I am curious about the VZ 58, does anyone have any experiences with it? I'm not looking to buy one any time soon (the lack of good optic mounting options, from what I can tell, pretty much rules it out in my book), but I am curious what folks think of it if they've used one or worked on one at all.
J.Ja
Owner/President of Titanium Crowbar, LLC
Generally well made, reliable, bit lighter than an AK, but can be hard to find mags for...
I was graciously offered the use of one by Templar (commie weapon expert) for an AK class some time ago. It was reliable, accurate, and much lighter than you would expect it to be by looking at it. The model I was borrowing was also very well made. (FredM brought one that broke on him fairly early) The rifle was clearly capable of far better accuracy than I could wring out of it with my meager skills. At 200 yards offhand I had no trouble making shots on a 12" piece of steel, even with a hodgepodge of commie ammo. At closer ranges the only thing that kept me out of the X ring of an NRA bullseye was my own incompetence. The trigger took a bit of getting used to, but I adapted to it fairly easily once I started using a rolling break.
I did find all the sharp edges on the rifle annoying to the point where I wore gloves most of the time. It's been said in the past that the AK is like a cheese grater...well, the CZ is doubly so. The magazines are aluminum and specialized which means they won't be as to-hell-and-back durable or as cheap and plentiful as good AK magazines.
Overall I had a very positive impression of the rifle after using it for a couple of days and wouldn't hesitate to buy one if I had sufficient finances to own whatever I wanted.
They are nice guns and a very viable option to the AK. Less logistical support, tho.
Lots of handling but only a little fam-fire.
Really slim and fast-handling, almost like an M1 carbine in that respect.
Due to the above-noted anti-ubiquity of mags and spares, it's nothing I'd rely on for any heavy usage.
Only a few mags through one but I would definitely not rule it out. My only shots at distance (100 and 200) were all hits on 6" poppers with irons. Troy makes/imports a decent looking rail that allows an Aimpoint to be mounted and they are slick.
Think for yourself. Question authority.
Wow! That sounds pretty good! I think I'll put myself in the boat of, "if I have money just sitting around, I'll get one" camp. The importer (Czech Point) seems to have a bunch of mags for it, but it's definitely clear that the aftermarket for it isn't so hot, from what I've seen.
J.Ja
Owner/President of Titanium Crowbar, LLC
As TC said, mine broke fairly early in a LAV AK operator's class in the spring of 2010. It turns out that my FFL installed (incorrectly, it turns out) a "match" trigger in the weapon. Something in the trigger mech broke (I forget at the moment what specifically), but Czechpoint repaired the rifle at no cost to me and promptly shipped it back. 1200 or so rounds later, it shoots just fine.
I like it so much I'm adding a second on to my collection.
The Slovak troops here like theirs just fine too.
Out of curiosity, what are you doing in terms of optics? Paying Cezchpoint the extra $80 for an AK side rail and something hanging off of there? I see a number of ways to get a rail on there, from using an upper handguard with a rail (cheap, at around $70, but probably loose), to a small rail mounted on the receiver, to some longer rails that seem to replace the rear leaf sight and use that mounting point for stability.Originally Posted by FredM
The more I read about this rifle, the more I like it. It's the price of a well-built AK (like an Arsenal), it is super lightweight, milled receiver, shoots 7.62x39... that's a nice mix. Especially if it is as accurate as you and a couple of others have said.
J.Ja
Owner/President of Titanium Crowbar, LLC
Personally, I think the Czechs had superior alternatives to both the AK and the SKS, but the Russkies are as susceptible to NIH Syndrome as we are.
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