BackgroundIn March I won 288 rounds of 7.62x45mm ammo (mostly in boxes) and a couple of magazines for a VZ52 at an auction. It was a steal and I figured I could flip it for a quick profit, since the ammo is going for at least $0.50 per round, and the mags for $30-50 each (famous last thoughts). I've been interested in the VZ52 for the last year, but thought the VZ52/57 chambered in 7.62x39mm would be more practical in the long run, yet far more expensive in the short term, as they fetch $800 and up. I also liked the history of the VZ52 chambered in this unique Czech cartridge (euphemism for extinct ammo) suitable for just two firearms, the ZB530 LMG being the other. Long story short, I purchased a pair of mismatched 1956 SHE VZ52s last month to go with the ammo...and another 375 rounds of surplus ammo. The one I'm featuring here was the inexpensive one but the far more interesting one to those of us who enjoy trench art. More on that at the end of my rather pedantic post.
VZ52s in GeneralClearly, the VZ52 was the Czech answer to the SKS45, which may make it of special interest to the rank and file of The Files. The VZ52 was reportedly designed by Jan and Jaroslav Kratochvíl starting around 1947 and was produced in its refined 7.62x45mm version from 1952-56. The Czechs have a tradition of producing their own firearms and I admire that pride and the resistance to external influences that they exhibited. Of course, they were given an increasingly short leash by the USSR and by 1957 the Czechoslovakians began producing the VZ52/57 chambered in the Eastern Bloc standard M43 round, as mandated by their Soviet overseers. This transitional VZ52/57 model had a short production life (57-59), as the VZ58, the Czech answer to the AK47, was adopted in 1958.
The VZ52 is a very interesting and solidly built rifle. The trigger group is often compared to the M1 Garand, including a safety lever that is pushed forward into the fire position. The gas system is rather unique to the VZ52 with a stainless steel gas piston covering the one gas port, that drives an operating rod (that looks like a long half-sleeve), that drives a gas sleeve (has two prongs flanking the chamber) to kick the bolt carrier group back. The barrel is pinned into the receiver with the chamber protruding into the mag well area of the receiver. The stock is long and is "inletted" all the way through to accommodate the receiver/trigger group. Besides the type of wood used, the large hole and the thin walls in the region of the action may have been partially responsible for the tendency of these stocks to develop cracks. The flat side-folding blade bayonet is very easy to operate and lock/unlock into extended or retracted positions by a button. The bolt is solidly made and has a spring loaded firing pin, a long spring loaded ejector, and an unusual two-claw extractor. Empty cases are ejected vigorously up and forward and slightly to the left. There is a stripper clip guide in the bolt carrier and the 15 round boxes of ammo contain three 5 round stripper clips. The rifle is easy to field strip and reassemble. The only tricky part is putting the recoil spring and spring guide into the bolt carrier "tunnel", and that becomes relatively easy with practice. The detachable 10 round magazine operates similar to the AK-47 and VZ58 mags, with an upper front engagement first and rotation up and back to lock into place.
The slightly more powerful 7.62x45mm cartridge pushing a 130gr bullet at about 2500 fps gives about 16% more ballistic energy than the M43 cartridge. Felt recoil is similar to the SKS with the nearly 10 lb VZ52 and accuracy and ease of use are also similar to the SKS (in my hands). It's a fun rifle to shoot and of course would be a lot more fun if you didn't know that the ammunition stopped being manufactured about 50 years ago, this surplus costs about $0.50+ per round (usually) on the secondary market, and not even Sellier & Bellot (the original manufacturer) plan to make it ever again (yes, I've contacted them and PPU). There are die sets made by Lee but they are on the custom end and cost accordingly.
The Story of R63703
The Czechs provided these VZ52s as military aid to Cuba among other countries. Of course Cuba was active in supporting other "revolutionary movements" in Grenada, Angola, Nicaragua, etc. Some interesting trench art is carved into this rifle and my interpretation begins here. GASPA with a vertical line after it (an uncompleted R or an exclamation point?), very likely refers to Gaspar Garcia Laviana (1941-78).
Gaspar was a Roman Catholic priest who fought alongside the Sandinistas against Somoza's regime. He died in a firefight in 1978 and became a martyr for the Sandinista cause, with a song, "A Gaspar" written about him. The 2do is Spanish for segundo or second. Not sure what it refers to. The JVE under the bayonet is likely a soldier's initials. I propose that the Czechs provided this rifle to Cuba, who provided it to the Nicaraguan Sandinistas. That much seems very likely. Presumably the rifle was captured by the Contras (who operated out of El Salvador with US support), eventually seized by the El Salvadoran government, who sold the surplus rifles to CAI who imported them into the USA. That second segment of the chain of custody is much more conjectural, but plausible, since CAI is known to have imported rifles from El Salvador (for example, they have rust bucket VZ12/33s from El Salvador sitting in their warehouse now). A few known or observable facts, some solid connections, and a large dose of undocumented speculation. Also, the trench art is on the stock and there's no telling when all of the parts were mixed up, so this could be the story of the stock rather than the rifle. An interesting story, nothing more, nothing less.
RIGHT
LEFT
FIELD STRIPPED
GAS SYSTEM
SNs
receiver
bolt
bolt carrier
operating rod
handguard interior
AMMO
'64 and '61 ZV, '52 bxn brass cased with cupro-nickel bullet (all Sellier & Bellot)
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