Found a vz24 Bayonet

[Gunrunner]

Found this vz24 bayonet at the local military show today, looks like a German rework but can't make out the stamp on one side, has a cz in a circle on the other side, still has the muzzle ring, the scabbard is marked csz with E3??37 and the serial number 0019 on it and came with a frog I am not familiar with.

Chuck

[flynaked]

Man that’s nice and very cool! I would have bought that up in a heartbeat too, nice pick up!

[Pat]

Good stuff there Chuck, congrats!
I think the mystery stamp might be an mis-struck WaA607 stamp. They're sometimes found on early captured Czech stuff and on the earlier 'duo 41' marked G.24(t) rifles. Even without it, this definitely appears to be a German-capture set. The number on the scabbard is not original, and the screw has been moved from the center to the side, as seen on other captured scabbards. I think the lack of a blued blade and the fact that the muzzle ring was retained might indicate that this one didn't go through a depot or Ordnance worker's hands after 1941. If I recall correctly, the German orders for modification of captured bayonets came out starting in 1942.

I really like that frog.

Pat

[AndyB]

Its not captured bayonet, the bayonet was already realised in german contract to Zbrojovka Brno, and slovakian plant Povazska Bystrica,proofed by E/607 proofing inspector, and is in origin S24(t) early configuration and was not refurbished probably, the scabbard is prewar CS production of Brno plant 1937, refurbished by germans mostly as mouth piece was mounted in german manner and serialed to other bayonet with 0019 sn. So it could be mixed later in war or postwar. CS frog is marked with Automotive BAttalion nr.4, br.Andy

[Slash]

Thanks Andrej!

[pwcosol]

Nice example. I agree with Andy that the serial number on the scabbard once had a matching serial numbered bayonet to go with it...applied at the time of German rework. The E|607 acceptance is much less encountered than the E|A80. A friend has a mint, 100% original Czech made piece with the E|607 on the ricasso. The assumption is these were the bayonets remaining in the factory when the Germans took control. They got issued out before any directives for modification were ordered. For much more, take a look at this excellent thread from 5/12/17:

http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread....=vz24+bayonets

[AndyB]

"The assumption is these were the bayonets remaining in the factory when the Germans took control. "
This opinion is not correct, firstly because germans didnt took control in slovakian plant of Zbrojovka Brno in the period 1941, as the control was realised per joinstock majority of mother work in Brno, secondly the slovakian plant was controled partly by Slovakian goverment, but there was german comission for Lieferungen fuer Wehrmacht who contracted the firm for ammount of deliveries to Germany,mainly the ammunition.
Secondly the "german" contract was started in same period when was fullended the last romanian Vz24 contract so there were no left any bayonets over, but were produced in normal way for both countries,and thirdly the proofing E/607 is well known from dou41 early G24(t) production of which similar bayonets are from, the early 2 or 3 ranges are made in mixed pre Vz.24 configuration so You will find only these bayonets with barell ring, the later proofed S24(t) E/A80 are already all wout them. b.r.Andy

[Amberg]

Thanks Andy!

[pwcosol]

Andy:
Thanks for the clarification on the Vz24 bayonet I mentioned, being of new production rather than a factory left-over. Perhaps my choice of the words "Germans took control" was a poor one. At that time the German authorities may have had the role of "overseers" (so far as the ZB facility was concerned). The Czech Vz24 example I mentioned with E|607 acceptance is the only one I ever encountered in the original configuration. All others I saw exhibited some degree of German refurbishment.

[AndyB]

Luckily there is some new exact information in last years occured.
The E/607 bayonets were found with barell ring, same as in new S24(t) configuration without barell ring , some of the earlier configuration were too reworked in 1942 and post period in typical german reworking by units. So a full barell ring find is harder on S24(t), the scabbard should be delivered with E/63 proofs on hook.b.r.Andy