Original Chinese WWII Era Czech ZB vz. 30 Display Machine Gun by Hanyang Arsenal with Magazine Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The ZB vz. 30 and ZB vz. 30J were the later versions of the famous Czechoslovakian machine gun, the ZB vz. 26. However, the ZB30 had some design differences, making it similar to the later ZGB-33, which was an early prototype of the Bren gun. Designed and manufactured in Pre-War Czechoslovakia these were some of the finest Light Machine Guns ever produced, and were exported to numerous countries across the world. The British were so impressed that they worked with the Zbrojovka Brno factory to develop the Bren machine gun, a portmanteau of Brno and Enfield, the two factories that worked together.

Large numbers were also made and exported to the Republic of China, who received 30,249 ZB series machine guns between 1927 and 1939. These included both the ZB-26 and the ZB-30. The government arsenals in China also started producing the machine gun under license, beginning at the Taku Naval Dockyard in 1927. These were later produced in Gongxian Arsenal, Hanyang Arsenal, and the 21st/51st Arsenals. These were used during the Sino-Japanese component of WWII, and many were captured by Japanese forces.

Additionally, the Republic of China also imported 43,000 Bren machine guns, produced in 7.92×57mm Mauser by Inglis in Canada. These were used National Revolutionary Army, and it is believed that they were partly reverse engineered from the Chinese ZB guns, so they used identical magazines, which definitely helped simplify the supply chain.

This is a very interesting original Chinese produced WWII era Czech ZB 30 Type Display Machine Gun, fitted with an original demilled finned barrel assembly. The display LMG is constructed using BATF approved totally inert non-firing dummy receiver, which has had a 2 inch section replaced with solid steel bar stock. It is marked on the top with the “Bow and Arrow inside a Gear” marking of the Chinese Hanyang arsenal, and below this is marked with the standard Chinese “Wànzì”, which is a “left-facing hook cross”, similar to the German swas. It is a symbol for good luck still in use today throughout South and Eastern Asia, and was commonly added to Chinese firearms, especially machine guns. We have previously handled Chinese maxim machine guns with the same marking.

Below this marking are the Chinese numerals 三 . 三 . 十, which may indicate a 33 or 30, most likely the version of the gun. There is an additional “Wànzì” on the left side of the receiver, along with a partial serial number.

The magazine included with this display machine gun is quite interesting as well, being marked with the JI monogram of the John Inglis company. This most likely means that the magazine is one of the many shipped with 8mm Bren guns to the Republic of China, and got swapped in with one of the Chinese ZB guns, as they were functionally identical. It is in very good condition.

The Czech-designed ZB series of machine guns were widely used around the world during the pre-WWII period, and were then used extensively by the Germans in WWII due to the high quality of manufacture. The display gun is in beautiful condition and comes as photographed with adjustable bipod and cup buttplate with shoulder rest of the very early war years. This is the first example of a Chinese license made example, and we do not expect to see another anytime soon! Note: Magazine will be deactivated where prohibited.