Description

SOLD – This is an early 1940 dated G33/40 Mountain Carbine captured and brought back by a WW2 veteran. All numbers, including the stock, match with the exception of the bolt. The wood is a beautiful cherry color with the handguard and stock matching perfectly. The bore is strong with good rifling. Waffenampts are correct and clear.  The action retains some blueing in protected areas. The barrel and forend blue remain at 80%+.  It retains its original sling which has some expected crazing to the leather finish but is solid and strong.

Only an estimated 120,000 G33/40 rifles were manufactured at the BRNO factory (code 945) between 1940 and 1942. This compares to around 11 million K98s. Many of the G33/40 rifles were sporterized after the war. Remaining original examples are getting very hard to find.

Years ago I had a K98 rifle tha was all matching except the bolt. I was able to contact the veteran who brought that gun home. He told me the story of it’s capture, which isn’t particularly sexy, but true. Germans were surrenduring en masse toward the end of the war. He said it was March or April of 1945 when a company of German soldiers armed with rifles came across the American line to surrender. He told me they had a  pile of K98 rifles and 50 gallon drums set up. When the surrendering Germans approached they would tell them to remove the bolts from their guns and walk in with their hands up.. rifle in one hand, bolt in the other. The bolts were then tossed into a drum and the rifles onto the pile. The veteran said he wanted one as a souvenier so he grabbed a rifle from the pile and a bolt that fit from a barrel. He wasn’t worried about the numbers matching. I wouldnt be suprised if this G33/40 didn’t have a similar story. You find many K98 and G33/40 rifles with all matching numbers except for the bolt and I bet that vet’s story explains why !

This gun remains untouched and as captured in WW2. It shows wartime use with small scratches, dings and worn blueing where carried but not abuse. An exceptional example of a German Mountain Carbine. C&R or FFL Required.