The she's.. Vz.52/57

[Greasemonkey]

One I've been trying to find. The Czech Vz52/57 in 7.62x39, made for a very short time to replace the Vz.52 in 7.62x45, they were deemed obsolete with the release of the Vz58.





I picked a '57 and a '58. both are in pretty good shape, and shockingly clean. The '57 had a very sticky residue, which I finally got removed. Both bores are chrome plated unlike the Vz.52, and both are bright and shiny. The '57 has been stripped and cleaned, the '58 has not been touched.







Both stocks show hints of a former life, possibly on a Vz.52 or another Vz52/57, the '57 has 2 serials on the stock.



The '58 had a surprise, the factory cleaning kit still under the butt plate. 

[Phosphorus32]

Dang, two of them?! 

They look good and not too pristine to shoot. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a matching 52 or 52/57.

[running-man]

Matching VZ's are extremely tough to find. 

Both of those are darn nice, I'm a bit jealous! 

[Greasemonkey]

Thanks... 

And its amazing the disparity in production numbers with the Vz52 and the Vz52/57...  Wiki claims a ~million, some say 100,000 between the two models, others state anywhere in between. The Vz52 was made from '52 to '56/'57, the Vz52/57 was '57 to '59. So it wasn't, or really couldn't be a huge production number, especially for the latter model considering the Vz58 was in development when the Russians changed the game on the Czechs in ''56/'57 and made them change to the x39 round.

And to add a little fun... both magazines have star stamps, which usually is a thing on certain Ak mags, but I've never seen a star anything on a Czech made weapon. The double crossed swords yes(Czech military acceptance), a star no..  These rifles being from Ethiopia, may have been elsewhere prior, most likely a nation not included in the Warsaw pact, but a communist style regime nation.

[Direct Connection]

Any dealings with grease and communist is very attracting. Love those side sling swivels on top and the imbedded cosmoline dark glare Two lost Tigers filled with untold stories. 

[BMont]

Wow.... not one but two!  Are you shooting for one of every year produced? 

[scarymike23]

Beautiful machines, and a killer find! Thanks for sharing

[Greasemonkey]

Thanks.

Wow.... not one but two!  Are you shooting for one of every year produced? 

I also have a '56 Vz52 I'm working on now.. the ugly duckling of the trio CAI bed liner special.. so I'm getting there..

[xtriggerman]

 I bought a bunch of 52 stuff enough to build one and some of another a couple years ago. The auction stuff from this guy who passed must have built this one and it went for about 500. I thought I would try and copy his work at some point in time. It was quite handy to shoulder at the previewing.

[Phosphorus32]

Thanks.

Wow.... not one but two!  Are you shooting for one of every year produced? 

I also have a '56 Vz52 I'm working on now.. the ugly duckling of the trio CAI bed liner special.. so I'm getting there..

Here’s my plastic bed-liner special I picked up a few years ago. The only reason I got it was that it was the scarcer Česká zbrojovka Strakonice made, AYM code, Vz52 I needed to complete my 52, 52/57 collection, and the price was right. Took me quite a while… stops and starts, changing techniques, a lot of hours    …to strip and restore the stock and handguard.










A few pictures of the furniture defects CAI was trying to cover up:

[Greasemonkey]

I tried saving the old stock, the wrist area was broke and very soft after I removed the bed liner.  So... something thats been on the back burner..... I tracked down a company that does remakes of rare stocks, it's a mild rough cut and needs final finishing, fitting and staining, but it is made from the same wood as the original. the hand guard I salvaged with my blast cabinet, and got the wood saved and cleaned. The sad.... sick thing is, I knew this upfront when I agreed to purchase the stock.... the new remake stock cost two and a half times as much as I paid for the rifle originally.     It's become a slow personal vendetta I guess... over the years... I've gone thru acquiring the Lee custom loading die set, the cleaning kit(which isn't cheap), probably north of 700 rounds of Czech 7.62x45 ammo, an extra mag and 2 magazine pouches, a pile of parts and bits, and some new age brass to futz around with, experimenting with and forming the x45 cases..

so.. I'm pretty vested in this project...  I figured it's got a nice bore... and it functions perfect the few times I've had it out, it's just ugly as 3 day old sin with the bed liner crap. And I ain't parting it out considering what a nice one goes for these days.

[running-man]

That was a good save P32!  Any time you can salvage one of Century's past blunders is a good day in my book. 

GM, you have a problem.  There are 10 step therapy groups for guys like you.   

[Loose}{Cannon]

Ill buy one…. message sent