Since it appears that my Sako is going to be in the shop for the majority of the deer season(See Sako Tuneup posts)and I'm still wanting to shoot something from the back of the gun safe,I'm looking at loading some 8X57 rounds for a wartime BRNO Mauser.It was measured for proper headspace 35 years ago when I got it and has several boxes of Remington factory rounds thru it without problems.
The rifle has serial #7227 on the receiver ring and a non matching bolt.Receiver has been surface ground to remove crest on the receiver.The boltface and lugs show no signs of abuse to the semi trained (considering the company on this forum mabe I should say untrained eye).The chamber and rifling are sharp,bright and unpitted.The rifle was originally one of those with the large trigger guard and laminated stock.Metal finish is very good for wartime production.Is this brand of Mauser up to traditional Mauser standards for strength and can I warm up loads to mid level power as shown in the loading manuals.I am not interested in maximum loads,just a little more power than American factory rounds.Thanks

From my understanding the BRNO's never had the poor heatreat problems of late war German actions. I would feel safe loading some hot loads for that gun.

By your desciption that's actually a post-war Czech Mauser, which often used parts made under German occupation. They were made at BRNO for export to several countries, in the typical German K-98 configuration. I would have no qualms about shooting hot-loaded European ammo in one.

Good shooting,
Todd

Todd G
My understanding was that BRNO winter Mausers were made after German occupation early in the war to supply the Russian front.Original stock has no firing pin removal device but has sling slot.The bolt came unblued.Most wartime 98K i've seen were blued but I haven't seen that many. There is very slight pitting on the receiver under the stock line that would suggest field use.
Were the post war exports mixed and matched from battlefield pickups and then exported?Mausers have always interested me,though this is the only one I own. Mabe I need to remedy that.Thanks for the enlightenment.

[ 11-09-2003, 05:08: Message edited by: covey16 ]

lets try and figure out which model of mauser you have. is it still in military configuration or has it been sporterized, here are the main mausers made by CZ brno

98/22 these where mostly made for use of the turks

vz 24 not sure who used these

98/29 ie persian mauser, these are the best czech mausers and maybe the best mausers of all, all czech mausers are excellantly made and capable of about anything you can feed um.

Cummins Cowboy
Got the rifle when I was 15 years old (1965).
It was my first gun project.It is definitely wartime production.It had a blond laminated stock,winter trigger guard(extra large loop stamped,unblued bent bolt with bolthead notch in stock,no firing pin removal device in stock,sling slot in stock.large ring receiver with CESKOVASLOVENSKAZBROJOVKA,AS,BRNO on the left hand side of the receiver,crest ground off top of receiver,regular mauser battle sights.I am looking at it as I type.If I had known what I know now, I wouldn't have sporterized the stock ,but back then they were easy to get and who knew about GCA '68
thanks, you guys
ps
It's not a Turk,Persian,or and i believe VZ 24 was pre war. Probably was carried to Eastern Front by German, came back in the back of a truck with a thousand others

[ 11-09-2003, 06:43: Message edited by: covey16 ]

The siderail address clinches it as a post-war Czech K-98 copy, made using leftover parts from the occupation. Some of these undoubtedly saw use, perhaps in East Germany, or many other places.

The bolt takedown feature on this rifle probably consists of a hole drilled in the toe of the cupped buttplate, that the firing pin fits into.

Should you wish to restore it to full military trim, any laminated K-98 stock would work. Bands, etc are easy to come by also. Check E-bay.
It probably looks like this:

Here is a link to Samco, who still sell them (although their history is a little off).
http://www.samcoglobal.com/rifles.html

Fine rifle; put it back in military trim, if you like it that way, and go hunting!

Todd

Sounds like a VZ 24 to me. These were made for several years. Whats the barrel lenth?
If its around 23.5" its a 24, if its 29", its a 98/22.
As for ammo, I have very good luck with the Igman and S&b commercial loadings, much warmer than U.S. factory loads.
I get mine from Aim;
AIM SURPLUS
I have several Mauser variants, and all will group the Igman under 1.5" at 100 yds.
The Igman load is a 170 gr. soft point.

OOPS! I think Todd is correct, about the model.

[ 11-09-2003, 07:30: Message edited by: TERRY8mm ]

Todd G
That is it exactly except for the blued bolt.
I cut the original butt plate off when I mounted a recoil pad all those years ago and I don't remember about the firing pin removal hole in the butt.
so,this rifle is suposed to be as strong as any properly made military Mauser?
Thanks
Covey16

todd is that your mauser, if so that is about the nicest one I have ever seen. usually when the reciever crest has been ground off it means that at some point the rifles where in the hands of the communist and they didn't like the monarchy symbols anymore, I had a vz 24 that was ground off too, I had my choice of that one or one with only about 25% blueing with the crest intact, stupid me picked the one that had the better blueing, i think at some point it had to have been rearsenled, but the bore turned out to be a sewer pipe. Maybe you could get us some pics of your rifle I would be interested in finding out just which mauser you have exactly

[ 11-09-2003, 21:28: Message edited by: cummins cowboy ]

Cummins
Don't feel bad about poor choices,I got the rifle
that started this thread by trading a very worn out nickel steel Model 12 for it. Again,who knew the future in 1965 or what would be worth what 40 years in the future .I would like to hear from the more experienced folks on what to look for and what can be measured with basic tools when buying a shooter wartime Mauser.I understand they can be turned into works of art by some on this forum,but I'm thinking minimum modification and original Mauser calibers.I would really love to have a GOOD 7x57 which would require a barrel change.