Bought this a long time ago, but only identified it well today with my new 4th Edition of Robert W. D. Ball's "Military Mausers of the World". From pgs 95-98:
"Czech VZ 24 Chinese Contract Short Rifle: In the mid-1930's, China purchased 100,000 Model VZ-24 Short Rifles from Czechoslovakia. These rifles are the standard issue VZ-24's, and all pertinent data regarding these rifles will be found in the section on Czechoslovakia. Those rifles delivered under this contract all bear the date "1937" and have a "P" prefix to the serial number. Most of these rifles were captured by the Japanese and were used to arm their own troops; the rifles were subsequently recovered from Japan at the end of the second world war and were re-issued to Chinese troops."
Mine is not in bad shape considering what it went through - dark bore with lots of rifling. I like the big stamp on the buttstock - just can't quite make out what it says.
"Czech VZ 24 Chinese Contract Short Rifle: In the mid-1930's, China purchased 100,000 Model VZ-24 Short Rifles from Czechoslovakia. These rifles are the standard issue VZ-24's, and all pertinent data regarding these rifles will be found in the section on Czechoslovakia. Those rifles delivered under this contract all bear the date "1937" and have a "P" prefix to the serial number. Most of these rifles were captured by the Japanese and were used to arm their own troops; the rifles were subsequently recovered from Japan at the end of the second world war and were re-issued to Chinese troops."
Mine is not in bad shape considering what it went through - dark bore with lots of rifling. I like the big stamp on the buttstock - just can't quite make out what it says.
Last edited:
