Need help with a Czech mauser type rifle

[ScottEr]

I acquired a Czech rifle stamped:

CESKOSLOVENSKA
zbrojovka brno vz24 f1
E(with a crest of somekind)26
4732F1 vz24.

also has a Nazi eagle stamped on the barrel just in front of the reciever
The barrel is stepped in three areas as i have never seen a barrel stepped down like this as you get to the end. I shot some mauser ammo out of it but sometimes you have to fire a round twice in order to get it to fire it doesnt look like the pin is striking the primer as hard as it should. I would like to get to know this gun a bit better and any help is greatly appreciated!

Information

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[Patrick Chadwick]

WITHOUT PHOTOS it is not quite clear what you mean.
The typical Mauser military barrel is stepped. The Vz24 barrel profile has several steps: at the end of the reinforce (just behind the backsight), just in front of the backsight, just in front of the middle barrel band (with sling loop) and just in front of the nosecap.

[Patrick Chadwick]

sometimes you have to fire a round twice in order to get it to fire it doesnt look like the pin is striking the primer as hard as it should.

There are several possibilities/contributing factors:
1) The firing pin is badly worn. Solution: replace.
2) The spring is indeed weak. Solution: replace.
3) The bolt body is clogged up with fossilized grease. Solution: dismantle, clean, reassemble.
4) Severely excessive headspace may be a contributing factor, but not the sole cause, although someone will probably tell you so. The typical service rifle will fire cases that are extremely short - because the firing pin is usually long enough to detonate the primer when the rim is being held back by the extractor and the cartridge is not headspacing on the shoulder at all.

Note: the answer will lie in 1), 2) or 3); maybe a combination of all three. You need to learn how to dismantle and reassemble a Mauser bolt. Go here:

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=15970

It is perhaps a good idea to read the other "stickies" while you're at it! These forums have a huge amount of information, and many questions have been asked before. Look around!

[Patrick Chadwick]

CESKOSLOVENSKA zbrojovka brno vz24 f1 E(with a crest of somekind)26 4732F1 vz24

CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Brno Arms Factory ...(still in existence, go to http://www.zbrojovka-brno.cz/en/Default.aspx)

Model 24 ...(VZ = Vzor = model/type)

E(with a crest of somekind)26 = Czech lion rampant proof/acceptance mark from (19) 26
If you look very closely, the proof stamp should be a lion rampant, facing to your left, with a fine N that looks as if it were an incomplete box enclosing the lion. The diagonal of the N goes right across the lion, and may look just like a scratch. The N is for nitro.

4732F1 = the serial number

vz24 as before

[ScottEr]

I took the rifle down to a gunsmith for a look over and it was determined that the ammo i have is not very good. It was made in 1953 and wasnt stored very well. We shot a few rounds of newer american made ammo and it fired flawlessly. Thank you all SO much for your replies i really do appreciate your time. It isnt the coolest gun i own but it sure has grown on me i am going to keep it and i ordered some horandy custom rounds for it this afternoon. It came with a weaver 4x scope hopefully it will work pretty well i would like to use this rifle to hunt with some. If it does not i may get a 3x9 leupold for it instead. Again thanks for all of your input!

[Calif-Steve]

This is a 1926 VZ-24 Mauser. The German Eagle on the barrel makes me think it has been re-barreled with a German WWII barrel. There should be some German data on the barrel. Any idea what is there?

[ScottEr]

This is a 1926 VZ-24 Mauser. The German Eagle on the barrel makes me think it has been re-barreled with a German WWII barrel. There should be some German data on the barrel. Any idea what is there?

It has the german eagle stamp to the left of the 4732 serial number on the barrel. All the serial numbers seem to match on the gun. There is no serial on the bolt except for a VERY small 4732 that looks like it was etched into the back of the bolt a really long time ago. It isnt on the bolt itself it is on the back part of the outside housing that moves when the gun fires. It is so tiny you can barely see it. I will post some pics, the guns original stock has been modified to a more hunting rifle type stock but i was told it is the original stock. You can see where they added wood it was pretty nicely done.

---------- Post added at 08:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:02 PM ----------

It has the german eagle stamp to the left of the 4732 serial number on the barrel. All the serial numbers seem to match on the gun. There is no serial on the bolt except for a VERY small 4732 that looks like it was etched into the back of the bolt a really long time ago. It isnt on the bolt itself it is on the back part of the outside housing that moves when the gun fires. It is so tiny you can barely see it. I will post some pics, the guns original stock has been modified to a more hunting rifle type stock but i was told it is the original stock. You can see where they added wood it was pretty nicely done.

---------- Post added at 08:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:07 PM ----------

Here is the pic of the eagle stamp.

[Patrick Chadwick]

It isnt on the bolt itself it is on the back part of the outside housing that moves when the gun fires.

I think you mean the bolt sleeve, the bit to which the safety lever is attached. The full number was normally applied to the bolt handle and the sleeve, but in this case the bolt handle has been replaced by the swept-back handle, to clear the scope, thus removing the number. Under today's laws, the full number should have been re-marked on the bolt body or the handle, as this was the pressure-proofed component, but after so many years, who's complaining?

The markings on the action body are indeed as I expected and explained. I agree with Calif-Steve, it looks like a Vz24 that was rebarrelled in the Nazi era and, judging by the woodwork, professionally sporterized (probably at the same time).