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Ceska Zbrojovka vz. 58

1959 COLD WAR MODERN

History

Czechoslovakia was "reborn" after World War II, but fell into the Soviet sphere of influence through the postwar Warsaw Pact. Like other satellite states, the Czechoslovak army was thus equipped with Soviet weapons, including tanks, vehicles and aircraft.

However, the Czech people have always had a penchant for producing some of the best pistol and artillery systems in the world, even including a light machine gun design that greatly influenced the war-winning British WW2 BREN.

As part of the Warsaw Pact, its members will soon seek to standardize logistical components, including support for the Soviet 7.62x39mm cartridge. This represented a kind of awakening for the Czechs, as the army was not committed to using the 7.62 x 45 mm vz until 1952. 52 cartridges.

In any case, changes had to be made to meet the requirements of the Soviet supervisor, which led to the development of a new automatic rifle in 1956 for the installation of Soviet cartridges. Although the gun had a similar appearance to the famous AK-47, as a "vz. 58" it became a completely unique product of Czech design.

The weapon entered service with the Czech Army in 1958.

Outside, vz. The 58 has a rectangular receiver with fine contours that contains all the major internal working components. The fire selector, ejection port, and charging handle are all located on the right side of the fuselage, favoring right-handed shooters.

The gas cylinder is mounted on the barrel, and the two components are partially hidden under a two-piece furniture cover. The barrel protrudes from the front of the gun and is covered by a front sight at the muzzle. The stock is attached to the rear of the receiver, while the pistol grip is caulked near the trigger assembly in the usual way.

The trigger has a rectangular wire loop, making it suitable for use with gloved hands. The magazine feed is placed in front of the trigger group with the magazine release/capture visible in between.

The magazine consists of a curved, detachable magazine that holds 30 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition in two staggered columns. The sight is set in front of the receiver. A bayonet can be mounted under the barrel for close combat. The gun weighs 6.4 pounds and is 33 inches long.

A foldable bipod is optional (attached to the barrel section behind the rear view mirror) for continuous firing.

For the casual observer, vz. 58 may appear to be an AK-47 clone, although internally it is still a different animal. When operating with gas, vz. The 58 uses a toggle bolt with a lowered breech, which is the opposite of the AK-47's swivel bolt. Dimensionally, the guns are about the same, although Czech models tend to have slightly shorter barrels.

While early forms used wooden furniture, this eventually gave way to wood fibre finishes and (later) plastic fittings. The trigger also has a simplified mode compared to the Soviet AK-47.

vz. The 58 series originally appeared in vz. 58P fixed stock version and vz. 58V Metal Folding Stock Variant. The latter performs well in confined spaces and can be issued to vehicle crews and paratroopers, as well as special forces. vz. The 58Pi introduces a mounting bracket for professional night work.

As such, the gun is equipped with NSP-2 series night vision sights, a muzzle flash suppressor, a foldable bipod and a complete fixed stock. vz. The 58 was followed by several civilian versions, including the CZH 203 Sport, CZ 858 Tactical and FSN series. For obvious reasons, all are semi-automatic fire, demilitarized if necessary.

Civilian carbine models - the VZ-58 Sporter series - are available in 5.56x45mm NATO or 7.62x39mm Russian chamber shapes.

Several experimental models are known, one of which is even configured as a "no bullpup" assault rifle, with the firing action and magazine advance located in the enlarged stock behind the pistol grip. Other versions rated vz. The 58 frame is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO and 9x19 Parabellum cartridges.

Still others tested different barrel assemblies to expand the tactical reach of the weapon system.

The user of vz. The 58 automatic weapon families include Afghanistan, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, India, Iraq, Libya and Slovakia, among others. To date, approximately 920,000 copies have been produced, with a production cycle from 1959 to 1984. Except for the civilian VZ. 58 Sporter series, all vz.

Ceska Zbrojovka produced 58 units from the Brno factory. The group was founded in 1936 and still operates today. After that, Czechoslovakia itself split (peacefully) into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic (this happened on January 1, 1993).