[Carbon_15]

I picked up a VZ-24 at the gunshow this weekend. I have only had a chance to fire a few shots, but I can tell this is going to make a great behind-the-seat gun and cheap to shoot plinker. Found some Turk surplus ammo in 70round bandeleros on stripper clips for $4. Its pretty dang accurate and the action is buttery smooth. The one drawback I see so far is the sights. That rear notch is friggin tiny. Granted I have poor vision, but that rear blade is just rediculous.

What are my options for upgrading the sights cheaply (don't want to end up spending more than the rifle cost for a rear apature). I would love to go with a peep sight setup, but a better blade would do. Can anyone provide a link to a company that sells replacement upgraded sights....anyone have a spare they want to sell/trade?
Thanks,
Jason

[Zundfolge]

I've heard lots of good stuff about the Mojo sights for Mausers

http://www.mojosights.com/98mausers.html

Their rear peep sight is $38.95 and a front/rear set is $49.95

When my C&R finaly gets processed the first thing I'm going to buy is a VZ-24, and I may go with the Mojo sight too.

[Stinger]

I've been awfully tempted to go with a Mojo, but I just haven't heard from many people who use them.

Why don't you be the test pilot?

Stinger :neener:

[Cosmoline]

I've put Mojo's new double aperture on my VZ-24 and a Mosin. Looking through two holes with no cross-hairs or post or anything is difficult to get used to. You have to stop thinking about it and just shoot--then it works great. There are some draw-backs.

At ranges over 100 meters or so, my eyes can no longer make out the target and my accuracy falls off. I'm no expert, but I suspect that if the rear aperture were back on the receiver, the effective range would increase quite a bit. The Phase III sights are awesome for close-range smackdowns, however. Target acquisition, esp. inside of 50 meters, is instantaneous. It's just point and shoot, you don't have to think about anything. They're like ghost ring sights.

I'm experimenting with scout mounts right now. One thing's for sure, B-square's mounts need a lot of extra help to stay put. Darrell is currently on hiatus, so there's a waiting list for his stuff. If you're willing to hack and slash, Ashley makes a VERY solid scout mount. Whatever way you choose, I think a VZ-24 would make an excellent scout rifle. Very powerful, with a stock and receiver designed for shooting with your head back a bit and low, rather than up high and forward.

To mount a regular scope requires a lot of hacking and drilling. Even then, there are plenty of examples out there where the smith got it wrong and it becomes very difficult to mount a scope properly. The old receivers were simply not meant for modern scopes.

The final option is a Lyman-type receiver sight mounted way back. These are frankly the very best iron sights for the old rifles, but they are $$ and require some careful drilling.

[Carbon_15]

Thanks for the info Cosmo and everyone. I think I have changed my mind and am going to go with a scout scope instead of upgrade sights. But DANG those mounts are expensive. Most are more than I payed for the gun. Guess I'll just have to antie up. The rifle is to acurate to do justice with my bad eyes even if it had good sights.

[Zundfolge]

Well guys, don't worry. Even if Carbon-15 doesn't go for the Mojo sight, as soon as my C&R comes in the first thing I plan on buying is a VZ-24 and a set of Mojo sights.


I'll post a full report :)

[Oleg Volk]

I ended up staying with regular sights (front painted orange, rear opened up to a square). Still have two holes in the receiver from the attempt to mount a Lyman aperture sight (long, sad story of a "gunsmith" butcher). Accuracy was much better with the peep sight and taller front, but it blocked the clip guide (needlessly, too!)

Anyone need a Lyman peep sight with extra apertures? I paid $70, would take $50 for it.

[Cosmoline]

Oleg--I'm not surprised to hear about a smith blocking the clip guides. The traditional approach to sporterizing Mausers has held that the clip guides must be removed, along with the crest. This makes about as much sense to me as removing a few toes so a boot will fit better. Maybe not even that much sense! If people ever used good stripper clips, their views would change radically. I've got some for the Mauser that work with pretty much all rimless Mauser and Mauser-based cartridges from 7x57 to .30'06. They're lightening fast.