vz. 24
Zbrojovka Brno · Rifle · Discontinued · 1924
Also known as: Puska vz. 24, Gewehr 24(t), G24(t), CZ vz. 24
Overview
The vz. 24 is a Czechoslovak bolt-action rifle developed in the early 1920s by Zbrojovka Brno from the German Mauser Gewehr 98 system. Chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser, it fed from a five-round integral box magazine loaded by stripper clips and used a controlled-feed Mauser action with a turned-down bolt handle. Its 590 mm barrel was shorter and handier than the original Gewehr 98, making it effectively a short rifle. Widely exported throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the vz. 24 saw service across South America, Asia, and Europe, and was pressed into German service as the Gewehr 24(t) after the 1939 occupation of Czechoslovakia.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4200 g (148.2 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1100 mm (43.31") |
| Barrel Length | 590 mm (23.23") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 762 m/s (2500 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3696 J (2726 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.92x57mm Mauser · primary — also known as 8mm Mauser, 7.92 Mauser, 8x57 IS, 7.9x57mm
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Three Position Safety
- Features: Internal Box Magazine, Detachable Floorplate, Stripper Clip Loading, Bayonet Lug, Turned Down Bolt Handle
Variants
- Gewehr 24(t) — German Designation
- vz. 98N — Postwar
Service history
Operators
- Czechoslovak Army · adopted 1924
- Nazi Germany (Wehrmacht) · adopted 1939 · as Gewehr 24(t)
- National Revolutionary Army
- Romanian Armed Forces
Conflicts
- Chaco War (1932-1935)
- Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
- Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Production years: 1924-1942
Produced at Zbrojovka Brno and Povazska Bystrica; large numbers exported worldwide before and during the German occupation.
Origin
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Designer: Zbrojovka Brno
Discontinued: 1942
Notes
Hundreds of thousands were exported, with variants additionally chambered in 7x57mm Mauser and 7.65x53mm Argentine for foreign contracts. Also produced at the Povazska Bystrica plant.
Background
After independence in 1918, Czechoslovakia inherited Austro-Hungarian arsenals but standardized on the proven German Mauser design, refining it into the compact vz. 24 that became one of the most widely exported military rifles of the interwar era.