I know this is a CZ forum, but I have a soft spot for the old Mauser roller delayed action that spawned the G3, CETME, G33 and MP5. I carried an MP-5 for years until my agency phased them out, not because we found something better, but because we had difficulty with factory support here in the US. In the mid/late 2000's we had difficulty getting magazines, springs and other common parts. They also demanded premium $.
Today, I had the opportunity to tour Zenith Firearm's factory in Afton Virginia. To say I was impressed was an understatement. Their ZF-5 and its variants are not Turkish clones. Almost all of the parts are formed/machined in house. Their cold hammer forged barrel blanks are US Made with finish machining being done in-house. At present, the plastics are being sourced domestically; however, they are in the process of getting their molding equipment on-line. Skilled labor, multiple QQ checks and in some (most) ways the product is better quality than the original. The trigger housings are MACHINED, monolithic cocking tubes etc. No tack welded spring steel and their welds are better quality than those found on the MP-5 that I carried. The finishes certainly are.
I also had the opportunity to shoot/explore their ZF-56 rifle. Think a modernized G33 with ambidextrous controls, standard AR mags, AR trigger/safety/grip parts. Soft shooting, light, with nothing interfering with barrel harmonics. Replaceable steel receiver rails (aluminum, thick-walled receiver), quick change barrel and with last-round bolt open. To my knowledge, they will soon be coming out with a 20" barreled variant. Great potential for a SPR. A 5.56 PSG-1 with better scope options. Their were only three things I didn't like. One, I would have to change the ambi safety out for a standard one. Like those on an AR, the ambi right side safety interfered with my trigger finger. Second, I reload, and the case shoulders took quite a beating. I would have to change the cam to slow the bolt speed. The gun is tuned for reliability. The third is that I'm saving for retirement. I don't think my wife would be amused if I bought another long-gun.
Maybe by the time the 20" variant is out, I will have figured something out.
I know its kinda silly to get excited about a 79 year old +/- firearm design getting a refresh, but there are not but so many ways to propel dense pieces of metal at moderate velocities and Zenith appears to be doing it very well. Their ZF-5 is a very well made firearm and the ZF-56 is a very well thought out design that I hope to be able to explore more in the future.
https://zenithfirearms.com/
