During 1938, the Germans occupied Czechoslovakia and it wasn’t long after the occupation began that Czech arms factories and workers were forced into manufacturing pistols, rifles and machine guns for the German war effort. After the war ended the Czech arms industry attempted to reestablish its prewar small arms manufacturing prominence primarily through export sales. Two customers of Czechoslovakia during the post war period were Yugoslavia and Israel. The sales were terminated for political reasons after the Communist coup d’état in 1948. After the coup, arms production in Czechoslovakia drastically changed as the Communists nationalized all of the small private arms firms in the country, joining all of the larger manufacturers that had previously been nationalized during the German occupation. Major changes were implemented during the Cold War period when production was drastically increased in anticipation of a third world war.

When the Warsaw Pact was formed during 1955, virtually all of the members adopted the Soviet designed 7.62x39mm SKS rifle in one form or another, except for Czechoslovakia, who had decided that they would design their own infantry rifle. By 1952, the Czechs developed and adopted a semiautomatic rifle designated as the vz.52. Not only was the rifle completely different from the SKS, it was chambered for a unique proprietary cartridge: the Czech M52, 7.62x45mm. The Czech cartridge had a longer case that was not interchangeable with the standard Warsaw Pact 7.62x39mm M43 round. The 7.62×45 round was slightly more powerful than the standard 7.62×39 cartridge, with a 131-grain bullet and a muzzle velocity of 2,495 feet per second. The cartridge remained in service from 1952 to 1957, when Czechoslovakia finally relented and adopted the far more common 7.62×39 round. The Czech vz.52 rifle was redesigned to chamber the Warsaw Pact standard 7.62×39 cartridge and newly designated as the vz.52/57 rifle.

The Samopal vzor 1958 Rifle, 7.62x39mm

During the mid 1950s when Warsaw Pact members began to upgrade from the SKS semiautomatic rifle to the select-fire Soviet Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle, Czechoslovakia, due to national pride and a long tradition of weapons design and manufacture, once again resisted conforming with other Pact members. In January of 1955, under the leadership of Czech engineer Jiri Cermak, Czechoslovakia embarked on a program to design and develop their own unique assault rifle, based on an earlier weapon designed by Emanuel Holek in 1953, which had been inspired by the World War II German StG 44 rifle. Originally, the new weapon was designed for the Czech 7.62×45 cartridge, but for political reasons this was changed to the 7.62×39 round. The resulting weapon designated as the Samopal vzor 58 (Submachine gun Model 1958) which was developed, tested and subsequently adopted in 1958. The famous Ceska Zbojovka (CZ) plant, located in the town of Uhersky Brod, manufactured the rifle. The select-fire rifle outwardly bore some resemblance to the AK rifle, but internally it was far different. In addition to the standard fixed stock model, a folding stock variant and a model fitted with a night vision scope were produced.

There have been slight design changes noted that occurred during vz.58 production. It is estimated that most of the changes took place during the 1959-1961 era. All vz.58 receivers were marked with the year of manufacture.

Front Sight Towers

There are at least three variations of the front sights; the earliest models have sight protector ears that are open at the top, and a flat base behind the sight tower. The second variation has open ears, but the back of the sight base has lightening cuts. The third variation has the lightening cuts at the base but the protector ears are closed at the top but with a hole to facilitate front sight elevation adjustments.

Furniture

Early vz.58 rifles were briefly fitted with wooden handguards, pistol grips and buttstocks. The wood was replaced by wood impregnated plastic.

Front Sling Swivels

Early front sling swivels are a round “key ring” design; later models use a simple T shaped stamping.

Trigger Guards

The early trigger guards have a single loop. Later manufacture are wider and have a guard on the right side for the magazine release lever. The trigger guards are sheet metal stampings.

Magazine Release Levers

The magazine levers are heavy machined steel. Early variants are rounded at the bottom while later levers were tapered and square at the bottom end for compatibility with the wider trigger guards.

Rear Sights

The hole at the front of the sight leaf on early production is round. Later models have a U shaped slot. The purpose of the hole/slot is to facilitate removal of the sight from the receiver. The rear sight leaf is a tangent type calibrated out to 800 meters. The 300-meter battle sight position is marked with a letter U.

Despite being members of NATO, the 7.62x39mm, vz.58 rifle is still in service with Czech Republic and Slovakian troops; although many have been upgraded with modern plastic furniture, optics, accessory rails and muzzle brakes.

Model Variations of the vz.58 Rifle

The Samopal vz.58P

The 7.62×39 vz.58P rifle, the suffix letter P representing “Pechotni” or infantry rifle, is the standard fixed stock model. The overall length is 33.26 inches (845mm) with a barrel length of 15.35 inches (390mm). The standard rifle weighs 7.91 pounds (3.59kg) with a loaded thirty-round magazine.

The Samopal vz.58V

A right-side folding metal stock version was subsequently introduced designated as the vz.58V, the suffix V representing “Vysadkovy” or airborne, and was developed for issue to troops requiring a more compact weapon. When extended, the overall length of the vz.58P is the same as the fixed stock model measuring 33.36 inches. When the stock is folded the overall length is reduced to 25.04 inches (636mm).

The Samopal vz.58Pi,

For night operations a special version of the vz.58 rifle was fielded. The weapon, designated as the vz.58 Pi, for “Pechotni infracervenym zamerovacem” which translates to “infantry with infrared sight” was fitted with a bipod, special flash suppressor and optics rail for mounting of the NSP-2 infrared night vision scope. The design had several drawbacks. One was the heavy battery required to power the unit, and the other was the capability of the enemy to detect infrared devices in use. This weapon has a fixed stock with the same dimensions of the vz.58P model.

The Select-Fire vz.58: How it Works

The vz.58 rifle has a forged/milled steel receiver and although its outward appearance superficially resembles the AK rifle, the weapons are completely different and no parts, to include the thirty-round magazines, are interchangeable.

The vz.58 is gas operated using a short-stroke piston design. The short-stroke system reduces the weight of the reciprocating parts, thus improving full-automatic accuracy and (theoretically) reducing felt recoil. The design also keeps carbon fouling produced by fired cartridges away from the internal components of the weapon. The disadvantages are a design that is more complex, and less reliable, than the long stroke gas piston and rotating-bolt systems found on the AK rifle.

The bolt locking system of the vz.58 is completely different from the Kalashnikov rotating bolt system. In place of the rotating-bolt locking system used in the AK-47 design, the vz.58 incorporates a pivoting lock piece that locks the bolt assembly to the receiver. The pivoting lock fits under the bolt carrier. When the weapon is fired, the spring-loaded gas piston gives a short, stiff tap to the bolt carrier and after a rearward movement of approximately 22mm the bolt carrier swings the locking piece up from its recesses inside the receiver walls, unlocking the bolt, which on its rearward travel extracts and ejects the spent cartridge case. At the end of its rearward motion, the bolt carrier is thrust forward by the recoil spring. Upon its forward movement, the bolt stops after engaging the breech face, while the bolt carrier continues forward until the locking piece swings downward and locks into the recesses of the receiver. The vz.58 locking system is a combination of features found on both the Walther P-38 pistol and the Bren machine gun.

The vz.58 does not use a conventional hammer that strikes the firing pin; instead it utilizes a striker-fired design. A large striker cylinder is located in the rear machined-out portion of the bolt with its own spring that is positioned under the return spring of the bolt group. The striker has a lug that interacts with the sear, which is used to hold the striker in the cocked position. The trigger mechanism consists of two sears mounted side by side with one located 1.5mm forward of the other. The sear on the right side is connected to a sear trip operated by the carrier. Unless the bolt is fully forward and locked into battery, the trip holds up the right-hand sear and the striker is held back. The left-hand sear works in concert with a disconnector for semiautomatic operation.

The mode-of-fire selector is located on the right side of the receiver. When the selector is rotated to the full-automatic position, marked with a number 30, the disconnector is lowered and disengaged from the semiautomatic sear. When the carrier is fully forward, the right hand sear is depressed and the striker (hammer) is held on the semiautomatic sear only. As soon as the trigger is depressed, the trigger bar is moved forward and the left hand sear is depressed, releasing the striker. Each time the bolt recoils, the automatic sear rises upward and contains the striker until the bolt is locked in battery, after which the sear drops downward and the striker is released and impacts the firing pin in the bolt, firing the cartridge in the chamber. The cyclic rate of the vz.58 is considerably faster than the AK at 800 rounds per minute. The vz.58’s light weight and fast cyclic rate make it more difficult to control than an AKM in the full-automatic mode of fire.

When the selector is moved to the semiautomatic position, indicated by a number 1, the trigger bar is lowered and forced clear of the semiautomatic sear, and the disconnector rises to engage the semiautomatic sear. Pulling the trigger fires one round, the carrier recoils and the automatic sear rises. The carrier strikes the disconnector and lifts the semiautomatic sear. The striker is held rearward by the automatic sear, which is released when the carrier moves forward and since the automatic sear is located slightly behind the semiautomatic sear, the moving bolt is stopped by the semiautomatic sear. In order to fire another round the trigger must be fully released to allow the disconnector move back up to engage under the semiautomatic sear. The trigger can be pulled and the striker will be released by the semiautomatic sear. Both of the sears work off of a single multi-leaf flat style steel spring. In the semiautomatic mode of fire, the vz.58 is capable of slightly better accuracy over the average AK.

The weapon has a bolt hold-open feature that engages when the last round is fired from the magazine and the bolt remains rearward after the empty magazine is removed. There is also a bolt hold button alongside the magazine release lever. To release the bolt, the cocking handle is pulled slightly back and then released. The magazine release lever is located very close to the front of the trigger guard. The late manufacture trigger guard has a groove at the front and is bent inward on the left side to allow access to the lever. However, attempting to access the lever from the right side of the weapon is very difficult. The magazine has a thirty-round capacity, and is made from an aluminum alloy with an unloaded weight of only .42 pounds (.19kg), approximately one-half that of a standard steel AK magazine. The bolt carrier has a milled groove in it to enable the magazine to be loaded via stripper clips through the receiver. Furniture on early production models was wood; later replaced with wood impregnated plastic.

Approximately 920,000 vz.58 rifles were manufactured before production ended in 1984. Quantities of the Czech vz.58 rifles were procured by Cyprus, Angola, Ethiopia, Guinea, Libya, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania, Cuba and Guatemala. The weapon also appeared in the enemy’s hands during the Vietnam War. The vz.58 rifle still sees service in many Czech Republic and Slovakian military units. Today vz.58 rifles still in service with Czech and Slovak Republics have been observed with modern black plastic stocks and handguards.

The vz.58 in Hollywood

The vz.58 has appeared in several movies, although in many cases wasn’t recognized by viewers. One early appearance was in the 1987 film Full Metal Jacket. Wielding the vz.58 was the Vietnamese female sniper hiding in a building that shoots several Marines. She was eventually gunned down by Private Joker’s (Mathew Modine) partner Rafterman (Kevyn Major Howard) after Joker’s M16 jammed.

Another popular movie was Behind Enemy Lines (2001) in which many of the bad guys hunting down Navy Pilot Lt. Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson), carried vz.58 rifles.

Other films in which the vz appeared were; Octopussy, Lord of War and on TV in a CSI Miami episode.

The Semiautomatic vz.58 “Sporters”

An original select-fire vz.58 rifle is extremely rare as a transferable Class III firearm in the U.S. with only a handful of known examples in the NFA registry. Post ’86 examples have been available on occasion, but these are of course restricted and not available to the average collector. The good news is that the unique and handy rifles are available in semiautomatic-only form.

The Ohio Ordnance vz.2000

Ohio Ordnance was the first entity to offer a semiautomatic-only model of the vz.58 when they introduced their vz.2000 during the year 2000 (thus the nomenclature vz.2000). Although surplus vz.58 spare part sets were available and inexpensive, Ohio Ordnance had to design a completely new receiver that would accept their specially designed semiautomatic-only components, and could not readily be converted to function full-automatic. Lastly the design had to be approved by the BATF Technology Branch prior to commencing manufacture. One last hurdle was the original barrel length of the vz.58, which is only 15.35 inches (390mm) in length, just short of the BATF minimum of 16 inches. This would require the rifle to be designated as Short Barreled Rifle (SBR) subjecting it to NFA registration and accompanying $200 transfer tax. Ohio Ordnance avoided this by permanently fitting an extension to the muzzle bringing the barrel up to the required legal length. For the purist collector, Ohio Ordnance also offers their vz.2000 with the original length barrel as a short barrel rifle, although purchase of this model requires NFA registration and the payment of a $200 transfer tax. The vz.2000 comes with four spare magazines and carrying pouch, sling, bayonet, cleaning kit and both a fixed and folding stock.

CZ-USA vz.58 Sporters

In October 2007, CZ-USA announced their two new semiautomatic-only vz.58 rifles; the Tactical Sporter and the Military Sporter, available for sale in the U.S. The new rifles are manufactured by D-Technik a.s. Jablunka, Czech Republic.

The vz.58 Tactical Sporter

This model has a black synthetic buttstock with a cheek rest and slip-on rubber buttplate. The Tactical Sporter comes with two ten-round plastic single-stack magazines and a black nylon sling. The rifle cannot accept high-capacity magazines.

The vz.58 Military Sporter

This rifle is available with an original military fixed or folding buttstock and can accept original thirty-round magazines. To be compliant for import into the U.S., the rifle’s receivers are made so that they cannot accept a high-capacity magazine, and a barrel extension is added so that the barrel meets the BATF criteria. Once the rifles arrive at the importer’s facility, the trigger, sear, disconnector, magazine follower and floorplate are replaced with U.S. made components. This alteration allows the original military fixed and folding stocks to be used and the magazine well opened up to allow the original thirty-round magazines to be used.

The idea of a vz.58 Sporter rifle was conceived in part due to large stocks of vz.58 rifles and components that came from a sale of surplus equipment from the Army of the Czech Republic. Due to the incompatibility of the vz.58 with standard AK designs, and its limited distribution, the world market for rifles and spare parts was also limited. Other considerations included restrictions placed on Czech exports of military arms and ammunition.

The primary market targeted for the new rifle was the United States. One of the many obstacles facing the proposed vz.58 Sporter were the labyrinth of U.S. regulations and laws regarding the importation of foreign firearms into the country. The import issues were addressed by partnering with experienced importing companies in the U.S. Paramount were the problems of the vz.58’s barrel length, machine gun receiver and its ability to accept a high-capacity magazine. The most serious concern was the receiver, which had to be redesigned and then manufactured to prevent the possibility of accepting parts to permit automatic fire, and its ability to accept high-capacity magazines.

After a period of contemplation as to the validity of the concept it was decided to produce two prototypes in July of 2004. One of the prototype sporter rifles with specially designed single-stack, low capacity plastic magazine was sent to the BATF Technology Branch in the U.S. in an effort to seek approval of the design prior to beginning production. Approval of the project was finally received in early 2005. Pre-production preparations were made as the most labor intensive item was the receiver followed by the molds needed to produce the plastic magazines, sporter stock and handguards, which were made from Zytel 80G25HS. The magazine body was made from Tarflon PC, while other magazine components were produced using Zytel ST801.

During initial durability testing of the early pre-production guns a problem surfaced with the rifles occasionally misfiring. The source of the problem was pinned down to the disconnector. When cocking and releasing the bolt, the striker (hammer) was not always being held by the sear, but following the bolt into battery, a potentially dangerous situation. The problem was traced to the removal of the weapon’s original two-sear design, in particular the right hand sear. After a substantial period of investigation the technician in charge of the project, Mr. Vladimir Zemanek, discovered that the basic problem was that the premature engagement of the disconnector and sear resulting in the sear not engaging the striker to hold it rearward until the trigger is pulled. The solution was to hold the disconnector down for a fraction of a second longer. This was achieved by welding a small plate along the left side of the bolt carrier. The technical solution that solved the aforementioned problems are currently patent pending and is the reason for the patent pending notation engraved on the side of the receiver. Finally, with all of the legal and technical problems addressed, production of the vz.58 Sporter in Czechoslovakia began in January of 2006. The strict Czech military quality control procedures have been applied to all raw material and production procedures.

The rifles are first phosphated and then finished with gray or black enamel paint. Once the rifles were imported in to the U.S., the required number of American manufactured components were added to make the rifles complaint with U.S. laws enabling the original stocks, pistol grips and handguards to be fitted and the receiver modified to accept original thirty-round magazines.

Their latest Czech made semiautomatic-only variants are assembled on a newly designed CNC milled receiver and semiautomatic trigger mechanism and fire control components. The barrel had a threaded extension permanently attached to the muzzle to extend the length to 16.14 inches in order to keep it legal for U.S. sales. There is no provision for mounting a bayonet. The remainder of the parts used in the CZ Sporters are original military. The rifles come with one original aluminum alloy magazine, refitted with U.S. made Zytel floorplates and follower for compliance purposes, a cleaning kit and a CD that includes a complete owner’s manual and a brief history about the rifle.

Rapid Fire LLC

The latest offering of the vz.58 rifle is a milled receiver manufactured and sold by Rapid Fire LLC of Troy Ohio. The receiver is machined from a solid block of 4140 steel and is available for those who wish to assemble their own vz.58 rifle from a surplus part set. Rapid Fire also offers a U.S. made semiautomatic fire control parts group and gas piston to keep the build compliant with federal laws. Although Rapid Fire currently only sells their receiver and trigger group parts they plan to offer complete rifles built on their receivers in the future.

Resources

VZ 2000 Rifles
Ohio Ordnance Works, Inc
PO Box 687
Chardon, Ohio 44024
Phone: (440) 285-3481
www.ohioordnanceworks.com

vz.58 Sporter Rifles
Czech Point USA
103 Stone Road
Knoxville, TN. 37920
Phone: (865) 247-0184

Tennessee Guns International
PO Box 787
Louisville, TN 37777
info@tnguns.com

Centerfire Systems Inc.
102 Fieldview Dr.
Versailles, KY 40383
Phone (800) 950-1231
info@centerfiresystems.com

vz.58 Receivers and Compliance Parts
Rapid Fire LLC
1285 Archer Drive
Troy, Ohio
Phone: (937) 332-0833
Website: http://www.ohiorapidfire.com/

Czechoslovakia needs no introduction. Their military hardware saw extensive use during WWII and was employed by Axis and allied forces alike. Czech weapon designers have set many standards from which many of today’s combat arms produced from around the world have evolved.

The Vzor 58 was developed and produced by Uhersky Brod Ordnance (one of the many state factories) sometime in 1958. It replaced the earlier M53/57, a semiautomatic rifle utilizing a detachable 10-shot magazine and fired the Soviet 7.62×39 AK-47 round. The Model 53/57 borrowed its gas operated system from the German MKb4(W) Sturmgewehr while the trigger mechanism is derived from the US M1 Garand. This rifle was produced in limited quantities and its adoption was short lived. The VZ-58 on the other hand, has reached its golden anniversary with the Czech armed forces and will likely stay in service for quite a while.

Early models had a wooden butt stock, foregrip and pistol grip. Later versions utilized a wood fiber-filled plastic in its furniture. The VZ-58 was produced in three versions; namely the M58-P (standard), M58-V (folding stock) and M58-Pi (Sniper). The Sniper version had a long dovetail bracket on the left side of the receiver to accept a night vision sight. This rifle is usually equipped with a light bipod and a large conical shaped flash hider. The Vzor 58 externally resembles the Soviet AK but mechanically is different. Unlike the new AKs with stamped receivers, the Czech battle rifle is still made the same old fashion way – its major components are fully machined from forgings and its overall construction is every bit as robust as the original and is the most sought after milled receiver Kalashnikovs. The Czech gun exhibits superb quality of workmanship; a trade mark of its famous maker. However, the VZ-58 lacks the charm and personality of a star battle rifle when compared to other arms in its league in the likes of the AR, AK, H&K, FN or SIG. The overall configuration is streamlined and very compact even with the fixed stock model. This short overall length is attained by incorporating a shorter butt stock than those found on standard M16 rifle. The standard barrel length is 390 mm (15.35 inches). The VZ-58 has stood the test of time with five decades of uninterrupted service to its credit. The Czech rifle was issued with bayonet and scabbard, flash hider, bipod, fabric sling, sectional cleaning rod with brush and patch holder, soft pigskin magazine pouch for four 30-round magazines, front sight adjustment tool and oil bottle.

Despite its five decades of continued service with the Czech army, the VZ-58 failed to achieve a worldwide recognition and popularity bestowed on the AK and AR. Although it remains almost unheard of in North America, the Czech gun was encountered regularly in parts of Africa, the Middle East, Central America and the Far East where rag-tag armies, mercenaries and rebel organizations thrive. The Vzor 58 was also purchased in limited quantities by Cypriot, Somalia and Sudan.

After many decades of being the most elusive military service arm most sought after by advanced Class III collectors in the US, a semiautomatic version of the Vzor rifle is finally available for the civilian market, although a very limited number of original military issue Model 58s converted to semiautomatic have been available in Europe since the 1970s and a few samples were also imported into Canada in that same time along with the Belgian FN CAL’s with burst firing mechanism removed. The US prohibited the entry of any Com-Bloc hardware until the Berlin wall come down and the collapse of the Soviet empire became a reality. The only source of these arms during the cold war era in this part of the world was Canada who maintained its neutrality between the two super powers. With its new found independence, former Com-Bloc nations are reaping the reward by being able to finally export their wares in the US and truly compete in the international market.

Commercial semiautomatic models of the VZ-58 is available both in the US and Canada. In the US, these rifles are marketed in two versions: the Vz 2000 with a longer 19-inch barrel and a compact model called Vz 2000 SBR (Short Barreled Rifle) featuring a 15.5-inch barrel (requires NFA transfer). The Vz 2000 SBR is identical in size to the original military model but with completely new trigger lockwork firing semiautomatic only. Civilian models will not accept the military full auto trigger mechanism and are normally equipped with fixed stocks. The VZ 2000s are supplied complete with an alternate folding metal stock, 4-mag pouch, cleaning kit, bayonet and sling – all original military accessories. The American versions are available from Ohio Ordnance Works, Inc. The Canadian models are available from various sources namely Marstar Canada and Wolverine Supplies. Marstar markets the restricted compact version with 390 mm barrel called the VZ-58S while Wolverine Supplies opted for the longer 482 mm (19-inch) barrel making their version a non restricted firearm. The Wolverine designation for the non restricted model was CZ-858 “Tactical” or CZH 2003 “Sport” as marked on the receiver.

As the popularity of the civilian version of the Vzor 58 began to soar in the commercial market, it is no surprise that its producer took advantage of the new market for tactical upgrading by introducing new line of accessories to include a very effective muzzle brake, black polymer skeletonized stock (that replaces the existing stock and pistol grip), a new pistol grip that is slightly larger and more ergonomic than the original, a three rail hand guard and a matching railed upper hand guard. The railed upper hand guard however did not come with a steel liner so it cannot be readily assembled.

To use this custom part, the steel liner of the regular hand guard in the gun must be removed first and transferred to the replacement guard. This procedure is a little bit tricky to do and needs a little care so as not to damage the liner. To transfer the steel liner from the issue guard to the replacement part, carefully pry the tab on each side of the liner with a small screwdriver until a long nose plier can grip and bend it straight upward. Once the two tabs are straightened up, carefully bring them closer together at the center until the two ends touch each other in the shape of a triangle. This will allow the guard to be rotated and off the liner. To install the liner to the new part, reverse the procedure as previously described. Once the liner is seated and centered to the polymer component, push the tabs back with a non marring tool or screwdriver handle against the side of the guard and carefully bend the tabs back on the underside shoulder of the new part as it originally locked with the issue part. Looking down at the top of the rail, you will see two pre-drilled holes. Use these two holes to drill through the metal liner using the exact size that fits the hole. The kit comes with two screws and matching nuts for this purpose. Once the holes are drilled, assemble the screws and nuts and cut any protruding end of the screw below the nut so it will not interfere with the barrel during assembly.

The upper hand guard may require some tightening at the rear where the retaining pin is assembled. Usually some minor side-to-side play can be encountered here depending on the gap or tolerance. Any side play on this part, minor or major will affect the accuracy of the optic which is being mounted on the top of the guard. If the gap is extremely minor, little squeezing on the vice is all that is needed but of equal pressure to maintain centrality of the part when assembled. If the side play is too much, the gap is normally excessive. A shim will be required on each side of the pin to eliminate this problem. Again, depending on the size of the gap, there are various readily available materials that can be improvised to make the shim. The shim can be cut from water bottles, pop cans, motor oil or milk jugs. These containers may vary in thickness and color and can be easily cut in circles using an empty 9mm brass sharpened on the edges. You may use a .22 shell to punch the center hole to clear the assembly pin. Once the right thickness shims are installed in the inner side wall at the rear of the liner where the assembly pin is inserted, side play is virtually eliminated. Although rare, the front end of the liner may also have some looseness or side play. This can be simply squeezed up a bit until the play is eliminated and the guard can become a solid platform for the optic. If this procedure is too much for you to handle, you can opt for the Scout Scope Mount. This accessory simply replaces the issue rear sight and the extended rail hangs over the hand guard. These accessories are all available from Wolverine Supplies. Except for accessories, firearms and parts are not importable to the US.

The matching lower hand guard features a 3-rail system, one on each side and one in the bottom. Side rails can be used for mounting lights and lasers. The bottom rail will take either a forward grip or bipod with bases that are designed to slide on rails. Ideally, these mounting platforms should run the entire length of the hand guard, which is already short to begin with. If done properly, a longer rail on the bottom will accommodate a forward grip and a bipod at the same time and not one at a time. One quick solution to achieve this requirement using the short bottom rail is by incorporating a secondary mounting rail that can take both a forward grip and bipod. The secondary rail will then be mated to the guard’s built-in bottom rail. The ideal secondary rail for this purpose is Brownells’ AR-15 flat top riser mount. This accessory is very well made and is economically priced. It is flatter than most similar items out there thus offering less bulk when mounted to the bottom guard complete with grip and bipod. The two large knurled thumb operated screws of the riser allows for a quick detach mode as one unit. This versatile set up can be universally employed to virtually any tactical type rifle, SBR or SMG with rails mounted below the forearm including the AR, AK, H&K, 1022, etc., and is quite easy to put together giving the operator the option to choose what brand or type of forward grip and bipod to combine with in creating this simple but very effective accessory.

For longer rail requirements at the bottom of the hand guard, the Peace River AR-15 Carry Handle Scope Base (available from Brownells) can be modified and adapted. This part is 7-1/2 inches long and 3/4 inch thick and is perfect for the project. It features a true 1913 Picatinny rail and is of high quality manufacture and economically priced. This part is cut lengthwise leaving about 1.325 of its front end uncut and blended quite nicely at the front of the hand guard. The hand made rail had a height of .285 inch at the rear and elevated at the base of the uncut portion to about .375 inch to provide a straight horizontal level when mounting a laser sighting device. The ultra-trim rail configuration of the modified accessory perfectly blended with the slim line format of the gun’s forearm that it seated very snuggly in place virtually eliminating unsightly bulk normally associated with most readily available bolt-on rails. Securing the rail to the hand guard are three 8-32 socket head screws. The three screws tighten up with one-piece aluminum flat .075 thick positioned on the other side of the guard like a liner. Since the guard can not be assembled to the gun with the rail pre-installed, two separate 6-32 screws keep the aluminum flat seated in place. The rail can then be installed using the three mounting screws after the hand guard is fully seated and secured to the gun. This set up allows the forward grip to be mounted as high as possible when installed to the rail providing the most comfortable shooting stance and ergonomics. The extra length of the rail permits ample space to mount three tactical accessories such as the CAA VG1 battle grip, bipod and Streamlight TLR LED flash light or Laser. The versatility and simplicity of the CAA bipod allows it to be mounted behind or in front of the forward grip. Its uncluttered design keeps the overall set up of the upgraded battle rifle sleek, foolproof and outright stunning.

The early original pistol grip of the gun closely resembled that of a revolver pattern and the new polymer grip slightly differs in configuration. It is a tad larger and superior in terms of ergonomics and styling and the textured dull surface of the black polymer accessories are excellent. They provide non slip purchase in wet or dry conditions. The built-in rails of the hand guards are reasonably well made. However, the rails lack the precision of machined aluminum or steel material. The CZ rails are somewhat oversize at the top and the upper taper on the side of the rail is steep so that an EO Tech optic will not engage the rail. Most optics equipped with a clamp on type lock are the only ones that will readily fit the rail. To fit the EO Tech to the CZ rail, the rail must be fitted to the optic’s locking mechanism.

When using optics, the fixed stock seats quite low and is a bit awkward to aim at targets. The original stock is tailored perfectly for the iron sight. To attain correct and comfortable aiming position, a straight stock is necessary. The quickest and most economical solution to correct this problem is to raise the level of the stock using Brownells’ 3/4×1 inch Scopeeze. This stick-on type accessory seats over the stock and instantly raises the elevation of the stock to correct level for comfortable aiming with optics. The only drawback to this accessory is, it is non adjustable and using the iron sight will be quite a challenge. The folding stock appears to seat just a tad higher than the fixed stock and an acceptable compromise for both optic and iron sight usage. Better yet, buy a spare and bend the metal stock straight for optic use. The ideal solution that will permit the use of both optics and the issue iron sight is the optional skeletonized butt stock. This part is made of black lightweight polymer material and perfectly matches the other tactical upgrades. It features a built-in ergonomic sniper type grip with a wrist clearance (right hand only) to permit a natural shooting hold. It has a snap-on type cheek piece with soft rubber lining for optic use. The butt stock also has a matching removable rubber cap for maximum comfort and recoil absorption. The sniper type stock is about 1-3/4 inches longer than the standard fixed and metal folding stocks. One very unique feature of the skeleton stock is how it allows the operator to adjust his shooting position from optic to iron sight instantly without the need for an adjustable check piece. The snap-on part elevates shooting posture by about half an inch, just perfect for most low mounted optics. Resting the cheek behind the elevated part positions the eye at a correct level with the iron sight. The stock design is based on a ramp principle. It is simple, effective, and it works.

As the demand and popularity of the VZ-58 semiautomatic family grows in the civilian gun market, there is no doubt CZ will accelerate its effort to creating even more unique and sophisticated tactical accessories for its best selling semiautomatic models to compete with the worlds best. With a new promising venture on the horizon, it will perhaps make up for the limited success of its military model counterpart. The VZ-58 has finally found a new beginning.

SOURCES

Ohio Ordnance Works, Inc.
P.O. Box 687
Chardon, OH 44024
(440) 285-3481
www.Ohioordnanceworks.com

Wolverine Supplies
Box 729 Virden
Manitoba, Canada ROM – 2CO
(204) 748-2454
www.Wolverinesupplies.com

Marstar Canada
Rural Route #1
Vankleek Hill, Ontario
Canada KOB – 1RO
(888) 744-0066
www.Marstar.ca

Command Arms Accessories
76 Vincent Circle
Ivyland, PA 18974
(267) 803-1002
www.Commandarms.com

Brownell’s, Inc
200 South Front Street,
Montezuma, IA 50171
(800) 264-3068
www.Brownells.com