Deactivated Croatian M53 Machine Gun

This is a fascinating Yugoslav made M53 machine gun with possible links to The Croatian War of Indepence. The stock label reads "PU LICKO- SENJSKA  BROJ 35  OTKUPLJENO-PREDANO" which we beleive when translated from Croatian reads Lika-Senj (a county in Croatia) , Broj 35 = Number 35 (address numbers), OTKUPLJENO-PREDANO = Redempted Dedicated ".  The Croatian War of Indepence was fought from 1991 to 1995. A majority of Croats wanted Croatia to leave Yugoslavia and become a sovereign country, while many ethnic Serbs living in Croatia, supported by Serbia opposed the secession and wanted Serb-claimed lands to be in a common state with Serbia. A bitter five year war then ensued.

The M53's were manufactured using the abandoned machinery left by the Nazi's after WWII. The Yugoslavian's took over production and renamed the MG42 the M53. These post war machine guns are identical to the Wartime models and some of the early examples can still be found with wartime parts fitted. Many are still in use today around the world.