When Czechoslovakia was founded in 1918, they immediately began planning to establish and arm their own military. It comes with an original leather sling that is lion-crested and 1937 dated. 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. [12] They saw action during the Second Sino-Japanese War in the late 1930s and many of these rifles were captured by Japanese forces. We offer a 7 day inspection period and hassle free returns to ensure every customer is happy with whatever they buy from us. Many books refer to this bayonet as VZ-23 "Long." However, the Czechoslovakian designation for this bayonet was VZ-23. Many 98/22 rifles displayed a slight curved stamp on the receiver, displaying the words "S.ST/ZBROJOVKA/BRNO", translating roughly into "Czechoslovak Armory of Brno." The vz. I looked all over the internet and I could not find another mauser model that matches with the one I have. These rifles were used against Paraguay during the Chaco War in the 1930s,[9] and many of them were captured by the Paraguayan Army, which in turn used them against Bolivia. Most of the public sales were still to Iran[citation needed] or Turkey, but some were sold to the Republic of China to supplement other Mauser type rifles. SOLD - Factory Chrome Walther PPK - Rare. danskin shorts. Then the Spanish or someone else re-arsenal or refurbish all the rifles and sold them to the Military Surplus Market to fund the rebuilding of Spain. On most Mauser rifles, there will be two sets of markings. department) markings, indicated by the symbol of an eagle with A further order for 240,000rifles was placed in 1930, though these were for the vz.98/29 variant with a longer barrel; another order for 30,000 vz. [14] By mid-1943, 445,640 rifles had been received by the Romanian Army. Final VZ-24 bayonet production variant, manufactured after the Communist take-over in 1948. Inception. Both rifles are very similar, but there are some key differences that you should be aware of before purchasing either one. Maschinenfabrik (ERMA); came under same management as Feinmechanische The most important marking is the manufacturers stamp, which will tell you where the rifle was made. 24s were bought by the Soviet Union from Czechoslovakia to be sent to the Spanish Civil War. [31] During the Anglo-Soviet occupation, the Soviets seized and distributed 10,000 of the Brnos to Kurdish tribes in western Iran, which they also helped to train. If it is a Czech produced K98k dated during wartime production, it may be decent price, if it is all matching. That year, Brno Arms Works, which had been controlled by the Czechoslovak government, was privatized to encourage export sales. 98/22 is a Czechoslovak-designed, full-sized, bolt-action rifle, designed and produced in Czechoslovakia. This example is typical of pre-War production. Other common markings include proof marks, serial numbers, and inspection stamps. Click on the photo at left to see a new-made VZ23 bayonet exported to Persia (Iran). The top rear of the receiver shows scrapes and an area of thinning. Mossberg 500 vs 590: Which Shotgun Is Right for You? The "musketon" rifles were designated as the Model 30 carbine, and in the late 1940s, Czechoslovakia assisted the Iranians with setting up a factory to manufacture their own license-built copies, the Model 49 carbine. The LOP measures 13 inches from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. This example, made in 1940, is the final variant to carry the VZ24 designation until post-War production resumed in 1946. It remained the standard infantry rifle of the German army until 1935, when it was replaced by the more modern Karabiner 98k. 3-digit number indicating which Waffenamt accepted the piece. [27] The first orders for the vz. The later models of this rifle has the same text displayed without the curve to the text. Any help on additional markings would be greatly appreciated, I would love to get some history on this one! barrel, rear sight, and stock, from which one can get some information My book doesn't even reference a Polish Mauser but then again, it isn't a Mauser specific book. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. These were produced from 1948 until vz. The hilt is of aluminum alloy. Very interesting. Categories. 2022. Barrel length: approximately 24 inches. 98/22 rifles were either sold to Iran,[citation needed] Turkey, or on the public market. It has great markings on the metal and matching numbers on the receiver, bolt handle & stock. I always take on the daunting task of trying to ID my military rifle's many markings. Ammunition was stored in a five-round, fixed, internal magazine that fit flush with the bottom of the stock, which was fed with stripper clips. The VZ24 rifle and bayonet resulted from input by Czechoslovakian cavalry forces, who found that the VZ23 rifle and bayonet were not well suited for cavalry use. We believe we sell living history, and honor the veterans who fought and died for our freedoms. Nearly 200,000 rifles were purchased by China, seeing action in the Second Sino-Japanese War, which became part of World War II. Copyright 2011-2023 All Rights Reserved. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. The Vz. for the transcription. This rifle is in its original configuration with all original finish. Military arms business of the Mauser firm was curtailed greatly after World War I by restrictions of the Versailles Treaty, and the principal suppliers of military Mausers during the 1920's and. 24s that had been ordered by the Latvian Army against the German occupation forces. The stock does not appear to be original to the rifle as the serial numbers do not match. Most of the Romanian vz will have a letter followed by a R as a prefix in the serial number , if it has the large "winter " trigger guard it will be Czech post war production made from left over German occupation parts when they made them for the Nazi, you may even be able to find the remains of Nazi acceptance . Reverse side, full length view. 24, and were sold to various other nations, most notably Iran and Turkey, where they remained in service to World War II era and beyond. [4] Chinese models often have ideograms on the stock. About 40,000 vz. 24s. 24 was ultimately produced in other chamberings to suit customer requirements. 98N rifle production ended in 1950. 25, Dual code; The rifle and barrel total lengths are the same as the VZ-24 Czech Mauser and both serial numbers barrel /receiver match (1xxx E) once I removed the stock and looked underneath but the rest of the rifles parts are missed match. Made by esk Zbrojovka a. s. of Uhersk Brod in the Czech Republic. 24s saw action in Ukraine, Bessarabia, and in particularly heavy fighting during the Battle of Stalingrad. [24][25] The original flat butt plate was replaced with the cupped butt plate of the K98k type, and the walnut stocks were replaced with easier to produce laminate versions. 98/29 "musketon" rifles was placed at the same time. Full length view of the Czech K98k along with issue bayonet, cleaning kit and chargers of ammunition. 24s have a two-letter prefix at the start of the serial number, the first letter being variable and the second "R" to designate Romania. Some of these rifles were then sent to Vietnam to arm the Viet Cong, and some were captured a third time by American forces during the Vietnam War. Czech VZ-24 Mauser Stock Set, Complete, w/ German WW2 Plugged . "26" (Inspector# I'm assuming), two "M"' with partial box around it - barrel, receiver 6. There is very little actual finish loss. Bolt body, note the matching serial number. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Simi Valley, CA 93065. The vz. However, I'm wondering if anyone knows how to date these rifles to when they were produced. This included changes to the butt stock, with slots cut to fit German slings and the installation of the disc and hollow rod assembly that allowed soldiers to disassemble their bolts. It is a M98/22 so it has the 30 inch barrel. Start a new conversation today! Ricasso (right): "E" (lion) "23" and "CSZ". Forum. Allow me to ask some questions of the assembled Mauser experts. Maschinenfabriken, Werk Luebeck, Late code for [15], The vz. The top of the bolt handle is marked with the serial number. A steel bayonet blade may be attached, if desired. (The - being a stand in for the Czechoslovak lion typical of Czech military proof markings) The rifles that were not adopted were sold in commission to either Iran,[citation needed] Turkey, or on the public market. Bore is in excellent condition. I saw talks on 1910 marked rifle and can say this is commercial example made up from inventory Turkish parts. The date is the second most important marking because it tells you when your rifle was made. The Lithuanian Army acquired the vz. III LeeEnfield rifles for 15,000 vz. These included contracts for several South American countries, most of which were 7 mm or 7.65 mm guns. One of the most common markings on a K98 rifle is the manufacturer's logo. Next up on the identification process is examining the rifle's stock and the receiver for any markings guiding about the factory of manufacture and the year of manufacturing. The rear sight is a V notched blade attached to a sliding elevator marked from 3-20. The K98 was the standard rifle of the German army during World War II. 24 that featured a shorter barrel and a side folding bayonet. The crosspiece and blade are steel. Czechoslovakian Army bayonets had the inverted blade profile, while export bayonets can be found with both inverted and conventional blade profiles. Original Czechoslovakian Army VZ23 bayonets exported had an edge-up blade profile and scabbard with the same frog stud as VZ22 bayonet. They were then used to arm five infantry divisions stationed in China[16] as well as the Collaborationist Chinese Army. But Iran didn't go for the original German and ordered the identical Czechoslovakian version, the so-called Brno. The biggest difference between the two is the length of the barrel. [18] China manufactured a copy of the vz. The following year, the factory began producing the first short rifles based on the German Gewehr 98 design, the Mauser Jelen. Sort By. The proof mark is important because it assures you that your rifle is safe to fire. I've spent the past week or so going through markings, reading histories . After Reza Shah was deposed in 1941 by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, significant numbers of the rifles fell into the hands of tribal rebels, and they were used in tribal conflicts throughout the 1950s. VZ24 bayonets were made by eskoslovensk zbrojovka a.s., Brno. The late Mauser rifle collector/expert John Wall stated that this rifle was on the only unmodified VZ24 he had ever seen. [23] Brno continued production of the rifle, which progressively gained some K98k features as stocks of pre-war components were used up. The K29 on Gunbroker for $1300 has a serial number of 8659g from Radom circa 1931. Add to Compare. Second Media Inc., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. Werke GmbH, Mauser-Werke AG, A Nazi-style eagle or Weimar style eagle represents that it is German manufactured. "SZ" symbol, faded round stamp, crossed out PR20321 - stock/butt 3. triangle (or V with line over), 'cursive "r"' shape - barrel 4. Many Polish Mausers were covertly. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. 7/28/21 - Original 8mm Czechoslovak VZ24 rifle with Lion crest on the receiver and 1937 acceptance marks. 24). 24s; Brno Arms Works in turn sold the LeeEnfields to Iraq. The French freighter Gravelines, which carried all the material, managed to get the weapons to Bordeaux from where they were sent by land across the border to Catalonia. As a result, there are many K98 rifles in circulation with interesting markings. ermk worked at Brno as a weapons designer from 1954 until his retirement in 1986. The following table lists the ordnance codes found in Mauser Bolt Scabbard: "E" (lion) "23" and "CSZ" on frog stud. Login with username, password and session length. It could have been something drummed up to help sell it. 24s were shipped from Murmansk on 1 March 1938, along with other material (T-26 tanks and 76mm French field artillery). The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. The 2018 edition of Gun Digest has a several page article covering the VZ24 Mauser. View of typical Czech bayonet markings, "CSZ" stamped on blade ricasso and scabbard . I did some checking on my available resources (BOOKS! Serial numbers no longer match. The barrel assembly measured in at 23 inches long. Also a dead give away it's a Polish Mauser are the dowel rods used on the hand guard to re-enforced the the beech wood. AG, Oberndorf a./N, production in 1935, Mauser-Werke The primary chambering was for 7.9257mm Mauser, but export variants were also chambered for 757mm Mauser and 7.6553mm Argentine. [20] Japan also ordered 40,000 rifles for the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1938. The buttplate shows small scratches and surface erosion. The buttplate is also stamped RFV. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Folding knife bayonet permanently attached to the, Knife bayonet for use on the 7.62mm. I believe it was ordered by Romania originally. German WW2-era military rifles usually have markings on the receiver, It resembled the German Karabiner 98k, which it predated by more than a decade. [23], In 1942, the production line at the Povask Bystrica plant was converted entirely to building K98k rifles and the main plant in Brno was similarly converted the following year. Also, this rifle does have a very large trigger guard, which I know was made for winter combat with gloves. Czech VZ-24 Mauser Upper/Front Barrel Band, "H" Type . [8], Starting in 1927, the Chinese Nationalist government began ordering rifles, and by 1937 had purchased 195,000vz. There are a few handling marks, especially on the barrel and front barrel band and a noticeable scratch on the floor plate. Outdoor Hub, LLC (d/b/a Carbon Media Group), 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. Proof marks indicate that the firearm has been tested for quality control purposes. The scabbard dates from the Post-War pre-Commmunist period. 55,000 VZ23 bayonets were disposed of in this way from 193537, with the Czechoslovakian Army receiving a new VZ24 bayonet for each serviceable VZ23 bayonet turned in to Zbrojovka, Brno. Serial numbers can help you track down information about when and where the rifle was made. below it. 24 rifles chambered in 7.92mm, all of which came from Czechoslovak Army stocks. 98/29 variants were new production guns. The front sight is similar to what I seen on older Models like the Turkish 36/46 Kale and the rear sight matches some of the South American variants. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. We wish you well this holiday season. [22], After the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1938, the Germans took existing stocks of the vz.24 into service under the designation Gewehr 24(t) ('t' being the national origin designator tschechoslowakisch, the German word for "Czechoslovak"; such national origin designators were German practice for all foreign weapons taken into service). The rifle's barrel, which was 590 millimeters (23.23in) long, featured 4-groove rifling with a right-hand twist. 98/22 rifle. [17] After the war, Japan surrendered the rifles to China, which were then issued to Nationalist forces for use during the Chinese Civil War. There are three main manufacturers of Mauser rifles: Mauser-Werke Oberndorf in Germany, Fabrique Nationale dArmes de Guerre in Belgium, and Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG in Austria. These bayonets will fit both the Czech VZ23 and VZ24 Short Rifles; variants also were modified for the German K98 Mauser. #6. Through our YouTube channel, we strive to educate and share the stories behind the artifacts we sell. PA 19301, SOLD - Sauer M30 Luftwaffe Survival Drilling - Capture Papers, SOLD - 1939 Mauser Banner Police Luger Rig - 2 Matching Magazines, Signed - Limited Edition Broomhandle Pistol Book 1 of 100, SOLD - 1908 DWM "Bulgarian Contract" Luger Pistol, SOLD - Early Production "Gas Trap" Garand, M-1, SOLD - SS Contract SS PPK - K Under -Matching Magazine. There is no visible erosion. German WW2-era military rifles usually have markings on the receiver, barrel, rear sight, and stock, from which one can get some information about the history of the piece. Proof marks indicate that the firearm has been tested for quality control purposes. This rifle was made with no receiver crest. Add to Compare. 24 rifles, along with two other variants, through the late 1920s and 1930s, and later produced their own copies in the late 1940s. Lithuanian vz. 4. The vz. Obviously it is a Czech Mauser, but I would like more information on it (year, etc). The first two years of production included royal crests for the King of Romania, though rifles built from 1940 onward do not feature crests, and many of the surviving early rifles have had their crests ground off. 7 day inspection period on all website purchases. 24 has a longer top handguard, and it retains a straight bolt handle. 24 rifle as its standard infantry rifle, though it had not acquired enough weapons to fully arm its troops by the time the country entered World War II in 1941. We buy and sell collectible firearms and militaria ranging from the Civil War to Desert Storm, specializing in WW1 & WW2. The date is usually stamped on the receiver, barrel, or stock. In this blog post, we will discuss how to decipher Mauser K98 markings. The manufacturers stamp is the most important marking because it tells you where the rifle was made. blade becoming the standard bayonet for Czechoslovakian forces. The hilt and pommel are in the white. However, the extra length also makes the K98 heavier and more difficult to carry around. Scabbard (frog stud): CZ Trademark "E3 (Lion) 46". The receipt of export contracts for Mauser rifles from Persia (Iran), Lithuania, and Ecuador provided an opportunity for the Czechoslovakian Army to standardize on the VZ24 bayonet by passing on the VZ23 bayonets still in service to export customers. The tactical block is very well made. The date is usually stamped on the receiver, barrel, or stock. I may have a working theory based on what the Russian did to all the Mosin Nagants after WWII. Throughout the late 1920s and into the 1930s, Czechoslovakia exported hundreds of thousands of vz. This tells you that your rifle has been tested and approved by a proof house. R - barrel (Romania I believe.) The grip is marked E, D, 3 and with a small heart. 98/22 was quickly replaced by the lighter, and easier to handle Vz. per page. These rifles, as with any Czechoslovak rifle, will have a (Z) stamp on most metal pieces of the rifle. czech mauser markingsczech mauser markingsczech mauser markings. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. 58 outwardly resembles the AK47 in some respects, but is a unique design internally. [3], Iranian models will always retain the Persian numerals on the sights. Markings: There is no visible import mark. It was registered in 1928 and remains in use today. The K-98k is a bolt action rifle that was built on the Model 98 system in the 8mm Mauser caliber. Modified VZ24 bayonets were used extensively by Germany during the Second World War. Get a heads up on all of our Sales, Promotions, and news updates (about 1 email per month).