounts and such that you asked about. I was planning on getting a post war MG3 tripod for it, so I’ll post a pic of the mounts and perhaps you kind folks can tell me if these are the correct mounts for tripod use.

Hi Alder:

The M53 will fit both the MG3 tripod and the Anti-Aircraft tripod. The big pin that sticks out of both sides of the grip mount is the rear attachment point, and the rectangular block in your photo is the front attachment point. The block is also the only attachment point for the A-A tripod (and for jbaum's ring mount .

Here's a shot of my MG3 tripod holding the front shroud section by the mount block.

Have fun with your M53

MikeD

OMG! what happened to your m53! Was that an out of battery explosion?

Nahh, that couldn't be- the battery goes in the little green box sitting down there on the ground, and it ain't a'blown up at'tall

[bmwr12]

Bmwr12…
I’m not real familiar with these as to the mounts and such that you asked about. I was planning on getting a post war MG3 tripod for it, so I’ll post a pic of the mounts and perhaps you kind folks can tell me if these are the correct mounts for tripod use.

Yep she got what i needd. I also got mine on Thursday

[Der Alder]

Bmwr12…
I’m not real familiar with these as to the mounts and such that you asked about. I was planning on getting a post war MG3 tripod for it, so I’ll post a pic of the mounts and perhaps you kind folks can tell me if these are the correct mounts for tripod use.

Yep she got what i needd. I also got mine on Thursday

That's cool. How do you like yours so far? Did yours come with the front AA sight mount like some have?

[bmwr12]

I am not real sure what you are talking about. I do want mine to be able to take the spidersight fro reenacting purposes. I attached a pic of what my front sight looks like on the side the spidrr sight would attach to.

[Der Alder]

I am not real sure what you are talking about. I do want mine to be able to take the spidersight fro reenacting purposes. I attached a pic of what my front sight looks like on the side the spidrr sight would attach to.

What I referring to was, I assumed you meant you got a Century M53 Thursday… I was asking how you liked it so far, as in how it initially ran and looked to you. Also, someone posted last week they just got a Century/Wise-Lite M53 and theirs happened to come with the front mounting plate for the front AA site.

[Bil]

Pic is of the rear sight,the hole in the side is where the rear AA sight mounts.On the top of the receiver would be riveted a small plate with a spring mount for the spider sight.The mg42 had them,the Yugo 53s didn't.I think the Century guns are based on the 53,though as pointed out,there was a post of one with the mount.Not home now,so I can't post the pics. ---bil

[bmwr12]

I am not real sure what you are talking about. I do want mine to be able to take the spidersight fro reenacting purposes. I attached a pic of what my front sight looks like on the side the spidrr sight would attach to.

What I referring to was, I assumed you meant you got a Century M53 Thursday… I was asking how you liked it so far, as in how it initially ran and looked to you. Also, someone posted last week they just got a Century/Wise-Lite M53 and theirs happened to come with the front mounting plate for the front AA site.

I think it looks good and is a great value. As for perfomance I have yet to test it. I am waiting for my BFA so I can shoot live and setup for blanks all in one trip. I was hoping mine could take the spidr sight but there is no spring plate.

[Bil]

Check with Dan at Angola Armory-sometimes he has them.Shouldn't be a problem putting one on. --- bil

[Dan@AngolaArmory]

bmwr12, you pic is of where the rear AA sight mounts, as it is set up for the sight, at least the sight bracket is German, a re-use buy the Yugoslavians. They received all the tooling and parts captured by the Russians at the end of the war. Two years ago, I purchased hundreds of M53 parts sets and found MANY German parts were re-used.
The front sight mount will be re-created, its out for bid now along with the retaining spring. Everyone, please be patient, these things take time, I'm looking for the best work at the best price. To be sure, they will be offered here first.
Dan