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Post by Peter Wells on Jan 26, 2009 9:02:02 GMT 1
I was playing with my Ethiopian ZB30 over the week-end and checked the markings against those in Fig 41 of BGS. Suprise! The upper markings (Crest, Lion etc.)are identical - my serial number being 0143. LH side also identical but RH side does not have the whole nine yards of text, just a number - K14543 - approx 12mm in height. I have no idea what that number signifies. Any body (Kevin particularly) have any ideas? Was there more than one Ethiopian contract? Another thing. The pic of troops defending Addis Ababa seems to show a 30rd mag on the gun. Mine is marked 20-0-1 at the safety catch implying it was built for 20rd magsa only.  |
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Post by Kev on Jan 27, 2009 2:09:08 GMT 1
Although I'm fascinated by Czech lmg's I'm afraid I don't know that much about them  I just wish someone would write a book (in English) on the subject. The details I have on the small Ethiopian contract (presuming the details are correct) was one order in 1934 for 450 ZB vz30's in 7.92mm. The 1934 date would tie in with a CZ photo taken that year showing emperor Haili Salasi test firing a ZH29.  Being such a small contract it doesn't get more than a passing mention in any info I have. No idea on the RHS numbers but I have seen it on other contract ZB vz30's ,will have to see if I can find any pics. Mag in the BGS picture is interesting (is yours in 7.92mm Peter ?) Only explanation for the 20 0 1 selector markings that I can think of is that as the factory were fulfilling other orders at the same time for other countries they marked them with 20 as a generic 'auto' mark to ease production ? Where to get decent info on these bloody guns in English is a mystery to me, but would probably give someone with allot of free time a life's work researching them ! Sorry I can't be of much help,ATB Kevin |
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Post by Peter Wells on Jan 27, 2009 12:02:20 GMT 1
Hi Kev Thanks for that - it's more than I had been able to find on my own. 450 Is a small contract so that makes the survivors pretty scarce. I wonder how many were captured and destroyed by the Ities when they invaded! Yup - mine is in 7.92mm. Interestingly the comments in BGS re. ammo (the new heavy 'S' round) I experienced myself, before I read BGS. Using standard 7.92X57 'S' Ball I was getting stoppages every couple of rounds so willl have to develop a re-load to replicate the earlier, light bullet 7.92mm round. Cheers for now.  |
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Mongo
New Member
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Post by Mongo on Jan 27, 2009 18:34:10 GMT 1
Can you post the picture you refer to with the 30 rnd mags?
According the BGS the ZB26 was designed for the light 8mm and the ZB30 for the heavier bullet load. So your gun should like the heavy bullet better.
I have tried Hertenberger 8mm with the heavy bullets in my ZB26 and all it does is rip off the case rims. Seems the pressures are still high at extraction. When I use the 8mm Romanian (152 gr) it works great and I have never had a failure. I have shot 1 magazine of the Yugo 8mm with the heavy bullet and it functioned fine so maybe the Hert. is just loaded to a pressure curve the ZB hates.
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Post by Kev on Jan 27, 2009 23:43:53 GMT 1
Mongo,pic below of the 30 ? rnd mag on Ethiopian ZB30.  Peter,I would imagine your Ethiopian ZB is one of very few survivors , a very nice example to have The example from the PR in the newest BGS being sn 0056 and from the old BGS (Vaclav Krcma collection) being sn 0226. To put the Ethiopian 450 gun contract in perspective the factory production figures for LMG's for the years 1934/35 - 1934 - 2,991 guns 1935 - 15,245 guns ATB Kevin |
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Post by Peter Wells on Jan 28, 2009 7:55:13 GMT 1
Yup - that's the pic I was referring to. Thanks for posting it Kev. Mongo - re-reading it, it seems you are correct. 8mm Surplus ammo is scarce here so maybe I had a bad batch. Not even sure what it's origins were. |
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