Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Mauser action question

I have the opportunity to buy a VZ-24 action (standard bolt face). Not being a Mauser kind of guy, but "interested", I'm not sure what to look for, or which "version" of the old 98 actions are more or less desirable.

Should I be interested in a VZ-24? Better or worse than the "average" 98?

No particular plans at the times for a build. I guess it may depend on what I find out about them. Are they better for one sort of build as opposed to another? (Big game, varmint, light/heavyweight, etc?)

What's a fair price? It's in nice shape.

Any help? Thanks!

for what the modifications cost (bending bolt, drill and tap and trigger) you still have the military triggerguard with no hinged floorplate. plus safety mods if you want.
i would rather use a ruger

The VZ24 is the Czech version of the M98 Mauser, and I have seen some really nice custiom rifles built using them. Usually they are big game rifles, and heavier rather than lighter. Think "reliable".

People have written books to answer the question you are asking. The commerical Mausers from Oberndorf are the most valuable, and of those the magnum length actions command really high prices -- as do modern copies of these actions.

All of these actions will cost you a lot more to build into a hunting rifle than you will spend to just go buy one. Not saying don't do it, I think every rifle loonie should build a custom rifle around a M98 derivative action.

jim

VZ24 make fine rifles, but you will spend a lot of money tied up. Look for some of TC1s creations, pure works of art. Many will say not to do it, but there is nothing like a fine mauser sporter. But it is cheaper to look for a used one, save the cash.

Whoops. Shoulda mentioned that stuff is already done.

Again, no Mauser expert here, but I *think* it's ready to be built as it now sits.

Any idea of a ballpark price that's fair to both parties (but hopefully favoring me! )?

IMHO a Mauser is one of the nicest military actions to turn into a custom rifle! That being said, being able to do it yourself will determine how much $$$$ goes in it! Most folks have a good gunsmith they use and is great and reasonable. Being able to do the work is like anything else. You can cut the cost down a bit. I don't really know how much you can cut the cost down if you buy the reamers, lathe, and all the tools of a gunshop! Maybe they are right, buy one done already, and if its not you calibre, change the barrel! I had a real good line of thought when I started this thread!

Had a VZ24 that become a 416 Taylor and have another one that is a very nice 30/06 custom.

No 243's though........

A friend gave me a VZ24 action which I turned into a decent 30.06. One thing lead to another until I almost $1000 in it. I call it my stupid rifle as it's just plain stupid to put that kind of money in a ordinary rifle. I could have almost two Rugers for the same money.

VZ24's are considered some of the better military 98 actions. Unlike the 1909 Argentines they donot always require hardening.
I have seen some very fine rifles built on them by Burgess, Fisher, Milliron, Goens, Al Biesen etc.

Mausers are heavier than most commerical actions. I wouldn't plan a lightweight build on one, but their weight makes them ideal for something you want to run a little heavy like a 9.3x62, 35 Whelen or something bigger. Also, using a Mauser puts the weight between your hands and helps balance the finished product. They can be converted to belted magnums like the 300 or 338 WM, but getting them to feed properly can be expensive. Going to longer magnums like the 300 or 375 H&H is tougher and can ruin an action if done wrong.

Unaltered Mausers are slicker and more reliable than any commercial rifle I've ever owned. That's because the magazine box and feed rails were painstakingly engineered to be perfect for one cartridge and one cartridge only. Thus, Mauser magazines and feed rails are all a bit different: 7x57 is not the same as the 7x5 Argentine which is not the same as the 8x57, etc. They don't work properly when you rebarrel to a cartridge with a different body taper. People shout that it can be done, but I fiddled with dozens of them when I was in the gun business and never saw one done properly. That said, if you build an 8x57 on this action, it will work flawlessly.

Finally, the quality of work already done will have a HUGE effect on the value. 90% of the work people do on military Mausers actually lowers their value for anything but a truck gun because most people doing it think you can swap Mauser parts around at random like you can on an AR. The result is nearly always an ugly, unreliable rifle that doesn't feed well. When it's done properly by one of the better builders, just the metal work will run several thousand dollars. It will be gorgeous and you can bet your life that it will work when the chips are down. If that's what you have in mind, it's probably better to start with a post-war commerical Mauser action, since saving a few hundred bucks on the donor is kind of beside the point.

If you don't have the Mauser itch, buy something else. They make beautiful customs, but they're a labor of love.


Okie John

I used a VZ-4 for my .35 Whelen and am very satisfied with it.


Mike

ColdBore

I have refrained from posting here because of the lack of interest to the majority for military actions but decided to anyway. My rule of thumb as to the value of the VZ-24 action would be as follows. This is asuming it is not pitted on the outside of the receiver.

If the receiver has been drilled and taped, the bolt altered for a scope and has a safety that is compatible with a scope, and providing the work done on it has been nicely done, I myself would be willing to pay as much as I would for a Remington 700 action. If it has some really nice add-ons such as an after market trigger installed, a model 70 type safety or a hinged floorpate on a milled steel triggerguard I would be inclined to pay more than a 700 action.

What I am saying is, I myself would rather have a rifle built from an action similair to the VZ-24 than most commercial actions of today in most standard length calibers. I wouldn't use one for any cartridge with an overall length of anything much shorter than a 7X57. In other words I wouldn't use one for cartridges with a length similair to a 22-250 or 243. As stated above the VZ-24s were among the best overall military Mausers made all things considered. But at the same time I do realize they aren't for everyone.

I am having a .358NM being built on one.

There is a mauser book listing the VZ24 as a highly desirable action for custom rifles. I just did a mauser for my son on a BRNO production model. He was happy. LWR308

VZ-24's are a good action to build on. Idared covered it very well.