Vz.24 pistol from Wolverine Supplies Surplus Sale. New photos and poll added.

Should threads about dewat milsurps be allowed on CGN?


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fugawi

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As requested by some 'nutters here are more pics of the matching Vz.24 I bought from the Wolverine's Surplus Sale. It was made by Ceska Zbrojovka in 1936 and accepted by the Czech military in 1937. Unfortunately it is now a dewat as I don't have a 12.6 license.

A little background:

The CZ vz.24 was based on the designs of Josef Nickl, who had been employed by Waffenfabrik Mauser, and who had designed the 'Nickl-Pistole' in 9mm Parabellum caliber in 1916 (for which a locked breech was necessary). After WW1, Nickl was sent to Czechoslovakia to assist in setting up rifle manufacturing and while there, interested the Czechs in his pistol. The Czechs adopted it as the vz.22 but in 9x17mm Short (.380 caliber). Hence, although using a low-powered cartridge, the vz.22 uses a locked breech dependent upon the rotation of the barrel for locking and unlocking.

The design was initially put into production by CZ Brno as the CZ vz.22 pistol but production was moved to CZ Strakonice in 1923. Strakonice later modified the design with help from Skoda Works as the vz.24, simplified with some stamped parts to make production easier.

The vz.24 remained a locked breech which is stronger than needed for 9mm Browning Short (.380 caliber). It was the issue pistol of the prewar Czech military until scheduled for replacement by the vz.38.

My vz.24:

F9x6h.jpg

The finish is blued and is worn in places. (looks shiny due to flash).

SV19y.jpg

Machined as opposed to stamped Safety Release and Takedown Lever. No Unit marks on the grip of my vz.24.


VduY3.jpg

CESKA ZBROJOVKA A.S. v PRAZE. serial # and Czech Lion

HRo3u.jpg

Hammer cocked showing back of firing pin.

3jL9r.jpg

Machined Lanyard Loop, unmarked base plate.

jI732.jpg


The lion is the Czech military symbol and the '37' is the year the pistol was accepted into military service. If anyone knows what the 'J' in the 'J (lion) 37' stamp represents please comment.

So far I've had one reply on Gunboards that suggests that the 'J' must signify the pistol department at the VTLU (Vojenský technický a letecký ústav - Military and Aviation Technical Institute) where the pistol was accepted, since vz.24 rifles and vz.33 carbines are stamped E (lion) and the year.

CZ in circle is a commercial logo of Ceska Zbrojovka. The CZ emblem on the rubber grips could be either blank, the circled CZ without a dot as shown, or one with a dot.

The last two pics show the method of deactivating the Vz.24 by brazing the barrel in place. Internally the pistol is deactivated as well. The pistol is a #### and click and the magazine cannot be removed.

nZEfP.jpg

The rifling was not bad for a 70+ year old pistol.

L6JBF.jpg
 
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I just took my restricted test and this thread was a dream until I saw the deact pics. So sad. Is it brazed or welded? Is this because it is a prohibited weapon?

Beautiful pistol all the same. Thanks for the lesson and information. Good reading for someone just getting into milsurp handguns.
 
What we need is for Norinco to turn out a batch of them.

ALL the Commies would want to bring them in then.... and likely they would get away with it!

All-y samey thingy: you can't buy and shoot an original M-14 made in the USA and welded to permanent semi-auto, but you can sure buy a Norinco one, made on American equipment by Chinese slave labour, and shoot it all you like.

Our Liberal Masters were always most selective in their indignation.

In the case of this beautiful old pistol, I weep at the travesty against good design, fine workmanship and historical significance.

Surely, there MUST be a better way........

Calling Mister Harper, Mister Breitkreuz, Mister Friedman...... and anyone else who gives a hot damn. This HAS to be stopped while there are still a few left.
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It is a prohibited pistol due to its barrel length. Unless you have a 12.6 license or can convince the government that you need to own one somehow, the only way to purchase one is to make it a dewat. Same as owning an FN C1 or a Sten (which I also have as a dewat), or a PPK. Or a Colt Python. Or a Suomi. Or...(your gun here).

There's a long list of firearms that you cannot own in Canada. Wish it wasn't so but it is.

Bottom line is this pistol was available for anyone to purchase since it was first advertised in the Wolverine Surplus Sale back at the start of February. Priced very reasonable (since it was a 12.6) for $250. And it sat for over a month before I bought it because I realized I could use it in the display I'm working on (you may also want to read my thread on the Polish Contract vz.24 - automatyczny Pistolet wz. 28 - http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=730977).

John even made it known that he was open to offers after the first week or so.

If you feel strongly about saving prohibited but legally able to own handguns then petition the government to change the firearm laws. In the meantime I think John still has some prohibs for sale.
 
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Very nice info on this interesting pistol, perhaps she saw WW2 service ?

Sad to see it deactivated but better than being melted down in a government smelter.

I have a Mauser 1910 pocket pistol that has Imperial German army proof marks on her as well as the most gorgeous walnut tiger striped grips I have ever seen. She is deactivated in a similar manner though the bore has been filled in. She serves both as a display and WW1 re-enactment piece.
 
Doing what I can but the Old Age Pension cheques only stretch so far, friend.

Not all of us out here are rich, just the rich ones!

So let's get some damn laws changed.

For starters, there should be a category to protect things such as this. Something like the American C&R classification might help if it was done right.

I mean, seriously now, how many Toronto gangbangers are looking to buy a Czech Model 24, anyway? ESPECIALLY, how many Toronto gangbangers want to buy a Czech Model 24 WITH A LICENCE?

Answer: NONE.

And I singled out Toronto gangbangers because they seem to be the ones setting policy in this country.

In a sane society, that single fact alone would have prevented this.
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any reason why you did not get a longer barrel made ? if you like the gun so much, you should have.


Thanks for telling what I should do Gaff. Should I need more help in collecting milsurps I'll be sure to call you.

As I said I'm sure John has more prohibs to sell plus I seen some on the EE. Why don't you go rescue them.
 
any reason why you did not get a longer barrel made ? if you like the gun so much, you should have.

Thanks for telling what I should do Gaff. Should I need more help in collecting milsurps I'll be sure to call you.

As I said I'm sure John has more prohibs to sell plus I seen some on the EE. Why don't you go rescue them.



As someone new to this scene, I'm a bit confused about something I see lot of here in the milsurp section, and I'd sincerely appreciate it if someone can enlighten me.

So, having a weapon of historical significance deactivated but otherwise unchanged is an undesirable result, but completely changing it by adding barrel length is acceptible?

I'd really like to understand why people are drawing hard lines about how other people should treat milsurps, while their own actions sometimes contradict the same principles. For instance, it seems most people are okay with removing the 60 year old protective cosmoline, adding wear to your milsurp by firing it, or cutting into and ruining an original infantry stock to reconvert an ex-sniper... but only if its an original PU scope. But giving an already refurbed non-original gun stock a much needed re-finish is a sin. Huh?

I have a feeling this is just one of things I won't ever understand. But it would be nice to see the logic, if there is any. I completely get the preservatist mentality. I just think that here it seems to have lost its reasonable edge to passion. Is it kind of a crusade or something, perhaps fueled by a long history of seeing nice milsurps destroyed in the name of novelty sporterizing?

:confused:
 
Just personally (Everyone makes their own choice)

I have a small collection of old pistols-
I prefer them original caliber, barrel length etc.

I have a couple that have been modified (not by me) just because I like them but don't consider them part of this collection. They are toys. (or potential parts sources.)

I have some replicas- again just toys.
Same with rifles. I would never change an original. (just my personal choice)
Given a sporterized milsurp my first thought would be how can I fix this.
If it can not be returned to original- then I may mod it.
I also consider a heavily moded milsurp to be a good source of parts.
Deactivating a gun is sad but better than shredding it. ( again just my personal choice )(it would pain me every time I saw it.)

Shredding one is a crime.

Others make their own decisions- this should be a free country.
janice.
 
I'm not slaging your decision to deactivate. just wondering why you didn't go the other way when you obviously really like the pistol.
 
I have a Luger from WW1 and she was in the prohibited class because of the barrel length. As I wanted to actively shoot her, I had a longer barrel put on (about 0.5") to get her into the restricted class. The gun smith was kind enough to reuse the original front sight blade as well. The other Lugers in the restricted class (i.e. Swiss lugers, artillery lugers) are very expensive to acquire. That was my justification in saving this Luger from the smelter.

My pocket pistol, Mauser 1910, on the other hand, was already de-watted before I got her but I have seen so very few of them around. I was very tempted to have a 12.6 example with her second magazine and original holster, deactivated but I couldn't go through with it so I opted out and waited until this little beauty came along. I have seen one or two with the restricted length barrel and they look hideous and out of style. She is also in .32ACP and I think that ammo is prohibited as well (someone correct me if I am wrong on this) ?

In the end, as others have mentioned, it comes down to exactly what you want.
 
any reason why you did not get a longer barrel made ? if you like the gun so much, you should have.

I was just about to post this.

Longer barrel to take it from prohibited to restricted.

Unless, it was acquired for true historical purposes, then adding the longer barrel would have ####ed it up of course.
 
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