Range report on a re-sporterized sporter

[JD Pinardi]

before I get any hate mail for sporterizing a old czech mauser this gun was sporterized by my father in 1969 in rural Oregon, the only way to get a good hunting rifle back then.
Gun is a Cesk VZ 24 action in 30-06 26" barrel. I stripped off the varithane finish sanded it down and finished it in true oil, it came out very nice. The gun had a crisp 5 lb trigger, but I put a Timney in and set at 3.5 lbs like the rest of my hunting rifles. It had a vintage Leopold Vari X 2 scope on it that I put on my JC Higgins Model 50. The new scope is a Leopold VX 2 X 40. So last Sun to sight it in at 175 yds, it took me 5 adjustments to get it dialed in, but I'm really happy with this new scope. All rounds were Sierra 150gr spitzers with 56 gr IMR4350.
Happy shootin'
JD

 

[ColtPythonElite]

No hate mail here. I think it's cool.

 

[Skylerbone]

That’s a very nice example and a good stick of wood too.

 

[someguy2800]

Beautiful rifle. Nice work on the stock.

 

[Nature Boy]

No hate mail from me either. My dad sporterized his 1903a3 back in the late 50’s and I finished it a few years ago.

Well done!

 

[bfoosh006]

Very Nice ! Enjoy your rifle !

 

[eastbank]

I have several sporterized mausers and springfields that were done in the late 50,s and early 60,s, when milsurps were very cheap. so there should not be any hate mail.

 

[bannockburn]

Nice refinishing job! Like the thumbhole stock too!

 

[Nature Boy]

Given the choice of turning your closet into a horde for war relics or modifying them for a purpose I’ll choose the latter

 

[JD Pinardi]

Thanks for all your input, I've been hunting deer and elk with a M77 in 7mm Mag since I came to Arizona, just that little bit of extra down range power, this fall, It's pops 06, just for him.
Happy shootin'
JD

 

[boom boom]

Given the choice of turning your closet into a horde for war relics or modifying them for a purpose I’ll choose the latter

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Hey, why you talking about being a hoarder of war relics as a bad thing? I just use them to keep my old eyes honest using iron sights as nature intended.

 

[boom boom]

O/P as a designated hoarder of milsurp war relics, I have no problem with your sporterizing as it has been done tastefully so no hate here.

It lacks several hallmarks of bubbaizing such as duct tape, phosphorescent paint jobs, stocks whittled by a dull knife or a hacksaw, and missing pieces. Those to me are the blasphemy instead of doing a sporter right.

Enjoy your VZ-24 and hold it dear as a memory of a loved one. That is priceless.

 

[someguy2800]

I really like a sporter in a nice stock. The ones I dislike are the ones where people just cut the forend off and screw a rubber buttpad off a shotgun on it.

 

[LoonWulf]

^How bout a rubber slipper?

That's a beautiful rifle JD, looks like she shoots well too.
I love a well done sporterized personally, they always seem to have more character than an over the counter offering.

 

[somethingbenign]

Didn't know the 24 was chambered in 30-06. Someday I hope to be able to make a rifle look as good as yours.

 

[TN Outlaw]

I can't believe you would do such a thing to a piece of history!

Turn it over to me this instant and let me enjoy, i mean fix your now beautiful, I mean abomination of a rifle. Tisk tisk

It's perty! Looks as it's been done right and I for one love the look and useability of it. Nice piece of wood too.

 

[22250Rem]

No hate mail here, either........ That's beautiful. While I would never sporterize a nice old mil-surp nowadays I grew up drooling on sporterized military rifles as long as they weren't done by Bubba's Gunsmithing. A well done sporter like that is a nice mix of beauty and function.

 

[boom boom]

Didn't know the 24 was chambered in 30-06. Someday I hope to be able to make a rifle look as good as yours.

Original VZ military series was either 7x57 Mauser or 8x57 Mauser (with perhaps some odd variants as CZ sold worldwide including China before WWII). The major issue on converting military Mausers to .30-06 is that the magazine box and feed lips built into the receiver might need adjusting. The 7 and 8 mm mauser cartridges are a just a bit shorter in OAL and cartridge length than the .30-06.

 

[Poper]

Beautiful stock, JD!
Is that one of the old Lawson Thumbholes?

 

[Merle1]

before I get any hate mail for sporterizing a old czech mauser this gun was sporterized by my father in 1969 in rural Oregon, the only way to get a good hunting rifle back then.
Gun is a Cesk VZ 24 action in 30-06 26" barrel. I stripped off the varithane finish sanded it down and finished it in true oil, it came out very nice. The gun had a crisp 5 lb trigger, but I put a Timney in and set at 3.5 lbs like the rest of my hunting rifles. It had a vintage Leopold Vari X 2 scope on it that I put on my JC Higgins Model 50. The new scope is a Leopold VX 2 X 40. So last Sun to sight it in at 175 yds, it took me 5 adjustments to get it dialed in, but I'm really happy with this new scope. All rounds were Sierra 150gr spitzers with 56 gr IMR4350.
Happy shootin'
JD View attachment 787170 View attachment 787171 View attachment 787172 View attachment 787173 View attachment 787175

damn nice wood on that!

 

[loose noose]

Just a beautiful rifle over all, especially that stock!!!

 

[JD Pinardi]

Thanks again, the stock was actually a block of bureled maple my dad picked out, he spent a year shaping it, I remember as a kid it was like his project.
when the gun was completed, he handed down to me the JC Higgins 30-06 at age 14, I thought I died and went to heaven.
PS his woodworking skills were much better than mine,
JD

 

[Nature Boy]

the stock was actually a block of bureled maple my dad picked out, he spent a year shaping it, I remember as a kid it was like his project.

Makes it even better. Your dad had some skill

 

[eastbank]

here,s one of the things the Norwegians did to change the 8mm to 3006 in the 98 german mauser.

 

[Merle1]

Didn't know the 24 was chambered in 30-06. Someday I hope to be able to make a rifle look as good as yours.

They were originally chambered in 8x57 Mauser - this one has been re-barrelled too.