8mm help

[Lead melter]

Went by a local pawnshop today and found a couple of 8mm surplus rifles. They clearly are based on some Mauser style action and are labeled as VC24 models. Both have the Czech letters stamped [I can't remeber the actual words used, but is has the same lettering as my CZ 452], so I'm thinking that at least one is a CZ manufactured arm. The best part may be that it has Brno stamped on the action as well. They are both smeared inside and out with cosmolene, but still have smooth actions in bolt draw and closure.

Never having had a surplus 8mm, I don't know much about them, but is not the Brno action one of the historic best?

The price is $180 plus tax.

A steal, a decent price, or a pig in a poke?

Some input from you guys, please.

[jonk]

That should be VZ24 not C. Yes that is a fair price. Not a steal but trending onto the good deal side. The BRNO is a very good action.

[Buckshot]

............Ditto what JonK said. Two years from now they'll be $40 more, or unavailable. Where else ya gonna get a high powered bolt action for less then $200? Be sure you take a rod and a couple patches to check the bores!

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

[Ghugly]

A few weeks ago I saw the bare action from a VC24 go for over $200 on Gunbroker. I guess their gaining in price. Hindsight is dandy, I bought 2 from Big 5 at $50 each a few years back...........now I wish I'd gotten a crate of them.

[Newtire]

I don't know if it is the same as a 24/47 model but I picked one of these up myself a year or so ago at Big-5. It had a "feature" that I have heard is sometimes encountered on them. It was a trifle short in the chamber & has a mismatched bolt.

The first time I took it out to try, I got all misfires. Took it home & cleaned the tar-like preservative gunk out of the bolt & made up a shellholder with .005" shaved off of it & now the rounds chamber & they shoot.

It appears to be very well made to me & would think these are going to be hard to come by in a few years like everything else.

I was wondering if you could get a barrel for a .243 length cartridge for one of these at first but have so much fun with my 8mm Turk that I kind of like the 8mm too much to want to change it.

[Junior1942]

I bought two Turk 38s from J&G for $59.95 each. I shouda oughta bought a dozen. But one's still in cosmoline, so one of these days I'll. . . . what?

[kjg]

Thats interesting Junoir, usually J&G e-mails me about special sales like that going to call them monday on the turkish mausers for that price I'll need 12.kjg

[Newtire]

I bought two Turk 38s from J&G for $59.95 each. I shouda oughta bought a dozen. But one's still in cosmoline, so one of these days I'll. . . . what?

Price on mine was $38.88. Cost more to transfer than to buy. Shoulda shoulda. Coulda but nada..boo hoo.

[Junior1942]

Thats interesting Junoir, usually J&G e-mails me about special sales like that going to call them monday on the turkish mausers for that price I'll need 12.kjgThey've been gone for over a year.

[Charley]

A few weeks ago I saw the bare action from a VC24 go for over $200 on Gunbroker. I guess their gaining in price. Hindsight is dandy, I bought 2 from Big 5 at $50 each a few years back...........now I wish I'd gotten a crate of them.

Last show I was at, there was a VZ 24 action with most of the work done on it allready...well done turned down bolt, drilled and tapped for Weaver two piece bases, and cleaned up bolt face for $120. I looked at it, seller said $80 and you take it. It went home with me.
Just need to decide what it will be.

[Buckshot]

............My brother gave me a VZ24 he got at Big 5 as it was unshootable. Well you COULD shoot it but the only thing you could hit on purpose was the ground. It hung around for 3-4 years taking up space so I had to do something with it. 9.3x62AL gets a discount at Brownells and he'd said he was sending in an order. In theri catalog they off a 308 and a 8x57 barrel in military stepped configuration. It's short chambered but otherwise ready to screw on. I have pleanty of 8mms so got the 308 barrel.

I took it to my gunsmith to do the barrel work and also drop it and all the metal into his bluing tanks. I've had it back about 2 weeks now, but that's as far as I've gotten with it to date. I have to pull the rear sight sleeve off the old barrel and solder it and the front sight to the new barrel.

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