Author Topic: vz58 broken firing pin and bolt replacing  (Read 2273 times)

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Offline lonevz58operator

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vz58 broken firing pin and bolt replacing
« on: September 16, 2019, 01:43:43 AM »
Got a Czech Point SA58 7.62x39 rifle.  Got a broken firing pin.  I was wonder if i can replace the bolt assembly with a new one.  Do I need headspacing?  Or can I just do a drop in replacement like a AR15?  Thank

Offline ObiWanBonJovi

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Re: vz58 broken firing pin and bolt replacing
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2019, 11:43:43 AM »
You should always check headspace when replacing a bolt.

That said, the chances of needing to adjust it are very very slim.  Ive found the consistency of the machining on these to be astounding for the era.

Easy enough to,just replace firing pin though, not sure why youd want to replace bolt over it.

Offline lonevz58operator

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Re: vz58 broken firing pin and bolt replacing
« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2019, 12:51:05 PM »
"not sure why youd want to replace bolt over it."

Want to have a replacement bolt on hand just in case the firing pin break again.  Is this a common problems with vz58 firing pin?

Offline ObiWanBonJovi

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Re: vz58 broken firing pin and bolt replacing
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2019, 04:21:13 PM »
Its the most common part to break, but i wouldnt call it a common occurence.  I have never heard of a bolt breaking on a vz.  I would pick up a couple firing pins and an extra striker if i was overly concerned about having spares on hand. 

Offline TJNewton

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Re: vz58 broken firing pin and bolt replacing
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2019, 05:12:45 PM »
I recently had the narrower lug of a bolt snap off on my VZ2008.  Surplus part, unknown wear-and-tear, and possibly an isolated case of faulty metallurgy.  Before anyone spouts off about how "It's a Century Arms!", by coincidence the very same month a Czechpoint owner reported the same failure and sent his VZ58 in for repair.  There are posts on this board about both occurrences.  When it happened to me, I did a thorough web search and could find only one other such incident from several years ago, I believe from Canada.  While you never truly know with surplus parts, a VZ58 bolt breaking seems to be severely rare.

I bought a complete replacement bolt.  The VZ2008 chamber is cut to SAAMI specs, but as I have other rifles with CIP specs, I got a set of both from Dave Manson.  Before you replace and headspace your Czechpoint, confirm with them which specs were used for their chamber.

I spent a lot of time headspacing the new bolt as I have multiple VZ2008's and wanted to find a combination that would fit for all of them.  I already had some spare bolts, locking pieces, and carriers and worked them into the mix.  All three pieces individually, and any combination of them, have an effect on headspacing.  From my experimentation I found that the locking piece has the most effect, then the bolt, then the carrier.  Switching out just the locking piece can make or break headspace, and adding one other swap can change the headspace from not being able to close on a "go" gauge to completely swallowing a "field" gauge.  Large variances.  Ultimately, I found that it was best to start with swapping out the locking piece, adding more adjustment with the bolt, and a final hair-breadth tune with the carrier.  I was eventually able to find combinations that worked in all the rifles, and I think I got lucky as it could have potentially required buying several more locking pieces.  I've since test-fired all of them and the spent shells look fine.

If you were to change out nothing but the bolt, then, as ObiWanBonJovi said, you probably wouldn't have a change in headspace.  As you can tell from the belabored paragraph above, however, setting headspace on theses rifles is an endeavor, one that also requires a significant investment in gauges.  While it's nice to have an extra bolt on hand -- a la AR15 -- considering the rarity of one breaking and the time and effort involved, I'd recommend just replacing the firing pin.  There are two designs, one with three "fins", and another with four, and one is supposed to be stronger than the other but I can't remember which.  A search of this site will give the answer.  I have both types and so far both have been fine. 

As far as changing out the firing pin, it's a pain.  There's a video on Youtube where the poster stacks the parts on top of each other then pushes the bolt down on to the stack, but that never worked for me (video below).  I've changed a firing pin twice, each time just for cleaning, and each time swearing and removing skin.  I think the second time I put the bolt in a padded vice (clamped to a desk chair placed in the bathroom with all drains covered in case of flying parts) and used the tip of the cleaning tool to compress the spring with one hand while inserting the extractor with the other.  Even if you don't stack the parts, the video on Youtube is useful as he shows a good technique for "flipping in" the extractor.  Maybe others here have good tips on how to replace the firing pin.  If you can, get a new-old-stock (NOS) one.  They're frequently on Ebay from Eastern European vendors.

 


Offline RSR

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Re: vz58 broken firing pin and bolt replacing
« Reply #5 on: September 24, 2019, 06:26:31 PM »
Yes, Vz58 locking pieces are designed with different specs in order to adjust headspace.  There are a few different sizes available.  There are some old threads here regarding.

 

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