Product Description
7.92mm; 90% blue, excellent bore, very good+ stock, 42.7'' barrel, This is an exceptional example of a museum quality example of the rare Steyr manufactured Panzerbuechse Modell 1939 or PzB39 anti-tank rifle. Used extensively in the early days of WWII, it was originally developed & manufactured at Gustloff. Its first design used a newly developed super-high velocity rifle caliber ammunition known as the Patrone 318 with armor piercing-tracer-lachrymatory bullet, but the weapon was quickly found to be too heavy and overly complicated and thus a lightened and simplified version was ultimately produced and adopted as the PzB39 in 1940. Battlefield experience demonstrated that the round was ineffective against most modern tank armor and the vast majority of these anti-tank rifles were subsequently converted to grenade launchers (GrB39). This rare example is in original unconverted condition, and is marked on the top receiver “Pz.B.39 bnz. 1941”, indicating manufacture at the Steyr factory early in the war. The barrel is dated “1940” and all exterior metal parts are numbered to match the rifle. The weapon is overall profusely proofed with German “WaA 623” acceptance markings. Rifle comes with its original carrying handle, leather padded shoulder stock & massive front sight hood. It also comes with a 1939 dated authentic but mis-matched bi-pod marked PzB 38 as well as 3 wartime spare cartridge holders that attach on either side of chamber that are coded “agf WaA 780 1941”. Rifle appears complete and fully functional. PROVENANCE: Collection of Dr. Geoffrey Sturgess. CONDITION: Excellent overall. Retains 90+% bluing. Occasional scratch & ding, bore strong and excellent with strong lands and grooves. Wooden beech wood forend in good condition with only very minor scruffs & scratches. Leather padding on buttstock shows some fraying, but still very presentable & serviceable., s/n 39xx
