Zbrojovka ZB vz. 59 / Uk vz. 59

General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG)

Czechoslovakia | 1959

"The ZB vz.59 is a further development of the vz. 52/57 system."

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Zbrojovka ZB vz. 59 / Uk vz. 59. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

6,561 ft
1,999.8 m | 2,187.0 yds
Max.Eff.Range

700
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire

2,723 ft/sec
830 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity

Physical
The physical qualities of the Zbrojovka ZB vz. 59 / Uk vz. 59. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

1,215 mm
47.83 in
O/A Length

650 mm
25.59 in
Barrel Length

20.46 lb
9.28 kg
Weight

Gas Operated; Tilting Breechlock
Action

7.62x54mmR
Caliber(s)

50-Round Detachable Box Magazine or 250-round Metal-Link Belt Feed
Feed

Folding Rear Leaf; Hooder Front Post
Sights

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Zbrojovka ZB vz. 59 / Uk vz. 59 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) family line.

Vz. 59L - Standard light support version of base gun; mounted on bipod assembly and fitted with a "light" barrel.

Vz. 59N - Base design modified to fire the 7.62x51mm NATO standard cartridge; fitted with specialized gas regulator control for four position selection.

Vz. 59T - Tank and armored vehicle mount for coaxial placement; firing achieved through solenoid arrangement.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/15/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Uk vz. 59 was a derivative of the vz. 52/57 machine gun (detailed elsewhere on this site). A Czech design through and through, the vz. 59 was fitted with different iron sights throughout its early production run. The vz. 59 system can be fed from 7.62x54 rimmed cartridge 50-round detachable box magazine containing belts that can be joined to form a full 250-round ammunition belt. The ammunition box clips along the right side of the weapon and is ejected from the left. Furthermore, the vz. 59 system can be fitted to a tripod for the sustained fire role in addition to its standard bipod mounting. The tripod mounting is useful in the anti-aircraft air defense role, though some modification by the operator is necessary to fulfill this duty. A positional carrying handle is fitted to the forward part of the weapon, along the rear portion of the barrel. The bipod is positioned at the extreme barrel end. The fixed buttstock and pistol grip are of wood finish. The cocking handle is positioned along the top rear of the weapon body.

The firing action is accomplished through gas-operation with a tilting breechlock. a rate-of-fire of 700 to 800 rounds-per-minute is reported. The vz. 59 weighs in at 9.28 kilograms and an overall length of 1,215 millimeters. The barrel makes up 650 millimeters of this although the vz. 59 L fits a barrel length of 550 millimeters. The effective range is reported between 100 and 2,000 meters utilizing the folding rear leaf sight and hooded front post.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

The vz. 59 is still in service with Czech forces today and a 7.62mm NATO-chambered, belt-fed variant is known to also exist. Other variants include the vz. 59 L, vz. 68, vz. 95 and vz. 98.

The vz.59 is formally known as the "Universal Machine Gun Model 1959".

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Zbrojovka ZB vz. 59 / Uk vz. 59. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Zbrojovka Vsetin - Czechoslovakia

[ Czechoslovakia; Czech Republic; India; Slovakia ]

Going Further...
The Zbrojovka ZB vz. 59 / Uk vz. 59 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) appears in the following collections:

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)