I Just thought I'd share a couple of pictures of my Zbrojovka Brno rifles and the European mounts of the deer I shot with them last season near home.





My 22F fullstock carbine 7x57 was customized by Ralf Martini - new Recknagel single trigger to replace the double set triggers, new pad, and new Dakota m70 type safety & shroud. I kept the old parts in case I ever want to restore to "original" but for now I'm very happy with the ol' girl. She was made in 1949 and is still sound and accurate. I put a Leupold 6x compact on it in original BRNO skeleton mounts and modified Leupold QR rings. Handles like a dream! The deer was a late season whitetail taken on public "wildlife lands" ( bought by hunter dollars ) just 10 miles from my house. Not bad considering I was not trophy hunting.




My 21H (halfstock) rifle 7x64 was made in 1950 and was already equipped with a Jaeger single trigger when I got it. I wanted it customized a little more so I also sent this one to Ralf, and had the butterknife bolt removed and replaced with an Oberndorf style bolt, a new pad, re-blue, and new safety and bolt shroud identical to the 22F. I put on a set of Talley QR ringmounts and a Leupold 2.5-8. A match made in heaven. It is accurate and deadly with handloads or Norma ammo. The Mule deer buck came from my own property, the first buck I have had an opportunity to shoot on my land in the more than twenty years I have owned it. Quite satisfying!


A few weeks ago I added the top rifle to the lineup, a 21H 8x57 that I found at the Saskatoon gun show. It is a little beat up, but a simple stock refinishing, re-blue, a new pad and the Dakota bolt shroud & safety modification and she will be ready to go. This one was found unexpectedly with a regular low bolt handle and single adjustable trigger. At $800 I think it was a good value. I shot a group that was just a touch over 1" with the first reload recipe I ever tried.
I think this one would look good photographed next to an elk rack next year, don't you?

Natures works of art...

very nice. GRF

Nice bucks and rifles!

Nice bucks and great looking rifles. I'm reeeeaally liking that 7x64.

those are very nice.Ihave a full stocked 22f in 8x57.
thanks for the pics

Beautiful collection.

Terry

Very,very nice. I love the old 21 & 22 Brno's, especially in 7x57.

Greg

Very pretty rifles and some nice deer!!!

I be likin 'm too....

Wow, beautiful rifles and beautiful bucks! Been searching for a nice 21H in my price range for several years, getting the one you got for $800 here in the states doesn't happen!

THOSE are some serious hunters/stalkers rifles! Striking and CLASSY.

I did the model 70 style safeties on my FN MAuser of the same era and my simlar CZ 550 Safari Magnum in 416 Rigby.

Great deer, too.

rifle, please tell us a little about your Brno's!
A ZG47 would be a great addition to my little group, I see you have one there, but I don't know much about them.

The ZG47 in my mind are the ones to keep/buy/steal/trade,whatever need to get a hold of. I have traded P64's Win/M70 to aquire my two.They are in 7x57 and 7x64,I know they are close to the same,but well worth the effort.

Plus one!

Nice rifles! When I lived in Montana I spent a lot of time in Alberta, I used to droll over the Brno's that Canadians had available to them (at that time Brno's were not allowed to be imported in the U.S, because they were made in a Communist country). I have always admired the workmanship and styling of them - Brno's are one of the great "bang for the buck" values out there - and they do it with style.

drover

Beautiful rifles and great pictures.

I have a 22F chambered in 8x57, and it is unquestionably my favorite rifle.

Weagle

Terry

Thanks for those pictures Terry. I have not seen an ad for the Brno 21-22 rifles before. $167.50 looks pretty good today, but I bet that was some serious coin back in 1950!
Your Zeiss Jena scope looks good on your rifle too. I had one on a ZKK601 equipped with the same mounts, they were reliable for maintaining zero when removed and re-attached.

Nice collection!

The price was in line with a pre-64 Winchester M70 back in the day. A run of the mill Sears JC Higgins model 50 (with a scope) would have run you $95. It was considered a lower end rifle.

Terry

Interesting that the price was in line with a model 70 but they were not more popular. I'd guess because of the double set triggers and butterknife bolt handle that required high mount scopes.
The 8x57 21H that I just picked up had those two features already "improved" from the factory so all I need to do is swap out the safety for a model 70 style and I will have a rifle that suits me perfectly.

Back in the day American rifles were more popular here, go figure. As far as a price comparison goes, who knows? Could be due to a lot of things.

I've got two. One highly modified and another 100% factory original. Both are 7X57's. These are some of my all time favorites. Both of mine are the half stock models, I would love to find a good deal on a mannlicher one one day.

Terry

Actually, Terry and castnblast, the Brnos were more expensive, at least in my 1951 (published 1950) Gun Digest. Here are some contemporary prices, all from that issue:

Remington 721 .270 or 30-06 $79.95
Savage 99-R .250 or .300 Savage $99.00
Winchester 94 .30-30 $62.45
Winchester 70 Standard $109.50
Winchester 70 Super Grade $162.50

and by comparison:

Brno 21H or 22F $167.50

So, as you can see, the Brno was more expensive than a Win 70 Super Grade, was only brought in for a few years until imports from Communist countries to the US was banned, and was chambered in "weird" foreign calibers to boot. It's not that surprising to me that they weren't more popular. I like 'em anyway. :-)

Incidentally, here are some prices on a few other imported rifles:

FN Deluxe Mauser $137.50
Husqvarna (on FN action with Beech stock) $109.50
Sako L-46 (22 Hornet, the .222 came out the next year) $117.50

By the way, while the $30 difference between the Remington 721 and the Winchester 70 seems pretty trivial today, it was a major reason for the Remington overtaking the WInchester in sales, so it definitely was significant in those days. To give you an idea, according to the CPI inflation calculator, $30 in 1950 would be the equivalent of $275 today, and the $58 difference in cost between a standard grade M70 and a Brno 21H would be over $500 in 2011 dollars.

Some sweet looking rifles here gents. Would really like to have a lefty mauser.

Here is my other one. It's been used very little.




Terry

TC1 and all,

great rifles.

TC1,

what kind of mounts are those?

It's a BRNO ZKK-602 mount. These were actually made for the BRNO 602 series rifles, the ones that replaced the ZG-47's. They are rare birds these day's. I found it and thought it gave the rifle an interesting look. The Zeiss/Jena scope on top is a fine optic even by today's standards.



Terry

drooling!

WOW! Both interesting and sobering! Thanks for the numbers.

Fantastic rifles, all.

Continuing to wish I'd kept all the classic rifles that cycled through my safe down through the years. This thread particularly makes me pine for the M54 Winchester, the 1947 M70 Winchester (transition safety), and the Browning Safari. "Sigh..."

I got the Brno 22f out and compared it to an old M70 Featherweight that I use a lot. The thing is that someone, long ago, put a pad on the 70 and its LOP is now 13 1/4". It fits me better than the 14" to the uncut plastic plate on the 22f.

They both weigh the same at about 8 lbs scoped. A 308 Montana goes 6 1/4# by the way with a 2.5-8 Conquest.

The Brno has the most style what with its artful trigger guard housing DST's, full stock, euro cheekpiece, barrel band front sling attach. and more.

Very nice rifles & stories!

The old Brno's are my favorite rifles. They are built with old world chraftmanship and their quality is unmatched with current production. They have their quirks such as the safties but that can be fixed.


ddj

The one in the middle..

I'll take it!

PM me with shipping info....

SCHWEEEEEET! That is the most graceful one and would be my choice as well. The long barrel and short forend remind me of many great British rifles.

A great classic rifle is like a beautiful woman -- hard to describe, easy to recognize when you see one!

John

EXACTAMUNDO!!!!

Thanks Guys!

The 21 and 22's are 7x57's and the Hussar ZG47 and Brno ZG47 are both 30-06's.


ddj

castnblast - I'm wondering if you can provide me with Ralf Martini's info? I will pm also. Beautiful guns also.


ddj

Ralf Martini's info... http://www.martiniandhagngunmakers.com/

Ralf has handed off his gunsmithing business to one of his employees, in order to concentrate on building his custom rifles. See announcement that was e-mailed to me:
ANNOUNCEMENT!! FROM MARTINI GUNMAKERS LTD
Jan Kolenbrander , who has worked with Martini Gunmakers LTD for the last four years has now opened up his NEW GUNSHOP !!
PRECISION ARMS Mfg . Cranbrook B.C
Jans superlative knowledge of firearms and his Top Knotch ability as a gunsmith has been a huge asset to our company and our customers .
As Martini Gunmakers is now concentrating on building only Custom Rifles , we would like to announce to all customers , old and new ;
If you want only the best for your gunsmithing needs ,send all your work to .
JAN KOLENBRANDER at PRECISION ARMS Mfg
71 - 4 th Street South
CRANBROOK, BC
V1C 1H2
250 426 3829
jan kolenbrander <[email protected]>

trouthunterdj, the rifle on the left in your collection surely does it for me! Am I correct in my thoughts that it is a 22H with ZG-47 safety, and is that factory original or aftermarket bolt and single trigger? The combination seems highly functional AND highly stylish. Congratulations on a very nice collection.

Thanks Guys.

What are the laws about sending a rifle from the States to Canada for work?

Thanks

ddj

The 2nd rifle from left, what scope is that and is it adjustable left/right by the dove tail only?
I have a 22 H with a similar looking scope w/ claw mount that is dove tail adjustment only. J

DPhillips - just looking at the photo's Ralf posted on his web-site.
Fine examples of well executed "rifle porn"...the rifles depicted are classics in every way. My best to Ralf! Regards, Homesteader.

Fine looking rifles; that 22F in 7X57 is a Walter Mitty fantasy of mine. Can't think of anything with more restrained elegance and class! Clint

Hello, Bro can you tell me where can I find Original mounts for Brno 8x57 Double Trigger Rifle. Also if original mounts are hard to get then what mounts can I use. I am having a very hard time finding mounts for my rifle. Please let me know. Thank you.

I have to say, I really like your "half stocked" rifle...

The original Brno skeleton mounts are like gemstones, they can be found in odd places but it is difficult to predict where. I have used Talley QD mounts and the non- QD versions with good success. they are the same mounts as for the newer CZ 550 series.

Ditto that.Sweet!

Nice looking ZG47 on trademe.co.nz right now if any one is looking for one, Cheers, Al

As per my previous post re ZG47 for sale, same seller now has 5 collectible Brno's for sale - ZG47's and Model 21's. Check out Trademe.co.nz
Cheers, Al

You guys seem to dislike the original BRNO Safeties on the 22/21. If any of you would like to sell I'd be interested.

The latest addition to my BRNO collection. A BRNO ZKW-465 in .22 Hornet. I've been wanting one of these for a very long time!





Terry

Congratulations! I almost brought a ZKW-465 home from the Saskatoon gun show a couple weeks ago. They are lovely rifles. It was in excellent condition and he wanted $900 for it. It was worth it. I'd just shoot my Anschutz instead though, so I left it for another enthusiast.

I paid a little more.....Oh well. HAR!

Hope you enjoy it! If you can find some of the Sierra .223" diameter bullets for yours give them a try, I believe the 465's were made with the slightly smaller European bore size, but can use .224" too.

I used my 21H 8x57IS last month to shoot a spike bull elk. Running shot at about 100 yds, broke its neck. I love the way that old rifle handles like a good bird gun.

It looks like you put your BRNO to very good use. I need to make it a point to use one this deer season. Would be much more fun to have elk on the menu though...


7x57

Yes. Deer season. Do it!

I thought I'd add to this old post that I started, - a few days ago I took an orphan calf elk with my Brno 22F 7x57. Some ancient Norma factory loads still shot well, and one 175gr. RN to the shoulder dropped the little one in her tracks at about 80 yds. I'm looking forward to some good eating!

Ohh my!

castnblast, love the pics. I had my first taste of BRNO about a month ago when I borrowed my outfitter's BRNO 7x64 in Namibia. Killed 10 animals with it including 6 gemsbok, with 174 gr sp bullets in factory PPU sammo. It shot lights out, trigger creep and all! I really liked that rifle.

Sweet lineup of rifles!!

Here is my Brno 22F 7.9 mm at the top with it's 'Mannlicher' stock and Kahles 2x7x36 scope.