Hey Reb: are ya sure that's a7mm?? The only VZ-24s I've ever seen were in 8mm and if that is a 1929 dated VZ it had been sporterized to 7mm (re-barrell) many years before. Just make certainof the caliber.

Bruno is a excellent firm and the VZ-24 is said to be the smoothest of all the Mauser 98 military actions.

The addition of a spoon handle on that Mauser would turnit into a very classical looking safari type rifle. You can purchase spoon style bolt handles from Brownells, just access their on-line catalog and youshould be able to find them.

Removing the old bolt handle (cutting it off) and welding the new spoon handle onto the bolt is a pretty common gunsmithing application. I would check with the local gun shops and gunsmiths in your area to see who could/would perform this bit of gunsmithing for you and have it done locally rather than to send it off.

Also, the Mauser 98 has a 90 degree bolt throw, so if you intend to scope this Mauser I would most strongly suggest that whoever installs the new spoon handle welds it so it is almost pointing straight down to the ground when youare holding it level - this is so you can manipulate the bolt with your open hand without having either your hand or the bolt coming too close to the scope that it is difficult to work the bolt. With a spoon handle you should be able to use your open palm to smoothly cycle the bolt without the scope gettingin the way of your hand. A gunsmith should be able to understand what you want. Good lcuk and let us know how it goes.

 

Hey Thanks Mikey! Seen a bunch of threads now on the Brno and also see many many that were rechambered. My buddy called it a 7mm so i assumed it was the 7mm mauser, i only slipped a 7.62x39 bullet into the muzzle to size it.. appeared to be close to 7mm but i'm not sure and so ...found a local gunsmith today with good credentials and so will take the whole rifle to him. I'll have him verify the caliber...but... after talking with him, i MAY rebarrel the action. He's gonna take care of the spoon bolt and i just may have him install an 06' barrel. Its far from original so i'm not worried about the historical aspects of it. Am having a very hard time deciding if i really want to have the receiver drilled and tapped though. Did see some custom tower style mounts that have to be machined to perfectly fit the receiver and i'm finding it hard to keep from ordering them. Will post some pics as i get a bit further along. Thanks so much for the reply. J.

 

I have put two on now. I also like them.

This is the last one on my wifes 257 Bob.

This is the stock military stock I quickly sprayed and smoothed until she could decide on what she liked and wanted.

CW

 

Very nice CW, thanks for posting those! Is very similar to what i'd like to see on mine. Really changes the look of the rifle in my opinion. Are those from Brownells?

 

Very nice CW, thanks for posting those! Is very similar to what i'd like to see on mine. Really changes the look of the rifle in my opinion. Are those from Brownells?

yes pretty sure anyways.

I like "different" also always liked the "snot locker" rifles.

CW

 

Heres a pic as it came to me, seemed like a hard rifle to figure out at first but i think i'm solving lots of the mystery with ya'lls help and some closer study+ reading lots of internet threads.

The barrel is close to 8mm as you mentioned Mikey. Thanks for the mention as i was assuming rather dumbly it was as intially said, 7mm. I'm miking 7.90 to 7.95mm depending on positioning of the caliper. Is probably the 7.92mm i've read of...ie 8mm mauser. Thanks very much for your mentioning this. The stock is a Bishop..the barrel is 3 stepped, the original barrel i'm sure. Original sights...trigger and guard. All numbers match. Is basically an original rifle i think, with a nice hot blue and restock. The blue is gorgeous but someone put her away without cleaning at some point, little rough spots here and there. Overall VG though, and quite a nice looking, feeling and handling rifle, the bolt is the tightest i've ever felt on a mauser, have had a K98 and a few swedes, this is much tighter..maybe just as smooth but this bolt doesn't move around hardly a bit, even fully retracted. Loudest safety i've ever heard.

http://s195.photobucket.com/user/xxjonnyrebxx/media/20140430_220515.jpg.html

 

JonnyReb : it looks like someone took some time and effort to make that old girl look good. If you are reading 7.9 to 7.95 you have an 8mm. you said that you were thinking of re-barreling to 30-06, but I would give some serious thought to using as an 8mm. they can be loaded to a 3006 equivalent, not wimpy like a lot of the factory ammo. Plus the hole in the game animal is 2 calibers bigger. As a cast boolit shooter, you would have one hellva good shooter. your call. In my case I have both. I really like my 8mm though. God Bless to you and yours.

Goofy aka Godfrey


P.S. Pretty Dog. ;D

 

JonnyReb : it looks like someone took some time and effort to make that old girl look good. If you are reading 7.9 to 7.95 you have an 8mm. you said that you were thinking of re-barreling to 30-06, but I would give some serious thought to using as an 8mm. they can be loaded to a 3006 equivalent, not wimpy like a lot of the factory ammo. Plus the hole in the game animal is 2 calibers bigger. As a cast boolit shooter, you would have one hellva good shooter. your call. In my case I have both. I really like my 8mm though. God Bless to you and yours.

Goofy aka Godfrey


P.S. Pretty Dog. ;D

I agree, If you where considering a re chamber to '06 do some more soul searching (nd reading) the 'ol 8mm is a real good one! I have two and do like it very much. One gun shoots 49g of 4064 and a 175g Sierra into sub 1'' at 100 and almost 2800fps....

Im concerned with that tight bolt..... check the SN. It should match if not get some go/no-go gauges and check that head space... many got any old bolt and the HS could be way off...

 

Thanks fellas! No nothing wrong with 8mm, i agree. Looking at the ballistics it seems pretty well rounded to me and i love the idea of shooting cast through it, at lower velocities. So long as its a shooter, i'll leave well enough alone. On top of that a rebarrel will leave me with a stock that no longer fits the barrel contour and i love the stock so.. 8mm it is probably. Bore looks great on it as it is.

All numbers match, including the bolt CW, it just has tight tolerances i think, runs in and out smooth just doesn't flop around like my swedes did. I'll be its fine but will certainly tie it to a tire and fire with a string, then check my brass for issues, the gunsmith too will have a chance to check it out more thoroughly than i can too.

That dog showed up on april 1st after a car passed my house, threw her out and then shot back by my house with the little thing chasing it. I live on a dead end and folks throw out all manor of stuff, animals included. She was sick and went straight to the vet on April 2nd..i thought it was parvo but the vet gave her meds for a stomach infection and shes plumped right up and is doing great. Looks like a chespeake bay kinda, is just 6-8 months old according to the doc. Named her April "Fool", and she loves water, training dummies and has no reaction to gunfire at all. might turn out to be one helluva hunter but my wife has her beside the bed in a new dog bed. ah...another coddled pet :.

Thanks again both of you for your posts! J.

 

Good for you brother J!!

Last three dogs we have had have all been rescues and the last EXACTLY as you describe. That lil girl has my heart 100%! It's five years now and I still cannot believe someone could throw here away like they did. Ours spent at least a couple months in wild as she was badly imaciated and fur in knots. She is a Lhasa apaso and the happiest dog you ever will meet.

My Rott (gone now three years next week) was a rescue from a family with young children. As the toddlers started to walk he would knock them down and the owners would beat and shut I
Him in basement. He always was deathly afraid of basements and stairs in general. Great dog not mean and actuall great with children.

Last was a jack russel. He was a biter and very unruly. One week with us and that rott and he new his place and is still great companion to my father to this day.

CW

 

Thats awesome CW,, lots of great folks like you out there making sure these guys are loved and well taken care of. I'm on somewhere around my 20th or so dog since my wife and i married 20 years ago. We typically have 5-8 at once..they have lots of room to run and all are happy and well adjusted once they settle into the pack. They just come to us in various ways, usually side of the road dogs or they wander right up to the fence. We have 5 now, a Jack Russel (was mean like yours but has gotten a lot better) a little fuzzy white one, not sure of the breed, a German sheperd mix, a border collie mix and April fool.
Am just a few minutes from taking them for a run down to the creek on the 4 wheeler..they really have the life. No kids so...what the heck, gotta have something ;D

 

Jonny, you might want to try some Nickle Anti-seize on the bolt lugs and rails. you don't need a lot, but it has the abilities to smooth up an action. I have used it on most of mine and it really works. Used it in the mill as it makes disassembly much easier on dirty parts. My can (12oz. size) has lasted for almost 35 years and I probably have enough for another 15-20 years. ;D Try it, you might like it. Iffi'n you don't----it wipes off fairly easy. But go lightly as it can be messy on your hands. We didn't worry about that in the Steel Mill LOL. : . God Bless to you and yours.

Goofy aka Godfrey

P.S. my cat was a pound rescue at 9-10 weeks old. have had my baby girl for 19 years as of Mar 15th this year. I love her and she loves me. she's my kid, LOL.

 

Thanks for the tip Godfrey, will google Nickel anti-seize and see where i can get some..i have all kinds of old slickum,, love the stuff that lasts forever..you build memories with it. I use my Dads old cleaning rag from the early sixties still to this day, A bottle of white grease from the Army..its 25+ years old..outers gungrease..at least 20. All used regularly and will be around for many years to come. The anti-seize would fit right in.

19 is old for a cat, you've taken exceptional care of him i have no doubt. Understand completely about a good cat, have had more than a few that were awesome friends and have one now named Jack, that i think of as highly as any of my dogs. Love that fella, and just like you said, he loves me. Glad so many here in this country love and take care of their critters, tells me a lot about any person.

Didn't mean to wander so far off track from the mausers but i'll get back to it.. Anytime pets come up i'll stop and talk awhile ;D

 

JonnyReb: you can find Nickle or Copper seize at any good automotive store. Usually carried at Tru-Value and Lowes, Wallyworld and most any hardware store. 6--8 oz. will last for years using in guns. In the mill about 1-2 years. I got a 12 oz can just as I left and still have over half left. use it on anything (almost) that screws together or goes inside of something else. ;D Yea, my little Girl is almost 20. I told her when she's 21 , she can go find a boy friend : . Love that little girl. God Bless to you and yours.

Godfrey aka Goofy

 

I've salvaged a few sporterized Mausers. They all shot well after a little tinkering and cleaning. Most folks don't clean their rifle well and it will effect the accuracy in time. Being the rifle is so old a complete disassembly and cleaning will do wounders for the rifle. Any oil or lubricant that has been in there for 20 years or more has long since gotten hard, dry and gummy. This includes the bolt assembly. That will make your action stiff. If you can't disassembly it yourself have the gunsmith do it for you. New springs from Wolfe will cost less than $20 so it makes sence to change them. If your going to scope this rifle having the bolt turned or replaced is a must. A scope will prevent the safety from working correctly. You'll need to convert it or replace it. For $100 you can get a Timmney trigger and kill two birds with one stone. They are good adjustable triggers with an intergual safety. Just replace the old safety with a hood. By the time your done with the bolt, drill and tap for the scope and trigger, you'll have about $300 in this old girl without a scope. If you don't scope it leave it as is, change the springs, clean it well and have the trigger adjusted. You'll be suprised how well they shoot.

 

Thanks Freezer that was great info!, didn't think about the safety being a problem but i can sure see how it would be. Appreciate you mentioning the timney with built in safety...thats a fine idea. Still can't bring myself to decide whether or not to tap the receiver, will wait till i'm talking to the gunsmith to decide but i'm leaning that way.

Was cleaning my turkey shotgun last night and dragged the Mauser out, really am impressed with the old gun and look forward to spending some time in the deer woods with it this coming year. J.

 

JohnnyReb: I will add to what Freezer said with the note to really clean out the bore as some of these old rifles were shot for years and the copper buildup in the rifling can throw off your accuracy terribly.

And CW - that is a beautiful job on the handle on that Mauser, and I wouldlike to add to that with this: I have a friend who has a hand that can palm a medicine ball and whenever he would try and work the bolt on his sporterized Mauser he would run into the scope bell or catch his fingers between the bolt handle and the scope and screw up cycling the action. When we looked at the set-up on his 8mm Mauser we saw that although the spoon handle had been properly installed the handle came too close to the scope to make it comfortable working the action in the field as sometimes the 'two fingered approach' to cocking a old mil-surp wasn't very effective. We took the rifle back to the gunshop where he had his custom work done and explained the problem to the gunsmith who then cut the bolt and re-angled the face of the bolt handle where it attaches to the bolt body and rewelded it back on so that even though the throw was still 90 degrees the bolt handle would have enough room to clear the scope without fingers getting caught or interfering with cycling.

And btw - the 8mm Mauser with original loadings sending a 200 gn slug out the barrel at 2500'/sec does not take a back seat to the 30-06. imo.

 

Thank you,

I've only done a couple myself. On the first I left too much of a "post" on the bolt (from ORIGIONAL bolt) and this caused the handle to contact even med mounted scopes. I was able to shape it to clear. The last couple I removed most of the "post" leaving about 1/8" standing and welded on the handle. I like the results exec super low Burris rings fit and clear just fine.

And btw - the 8mm Mauser with original loadings sending a 200 gn slug out the barrel at 2500'/sec does not take a back seat to the 30-06. imo.

I completely agree! All with a sobstantially larger .323 projectile. Even my 170 & 175g loads hit hard and work well.

CW