Zastava M53
Zastava Arms · Machine Gun · Out Of Production · 1953
Also known as: M53, Sarac, Šarac, MG 42 (Yugoslav)
Overview
The Zastava M53 is a Yugoslav 7.92x57mm Mauser general-purpose machine gun, a near-exact post-war copy of the German MG 42 built by Zastava Arms (then Crvena Zastava) in Kragujevac. Produced from 1953 using original German tooling, it retained the MG 42's recoil-operated, roller-locked action firing from an open bolt, belt feed and quick-change barrel, but used a heavier bolt to drop the cyclic rate from the MG 42's ~1,200 rpm to around 950 rpm for better controllability and ammunition economy. Air-cooled and fed from 50- to 250-round metal-link belts, it served as the standard squad and tripod machine gun of the Yugoslav People's Army and saw heavy use in the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 11600 g (409.2 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1220 mm (48.03") |
| Barrel Length | 530 mm (20.87") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Magazine Capacity | 250 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Belt |
| Muzzle Velocity | 740 m/s (2428 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3504 J (2584 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1500 m (1640 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 950 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 7.92x57mm Mauser · primary — also known as 8mm Mauser, 7.92x57mm, 8x57mm IS
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Belt
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Air Cooled, Perforated Barrel Jacket, Quick Change Barrel, Belt Fed, Bipod, Pistol Grip, Roller Locking, Open Bolt
Service history
Operators
- Yugoslavia · adopted 1953 · as M53
- Iraq
- Angola
- Cyprus
- Ecuador
Conflicts
- Yugoslav Wars (1991-2001)
- Angolan Civil War (1975-2002)
Production
Production years: 1953-1999
Produced by Zastava Arms (Crvena Zastava) in Kragujevac using original German MG 42 machinery; long the standard PGM of the Yugoslav People's Army
Origin
Country of origin: Serbia
Discontinued: 1999
Notes
Direct MG 42 derivative retaining the German 7.92x57mm chambering rather than rechambering to 7.62x51mm NATO like the West German MG3. Heavier bolt lowers cyclic rate to roughly 950 rpm. Magazine capacity field shows the 250-round belt; 50-round assault belt drums were also used. Effective range ~800 m on the bipod, up to ~1.5 km on a tripod mount. Muzzle energy derived from 740 m/s with a 12.8 g s.S bullet.
Background
Nicknamed the 'Sarac', the M53 carried the howling buzzsaw report of the wartime MG 42 into the Cold War and beyond, keeping the obsolete 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge in Yugoslav service for decades. Its distinctive tearing-cloth muzzle blast became one of the signature sounds of the wars that broke up Yugoslavia in the 1990s.