Rifle help needed, VZ 24 or 98k?

[MattS]

A friend picked up this rifle. The 4 digit serial number matches on the bolt handle, stock, and receiver. The bolt handle is straight, but the stock has the cut-out for the bent handle. The only marking other than the SN is a "z" in a circle. Is this a VZ 24 and if so, what is it worth? Since the photos were taken, we flipped the forward band around so that the sling swivels line up too. Thanks for the help!

[MattS]

Shot of the maker's mark and unmarked top of the receiver.

[Craig W.C. Brown]

Looks like a "sanitized" Polish K29.

[MattS]

Thanks Craig! Is that a good thing or not?

We also noted that there are no import marks on the rifle.

[Craig W.C. Brown]

Depends on your point of view. These scrubbed or sanitized Polish rifles are attributed to covert Polish sales to the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War so if you are a collector of related materiel they are of interest; if you collect Polish materiel they are a subset of that.

[MattS]

Interesting, thanks for the info!

[Craig W.C. Brown]

Any time. BTW, these are relatively common; surplussed out by the Spanish some years ago before the requirement to apply an importer stamp was implemented.

[Alan Smith]

I seem to recall that Sam Cummings/Interarms bought these as surplus from the Spanish Government and imported them into the U.S. back in the early 1960's.

[DieSoldat]

Nice Polish K29 ..these are a rifle that are usually seen un-matched & in rough shape w/ poor bores ..Yours is a nicer example in being that it is a matched ( Not forced matched) bolt & reciever & stock.. if the bore is shiny that will increase value.. these were originally issued with a straight bolt & the stock had a cut -out..Does the bolt have a small polish eagle stamped on it ? Usually on the top..FWIW

[Alan Smith]

Soldat,

Does the "straight" bolt shown in this photo look correct for the Polish K29 carbine? The bolt is a mis-match, but has proofs similar to the carbine.

The carbine shown has been sporterized, but I have the original matching numbered stock. I would need an upper handguard plus all the bands, bayonet lug, stacking swivel, etc. to put it back together and am trying to decide if it is worth the effort. The gun will likely be a gift from a deceased friend's family, but before I haul off and ask them for it I am trying to get a sense of whether I could ever put it back to at least half-way looking correct. The Polish chamber markings are very interesting to me (plus sentimental value re: my deceased friend), so I would enjoy having the gun if there is any reasonable possibility of putting it back into the correct as-issued configuration.

Any thoughts you have would be apprecited.

[Alan Smith]

Another bolt photo

[Alan Smith]

Chamber marking.

BTW: I assume the "29" in the "K29" designation means the year 1929? If so, why is the receiver on the K29 carbine I show dated 1927.

[MattS]

Nice Polish K29 ..these are a rifle that are usually seen un-matched & in rough shape w/ poor bores ..Yours is a nicer example in being that it is a matched ( Not forced matched) bolt & reciever & stock.. if the bore is shiny that will increase value.. these were originally issued with a straight bolt & the stock had a cut -out..Does the bolt have a small polish eagle stamped on it ? Usually on the top..FWIW

I don't see a Polish eagle on the bolt anywhere, but it does have a nice shiny bore, thanks for the help guys!