Czech out this vz58

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 9/9/20 | O Volk

[w1n1]

Petite vz. 58 Bridges The Gap Between Submachine Gun And Rifle
The Samopal vzor 58, or Automatic weapon model 58, was put into Czechoslovak military service in the late 1950s. A very lightweight 7.62×39 carbine with a short-stroke piston action, it was one of the first Czech arms to use the Soviet cartridge instead of the longer native round. Lighter than the AK-47 by 1.3 pounds, it also used alloy magazines that weighed half of the steel AK-47 mags. Although similar in overall size to the AK, the slimmer pistol grip and stock gave it a more dainty look.
Besides Czechoslovak army use, the rifle was exported to about 20 countries, mainly in the Third World. With the 15.4-inch barrel extended to 16 inches with a shroud and automatic capability removed, it is now available in the US through Czechpoint USA of Knoxville, Tenn.

The action design is quite unusual: a short-stroke piston acts on a locking block that is separate from the bolt and the carrier, but it attaches to both. It’s almost like a rifle version of the Walther P38 or Beretta M9 in that regard. The lugs of the locking block engage with the steel rails inside the machined aluminum receiver.

The lightweight magazine, externally similar to the AK mag, holds 30 rounds and rocks in the same way, though with far less effort required for proper alignment with the receiver. With the action locked open after the last round or manually with the plunger near the trigger guard, the magazine may be topped off with stripper clips. Ten-round magazines are also available for bench shooting or in restricted states. The magazine may be safely used as a hand-hold, and there is absolutely no play in the lockup.

THE RIFLE IS AVAILABLE in three variants: with a fixed resin-impregnated wood stock, a folding-wire stock and a collapsible stock with railed forend. I mainly use the fixed wood stock by preference. Because of the short length of pull and relatively light weight, the carbine can be effectively run by 10-year-old kids. Felt recoil is very mild, even below that of the heavier AK-47, and the rotary safety is easy to reach, at least for right-handed shooters. While manual bolt hold-open is provided, bolt release requires operating the charging handle integral to the bolt carrier. All major action components, including the bore and the gas piston, are chrome-plated for better corrosion resistance.

THE RIFLE FEEDS SOFT-POINT and hollow-point ammunition reliably. So far, the best defensive loads I found are Corbon DPX, G2 Trident Ripout and Federal Powershock. All give substantial expansion – up to 0.9 inches with Trident – and 16 to 20 inches of gel penetration. While the vz58 classic has no flash hider, it produces minimal illumination with these loads. The tactical model comes with a needlessly concussive pinned-and-welded muzzle brake best replaced with a flash hider by a gunsmith. Vz58 is very suppressor friendly... Read the rest of SA vz58.

[farming pharmer]

bkmk

[Billthedrill]

I need one.

Because I don't have one, that's why.

[moovova]

Is there a smart gun version?

[Afterguard]

They (all CZ’s) are extremely well made and reliable rifles. The one I owned had what they called a “Sporter” stock, kind of a polymer skeleton fixed stock. Alas I traded it. Wish I still had it. They are hard to find nowadays.

[Charles Martel]

Back when I first saw one of these, I thought that the "wood" stocks looked like a mixture of epoxy and crumbled particle board, and that the results were vastly inferior to proper wood furniture. Now, many years later, I look at it and realize that it was a clever and innovative idea.

IIRC, Forgotten Weapons has an informative video on this unique carbine. Hopefully, the current madness will eventually subside and products like this will once again be available at reasonable prices.

[dljordan]

“They (all CZ’s) are extremely well made and reliable rifles. “

I’ve got a CZ452 that is just an absolute tack driver. It’s a really beautiful rifle. I’m shooting 200 yds with open sights and hitting better than my Ruger 10/22. I hug it every time I open the safe.