I have a confession to make: I picked up a VZ24 and a M/N Carbine last year and haven't shot them yet. They were at market value and it helped a friend of my dads out with some cash for a surgery.
I also have a 1895 Chilean Mauser [7x57mm], but that one was [poorly] sporterized in the 50s. I made it look good.
I personally can't hit anything with peep/apature sights. The post/notch sights of the Mosin and VZ24 work better with my astigmatism.
For me I like the cheapness of the ammo: as cheap or cheaper than 8x57mm Mauser, and cheaper than .223/5.56 or .308 or .30/06.
I like its reputation for reliability. I like the simplicity of design. [I HATE the safety!]
And I appreciate firearms used by the side that killed 2 germans for every 1 the US/UK/FR/ free Poles, free Norwegians, etc killed on the western front. 77% of all the ammo fired at the German military machine came from the firearms of the USSR. The only thing preventing the odds of my MN having killed more germans than any WWII M1 rifle is that there were SOOOO many MN rifles out there.
I do like the look, but in a weird atavastic way: I like old-fashioned as well as new-fangled designs.
However, I wouldn't spend $1000 for one while I might see myself doing that for a Springfield '03 A3 [in the right condition], or a pristine Mauser K98 with bent bolt.
The cost of the gun and 880 rounds of ammo was about the same as the cost of 900 rounds of 5.56 M885 ball ammo.
Cost definitely is a factor for me, but I REALLY like the sense of history too.
I also have a 1895 Chilean Mauser [7x57mm], but that one was [poorly] sporterized in the 50s. I made it look good.
I personally can't hit anything with peep/apature sights. The post/notch sights of the Mosin and VZ24 work better with my astigmatism.
For me I like the cheapness of the ammo: as cheap or cheaper than 8x57mm Mauser, and cheaper than .223/5.56 or .308 or .30/06.
I like its reputation for reliability. I like the simplicity of design. [I HATE the safety!]
And I appreciate firearms used by the side that killed 2 germans for every 1 the US/UK/FR/ free Poles, free Norwegians, etc killed on the western front. 77% of all the ammo fired at the German military machine came from the firearms of the USSR. The only thing preventing the odds of my MN having killed more germans than any WWII M1 rifle is that there were SOOOO many MN rifles out there.
I do like the look, but in a weird atavastic way: I like old-fashioned as well as new-fangled designs.
However, I wouldn't spend $1000 for one while I might see myself doing that for a Springfield '03 A3 [in the right condition], or a pristine Mauser K98 with bent bolt.
The cost of the gun and 880 rounds of ammo was about the same as the cost of 900 rounds of 5.56 M885 ball ammo.
Cost definitely is a factor for me, but I REALLY like the sense of history too.