Ceska Zbrojovka vz. 58 Assault Rifle (1959)
Despite its obvious appearance to the Soviet-era Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle, the Czech vz. 58 utilized a slightly different internal function.
As part of the Warsaw Pact, it soon became apparent that a standardization of logistical components be met among its members and this included favoring the 7.62x39mm Soviet cartridge. This represented something of a departure of the Czechs for, as recently as 1952, the Army had settled on the 7.62x45mm vz. 52 cartridge. Regardless, a switch had to be made to keep its Soviet overseers content. Design work on a new automatic rifle chambered for the Soviet round began in 1956, utilizing the ubiquitous AK-47 as a starting point. Extensive evaluations followed of what would become the indigenous Czech zb. 58 assault rifle. The weapon was then adopted for service in the Czech Army in 1958. The Soviet AK-47 itself was modernized to become the AKM in 1959.
Outwardly, the vz. 58 mimicked the Soviet AK-47 to a high degree. Its receiver was rectangular with finely contoured lines and maintained all of the necessary internal working components. The fire selector, ejection port and charging handle were all set to the right side of the body, favoring right-handed shooters. The gas cylinder was fitted over the barrel and both were housed under a two-piece furniture installation. The barrel protruded ahead of the weapon and was capped by a forward sight. The stock was affixed to the rear of the receiver while the pistol grip was attached to the underside, integrated to the trigger unit. The trigger was guarded by a rectangular wire ring which made it suitable for use by a gloved hand. The magazine feed was set ahead of the trigger group and a magazine release/catch was visible between the two. Magazines consisted of the Kalashnikov-style curved detachable box magazine holding 30 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition in a staggered, two-column arrangement. The rear sight was set ahead of the receiver as seen on other Kalashnikov assault rifles. A bayonet could be affixed under the barrel for close-quarters combat. The weapon weighed 6.4lbs and sported an overall length of 33 inches. A folding bipod is optional (attached at the barrel portion aft of the front sight) for the sustained fire role.
Despite its an appearance akin to the Soviet AK-47, the vz. 58 was a different beast internally. While utilizing a gas-operation, the vz. 58 made use of tilting bolt with a falling breechblock as opposed to the AK-47's rotating bolt function. Dimensionally, the weapons are approximately similar though the Czech model tends to use a slightly shorter barrel. While early forms utilized wood furniture as in the Kalashnikov series, this eventually gave way to a wood fiber finish and then plastic fittings. The trigger was also simplified from the pattern as found on the AK-47.
The vz. 58 series initially appeared in the vz. 58P fixed stock version and the vz. 58V metal folding stock variant. The latter served confined spaces well and could be issued to vehicle crews and paratroopers as well as special forces units. The vz. 58Pi was introduced with mounting supports for specialized night work. As such, the weapon was issued with the NSP-2 series night scope, a flash hider, collapsible bipod and full fixed stock. The vz. 58 was then released in several civilian-minded guises that included the CZH 203 Sport, the CZ 858 Tactical and the FSN Series. All were semi-automatic fire only for obvious reasons and demilitarized where required. A civilian carbine form - the VZ-58 Sporter Series - became available in 5.56x45mm NATO or 7.62x39mm Russian chambered forms.
Several experimental models are known, one even configured as a "bullpup" assault rifle in which the firing action and magazine feed are located in an enlarged stock behind the pistol grip. Other versions evaluated the vz. 58 body with the 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO and 9x19 Parabellum cartridges. Still others trialed various barrel assemblies to help broaden the tactical reach of the weapon system.
Users of the vz. 58 series of automatic weapons include Afghanistan, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, India, Iraq, Libya and Slovakia among others. To date, some 920,000 examples have been produced with manufacture spanning 1959 to 1984. With the exception of the civilian VZ.58 Sporter Series, all vz. 58 units were produced by Ceska Zbrojovka out of the Brno facility. The concern is still in operation today, having been founded in 1936. Czechoslovakia itself has since been dissolved (peacefully) into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic (this occurring on January 1st, 1993). Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
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Specifications for the
Ceska Zbrojovka vz. 58
Assault Rifle
Country of Origin: Czechoslovakia
Manufacturer: Ceska Zbrojovka - Czechoslovakia
Initial Year of Service: 1959
Overall Length: 845mm (33.27in)
Barrel Length: 390.00mm (15.35in)
Weight (Empty): 6.42lbs (2.91kg)
Cartridge: 7.62x39mm M43
Action: Gas-Operated; Tilting Breechblock
Feed: 30-round detachable box magazine
Muzzle Velocity: 2,313ft/sec (705m/sec)
Rate-of-Fire: 800 rounds per minute
Range: 2,624ft (800m; 875yds)
Sights: Adjustable Iron
Variants:
Vz. 58P - Base Production model with solid fixed stock.
Vz. 58V - Folding metal stock
Vz. 58Pi - Specialized night version with night vision scope, bipod, fixed solid stock and flash hider.
CZH 2003 "Sport" - Civilian model; semi-automatic fire only.
CZ 858 "Tactical" - Civilian model; semi-automatic fire only.
FSN - Civilian model; semi-automatic fire only.
VZ-58 "Sporter" - Civilian model; carbine form; semi-automatic fire only.
AP-Z 67 - Experimental Development chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge.
UP-Z 70 - Experimental Development chambered for 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge.
Vz. 58/98 "Bulldog" - Experimental Development chambered for 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge.
EZ-B - Experimental Development in "bullpup" configuration.
KLEC - Experimental Development as a light machine gun system.
Vz. 58/97 - Experimental Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR).
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