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Polish wz. 38M Maroszek semi-automatic military rifle
Very scarce Polish wz. 38M Maroszek semi-automatic military rifle! Today, this is probably the most difficult to find military rifle on the collector market. There are only seven known examples of wz.38 M rifles in collections around the world (1. Polish Army Museum, Warsaw, Poland, deactivated; 2. Central Armed Forces Museum, Moscow, Russia; 3. National Firearms Museum, Fairfax, Virginia, USA; 4, 5. private collections in the USA; 6. private collection in Germany; 7. this one, Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA). Some time ago, there were rumors of wz.38M being on display at the Museum of War, Beijing, China (unconfirmed). The known serial numbers are: 1017, 1019, 1027, 1030, 1048, 1054 (the Russian museum rifle serial number is unknown). There may be one, or two more rifles of this type hidden somewhere in the world, but that is about it! The rifle was designed by a Polish engineer Józef Maroszek. He was known mainly as a designer of Polish anti-tank rifle wz.1935 "UR". Józef Maroszek was one of the three winners of Poland’s 1934 self-loading rifle trials. Several prototypes and pre-production samples of his rifle were manufactured from 1936 to 1938. After a Polish army order was received, a small scale production began in 1938. It is believed that only about 150 rifles of this pattern were manufactured before the German invasion of Poland. The production was not resumed under the German occupation. The wz.38M rifles were manufactured by the Zbrojownia Nr. 2 (Arsenal No.2) in Warsaw (Praga). The barrels were supplied by the Panstwowa Fabryka Karabinow (the State Rifle Factory) in Warsaw. The highest serial number observed is 1054 (it is assumed that the numbering started from "1001", not counting the prototypes and pre-production series). The decision was made to begin a serial production of the rifle at the Fabryka Broni (the Arms Factory) in Radom in 1938. However, it is unclear if any rifles of this pattern left the Radom factory before a German invasion (all the surviving examples display "Zbr.2" markings). Józef Maroszek stated that he had seen a group of German soldiers armed with wz.38M rifles in occupied Warsaw. This is perhaps the only indication that Maroszek rifles were reissued to Nazi forces. The rifle is gas operated with the gas tube located under the barrel. Tilting bolt. Ten round non-detachable magazine loaded from Mauser clips. The safety lever is located on the right side of the receiver, just above the trigger. Mauser-style tangent leaf rear sight graduated from 300 to 2000 meter. Bayonet lug for a standard Polish issue bayonet wz.29. Two piece stock. Two sling swivels. This rifle was manufactured by the Zbrojownia Nr. 2 (Arsenal No.2) in Warsaw (Praga) in 1938, as indicated by markings on the receiver ring. All matching serial numbers (the serial numbers are stamped on the receiver, bolt, barrel, stocks, handguard and on some internal parts of the rifle). All the serial numbers are factory original, and they were not restamped. Very high quality of manufacturing! The rifle was a part of my private collection of Polish military firearms for about twenty years. CONDITION: Excellent. 98% of crisp blue finish. The bore is in excellent conditions as well, with strong and shiny rifling. Mechanically, the rifle is in perfect condition. Beautiful stock in original finish with very few handling marks. All the markings and numbers are clearly visible on metal. All the internal parts of the rifle are in excellent+ condition, with no visible wear. The magazine shows some dents under the blue finish, which may indicate that it was repaired and refinished. No import markings. Beautiful and unique Polish wz. 38M Maroszek semi-automatic military rifle! Serial# 1019. (Ref. "Polskie Konstrukcje Broni Strzeleckiej" by Z. Gwozdz and P. Zarzycki, pp.173-177).
wz. 38M Maroszek semi-automatic military rifle
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