Question about tabbing a bolt carrier

[WGolden]

Hi Everyone,

I was lucky enough to pick up an aftermarket bolt carrier before NEA stopped making them.  Unfortunately, it isn't "tabbed."

Can anyone recommend a gunsmith who is tabbing VZ bolt carriers?


Thanks!

[Varickm]

I THINK Obiwanbonjovi offers this service. If so, he will do it right.

[vblue42]

Hi Everyone,

I was lucky enough to pick up an aftermarket bolt carrier before NEA stopped making them.  Unfortunately, it isn't "tabbed."

Can anyone recommend a gunsmith who is tabbing VZ bolt carriers?

Does your rifle have the issue? If it doesn't I wouldn't worry about it.

[WGolden]

Does your rifle have the issue? If it doesn't I wouldn't worry about it.

I haven't actually used this bolt carrier in a rifle yet.  I'll give it a try and see if the "gremlin" rears it's head.

If there's problem then I'll check w obiwan to see if he's still willing to tab a bolt carrier.

Thanks guys.

[RSR]

Let us know if you hear back.  I messaged obiwan/bonesteel on both here and his bonesteel website email about tabbing and received no reply.  I have purchased items from him previously too... 

These folks offer left hand side charging handle service for the VZ 58 on gunbroker, and I emailed them asking about the ability to do the tabbing.  They said they don't offer the service as they don't have all the specifics with hardness (despite that I sent them the canadian gun nuts forum link where obiwan notes his process as well as a few other threads on the mod), etc, to make it work and stand behind the product.  Regardless, I'm sure they'd invest in it (since already running one bolt carrier mod) if enough folks email!

So send them a note and make the request!  georgiaweaponry@yahoo.com

Thanks!

[RSR]

Also, this is the modified disconnector that the czech's developed to fix w/o tabbing: http://www.vz58rifle.com/products/modifikovany-prerusovac-spouste-pro-cz858-a-sa-58/
It also apparently leads to more consistent/reliable striker release when pulling the trigger too.



I'll go this route begrudgingly if I can't find a quality tab option for less than $50.  If I'm spending more than that I might as well get a part that fixes 2 issues at ~$93 than one issue at more than $50...

[WGolden]

RSR - thanks for the input.  I've seen that Czech disconnector and am tempted to give that a try.  I'll let you know what I find out as far as tabbing goes.

I'm with you in that, if I can't find an economical way to have the carrier tabbed I'll probably spring for the disconnector.  They have some other parts I've been wanting anyways, so it would make sense to get everything at once.

[RSR]

Yep.  I'm waiting on them to have everything I want in stock.  With that 30 Euro shipping (~$45), I can't justify ordering more than once...

[pinkbunny]

If anyone is interested, I called Chris Bonesteel today, nice guy. He said that the next batch of his trigger group are already made, just waiting for them to ship. He said they should be in about a week from now.

Correct me if I'm wrong(probably am), but won't his trigger group(the disconnect in particular) fix the tabbing problem? Aren't the two alternatives to either weld on a tab, or shorten the disconnector spring?

Note to self: don't read multiple threads at once, it mixes up all the information in your head.

[RSR]

If his trigger group fixes the problem, that's news to me.  And would be good to know!

[ShortyBP]

Shot both my VZs for the first time today... my first purchase ($399 Centerfire Systems, B&R Receiver) has the dreaded gremlin.  My second purchase ($499 AIM Surplus, Century-marked receiver) shows no sign of the problem.

Buying the Euro disconnector is out of my budget.

Doesn't look like anyone has a solid lead on someone offering the tab service.

That said, if I were to look locally for someone to do it for me... would be nice to have more info on the tabbing procedure.
For those of you that have tabbed carriers... would you mind taking multiple pictures from different angles and provide some details as to what is involved, size of tab, etc?

[WGolden]

This thread in the VZ section on ar15.com is an interesting read:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_4_99/145592_Tabbed_bolt_carriers_and_the_vz58_gremlin.html

One poster (a czech, actually) mentions that you can cure the problem by shortening the disconnector spring.

The stock carrier on my VZ2008 came tabbed from CIA (it's an earlier build).  I'll try to take some pics of it for you and post them later tonight or tomorrow.

[RSR]

From Obiwanbonjovi/Bonesteel:

The critical dimension is that it extends the bump to 25mm (actually you have from about 22mm to about 27mm so I guess it's not that dritical) from the rear of bottom section of carrier, the rest is fitting it to the carrier. I have a sheet of .010" 4130 I use. I rough cut them 12mm at the top(when I refer to top I mean as it will be once installed in rifle)22mm at the bottom and 10mm high. I then weld them to carrier, and grind until bottom is even with the bottom of carrier, and round the front corner a bit. I then heat treat them to about 40 rockwell with a torch. Heat until tab turns orange(there is a distinctive change from red to orange)then immediately quench in water or oil(oil works better but is more of a fire hazard)then heat until blue gray and let cool naturally this should give you around 40 rc and will be plenty hard.

Source: http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/283939-How-to-get-rid-of-the-infamous-CZ-VZ-gremlin?p=3354102&viewfull=1#post3354102

[WGolden]

Thank you RSR!

[ReverendOlaf]

I suppose mine doesn't have the issue, or does it.  What's the problem this solves?  Thanks!