Lot 136

Vietnam Special Forces Bring-Back Chinese Type 54 Pistol

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Vietnam Special Forces Bring-Back Chinese Type 54 Pistol

Estimate: $3,500 - $5,500

Starting Bid: $3,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
June 27, 2026 5:00 PM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Historic Chinese Type 54 Tokarev Semi-Automatic Pistol with Belt Rig Documented as a Vietnam War Trophy of Lieutenant Colonel Homer M. Lynch of the 5th Special Forces Group The Type 54 was China's version of the Soviet-designed TT-33 Tokarev pistol and served as the primary sidearm of China's armed forces through the bulk of the Cold War. As with many Soviet and Chinese arms of the era, a number of these pistols are known to have made it into Vietnam where they were used by both the conventional North Vietnamese Army and the unconventional Viet Cong. This particular pistol is identified by serial number on a July 1973 Firearms Retention Authorization form issued in North Baden as the personal property of Lieutenant Colonel Homer M. Lynch of the United States Army. Lynch was born in Indiana in 1931 and entered the Army in 1953 and served in the Vietnam War. During the latter, he is recorded as an officer with Detachment B, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces. During his career, he earned a number of medals, including a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Silver Star. The latter was the result of an incident in 1970 where Lynch helped rescue an aircrew from a downed and burning helicopter. He retired from the Army in 1975 and passed on in 2013. The 5th Special Forces Group was involved in a number of diverse activities in Vietnam, with a general emphasis on opposing the Viet Cong which included brown water amphibious activity and cross-border recon/assaults into neighboring Cambodia. The pistol was manufactured in 1964 and has fixed sights, the three-symbol Chinese nomenclature on top of the slide, "66" factory mark and "1964" date on the frame, and ribbed grips with five-pointed star imprints (no "CCCP" lettering. Matching numbers are present on the slide, frame, barrel, barrel bushing, and trigger housing, and "8476" is on the magazine floorplate. An officer's brown nylon web belt with "fouled anchor" engraving on the brass buckle, a brown leather two-cell magazine pouch, and a brown leather holster with cleaning rod are included.

Manufacturer: Chinese

Model: Type 54

BBL: 4 1/2 inch round

Gauge: 7.62 mm Tokarev

Finish: blue

Grips: plastic

Serial Number11020165

Class: Curio & Relic Handgun

  • Provenance: Lieutenant Colonel Homer M. Lynch; A Private Collection
  • Condition: Fine with 40% of the original blue finish concentrated in the protected sections, bright areas, patches of pitting, and a number of scratches and dings. The grips are very fine with minor scratches. Mechanically excellent. The belt rig is very good with electrical tape securing the loose ends of the webbing on the belt and mild wear. This is an exciting Vietnam war trophy!

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000