Czech Vz.33 Carbine restoration

[Doggystrike]

I had been watching this one for a few months now that was listed on a pawn shop website as a "Sporterized Mauser", I knew that the complete stock sets for these are pretty much unobtanium. Well, I got bored and did some digging around, saw that APEX had just the lower stocks in stock and was still on the fence since a handguard would've been tricky to find, few more months go by and saw that APEX had one complete VZ.33 stock set with handguard, barrel bands, barrel band springs. Went ahead and ordered the rifle and the stock set to return this to it's former glory. Barreled action is appears to be untouched/not drilled/tapped, and all matching! (1935 Dated).

The only part it will be missing is the front sight cover, which I know will be like a needle in a hay stack. Unless someone knows of a source or has one they are willing to part with. I'll post some more pictures once the stock set and rifle are in my hands.

 

[Cyrano4747]

I will never understand this kind of half-assed sporter job. I don't approve, but I understand taking a Mauser and cutting it down, polishing it, bluing it, drilling for a scope, etc. I don't like it, but I at least understand that the person who did it wanted a fancy hunting rifle. Lighter, handier, prettier, and with a scope. Makes sense.

But ditching the stock, putting in a crappy plastic one, and not bothering to do anything else? I mean, thanks I guess, pretty easy restoration job if you have the parts, but why bother? Maybe the stock was cracked, who knows.

Anyways, congrats on grabbing the parts. Look forward to seeing this once it gets moving. Frankly I wouldn't worry too much about the front sight cover. Really nice to have, but not nearly as important as a handguard etc.

 

[whcoyote]

In the town where I previously lived, there was a gunsmith who did part of his work sporterizing K98ks and Springfield M1903s. His shop was heated by a wood stove in Winter. If his customers didn’t want the original stock back from their conversion, guess where it went.
Yep!

 

[Doggystrike]

Update: Finally got the rifle. She has been restored and bubba's sins were washed away with a nice wipe down of ballistol and an original stock set. (Thought the bolt was originally matching due to the electro pencil, but turns out the bolt handle/safety are EP matched/the bolt handle is a different SN) Still a Vz.33 bolt though!

 

[runner]

nice save