vz. 33

puška vz. 33
Type Service rifle
Place of origin Czechoslovakia
Service history
In service 1934-1945
Used by Czechoslovakia, Germany.
Wars World War II
Production history
Designed 1933
Manufacturer Československá zbrojovka Brno, a.s.
Produced 1934–1942
Number built approx. 150,000
Variants Gewehr 33/40 (t)(produced for Germany)
Specifications
Weight 3.35 kg (7.4 lb)
Length 995 mm (39.2 in) (G 33/40 (t) 1,000 mm (39 in))
Barrel length 490 mm (19 in)
Cartridge 8 × 57 IS (7.92×57mm Mauser)
Caliber 7.9 mm
Action Bolt-action
Muzzle velocity 720 m/s (2,362 ft/s)
Maximum firing range 1,000 m (1,100 yd)
Feed system 5-round internal magazine, two-row, integral box, with quickly detachable floorplate, loaded with stripper clip.

The puška vz. 33[1] ("rifle model 1933", sometimes referred to as krátká puška vz. 33 – "short rifle model 33") was a Czechoslovak bolt-action rifle that was based on a Mauser-type action, designed and produced in Československá zbrojovka in Brno during the 1930s in order to replace the obsolete Mannlicher vz. 1895 carbines of the Czechoslovak četnictvo (gendarmerie). The manufacturer's designation was vz. 16/33 (model 16/33), and although the rifle is often called carbine vz. 33, that was not an official designation of the Czechoslovak armed forces.

Design

The design was partially based on the Mauser Musketon M12, produced prior to World War I for Brazil, but the bolt mechanism was a modification of the Mauser 98 design found on the standard Czechoslovak army vz. 24 rifle. The action was a "small ring" design similar to that found on the German Kar 98a issued during World War I. As the name implies, the receiver ring is of slightly smaller diameter than the standard Model 98 action, intended to lighten the weapon at the expense of a slight reduction in action strength. Most small-ring variants are readily distinguishable as there is no step between the ring and the left receiver wall. However, the vz. 33 has a lightened, thinner left receiver wall, so the step is present making it superficially resemble the standard, 'large ring' action. Excess metal is removed from the rear receiver bridge around the stripper clip guide, and there are other lightening cuts. The bolt is the same as that of the standard Model 98, with the exception of the bolt handle which has a different profile and a hollowed-out ball.

For the Czechoslovak army, gendarmerie and Finanční stráž (literally Finance Guard, which was a custom and border protection armed service under the command of the Czechoslovak Department of Finance) some 25,300 vz. 33 rifles were produced until 1940.

Gewehr 33/40 (t)

Production of a slightly modified version continued during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia for the German armed forces. This version was 5 mm longer (due to a different buttplate), a metal plate was attached to the left side of the gunstock and with a German type sling and laminated stock fitted this rifle was issued to German mountain troops as the Gewehr 33/40 (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). Markings are of the German type, with code letters on the receiver ring in place of the Czech rampant lion.

From 1940 until 1942 another 131,503 of the Gewehr 33/40 (t) variant were produced for the German army: 29,000 Gewehr 33/40 (t) were produced in 1940, 48,049 Gewehr 33/40 (t) were produced in 1941 and 54,454 Gewehr 33/40 (t) were produced in 1942.[2] The German armed forces also used the rifles previously issued to the Czechoslovak military. A few prototypes of G 33/40 (t) with wooden folding stocks were also produced for the German paratroopers, not shown in above totals, but this variant never went into serial production.[3]

See also

The Germans also produced a small amount of prototype and pre-production test batch of the g33/40 equipped with the zf 41 sharpshooter scope. These were photographed for inclusion in the zf 41 manual in 1942. However, the BRNO factory switched over to the Mauser 98 K in 1943. Approximately 350 to 400 scoped g 33/40 rifles were made total. As of 2013 only one has been examined and found to be a real test batch scoped rifle: it has serial number 3962C. It is a late dot 1942 production rifle. Recreations of this rifle using Mauser 98k zf 41 mounts sell for about US$5000. Of note is the recreation rifle's scope base is as the Mauser 98k, which differs from the original g 33/40 base, and so is easy to distinguish real from reproduction. Reproduction mounts have been welded or screwed onto g33/40 scope bases; this is incorrect both in size and construction of the original scope base mounts. The real mount places the zf-41 scope in a very specific location on the rifle; re-creations are either too far forward or too far back from the original. The original rifles with zf-41 scopes have their stock and handguard specifically cut and fitted for the zf-41 scope and mount combination.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Československé ruční palné zbraně a kulomety, Miroslav Šáda, Praha, Naše vojsko, 1971
  2. ↑ (Czech) production numbers
  3. ↑ (Czech) Folding stock prototype of G 33/40(t) picture on Czech page
Bibliography
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