I should know all this but I don't so please educate me. What makes G33/40 actions special? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What work do riflesmiths generally do to them to make them right? Where can I learn more about them? What should I expect to pay for just the action assuming it is in excellent condition? Thanks.

Prices on these are steep. Low end, butt ass lucky $300-350, reasonable and to be expected $500, and just about the only ones that I seem to be able to find..$700+. Serious I have one and wanted another for years, never cheap, and seem to be getting worse year by year.

What makes G33/40 so desireable? In a nut "SIZE", its small, or should I say smaller, about perfect for the 57mm brass family, which means neat 6.5x55's, 7x57's, and 257 Roberts, and even some 6mm's if thats your fancy, in a light compact package. Coupled with only a few were actually made, then a percentage were lost to WWWII ( what they were actually made for ) and a whole lot of years, and these are just hard to come by very close to my favorite mauser action.

OBTW here is a link to BRNO production during those years:

http://www.gunboards.com/sites/mrj2003/Czech/Czech.htm

I asked this very same question about two weeks ago and recieved some very good answers. I'm sure if you do a search it will pop up.

Thanks, schrompf and Rusty.

They are a small ring small thread full length Mauser 98. They had lkongitudianl milling cuts in the action below the wood and between the rings to cut down weight. They were used by the mountain troops and thus the desire for the lighter weight. There was a time when they sold for the same price as a 98. Far from recent though. I had some old Shooting Times papars back when they were of a format like Shotgun News and Gun List, large newspaper size. There were ads in there for Standard 98's and G33/40's for $19.95. Of course at that time a gallon of gas was probably 10 cents, so given todays gas prices they would be $460. Puts it in perspective.

quote:

old Shooting Times papars back when they were of a format like Shotgun News and Gun List, large newspaper size. There were ads in there for Standard 98's and G33/40's for $19.95. Of course at that time a gallon of gas was probably 10 cents, so given todays gas prices they would be $460. Puts it in perspective

Customstox,

How old are those adds? I think your dating yourseldf on these, I never saw them that cheap...ever. I remember when they were just under $100.00 and that was years ago.

Nowwdays if I could find one for under $400 I would jump on it, hindsight being 20/20 like it is. If I find another the hard part is going to be what to make out of it, I have 257 Roberts in my head, but 6.5x55 or 7x57 are strong contenders, truth I wish I could find a couple.

Actually all the V-33 actions were good, all are good for custom rifles, its just that the "other" 33's are even harder to find. and I am not sure I would chop up a cherry original for a sporter if I had one.

schromf, these ads are very old, in the 50's and into the 60's. I was given an old gunsmiths old collection of Shooting times and spent some fun evenings reading them. I was just pointing out that at one time they were priced just like 98's. Times have changed drastically.

There was a badly sporterized 33/40 at the flea market every month last summer. Guy wanted $100 for it, I kept trying to get him down to $40!

If it comes back this summer, I may bite. I just worry about where the many holes have been drilled. Lots of holes in that sucker.

they are around. you just have to keep your eyes open. I bought one at Cabellas about a year ago for $270..00. perfect action, but stock was of course altered.