The Persian Brno (Berno) vz. 24 Rifle

Greetings! I am returned from my long absence!  I offer my deepest apologies to you, my dear audience. During my time away, I was able to enjoy a year of adjunct teaching at Ivy Tech Community College, continued working my awful regular job, and returned to study English at Indiana State University.  To put it briefly, I have been busy. And now that my excuses and apologies are out of the way, we can get to talking about the actual good stuff.

Today I want to talk about the Berno (Brno) aka The Persian Mauser. This is an article I have wanted to do for some time. However, every time I have attempted to write it, I can never find any good, scholarly articles on this subject. The best information I can find is from Wikipedia, a personal website called Ali Parsa, and various gun collecting websites.. I know the risks involved in citing such sources, but in my research, I have found the same information repeated on numerous sites, therefore, some general statements can be made on the history of the Berno. So, instead of a proper article on the history of the Brno, I will do a quick blurb about the most interesting aspects of the rifle.

Photo from http://www.empirearms.com

The vz.24 rifle was produced in Czechoslovakia based upon the Mauser 98 design (1).  The rifle was a very popular design, highly regarded for its accuracy. When the Germans occupied Czechoslovakia during World War II, this rifle was produced for the usage of the German military. After the war, it was exported, and found favor with the military of Reza Shah Pahlavi's Iran (2). Called the Berno in Iran, it gained its name from the "Brünn, or Brno, as the city is called in the Czech language. The rifles made in Brno, the Czechoslovakian model...had the word Brno imprinted on them" (3).  

Photo from http://public.fotki.com/ptrthgr8/mausers/persian/

This Berno displays the Pahlavi stamp, a standard on all Bernos issued to the military.

Photo from the Military Surplus Collector's Forums of a Berno 98/22

The range-finder features Persian Nasta'liq numerals, which are also employed for the serial numbers on the various parts of the weapon. 

While the Berno saw long service in the Iranian military, it was eventually replaced in the 70s by more modern weaponry within the armed forces. However, many private individuals within Iran, such as tribesmen, farmers, etc. still prized their Bernos (4). The Berno became the weapon of choice for the Iranian Revolutionaries in the 70s, with sharpshooters favoring the Berno above other modern rifles. Due to this popularity of the Berno and the prominent role it played in the revolution, it features in Friday sermons in Iran, with religious leaders keeping the rifle close to their sides. As Ali Parsa states:

Besides the rebels, the Islamic government too had a use for Brno: It was, and is, used in official Friday prayer ceremonies. The speaker is required to have 'the weapon of the day' by his side, according to the tradition of the Prophet (he apparently used a sword). The most likely reason for its use in such ceremonies is that it is long enough for the speaker to hold it like a walking stick while he is standing and preaching. The Mauser brothers would have been happy to hear that their rifle would be considered a 'weapon of the day' a century later. (5)

Photo from Ali Parsa

I hope that this article has shed some light on the scattered, but fascinating history of the Persian Mauser. While sources for its history can be dubious at times, some conclusions on its history can be made by piecing together the material available. There is no doubt that it is weapon that carries reverence inside and outside of Iran, not only for its long history, but for the role it has played in shaping that history, for ill and nill. The rifle itself is truly a masterpiece of craftsmanship and weapon design, and for collectors of older military rifles, it is a prized piece for their collections.

For more information on the Berno, check out these websites.

Ali Parsa - Berno, The Persian Mauser

Wikipedia - vz. 24

98/29 Persian Mauser at Gunscollecting.com

Dr. Kaveh Farrokh- The Iranian Army Berno Rifle

1.) Parsa, Ali. "A Piece of History: Brno, the Persian Mauser". Ali Parsa Personal Website. 10/22/2014. http://www.aliparsa.com/brno/brno.html

2.) Ibid.

3.) Ibid.

4.) Carducci, Bernardino. "98/29 Persian Mauser". Gunscollecting.com. 10/22/2014. http://www.gunscollecting.com/english/long-guns/9829-persian-mauser/

5.) Parsa, Ali. "A Piece of History: Brno, the Persian Mauser". Ali Parsa Personal Website. 10/22/2014. http://www.aliparsa.com/brno/brno.html