vz24 date of manufacture?

[Roadcat01]

I recently inherited a VZ24 from my father, and have been researching the rifle in general. After a couple of weeks online, I still can't get a reference for the date of manufacture for this particular rifle. Serial number is XXXX O3. I take it to mean this is the third series of O manufacture (26 x 2 =52 + 14 =66 x 10K =660K + my serial number). So, anyone out there know when the 660K therough 670K of vz24 's came out of the BRNO factory. This rifle has no Czech eagle or Nazi markings on it. I appreciate any help you guys can give on this. :eusa_wall:

[dave]

Look above the serial number. Is there a small stamp that reads like this; E (tiny standing stick lion) and two numbers like 35? The 03 before the serial indicates rifle was made at Brno, if it was before the serial it would mean it was made at Bysterica.The o3 means it is the third time thru the alpahbet (do not know if they used all 26 letters). This was the Czech military serial system and was not used on export rifles. My list of observed rifle serials shows all 3 series made from 1931 thru about 1936 (there is also a B4 thrown in that lot) Many have the E (lion) date stippled or peened indicating a post war rebuild. The only O3 on the list is E (lion) 35 (stippled over). This is the date rifle was accepted by the Czech military but manufacture date should be close, at least the year. Your rifle should have the standing lion reciever crest (after 1933) or perhaps be stamped CS ZAVODY NA VYROBU ZBRANI BRNO on the reciever ring, so it is a rebuild and was removed. The E (L) date could also have been removed when re-built. PS: there was no Czech Eagle, it was a standing lion, small stamps being a stick figure.
Keep in mind, many recivers were made much earlier and not used until the 1930's to assemble complete rifles. The O3 example from my list seems to be one of these with that worded stamping on the reciever ring, made in the 1920's. Many of these spare recievers were used during the early 30's, with a couple different markings.

[clinekz]

Great info dave.

A buddy of mine just bought a similar rifle to the one desrcibed above. The serial is 83xx L3 and shows an E 35 which has been steepled over. It also has the cs zovdy na vyrobu zbrani brno on the top of the reciever in an arc.