What are the chances this is a bringback? It looks to be in amazing shape, too good for a bring-back

In my opinion it's extremely unlikely, bordering on zero chance, that your Hungarian sniper is a Vietnam bringback.

Here are a couple of Vietnam bringback snipers with the Hungarian made example at the top:

The well worn Hungarian example has the original matching number Hungarian "41" coded PU scope. Both rifles are fully matched* and the Russian sniper is an extremely rare example with the laminated stock.

Please note that I must disagree with your first assertion in the following statement:

It does have a Russian scope, but that is correct, as many of the Hungarian PUs had Russian scopes.

It is true that many Hungarian snipers, both bringbacks and those from elsewhere, are found with mismatched Russian PU scopes but that is in no way "correct,” assuming we strictly construe that term of art to mean as originally issued. I have never seen any evidence that the Hungarians at any time issued their Mosin sniper rifles with Soviet optics.


* The Russian 91/30 is fitted with a mismatched, but as used and as brought back, Russian PU scope.

 

Nice example! Some of these turned up in Iraq too so that could be a source.

 

Get a tube of heat-blocking gel and apply it ONLY to the barrel. Use a semicircular piece of cardboard to prevent any of the gel from getting on the bayonet.

Then apply liberal heat to the bayonet with a butane micro torch. Don't let it get red hot unless you need it. Then, a light tap with a hammer will pop that bayonet right off.

 

Interesting, I have an M52 as well with a 41 marked scope. Sent mine to Dmitry/Raspootyn to have a lens replaced and he said it was a “Soviet built scope that the Hungarian arsenal relabeled post WW2.” Were the Hungarians building scopes or just scrubbing and remarking Soviet ones? Here’s mine.

 

From what I've researched, it is unknown how many scopes Hungary made for their PUs. It is very reasonable to believe that they acquired extra refurb scopes from Russia to supplement their own domestic production. Why make your own when its easier and cheaper to buy them from big brother Russia? Which is why it is common (and probably correct) to find them with the Russian scopes, as they were likely issued with them from the factory if they did indeed use Russian scopes in lieu of making their own.

 

While it is not completely out of the realm of possibility that Hungary did issue M52's with Russian scopes, as Richard's said, to date there has been zero documentation of this.

No that said Hungary did have PU snipers in there inventory at some point (probably pre 1956)as they marked them with the Kossuth Crest.

 

Miller is kind of the leading connoisseur here on Hungarian Mosin variations. I would trust what he says on this one.

 

I think it’s important to note that while quite a few Hungarian Mosin snipers with Russian scopes have been reported, none of those scopes/mounts have (to the best of my knowledge and belief) been matched to those rifles. If the Hungarians ran into an optics supply bottleneck, and had to supplement domestic production with Russian scopes, wouldn’t those scopes/mounts be fitted and numbered to the base rifle?

Until and unless such a matched Hungarian rifle/Russian scope is reported, or some documentary evidence of the Hungarian utilization of Russian scopes arises, I must continue to believe that speculation that such a pairing is “correct” is false.

You are correct Richard, I have yet to see any Russian scopes s/n'ed to any M52 and any speculation that it is "correct" is just that, speculation.

Has there been any documentation of anything regarding Hungarian PUs?

There are rough production numbers for the rifles, but I havnt found anything about the numbers of the scopes. Only that Russian scopes seem fairly common

There was a member here at one time from Italy who went by Alb87 who was researching 02 & Kossuth Crest Mosins in hopes of writing a book on them. He had told me that from what he had found to date on researching M52's was that scope production always lagged behind rifle production, but no proof that Russian scopes where used as replacements.

 

Here is a classic thread on the M52 Sniper.

https://www.gunboards.com/threads/hungarian-mosin-sniper-thread-m52.384069/#post-3201143

See reply #28 by alb87 for total numbers produced. Much great information, though unfortunately many pictures and great members are no longer present.

 

gotcha. I guess I should have said "common" in stead of "correct", even thought I personally find it very likely these came from the factory like this, based on
A. there are some indications that scope production lagged rifle production
B. Rifle production was fairly limited (roughly 6k), which would reduce incentives for Hungary to optimize bulk production of scopes
C. It seems reasonable that Hungary would accept surplus PU scopes from Russia as a cheaper alternative to making their own, especially if their scope production was lagging and not optimized.
D. It seems at least equally common (if not more so) to find a Hungarian PU with a Russian scope as it is to find them with a Hungarian scope. The numbers are not matched, but if the Russian Scopes came with pre-existing numbers, the arsenal may not have wanted to scrub and re-stamp ( or just not cared)
E. While there are no recorded confirmation use of Russian scopes (beyond what we see with our eyes), there is also no confirmed negation of the theory, so we are left to decide for ourselves based on the evidence that we see.

For myself, the evidence of what we can see in person, the hearsay and conjecture above, combined with no documentation confirming or denying the theory, leads me to believe that Hungary likely supplemented their own PU scope production with Russian scopes. In that case, the use of a Russian scope would be considered "correct", as that is how they would have left the factory.

 

Though I can't put my mouse on the old topics, I do believe we have seen a couple of Russian snipers with Hungarian scopes. So, mixing also went in the other direction at one time.