So I picked up this VZ24 today

[twotrees]

My Local enabler (Pawn shop) had this in the rack, but the "shield" on the receiver was ground off. Phil made me a great deal on it, as I want it for a cast boolit shooter.
$107 out the door.

http://i56.tinypic.com/2hrprh1.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/14o17xy.jpg

I slugged the bore and got a surprise, .329+ !!?

http://i55.tinypic.com/ddc47c.jpg

The rifling looks sharp and a throat cast is about the same.

I bought a Karbiner mold and cast a few for another Mauser project, and they are just about the same size as the bore.

http://i54.tinypic.com/2sbmq7c.jpg

Lee shows a .329 sizing die that I could start with but looks like I need to talk to Buckshot about a custom die.

Has anyone else seen a chech made Mauser with a bore this large??

I don't think that it will do well, at all with standard 8MM jword's, either.

Any advice/help??

[Dutch4122]

You could try the Lee mold for the 8x56r. It's a 200 or so grain slug that is supposed to drop .329". Lee cuts it in a two cavity now.

Hope this helps,

[6.5 mike]

Paper patch, then size to what you need.

[bruce drake]

Rick,

That's a dang good price for a just a Mauser action! You've got a great deal!

Does your buddy have another on the shelf?

Worse case scenario is that she becomes a candidate for a rebarrel if you don't get decent results with her in its original caliber.

Bruce

[Bret4207]

See if the 329 will chamber first off. You never know. If not I'd do as you thought and get a nose sizer from Buck and go from there.

[Buckshot]

................I have a VZ24/47 I bought at Big 5 Sporting goods a couple years ago for $99.

http://www.fototime.com/79DAE87BBF8BE29/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/1D8EC3B370AC953/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/3C56D4E565C03DD/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/EB6FB73225EA2DD/standard.jpg

The wood on it really caught my eye, and at first I thought it was walnut but I think it's Elm. The store won't let you run a patch through the bore but the rifling was very strong at the muzzle and what I could see through the grease and dust bunnies looked sharp. When I got it home and cleaned the bore was very good. Next step was to slug it and found it had a .314" bore and .327" grooves! Goodness [smilie=1:

I upset a slug in the throat and found that to be .329". What I've done with it to date was to use the Lee C329-220-R and lube-size it .329" and then ran it through a .327" push through I made up for it. After a few tests I honed that .327" out to .328" and began re-testing. In the meantime I also had to make a new collet die mandrel so the casenecks didn't get sized back down to .320". Now they're sized to .326".

To date the groups (10 shot, 50 yards) have been larger then I'd like to see, but on the positive side they aren't scattered, but nice and round. Velocities for my last 5 test loads (again 10 rounds/50 yds) were all over 1900 fps with the groups running right around 2" max. I'd been using a dacron wad in the case but I'm thinking it may be a good idea to back down the charges a bit and substitute a solid filler like Super Sam (a ground poly shotshell buffer), and then start working back up again.

..................Buckshot

[HiVelocity]

I just picked up a VZ-24 today in pristene condition. Wood was smooth and ding free, metal, except the bolt was richly blued, appears unfired.

So tell me, what does this thing like to eat? Handload suggestions?

Anybody make their own 8mm brass from 30-06?

I'm open to all suggestions, comments, etc.

Thanks,

HV:bigsmyl2:

[twotrees]

As Buckshot and I have found out they can be "Generous" on the size.

Yes I have made 8MM's out of 270 brass, just 'cause.

The best way would be to get a "8mm Form trim die" and cut off the excess that pops out the top with a hacksaw.

Full length size and check the neck thickness to be sure that it will let the boolit go, when it goes Bang. Otherwise it might just be a bigger B A N G !!! than you bargained for.

Glad you found a nice one. Most I have seen have been used a bit.

[Moonie]

I have a Spanish Mauser 98 and I feed it the Karibiner boolit from midsouth, 9gr of Unique with no check.

I just got gas checks in for it and planning to start around 35gr of H4895 and work from there.

[WRideout]

I just picked up a VZ-24 today in pristene condition. Wood was smooth and ding free, metal, except the bolt was richly blued, appears unfired.

So tell me, what does this thing like to eat? Handload suggestions?

Anybody make their own 8mm brass from 30-06?

I'm open to all suggestions, comments, etc.

Thanks,

HV:bigsmyl2:

I never did 8mm, but I once converted a batch of 06 to 7.65 Argy. I just cut them down on a belt sander, the resized, and cleaned up the ends. I initially used my standard powder charge in them, but saw pressure signs right away. I finally figured out that the inside case capacity was smaller than commercial Norma. I backed it off a few grains and avoided a case seperation.

Wayne

[Czech_too]

So for those who have larger than normal bore's on their rifles, how do you keep from resizing the fired brass back down to spec? Or for that matter even getting the case mouth large enough to accept the larger boolit?

I recently acquired a VZ24 which has a slugged groove diameter of .326-.3265

My 'plan' was to go with the LEE C329-205-1R and size down to .328 diameter. The Lyman 'M' die is giving me a inside neck diameter of .320 That works fine in the Yugo, but in this case not so much. No one that I'm aware of is offering a sizer button, or equivalent, between say a .322 and .336

I don't believe there will be any issue with the Hornady seating die swaging the boolit down. There's ample room in that sleeve to accommodate it.

Brian

[waksupi]

Have you actually slugged the bore?

[Czech_too]

​Yes I have. The groove diameter is .326 - .3265

The Lyman 'M' die works fine for the brass that I'm using for the Yugo 24/47, that boolit is being sized at .323
With this Czech VZ24 I'm looking at a larger bore, so I need something to open the case mouths up larger than .320 that the 'M' die gives me and also a resizing die which isn't going to take the brass back down to spec. And yes, I will be segregating the brass used in each rifle.

The only #'s matching on this VZ are those on the receiver and barrel. After that it's a mix and match but it does have the lion's crest intact. The rifling is OK, not as good as the Yugo but not as bad as the Swede. Headspace checks out fine w/gauges.

I see now, that CH4D has what I believe I'm looking for and their here in Ohio. I'm not going to jump on this just yet, I'd like to see what other options there might be.

[waksupi]

​Yes I have. The groove diameter is .326 - .3265

The Lyman 'M' die works fine for the brass that I'm using for the Yugo 24/47, that boolit is being sized at .323
With this Czech VZ24 I'm looking at a larger bore, so I need something to open the case mouths up larger than .320 that the 'M' die gives me and also a resizing die which isn't going to take the brass back down to spec. And yes, I will be segregating the brass used in each rifle.

The only #'s matching on this VZ are those on the receiver and barrel. After that it's a mix and match but it does have the lion's crest intact. The rifling is OK, not as good as the Yugo but not as bad as the Swede. Headspace checks out fine w/gauges.

I see now, that CH4D has what I believe I'm looking for and their here in Ohio. I'm not going to jump on this just yet, I'd like to see what other options there might be.

I had one rifle that needed larger neck expansion. I called RCBS, they sent me a new button for free!