Can anyone tell me about a Czech Mauser?

[Kestrel]

I saw a czech mauser today in a shop. I think it said something like VZ24 on the tag? It said 8mm. It looked like it must have been a refurbished one or something, because the finish and wood looked like new. Had light cosmoline on it.

What kind of quality are these compared to other countries' mausers? Is this a standard 98 mauser? Would this be a good gun as a platform for a custom rifle?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Solinvictus70]

VZ-24's

There are some VZ-24's that are former Romanian Army weapons captured by the Soviets in WW2 being imported. From my understanding, they are the short/medium Mauser action and are capable of being reworked to other calibers. There's also a plethora of former German and Czech VZ-24's being imported in fair to good condition. Shotgun News from 2 weeks ago had an ongoing article about sporterizing around a VZ receiver. The fair VZ-24's run about $70 wholesale while the arsenal refinish Russian captures are over twice that price.
The quality of the Czech Mausers is high. They were well machined and built to last. Czech firearms hold their own against any other country in Europe for fit, finish, and durability.

 

[Kestrel]

solinvictus,

Thanks for the reply. As for "short/medium mauser action", what calibers does this mean? .308? .30-06? What are the other mauser action lengths (as far as surplus 8mm mausers)?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[QuickDraw]

The VZ-24 is definately a step up from a Turkish mauser.
Great platform if you want to( QuickDraw stops,looks around,determines
the coast is clear) build a custom rifle.I personally wouldn't modify
or change one.I just got 2 Yugo M-48's,a vz24 is next on the list!
Lotsa surplus 8mm ammo cheap!
I knew getting my C&R would be a problem!

 

[Jim K]

"VZ" is short for Vzor or "Model" in Czech. There is only one VZ-24, and it was made in Czechoslovakia from 1924 until the German conquest of that country (when the factory began to produce the standard K.98k for the German army).

The rifle was used by the Czech army, but also was sold as a commercial military rifle to many countries and made in several calibers. The ones used in Europe were all (AFAIK) in 8mm Mauser, and those are the ones now being imported. They are standard length Mauser 98 actions, identical in that respect to the German Model 98's.

The Yugoslav Model 48/48a rifles were produced in Yugoslavia after WWII. They have a shorter (about 1/2 inch) action than the standard Model 98 and Model 98 bolts and stocks will not fit.

The VZ-24 is generally considered one of the finest Model 98 actions ever made anywhere, although the recent imports have seen hard use and the bores are often in bad shape. Two features distinguish the VZ-24 at a glance from the German K.98k: the VZ-24 has handguard wood behind the rear sight, the K.98k does not; and the VZ-24 has both side and bottom sling swivels and no sling hole in the stock.

Jim

 

[buttrap]

The VZ-24 is what the germans copied to get their K-98 from WW-2. PS the Germans took over the plant and made a lot of K-98s in the factory that made the VZ...the Brno K-98 which is considered the the most solid and strongest 98 ever made before the end of WW-2..that good ole Skoda steel there..