I have run across a beater Mauser rifle in 30-06, it's got a cheap Tasco scope in Weaver mounts, a left-side swing safety, I can't see anything on the top of the receiver, but (in tiny letters) it's got VZ-24 on the left side of the receiver. The barrel is a replacement of some sort with the markings "KODIAK, NORTH HAVEN, CONN" on the top of the barrel. It's got a hooded front sight and Williams adjustable rear sight.

Has anybody heard of this outfit (they don't come up on a Google search)? Do you think it would be worth the $200 asking price? I don't know if the VZ-24 marking is legit or not, since I am nothing close to knowledgeable about Mausers, but its got the thumb cut and the stripper slot (the "hump" is absent), so any info would be helpful. My interest would be to use it as a "loaner" and then one day convert it to 9.3x62 or 404 Jeffery one day.

Thanks.

quote:

Do you think it would be worth the $200 asking price?

Absolutely.....well worth it...

They made privite label guns for wards & sears

I have seen three of these rifles and owned two. My idea would be to go ahead and buy it.
My first one was in .243 Win. and by putting a decent trigger in the gun, it became a tackdriver. Stock was a birdseye Maple. I gave the gun to the son of a friend that was going to start hunting. I should have kept it.

Rifle number two belonged to a friend and was in .308 Norma mag. of all things. Looked just like my .243 and was also an accurate rifle. Rifle number three is now in my posession and is in .358 Winchester. I haven't done much with it yet, but it seems to want to shoot OK. I haven't replaced the military two stage trigger yet and it is atrocious. It also has a 1 in 16" twist to the barrel which I feel is an improper twist rate.

The following comments are a supposition on my part, but may shed light on Kodiak Arms. I think they showed up shortly after the Gun control Act of 1968 which disallowed mail ordering guns. Places like Ye Olde Hunter had tons of military rifles, 98 Mausers among them, and probably quite a few extra actions as well. It is my belief that Kodiak bought up a bunch of the fairly nice actions, cleaned them up a bit, blued them and barreled them to fairly popular cartridges and some not so popular. They were then stocked in cheap maple stocks and sold for a relatively low price. Some came with iron sights (my .358 for example) and some without. Again, my .243 and the friend's .308 Norma.) As near as I can tell, no attempt was made to clean up the military trigger. Exactly when they got started and when they stopped being in business, I haven't a clue. About all I can state is the ones I have had some experience with have been good shooters after a decent trigger was installed. I believe, based on the ones I've seen, that they all came drilled and tapped for a scope. The stock is not the prettiest thing I've seen, but is functional.

I guess the best way for me to put it is, if I come across another one, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. FWIW, I gave $200 for the .358 and it didn't even have a scope on it. I may leave it as is after putting a trigger in it, but might consider putting it in a Butler Creek synthetic stock. I do know that I probably won't be giving this one away, like I did with the .243.
Paul B.