1950 Zbrojovka Brno K98k configuration magazine fed .22 trainer

[Absolut]

First of all, I do know that this rifle here is most possibly post WWII and not really German - still I felt it should better be posted in here rather than in the post WWII section.

I recently obtained the attached shown Zbrojovka Brno marked .22 rifle which features a detachable 5 round magazine. It has a Czech firing proof from 1950. The serial is "01/50", @mauser22 suggested that the serial number is actually "01" and "/50" refers to 1950. The handguard on the inside is stamped "1", the stock on the inside is stamped "01" (stamped in this context means with a punch die; no ink stamp nor pencil markings). The barrel in original Mauser K98k stepped contour was made as .22, meaning it is not lined. The rear sight is dimension-wise identical to K98k configuration, except that the elevation markings of course are differently and only up to 225. The cupped buttplate features a round hole; I assume it originally has had a screw similar to the Brno ZKM 454 "Vz.24 Trainer Rifles". Both barrel bands are stamped/welded and held by a flat spring, exactly as late K98k rifles, if not fully interchangeable/identical at all. It though features a bayonet lug and has a hole for the cleaning rod (which unfortunately is missing). Also different from the German K98k is a simplified swivel at the rear which reminds of the French swivel modification on K98k rifles.

Putting a K98k rifle next to it the overall length may be around 5cm less. The barrel is approximately 2cm shorter (whereas the handguard and the rear sight base are of the same length as German K98k rifles), as is the receiver. The butt stock appears to be lightly shorter.

It is my impression that this well made and thought training rifle might be based off the Brno ZKM 454 series, which can also be found in Vz.24 configuration, as recently posted in this thread here: https://www.k98kforum.com/threads/1945-brno-22-trainer.58709/ . Since there are rumors the Czech also had wanted to sell a .22 trainer to IDF post WWII and looking at the proof date of 1950, in my opinion it is possible if not likely that this rifle/pattern was submitted to IDF, but rejected in favor of the 8x57 K98k rifles converted using Remington .22 barrels and later FN made .22 K98k rifles.

Any thoughts or input is highly appreciated. Attached are some pictures I've taken today:

 

[Absolut]

... Rest of the pictures:

 

[Fal Grunt]

Very cool, thanks for sharing!

 

[mauser22]

Fantastic pictures, great report. My take on it in previous thread. I hope we can eventually find more evidence regarding these two guns but I am not holding my breath.

The only other thing I can think to add is that we know Czechoslovakia, East Germany and other Warsaw Pact countries and some Middle Eastern Countries, ultimately utilized the commercial version Brno Model 1 in significant quantities as training rifles. Later the Models 2,3,and 5. The additional cost to produce the action in these military configurations evidently was determined to be unnecessary for that purpose.

 

[AndyB]

Most real this rifle is a testing rifle with features typical for army when looking at the buttstock features, its a Koucky design which ended in ZKM456 well known copied rifle, i assume 1/50 is a serial of 50 pcs bunch, in that case nr.1.

 

[Absolut]

01/50 could either refer to a 50 pieces contract, or to serial 01 from 1950, as the proof date would suggest. Either sounds reasonable and I‘m afraid I currently cannot answer that. But if there were 50 pcs made I think another one of them would had turned up earlier. The Vz.24 .22 trainers are of even lower serials and there are quite a few documented.