Where is Everyone ?

[MudPie]

I recently got into the Vz. 61, I have a Vz.58 for a couple of years.

It seems like no one posts anymore on this forum.  Most posts are nearly a year old.  Have I arrived too late ? 

I have a new commercial 61 from Czechpoint with the threaded barrel and currently Dan Brown is assembling a military surplus kit for me.  He did such an amazing job on my rifle, I had no second thoughts about the pistol.  I decided to go with the Czech Grey just like on my rifle; a matching set.  The black finish on the pistol looked brand new, not one scratch, but I like the grey.  I wasn't concerned about affecting resale value because I don't sell squat.  I am 62 now and still have the rifles my Dad gave me when I was 14.  I am waiting with baited breath on my new masterpiece.

[Frenchkat]

Don’t feel alone Mudpie.  Seems like a stand offish bunch.  Posted a solution a member had several years ago about magazines and not a peep in reply.

I will say you might be in the wrong location with your question. 

Your post has been viewed 97 times and no replies.

[Litomysl94]

There may not be that many owners here on this forum.  I had one for several years, sold it because it was just taking up space (I hardly ever shot it, 32 ACP was just not very plentiful nor cheap). Probably some of your views are just people like me, seeing what is being posted, but not really having a whole lot to say about it.

[rdcinhou]

I agree...there just isn't much enthusiasm for .32 ACP and with the vz 61 being discontinued for 43 years makes it more of a novelty.  I watched a video about what its role was to be in warfare...an automatic weapon for tank troops--small, fair rate of fire with limited range, able to be used in close quarters.

[MudPie]

I agree...there just isn't much enthusiasm for .32 ACP and with the vz 61 being discontinued for 43 years makes it more of a novelty.  I watched a video about what its role was to be in warfare...an automatic weapon for tank troops--small, fair rate of fire with limited range, able to be used in close quarters.

Those are the very reasons I got into the Vz.61....obsolete, a now-odd caliber, pretty much an ugly weapon and it's almost a sister weapon to my Vz.58...

But I always did like unusual weapons, such as the Vz.58; looks like an AK-47, but not at all once you know the weapon.

[RSR]

Season of life for us adults (largely men here) getting hammered by inflation and cost of living -- not a lot of time for expensive hobbies.  Biggest set of folks buying oddball guns now are boomer collectors and bargain hunters generally snatching up gotta-sells.  And most bought what they thought they had to have circa 2020-2021.

Younger folks are also largely on reddit and other "easy" social media sites -- meaning not having to setup another account.

And the larger sites Barfcom and various files continue to consolidate audiences since all now profit/engagement-centric ventures.   Effectively to gun forums what the NRA is to gun rights...

[MudPie]

Season of life for us adults (largely men here) getting hammered by inflation and cost of living -- not a lot of time for expensive hobbies.  Biggest set of folks buying oddball guns now are boomer collectors and bargain hunters generally snatching up gotta-sells.  And most bought what they thought they had to have circa 2020-2021.

Younger folks are also largely on reddit and other "easy" social media sites -- meaning not having to setup another account.

And the larger sites Barfcom and various files continue to consolidate audiences since all now profit/engagement-centric ventures.   Effectively to gun forums what the NRA is to gun rights...

Agreed.  Many, many years ago when I decided I wanted to assemble my own AR-15, I joined "barfcom" (I like that, most appropriate moniker) as I had questions.  Being a former Marine, I know the weapon very well, hell, I literally slept with my M16A1, I was asking about PSA parts.  It's a veteran owned company that had really good prices.  Hell, I most likely know more about the platform than 90% of the Ninja Mall Warriors there that strap every tacti-cool gadget on their weapons.  I got lit up from the Rollmark Fanboys.  Apparently, if you're not spending at least 2k or more on parts, you're wasting your money.  Colt ONLY, maybe Daniel Defense as a last resort to Colt.  And the Rollmark Fanboys weren't polite in their comments.  Basically I'm building a rifle worthy of propping open a door, etc..  I never went back.  The snobbery and outright stupidity was rampant.

BTW, I have assembled several rifles and carbines over the years with PSA parts.  Not one issue.  So much for famous rollmarks....

[RSR]

Agreed.  Many, many years ago when I decided I wanted to assemble my own AR-15, I joined "barfcom" (I like that, most appropriate moniker) as I had questions.  Being a former Marine, I know the weapon very well, hell, I literally slept with my M16A1, I was asking about PSA parts.  It's a veteran owned company that had really good prices.  Hell, I most likely know more about the platform than 90% of the Ninja Mall Warriors there that strap every tacti-cool gadget on their weapons.  I got lit up from the Rollmark Fanboys.  Apparently, if you're not spending at least 2k or more on parts, you're wasting your money.  Colt ONLY, maybe Daniel Defense as a last resort to Colt.  And the Rollmark Fanboys weren't polite in their comments.  Basically I'm building a rifle worthy of propping open a door, etc..  I never went back.  The snobbery and outright stupidity was rampant.

BTW, I have assembled several rifles and carbines over the years with PSA parts.  Not one issue.  So much for famous rollmarks....

I have only two major gripes w/ PSA:
1) Their ARs are very overgassed, apparently so that they cycle Tula steel .223 -- to the point where I can run a Springco red and an H3 buffer and them still function even with frozen PMC Bronze, though either sprinco red w/ H2 or blue w/ H3 tends to be the sweet spot, or you can spend $70 for a gas tube w/ a smaller sized port hole.  And to be clear, I only buy their midlengths and have both their FN and PSA barrels perform similarly.

2) It's taken them far to long to get Nordic Spud's full production offerings back on the market post-acquisition -- I particularly want their 10/22 parts to return...

Otherwise, their warranty is solid, and they've definitely helped to democratize modern sporting rifle ownership in America.  They seem to have patience w/ ignorant new gun owners when it comes to ignorance driving warranty issues.  They are continuing to invest in improving and expanding their product offerings.  And they seem to partner a lot with other firearms businesses by both retailing those companies items and also subcontracting some to much of their production needs to other US-based businesses -- and I haven't seen any claims of PSA using foreign crap in years (they briefly had some line inferior to the freedom series back in the Obama years that allegedly used some foreign parts IIRC, but that's the last I recall seeing such).

[RSR]

Season of life for us adults (largely men here) getting hammered by inflation and cost of living -- not a lot of time for expensive hobbies.  Biggest set of folks buying oddball guns now are boomer collectors and bargain hunters generally snatching up gotta-sells.  And most bought what they thought they had to have circa 2020-2021.

Younger folks are also largely on reddit and other "easy" social media sites -- meaning not having to setup another account.

And the larger sites Barfcom and various files continue to consolidate audiences since all now profit/engagement-centric ventures.   Effectively to gun forums what the NRA is to gun rights...

*Also the Subgun/PCC market is fairly crowded right now with new production guns from Ruger and S&W...  As always, folks will get bored there and start looking in a couple years, which means they'll likely loop back to historical PCC/subguns like the Vz61.  And if there's any talk of some sort of import ban, interest and buying will exponentially increase overnight.

[Wobbly]

I agree...there just isn't much enthusiasm for .32 ACP, and with the vz 61 being discontinued for 43 years makes it more of a novelty.

^^ This ^^

Most of your readers are simply reading all new posts since their last visit. Having a subject line that doesn't state what you're seeking doesn't help you either.

[MudPie]

I will agree that the cost and availability of 32 ACP was a shocker !  Back in the late 80's my Dad gave me a two-tone PA- 63 in .32 ACP.  It was used but in mint condition.  I cleaned it, bought a box of ammo and took it to the range.  Horribly inaccurate.  Maybe 2-3 mags and I was done.  That explained the mint condition.  I would've been more accurate if I threw the pistol at the target.  That pistol has been in the safe ever since.  Of course I had no need to look for more ammo, I never used up that original box.

When I got into the vz. 61, I began looking at ammo.  This pistol will not be a plinker, that's for sure.  I like it more for it's historical purposes.

[RSR]

I will agree that the cost and availability of 32 ACP was a shocker !  Back in the late 80's my Dad gave me a two-tone PA- 63 in .32 ACP.  It was used but in mint condition.  I cleaned it, bought a box of ammo and took it to the range.  Horribly inaccurate.  Maybe 2-3 mags and I was done.  That explained the mint condition.  I would've been more accurate if I threw the pistol at the target.  That pistol has been in the safe ever since.  Of course I had no need to look for more ammo, I never used up that original box.

When I got into the vz. 61, I began looking at ammo.  This pistol will not be a plinker, that's for sure.  I like it more for it's historical purposes.

Yeah, .32 acp is extremely pricey right now, but there are a fair number of folks that love it for suppressed use -- and the recent Beretta 81 imports as well as the ol' Bond Walther PPK still have folks maintaining that as a 2nd line caliber in their inventory. 

And haven't checked lately but Czechpoint also sells 9mm Makarov and .380 acp versions as well -- and while pricey, .22lr conversion kits are also available.