ZH-29
ZH-29 semi-automatic rifle
Type	Semi-automatic rifle
Place of origin	Czechoslovakia
Service history
Used by	See Users
Wars	Second Sino-Japanese War World War II
Production history
Designer	Emanuel Holek
Designed	1929
Manufacturer	Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka
Variants	ZH-32
Specifications
Mass	4.5 kg (9.9 lb)
Length	1,150 mm (45 in)
Barrel length	545 mm (21.5 in)
Cartridge	7.92×57mm Mauser
Action	Gas-operated, tilting bolt
Muzzle velocity	808 m/s (2,650 ft/s)
Effective firing range	350 m (380 yd)
Feed system	5, 10, or 20-round box magazine
Sights	iron sights

The ZH-29 was a semi-automatic rifle developed in Czechoslovakia during the late 1920s, and used by the Chinese National Revolutionary Army.^[1]

Overview

The ZH-29 is a gas-operated semi-automatic service rifle with a tilting-bolt locking system similar to that which would be later used in the Sturmgewehr 44; although while the bolt of the German gun tilts vertically, that of the ZH-29 does so to the left side. Externally the most distinctive feature is that the barrel is offset at a slight angle to the receiver to compensate for this.^[2] Also unusually, the rifle uses an aluminium barrel jacket.

An upgraded variant was designated as the ZH-32.^[3]

In China, Chang Tso-lin's army received 150 ZH-29 and 100 ZH-32 rifles, and the provincial troops of Guangdong also received 33 ZH-32. A derivative prototype was built in 1932 in Shenyang, China. It is unlikely that these rifles saw action during the Sino-Japanese War.^[3]

A version of the ZH-29 rifle was chambered in .276 Pedersen cartridge and was submitted to US Army trials but was unsuccessful.^[4]

During the last stages of the development in the AK-47 assault rifle, the testing grounds committee advised Mikhail Kalashnikov to redesign the trigger group of the AK-46 rifle prototype along the lines of ZH-29 rifle, which he did. The testing grounds committee also advised every competitor on how to generally improve their firearm designs.^[5]

Users

•  China: 210 imported in 1930-31^[6]
•  Ethiopia: 100 ZH-32s^[7]
•  Japan: (Experimental prototype copy developed from captured examples from China)^[8]
•  Lithuania
•  Thailand^[9]

See also

• Weapons of Czechoslovakia interwar period
• Kbsp wz. 1938M

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to ZH-29 rifle.

• Popenker, Maxim. "ZH-29 rifle (Czechoslovakia)". Modern Firearms. World Guns. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
• "Rifle 7.92 mm Automatic ZH 29". REME Museum of Technology. The Corps of Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
• McCollum, Ian (11 March 2011). "Czech ZH29 rifle". ForgottenWeapons.com. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
• McCollum, Ian (June 7, 2011). Czech ZH29 early semiauto rifle (YouTube). ForgottenWeapons.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
• Patents
  • charging device patent
  • gas piston rod patent
  • gas pressure regulator patent
  • firing mechanism patent

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