VZ58 Pistol Owners (7.62x39)....Ammo Reliability?

[Sean K.]

Hi guys....bought a VZ2008 and a D-Technik VZ58 back before the pistols were available from Czechpoint.  I had a smith cut my VZ58 down to 11.75" bbl and it will only reliably cycle Brown Bear ammo (not Wolf or Golden Tiger FMJ). 

A friend is looking to buy an AK pistol in X39 for an SBR project.....I told him about the VZs and now he's contemplating one of the Czechpoint pistols.....but he wants it to run all common ammo types available in the US: Wolf, Brown Bear, Tula, Golden Tiger, etc. since the AKs will.

I told him about my SBR's issue and knew other folks had run into similar problems.  Just wondering if any owners of the factory pistol version can tell me what kind of reliability they are getting with Golden Tiger, Wolf, etc.

TIA,
Sean

[sboone]

My 58 compact 7.62" barrel has run everything so far.  Only issues I've had have been mag related to 1 well used surplus mag that's a little loose.  Every other mag/Ammo combo has been 100%.  And the CNC warrior Slovak break really takes any kick out of the gun at the expense of an amazing fireball.  Any of the 58 pistols that are built as such from the ground up should be 100%.  It's when you go from a full length carbine and start cutting down that you start having problems.

For reference I use all surplus mags and have 2 new CSA mags

I've run golden tiger, monarch, red army standard, wolf military classic and polyformance, Tula, and some various brass case ammo and all have worked.  I've not run brown bear or the 158 grain soft points.

[Sean K.]

Thanks for the info....that's EXACTLY the kind of info I needed.  I would have LOVED to have just bought a full pistol and done the whole NFA thing with something I knew worked....but at this point, I'm stuck with this registered receiver and I'd like to get it running 100% on all ammo types. 

Very good to know about the factory pistols running all ammo types (I'd guess BB will run just fine as it's hotter than anything else short of mil-surp brass cased corrosive)....I'll be sure and pass it along to my buddy.

Any idea how far the spent cases are ejecting with say, Golden Tiger (which we both have a ton of)?

[sboone]

Idk about how far they eject, I run golden tiger almost exclusively as that's also what I have stockpiled the most of whenever it's a good price.  I can tell you it goes straight up and to the right just like my rifle does, still can use stripper clips, and makes a huge fireball so if you miss you can still burn your target/critter of choice.  We also had the opportunity to chronograph it, the full size D-technik, an AMD-65 with original 12" barrel, and a SAM7R.  From memory I recall that we had the best performance from every gun with monarch from academy sports.  Consistency was best and was also faster usually 20-50 fps, accuracy unknown from all guns

VZ-58 compact 7,62" barrel and CNC warriors Slovak brake was around 1850 fps low end and the fastest recorded shot was 1970 ish

The D-technik with 15.5" and extension to 16" barrel was 2350-2400 fps

AMD-65 with 12" barrel had a 4" extension/brake was hovering around 2300 fps

SAM7R with 16" barrel and fsc-47 brake stayed around 2400 fps

Just for some reference.  Based off the above, i think the the 58 pistol with the 11.5" barrel would give a great base ballisticly for a SBR.

From experience, the handiness of the 7.62" compact 58 is amazing and convenient...but, there are 0 aftermarket handguards to replace with, and if you pull back on the mag while using it to support the gun you risk malfunctions.

[sboone]

Here's links to the handguard I fabricated from stainless steel.  It's heavy but it's better than just the plastic nub the have in there from the factory

http://imgur.com/Dk1Rl2P

http://imgur.com/GCk0Gdk

http://imgur.com/xvTZnCO

[Sean K.]

Idk about how far they eject, I run golden tiger almost exclusively as that's also what I have stockpiled the most of whenever it's a good price.  I can tell you it goes straight up and to the right just like my rifle does, still can use stripper clips, and makes a huge fireball so if you miss you can still burn your target/critter of choice.  We also had the opportunity to chronograph it, the full size D-technik, an AMD-65 with original 12" barrel, and a SAM7R.  From memory I recall that we had the best performance from every gun with monarch from academy sports.  Consistency was best and was also faster usually 20-50 fps, accuracy unknown from all guns

VZ-58 compact 7,62" barrel and CNC warriors Slovak brake was around 1850 fps low end and the fastest recorded shot was 1970 ish

The D-technik with 15.5" and extension to 16" barrel was 2350-2400 fps

AMD-65 with 12" barrel had a 4" extension/brake was hovering around 2300 fps

SAM7R with 16" barrel and fsc-47 brake stayed around 2400 fps

Just for some reference.  Based off the above, i think the the 58 pistol with the 11.5" barrel would give a great base ballisticly for a SBR.

From experience, the handiness of the 7.62" compact 58 is amazing and convenient...but, there are 0 aftermarket handguards to replace with, and if you pull back on the mag while using it to support the gun you risk malfunctions.

Thanks very much (again) for the info.....

Well, at least if my buddy decides to go the VZ route, he won't run into the problems I have.

You don't happen to know anyone who makes an aftermarket trigger set up to shorten up the reset, do you?  That's my one complaint against the VZ vs. the AK....the trigger is the only thing (IMO) better on the AK. I can literally get down to 3/32" of total travel, super light (like under a pound), no creep....just a crazy good trigger with very little work.  I'm thinking about buying some spare trigger parts and firing up the tig to do something similar with the VZ....just haven't really looked to see if there's anything new out there that's plug and play...or at least a good starting point (like ALG for the AK trigger as a starting point).

[sboone]

I don't believe there is any sort of aftermarket drop in.  There used to be a guy who did trigger work to make the 58 trigger better, but I don't know who he is only that he has some YouTube videos.   I agree that the AK trigger is much easier to work with.

[CitizenPete]

I don't believe there is any sort of aftermarket drop in.  There used to be a guy who did trigger work to make the 58 trigger better, but I don't know who he is only that he has some YouTube videos.   I agree that the AK trigger is much easier to work with.

Best not to mod the Vz.58 FCG unless you have gun in hand and a lot of trial/error time.  Incorrectly or over modification can result in some serious issues that you don't want to deal with.

[sboone]

No, if a vz 58 trigger works I leave it alone.  The guy with the YouTube videos doesn't show what he's doing, just that he offers a service to re work 58 triggers

[Sean K.]

I don't believe there is any sort of aftermarket drop in.  There used to be a guy who did trigger work to make the 58 trigger better, but I don't know who he is only that he has some YouTube videos.   I agree that the AK trigger is much easier to work with.

Best not to mod the Vz.58 FCG unless you have gun in hand and a lot of trial/error time.  Incorrectly or over modification can result in some serious issues that you don't want to deal with.

I have both.