Norinco TU 33/40 Mauser trainer

[Greasemonkey]

I finally found the TU 33/40 Norinco carbine locally, it's a loose copy of the German Gewehr 33/40. I partially blame P32....he enabled me when I got the TU-KKW/JW-25.

This is the JW-25A, typically a little harder model to find than it's big brother, somewhere I read these were imported in '93-'94 only, but... we all know how internet lore is. I was a little disheartend to see the receiver had been drilled, even though the receiver is grooved, but thought, it's a commercial sporter, albeit an uncommon one, and it gives me an excuse to maybe make a fakeish rimfire sniper look-a-like out of it. I can find another home for the reddot, somewhere around here is a Marlin 795 still wrapped in plastic, in the box. 





So, aside from being drilled....it has one other odd trait, it has 2 totally different import stamps, which I don't think I have ever seen on these or many other import rifles that I remember, it has both a Navy Arms Ridgefield NJ import stamp on the receiver and a C&A Va Bch Va import stamp on the barrel. I guess with the amount of stuff floating around in the late 80's early 90's, it could happen.

Normal Navy Arms import receiver stamp.



Not so normal C&A import stamp on the barrel.



The difference in the TU-KKW and the TU 33/40, about 5 inches in barrel length.

[Phosphorus32]

Neat rifles. So many variants, so little cash   

Glad to help in the enabling department. I know you might have bought some nice jewelry for your wife instead of the rifle, if I hadn't been around to help out 

When that JW-8 finally arrives I'll ask it to write a letter to its family on the east coast.

[carls sks]

so many different collectables I'm learning about, thanks for sharing. 

[Greasemonkey]

When that JW-8 finally arrives I'll ask it to write a letter to its family on the east coast.

I told ya.. just send the JW-8.. 

I cant read Chinese anyway..

[Loose}{Cannon]

I like it....   everyone needs a 22lr, or 50.   

[Phosphorus32]

I like it....   everyone needs a 22lr, or 50.   

True story! 

[Justin Hell]

I like it....   everyone needs a 22lr, or 50.   

True story! 

Sounds like I am quoting experience here...so I gotta ask.  What would be a great second 22lr....had the Ruger for over 20 years...floats my boat, a little....but the daughter likes it.  I am trying to get her into something other than that...and otherwise, we just have an old 22 S&W revolver to toy around with. 

[Phosphorus32]

If you want a cool .22lr trainer, I love my Mossberg M44US. I picked up mine 4 years ago for $270, not sure how much more they are now, but still relatively reasonable for a milsurp trainer. I love it for myself and my wife and daughter. Great bolt action .22 with a heavy barrel and a 7 round magazine.



Not sure exactly what characteristics you're looking for so I immediately went to milsurps 

[Justin Hell]

I would kind of prefer leaning more towards a milsurp I may come across at a gun show rather than anything as commercial as I already have...which I find as a perfectly consistent, commercially upgradeable...boring...tool. Kind of how I feel about ARs. Something with a little more history, either bolt or perhaps lever action...either would be at least more interesting. The only bolts we have are Mosins...which are a tad more than the kid is capable of, other than taking pumpkin fireball photos  . 

My only adult knowledge of 22s (barely) is of a lever action Marlin my dad has, that is probably 60s vintage...and despite being a tack driver, is about as unreliable and loose as I can imagine a gun being while maintaining accuracy. 

Are the military trainers built with hefty weight to mimic the real deal? The M44US does look to suit my needs...but if it is a heavy log, the kid might be better served with another year of the Ruger before I build her a Ram-Line SKS with
what I have on hand.

I have only been able to watch the first minute or two of the video thus far, interruptions with the wife and phone abound. Apologies if my questions about it are answered within.

My interest is sudden because the kid is starting her last summer before driving. Hence, I fear my last year of influence before the inevitable mall rat years. Her interest is piqued again, so I am going to run with it if I can find the right rifle for her/us.

[Greasemonkey]

Some of the Mossbergs are stamped US Property... but there are many .22lr trainers.. Most of the milsurp trainers can get pricey, trust me, some of these little rifles hurt when I bought them...the Romanian M1969 is still fairly common to find for...250 or less.

This is the commercial equivalent of the Mossberg M44US, the Mossberg 144LSB, sometimes they can be found for a little less than the real deal M44US.




An Enfield trainer



A German KKW Mauser Trainer



A MAS45 trainer..



A Polish Wz.48 Mosin trainer



Romanian M1969 trainer...in blond and red




A Russian CM2.. don't quite know if it's deemed a trainer.



A fun commercial, if you use the hottest 22lr you can find, it looks and feels like a real M1 Carbine, the German made Iver Johnson, I can even fix a M1 Carbine bayonet on it.   Somebody is making one now in current production, someone like Chiappa... no clue how they are.



Another commercial, the Norinco JW-15, this is what the TU-KKW and TU 33/40 are based off of, they are all copies of a Cz BRNO-1 rimfire. They are pretty easy to find, accurate and cheap.



Another you could find tucked away, not really a trainer, not really a true commercial.. it was deemed more of a garden rifle.. a Cz 468, single shot, but this one is accurate enough, you only need one shot, and it's a Cz. 



Many moons ago, maybe about the time or just before MTV came on the air, I cut my teeth on this, an old arse Marlin Model 99, it predates the Model 60, my old man handed me a bullet at a time, till he felt I was ready, that sucks with a tube feed..but I still have it, shoot it and love it and can load it in a heartbeat.



I could keep going, but those are just some ideas for trainers.

[Phosphorus32]

The M44US is heavy, as are most true military trainers in order to mimic the weight of the issue battle rifle of the period. I think GM just about covered the bases of the other relatively common trainers. The Lee-Enfield and especially the KKW trainers are expensive, $500-800 (depending on model) and $800-1200 respectively.

I like the bolt action rifles with iron sights for the novices or infrequent shooters just because it introduces them to most everything you need to know about firing a rifle. Moving to a semi-auto and or a scoped rifle is not difficult if you've started with a BA.

Many older commercial .22s are easy to find and relatively cheap.

[Greasemonkey]

The M44US is heavy, as are most true military trainers in order to mimic the weight of the issue battle rifle of the period. I think GM just about covered the bases of the other relatively common trainers. The Lee-Enfield and especially the KKW trainers are expensive, $500-800 (depending on model) and $800-1200 respectively.

I like the bolt action rifles with iron sights for the novices or infrequent shooters just because it introduces them to most everything you need to know about firing a rifle. Moving to a semi-auto and or a scoped rifle is not difficult if you've started with a BA.

Many older commercial .22s are easy to find and relatively cheap.

P32 is right.. bolt actions are fun, and you don't blow through near the ammo.

If saving money is a priority... some 30's-70's models can be found with store brand names or house brands... Wards Westernfield, Glenfield, Ranger, Western Auto, J.C. Higgins, and so many others.. all made by Savage, Marlin, Mossberg, Stevens and on and on.  Sears sold'em, Montgomery Wards sold'em, Western Auto, even J.C. Penny sold firearms, I have even seen an Abercrombie & Fitch shotgun and a Parker Bros shotgun.

Store/house brands command a lower price usually because people think they are lower quality, or they are just brand snobs..... when in reality, they are the same, maybe with a feature missing, maybe the store sold a standard model vs. the manufactures deluxe model for a few bucks more, but, usually the only real difference, is the roll stamp.

I have a Wards Westernfield... it's a Mossberg 46B plain and simple, right down to the scope.




or a Sears Ranger slide action from the late 30's, it even has a Sears catalog number stamped in it....it is the same thing as a Stevens 29....made by Stevens for Sears and Roebuck..

[Justin Hell]

Wow...thanks for all the info guys!

The Polish Mosin trainer and the M1 carbine clone are so neat...I would love those.

I didn't really take into account the rebranding the stores used to do. Kinda like Silvertones were actually Danelectros (at least for a while) in the guitar world.

That Ranger looks like something I could dig, it would look great right under my Sears Ranger 12 ga.

Lots to think about, might try talk the wife into hitting a few shops today...lots to think about and look for.
Thanks again