One of the CAI VZ2008 rifles I recently sold (out of state) had a serious feed issue with cases not feeding at all and reportedly the sides being really scratched up. The rounds where being stripped from the magazine and were stopping mid way up the ramp, halting the carriers forward motion before being able to go into battery.
I was shocked since I put all vz.58s in my collection through a fairly extensive testing, modification and upgrade process and I had advertised them as ready to shoot. The bolt, carrier, ejector, and extractor, headspace, FCG, springs, etc, etc.. were all inspected modified as required, and tested 3 times with 10-30 rounds per test. There was no bolt drag etc. -- all was fixed cycling and and working fine. I tabbed all carriers, but did not R&R the CAI modified disconnectors in the vz2008 variants. I shot 60-90 test rounds through all the CAI vz2008s with no issue. Three other vz2008 buyers I had sold to reported back with stellar reviews and zero issues after testing them. I shot various different manufactured rounds GT, Wolf, Brown Bear, Tulammo, FMJ, HP, SP all with no issue. So, this problem was bizarre to me -- what was different? -- did I screw something up by removing material from the bottom of the bolt? It shot fine during tests.
Well I'm not one to sell and run, and I told the buyer that I stood behind the gun and my mods, so if he wanted to transfer the gun back to me (unmodified), I would send him another new vz2008 (
I'm keeping one) or we would fix the problem together remotely. The buyer was not a novice shooter, but his was his first vz.58 variant, and I
incorrectly wondered was this was operator error. Was he riding the bolt into battery, in stead of a sling shot release? Did one the mags I included with the gun have defective follower? -- no -- he tried different mags. Was something wrong with the feed ramp? -- never heard of that. Perhaps the recoil spring was weak?, but I had inspected and tested fired it without issue.
In the end we worked it out, with the buyer providing me with an education on yet another vz.58 receiver design difference, and I thought this might be of interest to other vz2008 owner/operators. For his trouble and schooling I gladly sent him a full set of NOS springs for one of his (now) favorite new guns.
Here are two pictures showing the problem and resulting marks on the cases:
See the deep groves cut in the side of the brass? See how the brass is apparently wedged in the receiver as it tried to go into the chamber, thus stopping the carrier and locking piece from going into battery? See how the brass... brass... wait I said, this is M67 Yugo brass cased? I never tested any brass cased rounds. Doh!
There was also another pic of a steel case round I received (not shown) that threw me off a bit.
He also sent me this pic of a cut Czech receiver (probably from a kit), asking me why on the bottom corners were not relieved on the rail protrusions in front of the slot where the locking piece drops in. But I really couldn't see the relieved corners in the pic and I was unaware of this shortcoming(?) of the CAI receiver design.
(test and marks mine)
Later we did a Skype video call and he showed me what he was referring to. I compared an OOW receiver (which feeds 100%) and the corners were there. Finally a grabbed a Czech Sa. Vz.58 and low and behold there it was (or wasn't). The corners are removed on the Sa. Vzor58, aiding in the case feeding into the chamber from either side of the mag stack. The brass was getting hung up on those corners. We agreed that he should try relieving the corners, which he carefully completed with a proper file and stone.
It's been nothing but blue skies and high times since.
So if you ever have feed issues, esp. with Yugo M67 brass cases, consider taking down those corners. I still personally think that you could sling-shot charge that first steel case round into the chamber and the rest would follow on firing, but perhaps everyone with a vz2008 might check their spent cases to see if those rail corners are scratching into the case. If they are, brass cased rounds may become an issue with some guns. I also think the vz2008 should (could, might, maybe) wear in over time with steel cases.
Here are pics (looking up into the mag well) of a CSA Sa.Vz.58 vs. a CAI vz2008:
There may be other posts on this topic, but I didn't find any. This older post talks about feed ramp mostly
http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=26300.msg139288#msg139288. If this post is redundant, or if I fell asleep during a Forced March gunsmith class (he may have covered this), then please accept my apologies.
Anyone else have this issue and performed this fix?
