AKA : VZ.33 Modified, VZ.16/33, Alpine Carbine
Caliber : 7.92x57mm Mauser (sometimes called 8mm Mauser)
Capacity : 5 Rounds
Weight : 7.4lbs or 3.35kg
Length : 39in or 1000mm
Action : Bolt Action repeater of Mauser type
Origin : Czechoslovakia
As the Austro-Hungarian Empire was crumbling the independent nation of Czechoslovakia came to be and with it a new national army had to be created. Of course consideration had to be given to what to arm the troops with, the Steyr Mannlicher M1895 was starting to show its age, one only had to look across the border to Germany to see what the future would hold. A new factory was set up in BRNO to make Mauser type rifles for this new army, the result was a high quality rifle, not a specific Mauser model but a new variant known as the VZ.24. A need for a shorter handier rifle emerged and the result was the vz.16/33 more commonly known as the VZ.33. Export versions were also produced carrying the coat of arms of the purchaser. Orders were made by Guatemala, with Iran ordering from BRNO and eventually making the rifle in their own imperial arsenal.
In 1939 Nazi Germany occupied Czechoslovakia and thus the Czech's great industries were folded into the Reich. Priority number one became arming the Wehrmacht, at some point inspections were done at BRNO, and a decision was made to add the VZ.33 with a few modifications and the VZ.24 into the fray of official Wehrmacht rifles as the G33/40 (t) and G24(t) respectively. The rifle was produced at BRNO (BRUNN as it was called during occupation) all rifles made at this factory received the production code of 945 on early models then it was changed to DOT followed by the year of production. The rifles were eventually issued to the German Gebirgsjager (Mountain Troops) and to the Fallschirmjager (Paratroopers).
The G33/40 differs from the standard Mauser K98K from which it is based upon. The bolts are of the same length but are not interchangeable, the standard K98K Bayonet wont fit. The cleaning rods are different due to the difference in barrel length and further down the stock you will see there is a metal shield on the left hand side of the stock . The G33/40 also differs for the fact that it is lighter, this was the key advantage to the G33/40 for Mountain troops, this is due to certain areas of the receiver being slimmed down.
INTERESTING FACT : A prototype folding stock version of the G33/44(t) was made for paratroopers but it never ended up in full scale production
PRO's : Quality construction, Accurate, Collectable
CON's : Not compatible with other Mauser type rifles
COOL FACTOR : 6/10
the bayonets and the bolts interchange with all 1898 mausers thank you.aw
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