Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Value of 1940 33/40 action

Just like it says. The bolt has been altered, don't know it its original. Buhler-style safety, two-piece Leupold turn-in scope bases, unknown bottom metal, but probably military. Action is blued, maybe still original? Hasn't been polished out. Still has the chickens. What else do I need to look for, and what to offer?

3AXBAT,
The last one of these I remember seeing for sale (action only) was unaltered and clean and it brought about $700. These small ring actions make wonderful light sporters; however; I don't know how many I have seen that were stocked in a bulky heavy stock that negated the few ounces that were saved by investing in of these. The 1910 Mexican Mausers also make similar rifles and can easily be profiled on the left side to look like the VZ33 or G33/40. Having said that, I realize when making a really special project rifle it is the small details that result in a superb example vrs just another Mauser sporter.

Good luck on your journey.

John

It's worth considerably less as an altered action than if it were still original. Even as a basis for a sporter. For one, the bolt has been altered. You never know if that alteration was properly done. I've seen many sporters with welded handles that were so porous and full of pits and inclusions that they were worthless. Second, you don't know if the scope base holes were properly placed. Was the rear bridge altered? Meaning, was the charger hump removed?

Beware, bargain receivers aren't usually the deal that they seem to be.

A new Kimber rifle will have better metal, faster delivery and be even lighter.

I have an old small action Brno in the back of some safe. Had to have one! Never did anything with it.

A new Kimber will indeed be lighter. But, it just ain't the same. Sorta like having a craving for Rocky Road ice cream and someone saying chocolate fudge brownie will do.

If you want a G33/40, go for it, but don't let your desire to get one cloud your senses. Make sure that any work performed on it was done correctly. All too often actions are up for sale because the work done to them wasn't done well.

Z1R, good point about the uncertainty of the work already done. That's strike one.

Savage 99, yep, a modern commercial rifle is objectively a better hammer to hit that particular nail. Strike two.

I'm hoping to get / stay rational before that third pitch.

Thanks.

All of that being said, the question remains, "what shall I offer for it".
And owning three of those actions myself, without having every done anything with them, you really have to ask youself what you want the end product to be.

If you want a full blown very fine custom rifle, then a few hundred dollars one way or another is going to be a rather small percentage of what the entire job will cost.

On the other hand, if you are just going to put a new barrel on it and shoot it the way it is, then a few hundred bucks makes a lot of difference.

These g.33/40 actions are getting more scarce each year. You can find whole rifles, but usually if they are in decent shape you are looking at $1500 just to pluck the action.

If it were me I would politely advise the seller that I didn't know much about Mauser actions and could I have my gunsmith take a look at it before the deal is final. and I would get that in writing. And if he was unwilling to do that, I would pass.

The main thing I would be very concerned with would be whether the scope holes were drilled into the locking lugs. And I would much prefer a matching number bolt.

I've built several rifles on 1909 Argentine & VZ-24 actions & while I enjoyed the exercises & the resulting rifles, it's to the point today, that it's generally just not worth the effort & the (considerable) money to do it right.

I still have at least a couple of 1909's & 3 or 4 VZ-24's that will likely never be built into a rifle.

It just has to be a labor of love & nostalgia & you can't worry about the cost............even of you do all or most of the work yourself.

MM

Better I am leaving this old ZB Brno like they made it! Sure it has a m70 type safety but that's enough.

It's scope mount is some 'euro' type, on the left side of the rifle it says:

"MADE IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA 7.0 29XXX 50 50 ZBROJOVKA BRNO NARDONI PODNICK

The barrel length is 20" with open 'iron' sights and a leaf on the rear

Here it is: