Came across a G33 mauser rifle the other day. It was in mint shape and original condition except for being drilled and tapped for a scope, and the bolt handle appears to be forged lower (not just bent). The owner insists that it is completely original and was a little indignant when I said that I don't think that they came from the factory with scope mounting holes and a lowered bolt handle. The receiver ring had some kind of crest on it, and was stamped G33 on the side of the receiver just behind the receiver ring. It appears to be a small ring with some lightening cuts made on the receiver behind the receiver ring.
The price on the gun was $400 which I thought would have been fair if it was unaltered. I thought the price was a little high to buy just for the action. The holes in the receiver ring were a little far back with the rear hole located behind the locking lug recess. I appears that the holes are located there so that the scope base can be mounted without removing the wood hand guard which just covers the front of the receiver ring.
Anyone have an idea what this rifle might be. One fellow I talked to says they were made in the 50's for the Czech or Yugoslav police (can't remember which). What do you guys think of this action for the basis of a light weight sporter?
First of all, it should say G.33/40 on the left side of the receiver, and the serial number should be just in front on the left side of the receiver ring. And the outside dimension of the receiver ring just before the barrel should be approximately 1.290 inches.
the bolt knob should be half round and hollow in the rear. the do not come with scope mounting holes. the bolt handle should not be straight out, but rather curved down as it comes off the action.
If there is no pitting then $400 is not a bad price for this action if you are willing to spend a bit to have it prettied up a little bit for a custom rifle that you intend to keep. I shoot mine with their original 8 mm barrels. I handload, and find that the 8 mm cartride does a very very nice job on deer out to 200 yards with a 150 bullet at about 2600 feet per second. Very little recoil so it is really easy to shoot accurately.
Except for the mounting holes and the bolt handle the rifle looks unissued, 100% blue and not a ding in the stock. It was just stamped G33, not G33/40. Also, would a rifle made under German occupation have a crest covering the receiver ring.
Thanks for the info. After more research, have come to the conclusion that it is probably a late VZ33, since it has a lion crest on the receiver.
What I would still like to find out is if the original VZ33 had "VZ33" stamped on the side of the receiver? I understand that VZ in Czech stands for model. Now the rifle I looked at had G33 stamped on the side, indicating German influence, the "G" meaning Gewehr. This would seem to indicate that the rifle was a transition piece before applying the "945" or the "dot" code on the receiver ring of the G33/40.
Me personaly would not want a scope base hole drilled into the reciever lug meat , but ahead of it into the lug recess area. Check to see if its a blind hole or drilled completely through the reciever .
GSP7, I sort of feel the same way, but then again, the first rifle I ever bought, a Husqvarna featherweigh, the one that came out after they stopped using the FN made 98's, came with the back hole drilled in the meaty part of the lug and real close to the abutment face at that.
Typical VZ33's have the Czechoslovenska Zbrojovka Brno address on the left side with VZ33 underneath it. The lion crest is on top.
The German occupation began in 1938, but true G.33/40 carbines were not produced until 1940. During those two years it is quite possible that existing VZ33 actions were used by German police and such, and the stampings could bear a combination of Czech and German marks. I had a commercial Brno 22f dated 1943 that had a combination of markings.
I've also had these rifles with mounting holes drilled thru the recoil shoulder. There was never a problem, using loads as powerful as the 8x60S.
