Is this what I think it is?? Can't be. Is it??

Picked up this Chinese Type 24 over the weekend. Couple of interesting things about it..first, the Standard Modell bolt, and the receiver ring. I believe it is the Hanyang Armory, dated 1933. My research shows this banner with a bow and arrow inside a gear wheel. However, as you can see, this is only the banner. Have not been able to find any reference to a banner only receiver. I understand the date is also unusual, as Type 24 production apparently started in 1935. And now the kicker...as I was cleaning this, I found what I swear is a Canadian broad arrow inside C. I know theres no way it can be that, but hey, Ive been wrong before! Have a look, please, and tell me Im crazy. Or not.....

It sure looks like crowns over numbers on the bolt handle. British?

It does LOOK like C-Broad arrow...

Well, the crowns are definitely German. Like I said, the bolt appears to be from a Standard Modell. Would love to know what the other stamp on the bolt handle is.
However, a link I read recently on Chinese Mausers stated that dates as early as 1933 have been observed, and that it's not clear how this rifle falls into production figures, as the Type 24 apparently started production in 1935. But I swear that stamp on the receiver looks like a Canadian broad arrow inside a C......
You know, I posted a thread on here a few months ago about Canadian manufactured 8mm

that supposedly had a clandestine purpose. Hmmmmmmmm.........

Isn't the arrow upside down? (It looks like the "C" is right side up...)

Thought that too, but gee, it sure looks like one....
Now wouldn't that be something?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Anzac15

Is this what I think it is?? Can't be. Is it??

---

1) The marking on the receiver ring is the correct marking for a "Chiang-kai-Shek" short rifle, made in Arsenal 21 (the swastika symbol), which was part of Hanyang Arsenal. See Ball "mMauser Military Rifles of the World".
Receiver is Chinese-made.

2) The marking on the front of the bolt handle looks more like a simplified version of the DWM monogram than anything else I can find.
3) Crown over B and crown over U are correct German proof marks pre-1939.

2) + 3) indicate that the bolt is German-made, probably from a Gew. 98.
The rifle is therefore a mixture of components. Maybe the Chinese recycled scrapped Gew.98s when making the 33s?

4) The marking on the receiver lug is in a position that is useless for an ownership mark, because it is invisible when the rifle has been assembled. It can only be an internal manufacturing/inspection mark. Any resemblance to the Canadian mark is coincidental, just as the swastika in the receiver ring markings has nothing to do with the Nazis, and the six-pointed stars on 1908 Brazilean Mausers have nothing to do with Israel!

:wave:
Patrick

The Chinese bought German Mausers form the late 1890's to around 1937. They had large quatities of German of broken rifles to part out. It does appear to be a real German bolt. However, they commonly put German stamps on parts and you could be fooled. I recall a nice Model 10 S&W revolver years ago. Properly stamped and nice running, made in China. A buddy had to point it out to me.

Patrick, yeah, knew the swastikas had nothing to do with the Nazi regime, although the guy I got it from was trying to tell me it was a rifle that the Nazis used first, then the Chinese got ahold of it somehow. Tried explaining to him in the nicest possible way that that just wasn't the case, he got a bit miffed at that. Oh well.
In all seriousness, I knew there was no way in hell that was a Canadian mark. It just kind of made me go 'wow' at first.
'Cuz it sure kinda looks like one!

Just thought I'd give an update on the Type 24. I had it pored over by a gunsmith that I've known for some years and is a certified Mauser nut. He headspaced it and informed me that it was as solid as any European Mauser he'd dealt with. With that info I took a goodly amount of Romanian 8mm to the range Saturday to put it through it's paces. I am pleased to report it functioned flawlessly. Accuracy was a bit affected due to the somewhat worn bore, but I had a ball shooting it.
I'm not going to sit here and say that all these weapons are safe to shoot, I happened to find an apparent diamond in the rough. Which leads me to this question. My 'smith, who I mentioned is a Mauser junkie, confessed to me that he was not all that familiar with the history of the Chinese variants, although mine was the first one he had seen with a '33 date and the Hanyang banner by itself on the receiver (minus the bow and arrow inside the gearwheel) He speculates this is one of the earlier quality made examples. I have to agree, in that I understand the Type 24 supposedly started production in '35.
Any Type 24 experts out there that can confirm this? I have looked all over the net trying to find a '33 dated Hanyang with the solo banner, to no avail. All examples I find include the bow and arrow/ gearwheel stamp along with the banner. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Patrick Chadwick

1) The marking on the receiver ring is the correct marking for a "Chiang-kai-Shek" short rifle, made in Arsenal 21 (the swastika symbol), which was part of Hanyang Arsenal. See Ball "Mauser Military Rifles of the World". Receiver is Chinese-made.

---

The example cited above is a "banner-only" receiver. Look it up.

:wave:
Patrick

Thanks, Patrick!