[gunhorde]

I've asked this before, but it's been a while so I thought I'd try again. A year or two again I purchased a Vz-24 sight unseen from a shop in Michigan <?>, upon receipt it was a modified Romanian Vz-24 in a K.98 configuration. I had initially thought it might be a WWII German rework, but it turns out it is a post-war Hungarian modified mauser. There are several stamps on the barrel beneath the woodline that are identical to the proofs on a Hungarian Mosin-Nagant, but slightly larger in size. I believe ARG has the twin to mine with the same barrel stamps and stock markings. A square sling swivel has been welded to the underside of the rear barrel band on both rifles, and the left side of the buttstock shows a circular proof of some sort.

Have any more of these rifles surfaced, or has any new information (i.e. ANY information) been found on these? Mine has an original German K.98 leather sling on it, and neither of our rifles is import marked.

Any help or information would be GREATLY appreciated.

I'll try to post some new photos tonight for anyone who hasn't seen them before. TIA...

 

[mag]

I have one. It is markes like yours but also has the " Hungarian type " serial number stamped on the buttplate. Mine is a K-98 receiver with a VZ-24 barrel in a K-98 stock, with a sling. mag

 

[gunhorde]

Re: buttplate

I have one. It is markes like yours but also has the " Hungarian type " serial number stamped on the buttplate. Mine is a K-98 receiver with a VZ-24 barrel in a K-98 stock, with a sling. mag

Mine also has a serial # stamped into the cupped buttplate, I forgot about it. What specifically makes that "Hungarian type"? Same style as the Hungarian marked Steyr M.95's ?

Have you ever learned anything about these rifles?

 

[Regis Rex]

So now this is a Hungarian Mauser? How do you know that? I have one, but have no idea what country did the mods. Is the butt stamp the thing that looks like an R in a circle?

 

[gunhorde]

Re: Hungarian mauser

So now this is a Hungarian Mauser? How do you know that? I have one, but have no idea what country did the mods. Is the butt stamp the thing that looks like an R in a circle?

I called it that because that's the last country that modifed it to my knowledge. It might better be described as a "Hungarian modified" mauser. The barrel proofs are IDENTICAL to the small stamps found on Hungarian Mosin-Nagant M-44 carbines and M91-30 rifles. All known examples also have an "E" letter stamped on the left side of the barrel at the woodline just behind the rear sight base, the welded sling loop on the underside of the rear barrel band and a numbered cupped buttplate. Plus the circular proof on the left side of the buttstock.

 

[John Wall]

Hi Gunhoarde,
An excellent post! Can you post pictures of these individual features that you listed? Not being a serious Mosin collector, I've never seen the M44 markings carried over to a Mauser. The numbering of a rifle on its buttplate was a post-WW I Hungarian feature that appeared on their 31M, 33M and 35M Mannlichers. This is a great find. I wonder who the end user was for these rifles? Perhaps the Hungarians themselves in the immediate postwar years? Do we know when these were imported to the US?
Best Regards,
John

 

[Regis Rex]

These rifles have been discussed several times on this and other boards, but nobody ever knew much of anything about them. If it can be established that they are Hungarian mods, that will be something of a minor coup. I'll have to get mine out again and give it a strip search.

 

[Betonfahrer]

The Hungarian 98K modified rifles also sometimes had a stamp on the receiver ring-like a peace sign without the ring around itor like the center of a 64 Dodge Coronet hub cap. -I dont have a rifle to take a picture of This marking but it was on top of receiver ring-above orginal WW 2 german codes,or on top of barrel between rear sight and receiver ring.The buttplates all seemed to have the large SN stamped on it like the M-95 straight pulls and the sling bar welded on the lower band-I have also seen an additional sling swivel added underneath the buttstock.I used to see these rifles at gun shows from time to time.The buttplate number,lower band add on sling bar and the stamp on receiver are usually the giveaways.I never had the chance to take one apart.Like John said-Excellent post and topic gunhorde!

 

[mag]

Hi Gunhoarde,
An excellent post! Can you post pictures of these individual features that you listed? Not being a serious Mosin collector, I've never seen the M44 markings carried over to a Mauser. The numbering of a rifle on its buttplate was a post-WW I Hungarian feature that appeared on their 31M, 33M and 35M Mannlichers. This is a great find. I wonder who the end user was for these rifles? Perhaps the Hungarians themselves in the immediate postwar years? Do we know when these were imported to the US?
Best Regards,
John

I figured mine out because the buttplate number stamps were just like the ones on my 35M. I did at little research on the post WWII Hungarian army and found some information that said the Soviets told the Hungarians that they had to rearm their army as part of the Warsaw Pact, but that the Soviets did not give them any help with arms untill 1948 ? I am guessing that the Czechs helped with parts or made and sold the K-98 rifles to the Hungarians as all the ones I have seen have some Czech parts on them. My rifle has all the features listed by Bethonfaher. mag

 

[Matt Norman]

By chance did this rifle come from Williams Gunsight?

 

[gunhorde]

By chance did this rifle come from Williams Gunsight?

Yep, that's where mine came from. Looks like I never posted any photos (or they have since fallen off the board), will do so tomorrow. Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but it's been a while and I wanted to look into this again.

 

[gunhorde]

Hungarian modified Romanian Vz-24 - MANY photos!

OK, here are exhaustive photos of almost every feature on the rifle... due to the upload feature of the board, they are obviously in no particular order.

 

[gunhorde]

More photos

Another set...

 

[gunhorde]

Last pics

Last photos...

 

[gunhorde]

German K.98 with same features/modifications

These photos are for comparative purposes, this rifle is owned by fellow gunboards member ARG and are posted with his permission. Thanks ARG!

 

[gunhorde]

Hungarian M-44 Mosin-Nagant carbine proof for comparison

Here's a small inset photo of the proof mark on the barrel shank of a Hungarian model M-44 Mosin-Nagant carbine... a crude sickle & hammer in an arched wreath. Although crude compared to the Mauser proof on ARG's rifle, it's the same marking. I have seen other Hungarian Mosin-Nagants with clearer proofs but do not currently own one for photographic purposes. If anyone with a Hungarian Mosin-Nagant has a clearer barrel proof macro photo to upload it would be appreciated!

 

[ARG]

Hey Gunhorde, I have several Hungarian M44's. I will try to take some macro pics on Saturday for comparison.

Regards, ARG

 

[gunhorde]

Hey Gunhorde, I have several Hungarian M44's. I will try to take some macro pics on Saturday for comparison.

Regards, ARG

Thanks Al, I appreciate it!

 

[mauser98*]

Funny thing about that extra sling bar WELDED to the rear band. I saw a dealer at the harrisburg pa gun show years ago that had 2 tables full of russian capture k98 mausers and maybe 5 of them had those sling bar mods on them. All were your basic MM parts rifles with the "X"s on them. He also had a parts box with a few loose bands milled and stamped with the same sling bars but all badly rusted pitted.