GUN SPRING 2017
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/11/2017
FANTASTIC AND EXTREMELY RARE POLISH WZ. 38 M (MAROSZEK) PRE-WWII SEMI-AUTO RIFLE. ZBR2 WZ1938M 1048 7.92 MODERN; C&R Cal. 7.92mm. 24-1/2" bbl. Developed by Josef Maroszek and adopted by the Polish Army in 1938 as the Wz. 38 M. A limited production of 55 rifles was completed in 1938 by Warsaw Rifle Factory 2 (Zbr.2) before the German invasion and WWII. Only five known documented examples have survived and only 2 are in the United States. The 5 known examples are: #1014 in Poland in a private collection, #1019 in Poland at Uprising Museum, #1027 in Poland at Army Museum, #1030 in United States in private collection, and #1048 in United States, now being offered for sale by James D Julia Auctioneers. This 1938 dated rifle is marked on top of receiver "Zbr.2 1938" and incorporates several features developed during the same period which were later incorporated into German designs such as a fixed box magazine charged using stripper clips from the top. This Wz. 38 M rifle has a gas block and operating piston and cylinder very reminiscent of the Browning Automatic Rifle design, such as a detent rotating pin like the B.A.R. except that this pin is at the right side of the receiver instead of the left. The operating rod resembles the B.A.R. in that it incorporates rails which fit inside recesses in the receiver with a compression spring providing forward impetus. It has a smaller diameter piston fitting within a cylinder which slides into the gas block in the same manner as the American B.A.R. does. The gas port nut on this rifle does not have variable apertures. The nut is held in place by the gas block itself once the assembly is in place, with an index mark on the left side to match the flat of the nut when the setting properly operates this rifle. The straightforward semi-automatic only trigger and hammer actuates a firing pin within the bolt which again looks very similar to the firing pin of the B.A.R.. The trigger and magazine housing assembly is locked in place by a tab at the rear of the assembly which fits into a tab in the rear of the assembly with the simple detent pin at the forward edge. The extractor necessarily is at the top of the bolt. The Wz.38 M is equipped with a simple compensator at the muzzle which also accepts the ring of the Polish bayonet. All Numbers are matching in this rifle. Sold without reserve. PROVENANCE: This Wz. 38 M was Liberated by a US Army Sergeant in Ordnance Tech Intel from a German Officers Barracks in Bremerhaven in 1945. Current consignor purchased it from him in 1972. Bob Faris of Yuma, Arizona and Dr. Novy collaborated on studying this rare rifle until his passing in 2012. Collection of Dr. Fred Novy. CONDITION: Overall appearance and finish near mint with deep, lustrous blue finish on all metal parts with the exception of the trigger and the bolt which are in-the-white. Rear sight spring exhibits a straw color. There is some wear to the high edges of the buttplate and along the high edges at the back of the receiver. Bore is near excellent, shiny and bright. Wood is also approaching near excellent with some very light handling marks and dings. This model is so seldom encountered, it is difficult to imagine another opportunity to own this historic and extremely attractive and interesting pre-WWII semi-auto rifle. 51661-1 JWK (40,000-80,000)