Good afternoon all,
I picked up a sporterized CZ VZ 24 (basically a Mauser 98) converted to .30-06 earlier this year and long story short, I've really grown to appreciate it. Initially I was just looking for a budget hunting rifle since I didn't have one suitable for deer hunting at the time and found this one for next to nothing thinking I'd use it this season then get rid of it. But lo and behold after carrying it through the woods and putting some rounds through it I really like the thing. It's rough around the edges but it has character and history, it's the perfect size and weight, etc.
So now that I've decided to keep it, I'd like to find out a little bit more about where it might have come from, and what I should do with it in terms of modification. I've read a good deal about the CZ VZ-24 but I have no idea who sporterized it and how it got here. A gunsmith told me it was likely sporterized in Europe because of the stepped barrel but there are no markings or stamps on it beyond the caliber. I realize this may be an impossible thing to figure out but I'm curious and would at least like to know what the likely history of it is.
Then the next step is figuring out what I oughtta do with it to make it nice. I was thinking I'd refinish the stock, maybe reblue it, free float the barrel, bed the stock, and maybe replace the trigger. It's accurate enough for most of my hunting the way it is now but every once in a while it'll shoot a wild group (I'm talking like 6" off the rest) so perhaps free floating the barrel and bedding the stock will help solve that?
As for the trigger, it's okay the way it is but not great, and I noticed that the first stage is a bit inconsistent. If I load the rifle and immediately shoot it without putting the safety on then it feels fine. But if I put the safety on with a round in the chamber then when I take the safety off the first stage feels a little different and less pronounced. Any thoughts on this?
Stock refinishing...shouldn't be much of a problem but I don't know what type of finish would be best. I hear a lot of guys using Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil but that's the only one I know of. This gun is going to be a workhorse and probably get pushed through some brush so I don't think I want anything too glossy and definitely nothing that isn't durable.
Bluing...the only thing I can do on my own easily is cold bluing and I've been told to stay away from that if I can because it won't hold up as well as hot bluing or anything else. Any recommendations for a good, satin finish that isn't too expensive?
I realize it isn't financially practical to pour money into a rifle that isn't worth that much but I like a good project, I like this rifle, and I'm hoping to do as much as I can on my own. It's a good workhorse rifle right now but my intention is to turn this into something I can keep indefinitely and hand down someday.
Any thoughts/info/advice is greatly appreciated
Thanks!
I picked up a sporterized CZ VZ 24 (basically a Mauser 98) converted to .30-06 earlier this year and long story short, I've really grown to appreciate it. Initially I was just looking for a budget hunting rifle since I didn't have one suitable for deer hunting at the time and found this one for next to nothing thinking I'd use it this season then get rid of it. But lo and behold after carrying it through the woods and putting some rounds through it I really like the thing. It's rough around the edges but it has character and history, it's the perfect size and weight, etc.
So now that I've decided to keep it, I'd like to find out a little bit more about where it might have come from, and what I should do with it in terms of modification. I've read a good deal about the CZ VZ-24 but I have no idea who sporterized it and how it got here. A gunsmith told me it was likely sporterized in Europe because of the stepped barrel but there are no markings or stamps on it beyond the caliber. I realize this may be an impossible thing to figure out but I'm curious and would at least like to know what the likely history of it is.
Then the next step is figuring out what I oughtta do with it to make it nice. I was thinking I'd refinish the stock, maybe reblue it, free float the barrel, bed the stock, and maybe replace the trigger. It's accurate enough for most of my hunting the way it is now but every once in a while it'll shoot a wild group (I'm talking like 6" off the rest) so perhaps free floating the barrel and bedding the stock will help solve that?
As for the trigger, it's okay the way it is but not great, and I noticed that the first stage is a bit inconsistent. If I load the rifle and immediately shoot it without putting the safety on then it feels fine. But if I put the safety on with a round in the chamber then when I take the safety off the first stage feels a little different and less pronounced. Any thoughts on this?
Stock refinishing...shouldn't be much of a problem but I don't know what type of finish would be best. I hear a lot of guys using Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil but that's the only one I know of. This gun is going to be a workhorse and probably get pushed through some brush so I don't think I want anything too glossy and definitely nothing that isn't durable.
Bluing...the only thing I can do on my own easily is cold bluing and I've been told to stay away from that if I can because it won't hold up as well as hot bluing or anything else. Any recommendations for a good, satin finish that isn't too expensive?
I realize it isn't financially practical to pour money into a rifle that isn't worth that much but I like a good project, I like this rifle, and I'm hoping to do as much as I can on my own. It's a good workhorse rifle right now but my intention is to turn this into something I can keep indefinitely and hand down someday.
Any thoughts/info/advice is greatly appreciated
Thanks!
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