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between a RC k98 or vz24

4K views 18 replies 9 participants last post by  Comrade Antibiotika 
#1 ·
well i narrowed down my choice for the first mauser i will buy. it's between a russian capture k98 (or a non- capture if i could find one in good shape and for a decent price) or a vz24 (pre 1938). of the rifles that you have seen, which would be the easiest to find in really good shape, and is there any big differences in the quality of either of these rifles? rearsenaled rifles are more than ok with me to, so it doesn't need to be matching numbers.
 
#2 ·
Get a nice Yugo capture K98..Wont break the bank and fit&finish will be well above an average Russian capture..Any of the 3 would be a good choice ..How do you propose to do your shopping??
 
#3 ·
well, i've seen a few russian captures for around 300, and some really nice looking vz24's for about 250. i've heard that yugos are great rifles, but not up to the quality of the vz or k98. i could be wrong though, as i am a mosin nagant guy, and don't know a whole lot about mausers (other than they are better contructed rifles than the mosin). i'm just looking for any input from mauser owners and opinions on the different types of mausers
 
#4 ·
Well I have owned both in the past and I still have my RC 98.... The VZ 24 I had came from AIM and had a nice lion crest but a beat to heck stock and a sewer for a bore would not even hit paper at 50 yards, could have rebarreld it but sold it in stead. My RC 98 has all nazi markings in tact and has a mint bore will shoot a two inch group at 100 yards no problem. That said IF you can find a VZ 24 in the same condition as an RC 98 it would just be a matter of personal preference, I like the finger groved stocks of the VZ 24 better then the K98's, more comfortable to shoot for me. Have you thought about looking for a nice condition south american mauser? a 1908 or 1909 mauser is top notch in quality.
As far as the yugo mausers go...personal preference again, to me the stocks in the wrist area are to thick and I don't hold them as comfortable as a VZ or K98 depends on your hand size.
 
#11 ·
My experience with five k98s and an equal number of Czech Mausers is that the RC K98s were the quick and dirty of the Mauser line. Loose-fitting bolts, rough triggers, and sheet metal parts just don't compare to the "smooth-as-buttah" Czech rifles. Once you've fired a Czech Mauser you will know what I mean. The fit and finish of the Czech rifles puts them near the top of their contemporaries.

Now the South American pre-war Mausers are also excellent. Like the Czech Mausers they have that smooth action that you just don't find in RC K98s. I don't know if this is true, but I've read that DWM and Loewe produced them as sort of advertisements for the Mauser brand. Since they had no European war to feed they could afford to do good work on the Mausers they built for export.
 
#12 ·
In my opinion don't limit your search to one or the other at this point. There are great examples of both out there and crapy versions as well. My advise would be to simply look for the best quality of either. If you're shopping locally at shops and shows you'll be able to personally inspect either. If you're going to buy on line it will be a bit of a gamble on matter which one you decide.
 
#16 ·
well, i went to R Guns today (a distributer some of you are familuar with....i live 15 miles away from the actual store) and bought a vz 24 that looked as if it was made, stored, and never seen light until today. it was covered in cosmoline, the wood had no dings or scratches, the metal had no wear or and scratches of any kind, and it was just gorgeous. the barrel was dirty, but the rifling was sharp and all present with no pitting (did they use cosmoline inside the barrel, if so, that would explain why it looked dirty). the SN is XR166xx, which puts it made towards the end of the war i guess, and made for the romainians. the action was smooth as can be, and it was just gorgeous (MUCH smoother than any of my mosins). i'l be picking it up in a few weeks, and pics to follow. did they use cosmoline in the barrels?
 
#17 ·
Nice find. My understanding of cosmoline theory says that they heat up a tank of cosmoline, then they dunk the entire rifle into the tank, remove it, cool it, then store it. That way everything gets coated inside and out. Nice find, by the sound of it. Tell me, did the receiver ring have a crest or writing? "Zbrjovka Czechoslovenska" or some such? If you're like me and came into Mausers via Mosin-Nagants, then the Mauser action is a thing of beauty. Congratulations.

I'm jealous that you live so close to RGuns. I suppose I should be glad that I don't though ...
 
#18 ·
i did not have a crest on it, nor did it seem that it was scrubbed off, thats how i came to the conclusion it was made after 1938, and the serial number puts it right around the end of production. i think it did have the "Zbrjovka Czechoslovenska" writtin on the side (something czechoslovenska for sure atleast). the mauser action is a thing of beauty, but since a mosin was my first gun ever, it will always hold a special place......it's funny, R guns is NOT a big store by any means. when you walk in, there is NO MORE than 100 guns on display. but, they are importers, and all the stuff is in back. i worked at a place called G.A.T. Guns right down the road, and that place is HUGE (one of the biggest in the country i've heard, kind of funny coming from obamaland). either way, tehy people that work at R Guns have always been down to earth and friendly (i bought a MN bent bolt sniper from them, and what rifle), so i have nothing but good things to say about them.
 
#19 ·
To Clarify {and someone correct me if i'm wrong (though if i am i'm surprised i haven't blown up yet)}...

VZ24 is a full length action mauser rifle with a straight bolt handle made in czechoslovakia. Some beaters came through recently and good ones slightly before that. Heard they're good, never bothered to get one.
K98 is a full length action mauser rifle with a bent bolt handle made in germany. RC out there, as well as yugo capture right now(pretty sure sarco has some.) France and romania have some captured ones out there too in decent shape, not around in huge numbers now.
M24/47 is an intermediate length action mauser rifle with a straight bolt handle, made in belgium or yugoslavia. I got one from aim, they're quite pretty and it shoots nicely.
M48 is an intermediate length action mauser rifle with a bent bolt handle, made in yugoslavia. I haven't bothered to get one.

Length of action on yugo rifles means the bolts are not interchangeable with other full length mauser actions. But its possible to put 24/47 bolts on m48s and vice versa (samco has some 24/47's with bent bolts.) VZ 24 and k98 mauser parts are, with manufacturing tolerances kept in mind, interchangable including bolts and i've seen RC's at gunshows that are k98 rifles with VZ-24 bolts.

If i may direct you to some RC k98's http://www.allans-armory.com/aaresult.php?PageId=45 and some VZ24's http://www.rguns.net/rifles/rifles-bolt.shtml
 
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