krukster86
Well-known member
Photos:
I have recently acquired a Wz.29 that piqued my interest. From a general perspective, it isn't a collector piece by any means, the finish above the woodline is mostly gone and is "in the white", bore is somewhat dark and pitted with decent rifling remaining, it has a mismatched rear sight and rear sight spring, the stock matches itself, but doesn't match the barreled receiver, the triggerguard/floorplate/follower are from a K98k (though they match themselves), and the bolt is from a K98k as well.
However, there were some characteristics that caught my eye. The rear sling swivel was ground off (like a German capture Wz.29), the front barrel band had its undersling swivel removed (seen on some German capture Wz.29s), and the stock had some interesting features:
1. The stock is Polish marked with faded proofs, and it it is interesting that the stock has the serial number stamped both in the vertical and horizontal directions (I didn't see a German depot stamp though).
2. The stock appears to have an old modification to it to accommodate closure of a bent K98k bolt.
3. There is a rectangular stamp with three "V"'s on the side of the buttstock.
From looking at old forum posts and talking with other collectors, these same markings have been personally seen on at least 1 other Wz.29, a M95 long rifle, and a K98k owned by other collectors I have communicated with. It seems that the prevailing theory is that these V's are actually Greek Lambdas, and that these are a Greek partisan marking. I have some example photos from those collectors posted below.
Now since the stock does not match the barreled action, there is no clear depot stamp, and the K98k parts swapped in do not match either, I cannot definitively say that this rifle was at some point a German capture rework. However, it could be a cobbled together mixmaster assembled post-war by a collector, or (and I am making a huge stretch here), it could be truly a Greek partisan rifle.
I am looking for some feedback from the collecting community about any theories or additional information (or corrections) on what you see in this rifle.
Any way you slice it, at the end of the day it is still an objectively decent shooter grade crested Wz.29.
I have recently acquired a Wz.29 that piqued my interest. From a general perspective, it isn't a collector piece by any means, the finish above the woodline is mostly gone and is "in the white", bore is somewhat dark and pitted with decent rifling remaining, it has a mismatched rear sight and rear sight spring, the stock matches itself, but doesn't match the barreled receiver, the triggerguard/floorplate/follower are from a K98k (though they match themselves), and the bolt is from a K98k as well.
However, there were some characteristics that caught my eye. The rear sling swivel was ground off (like a German capture Wz.29), the front barrel band had its undersling swivel removed (seen on some German capture Wz.29s), and the stock had some interesting features:
1. The stock is Polish marked with faded proofs, and it it is interesting that the stock has the serial number stamped both in the vertical and horizontal directions (I didn't see a German depot stamp though).
2. The stock appears to have an old modification to it to accommodate closure of a bent K98k bolt.
3. There is a rectangular stamp with three "V"'s on the side of the buttstock.
From looking at old forum posts and talking with other collectors, these same markings have been personally seen on at least 1 other Wz.29, a M95 long rifle, and a K98k owned by other collectors I have communicated with. It seems that the prevailing theory is that these V's are actually Greek Lambdas, and that these are a Greek partisan marking. I have some example photos from those collectors posted below.
Now since the stock does not match the barreled action, there is no clear depot stamp, and the K98k parts swapped in do not match either, I cannot definitively say that this rifle was at some point a German capture rework. However, it could be a cobbled together mixmaster assembled post-war by a collector, or (and I am making a huge stretch here), it could be truly a Greek partisan rifle.
I am looking for some feedback from the collecting community about any theories or additional information (or corrections) on what you see in this rifle.
Any way you slice it, at the end of the day it is still an objectively decent shooter grade crested Wz.29.
