Is Czech VZ24 Mauser the best Mauser ever made? or, which mauser is the best?

[ShootAndHunt]

Just visited AIM and found they have Czech 8mm VZ24 Mauser for sale with the following comments:

WWII Era Czech VZ24 Mausers; considered the best Mauser '98 Long Action Rifle ever made!

I want to add a good Mauser to my collection (OK, I admit, for shooting too. I still don't have the luxury to buy some rifle just for display). I didn't know much about Czech, but I believe the Best Mauser is the German 98, correct me if I am wrong.

This also brings up a question: What is the best Mauser (not only for show grade )one can buy? and What price range is it in?

 

[MudPuppy]

Excellent question, I'm also interested in opinions on this topic. My interest would be in what is truly the best firearm--not most collectable, desirable, etc.

 

[cracked butt]

Czech guns IMHO are a cut above the rest, other than German mauser rifles built for sporting purposes or under contract for other countries, and those made in Sweden. Czechoslavakia was the worlds largest small arms maker in the 1920s and 1930s and they made some really fine weapons for other countries. I like VZ-24s more than German 98s- they have a beefier stock and are of consistant good quality. The downside to them is that many of them have been around the block a few times and are worn out. The chechs also made the 98/22 rifle which is well known for its accuracy and the 98/29 Persian contract rifle. Even the Germans prized the Czech 33/40 rifle which was actually a small ring model 98, lighter than standard model 98s.

 

[cracked butt]

This also brings up a question: What is the best Mauser (not only for show grade )one can buy? and What price range is it in?

I'd list them in this order:
1. 1909 Argentine rifle and carbine $400-1000+ depending on model and condition
2. Any swedish mauser- M38, M94, and M96 and its various sniper and target varients made by Carl Gustav, Oberndorf/Mauser, or Husqvarna. These range from about $200 to several thousand$$s
3. 98/29 Persian $200-500


If you want a cheap shooter, a good Czech 98/22 would fit the bill well. Its basicly the same rifle as the 98/29 with out the spit and polish, and a lot more wear.

 

[jefnvk]

I'll go with cracked butt on this. Those three are a step above the rest of the Mausers.

Nothing wrong with the Czech and German guns, they were just not as nice as the other ones. A lot were made during war and were crude, Those three are just finely shaped, lovingly built guns.

 

[Jeff Timm]

Best Mauser?

1950s -60s built FN Browning .30-06. Safari grade.

Geoff
Who doesn't have one.

 

[Dr.Rob]

The best Mauser? Easily a Westly Richards .425 Express Rifle.

The best 'surplus' Mauser? I always thought that was one from Mitchell's.

 

[No_Brakes23]

I love my Modelo '09 Argie Mauser, with two glaring exceptions.

1. 7.65x54mm also called 7.65x53mm Belgian. What a PITA to find cheap non-corrosive ammo for. Graf and Sons sells Hornady for $20/box, and I have seen a few dusty boxes of Norma in a few gun shops going for $50/box. I can't afford to shoot that, and I don't reload yet. I think PRVI might be making some, but I haven't seen it yet. Supposedly if the brass ever drys up, I can fire-form .30-'06, but I don't look forward to that.

2. Bubba got to it



Now it ain't half bad, my bubba'd Krag is far far worse, (quite the ghetto job.) This one looks good. Most of the maker's marks and such are still intact.



The old guy liked shooting over irons, so he didn't tap the receiver for a scope, thank god, and the crest is still intact.



Sorry for the low-qual pics, I just took 'em right now.

In all honesty, if this was in a more ubiquitous chambering, I would shoot it a lot more. The sporterization isn't a hack job, and it is a pleasure to shoot.

 

[jefnvk]

You may be able to find a new stock for that, no_brakes.

And if you don't mind shooting corrosive, Sportsmans Guide (IIRC, maybe Ammunition Store) had it for $2-3 a box.

 

[Jim K]

Well, Cracked Butt is doing a little "apples and oranges" there. As to being well made, the Swedish rifles (whether made in Germany or Sweden) are very good, but they are the early type, not the 1898 action, which might mean a lot to someone using the action to build a sporting rifle.

Actually, all the Mauser 98 rifles made in that general period are good. The FN Model 24 is good, as is the German Standard Modell. The Polish Wz. 29 and 98A rifles are excellent. The Argentine and Persian Mausers made in Germany and Czechoslovakia were no better or worse than those made for other countries. Argentine made rifles were not bad, but not as good as the German ones. Persian-made rifles and carbines are, to be charitable, not well made and very rough.

My choice is the Vz-24. I think it is the best of an excellent bunch.

BTW, I got a whole lot of 7.65x54 Argentine ammo very cheap because the seller said it was corrosive and he didn't want it. Looks cruddy, but shoots fine, and every box says "fulminante no corrosivo". It does pay to know Spanish.

Jim

 

[Sunray]

"..."fulminante no corrosivo"..." Hi, Jim. Is it me or isn't that rather obvious? Even to a non-Spanish speaker. Sometimes ya just get lucky though.
"...correct me if I am wrong..." Yes and no. There are K98's and K98's. Pre-war rifles are dandy with those made for export being a bit better for propaganda reasons. (I've been kicking myself for 25 years for not buying one of the still-in-the-grease Portugese contract rifles that came through the shop. Virtually mint with a matching bayonet. $215Cdn. $179.59US in todays dollars) However, as the war progressed the quality of the German issue rifles went down somewhat.
The Czech's are well known for their very high quality firearms. Then and now. I suspect the wartime Czech-made K98's were better than the German made rifles. If the price is right, grab it.

 

[Swampy]

Pre war VZ-24's are good stuff Maynard....

Swampy

 

[Baba Louie]

Well, while it's technically NOT a Mauser made somewhere over in Europa...a Springfield 03... is a pretty nice spin off.

As far as rifles that say Mauser or Oberndorff or actually come from Paul Mauser's drawing table... my favorite is the Swede. An older 2 lug design in a smaller caliber... that thing will outshoot ALL of my other rifles with minimal felt recoil. An ya gotta love that in something that was made in 1900.

I worked with a guy from Persia (he hated calling his former country Iran and he hates what the Mullas have done to it) and his only gun was a BRNO handed down to him from his father. He is an excellant shot with it. It is sweet.

 

[mete]

Pre war or post war commercial are better. War time guns can be of very poor quality.

 

[llsierra]

Best Mauser?

Seems like a question of "How many angels dance on the head of a pin?"

The VZ-24 has been an excellent choice for ages, same for the 98/22 and the 1929 Persians, but my personal favorites are the M1909 DWM rifles made for Argentina and the post war FN Mausers. (So many prewar FNs are just so heavily used) Another good bet is a M1912 Steyr, if you can find one that is not all rusted - the Chileans seem to be rough on some rifles. I have sporters built on VZ-24s, M1909s, a Steyr, and FNs.

LLS

 

[GD]

The smoothest Mauser actions I have are the VZ-24 and Swedish M96 actions. The most accurate Mauser rifle that I have is a Czech M98/22 with the Swedish M96 close behind. There is a guy in Wichita KS who bought up a bunch of VZ-24s and is planning on only saving the actions and building up sporters with them. He claims they are the best Mauser action ever made and has been building rifles for many years.

 

[nextjoe]

The best Mauser? Easily a Westly Richards .425 Express Rifle.

While the old British Mausers are awesome, I'd have to disagree on this one. As I recall, the .425 Express has a severely rebated rim that complicates reliable feeding. At least some of those old Westleys had little "fingers" built into the feed rails to help ensure that the bolt caught the cartridge rim.

My vote would be for an original John Rigby in .416 Rigby or .275 Rigby (7x57).

 

[Eightball]

My buddy has one of the CZ Mausers. Loves it, says it shoots great. I've seen it in person, and it's very nice on the finish and all. I'd get one, if it's a good deal.