Not a Gewehr 98 but a Vz98/22
These Czech made/assembled "98s" are the czechs first production of "98" style rifles, after WW I.
At first, they assembled (from German parts) a copy of the german Gew98, complete with Lange sight (rollercoaster type) THis was the Vz (vzor or model) 98. Many of the parts will carry german Imperial acceptance marks, and only in the late production did Czech parts make an appearance. They made between 5000 and 10,000 of the "Vz98" Model.
As rear sights ran out, they decided to change over to a shorter ranged rear sight, adopting the Austrian M1912 Export Mauser rear sight; the Rifle was made up of more "New" Czech parts, including the receiver...so the rifle was re-badged as the "Vz98/22".
The first ones of these were taken up by the Czech army, and "acceptance" marks appear on the barrel re-inforce.
At this time, the Turks began buying rifle parts and complete rifles from Brno, and so numbers of the Vz98/22 were specifically made for the Turks ( Turkish script rear sight).
In 1928, the Turks were still buying Vz98/22, but changed their alphabet and number system to the Western style, so CZB sold the rifles with Western sight bars; These were re-furbished Czech Army Vz98/22 which had been traded in to CZB, (for Vz24s) and so the long rifles were available to fill the Turkish contract.
The earlier Lange sighted Vz98s were almost all sold to China in the mid 1920s.
To see if your rifle is an early or late Vz98/22. Serial Number letters: A-D are early, E etc are later. The Re-sold Turk ones may have the Czech acceptance proof stippled out.
The Turks also bought replacement sight bars in 1929 from CZ, but a lot of rearsights still have Turkish script numbers on them.
Either way, a Nice example of Czech manufacture and Turkish use.
regards,
Doc AV
AV Ballistics.
These Czech made/assembled "98s" are the czechs first production of "98" style rifles, after WW I.
At first, they assembled (from German parts) a copy of the german Gew98, complete with Lange sight (rollercoaster type) THis was the Vz (vzor or model) 98. Many of the parts will carry german Imperial acceptance marks, and only in the late production did Czech parts make an appearance. They made between 5000 and 10,000 of the "Vz98" Model.
As rear sights ran out, they decided to change over to a shorter ranged rear sight, adopting the Austrian M1912 Export Mauser rear sight; the Rifle was made up of more "New" Czech parts, including the receiver...so the rifle was re-badged as the "Vz98/22".
The first ones of these were taken up by the Czech army, and "acceptance" marks appear on the barrel re-inforce.
At this time, the Turks began buying rifle parts and complete rifles from Brno, and so numbers of the Vz98/22 were specifically made for the Turks ( Turkish script rear sight).
In 1928, the Turks were still buying Vz98/22, but changed their alphabet and number system to the Western style, so CZB sold the rifles with Western sight bars; These were re-furbished Czech Army Vz98/22 which had been traded in to CZB, (for Vz24s) and so the long rifles were available to fill the Turkish contract.
The earlier Lange sighted Vz98s were almost all sold to China in the mid 1920s.
To see if your rifle is an early or late Vz98/22. Serial Number letters: A-D are early, E etc are later. The Re-sold Turk ones may have the Czech acceptance proof stippled out.
The Turks also bought replacement sight bars in 1929 from CZ, but a lot of rearsights still have Turkish script numbers on them.
Either way, a Nice example of Czech manufacture and Turkish use.
regards,
Doc AV
AV Ballistics.
