Author Topic: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat  (Read 9576 times)

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Offline huskerlrrp

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VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« on: August 17, 2014, 08:40:07 AM »
Hello everyone,
    I'm a new owner of a VZ58 (VZ2008) from Palmetto State Armory (one of these side folders). For the money, I'm impressed. I took it to the range yesterday with some Red Army ammo and fired 20 rounds relatively slow. It was reasonably accurate, albeit 5 inches to the right. There were no feeding or firing issues. When I was finished, I found the forearm to be quite warm. I did a 20 round string as fast as I could develop a site picture and at that point the forearm was too warm to comfortably handle. I had lubed and greased the the snot out of the rifle action (so much so that I got a spray on the safety glasses  8) ) so I can't say mechanical friction had anything to do with it.

    Does this platform run hotter than an AR15 and AK47, for example?

    Is this normal to be hotter during in a break in period?

    Does this Red Army ammo run hotter than others in your experience?
 

Offline knoxy

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2014, 03:07:56 PM »
With the stock resin furniture it gets very hot, very fast. That's normal. Gloves may help.

The bonesteel aluminum rails cool off quickly. Lots of ventilation. I've also got some rubber rail ladder inserts in exposed sections which make it easier to grab when hot.

Offline JDA70

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2014, 03:58:56 PM »

Probably the #1 complaint about the rifle.

You can't really get away from the heat without using
a different hand guard.

I went ahead and got the Czechpoint Polymer upper and lower hand guards
I recommend you get that and a FAB Defense grip.

We love the Wood Impregnated Plastic here mostly for looks
but not for use.

If you keep doing what you've been doing, you'll keep getting what you've been getting.

Offline huskerlrrp

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2014, 06:21:46 PM »
Thanks. I will look around for a different fore end.

Offline huskerlrrp

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2014, 08:17:58 PM »
Do the FAB defense hand guards run cool as well? I see they have a polymer version for about $70.

Offline RSR

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2014, 10:17:26 PM »
Fab keeps the stock metal tube up top so there's really not a lot of upper HG ventilation on that.  You can drill holes through that metal part, etc, to allow more air to flow through.

The VZ 58 has two ports in gas tube immediately in front of the upper handguard.  However, much of the piston gas vents under that front handguard.  Since it's so enclosed the heat builds up under rapid fire. 

That heat is also why the Czech's switched from wood to beaver barf as well.  Wood always has moisture and the upper handguards get so hot so quickly that that moisture pushes away from heat rapidly, eventually steaming/boiling, and ultimately cracks the wood...

Best value all things considered is probably bonesteel.  Only bonesteel and NEA/Troy cowitness w/ irons.  All other foregrips do not.

Offline armoredman

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2014, 12:04:15 AM »
I have the FAB/Zahal fore arm and a FAB/Zahal vertical foregrip. That way the heat doesn't affect me, but the down blowing gas leaves a black smear on my hand. :) I can live with that. Yep, the one weakness of the vz-58 system is that it heats up fast.

Offline Enthusiasm

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #7 on: August 18, 2014, 12:20:24 AM »
I'm running the NEA set with a stubby vertical grip to get my hand away from the heat. Works great!! I only like a vertical grip on the smallest of rifles.

Offline Sheepdog

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2014, 03:11:38 AM »
Just reiterating. The beaver barf sure do run hot. Earlier this year I was with some family and we ran about 300 rounds through one of my rifles in less than an hour doing pretty quick shooting. No mag dumps really. Thing got smokey and hot there really quick. Even with gloves after a while we had to set the the gun down to cool. Oven mitts would work well.  O0

Any of the decent aluminum handguards made by Bonesteel, FAB, NEA, B&T, etc are fine options and will do great. Especially if you run some kind of vertical grip. No heat issues. I've never really seen any big negatives with the polymer handguards. The ones from FAB and CAA are good options for the money. And retain zero. They only issue I'd be worried about is if you do a crap load of mag dumps in a row and have sustained, high heat. I've never heard of a polymer handguard melt on vz. 58. But I've seen at least one melt on an AK.

Offline Sheepdog

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2014, 03:14:06 AM »
Just reiterating. The beaver barf sure do run hot. Earlier this year I was with some family and we ran about 300 rounds through one of my rifles in less than an hour doing pretty quick shooting. No mag dumps really. Thing got smokey and hot there really quick. Even with gloves after a while we had to set the the gun down to cool. Oven mitts would work well.  O0

Any of the decent aluminum handguards made by Bonesteel, FAB, NEA, B&T, etc are fine options and will do great. Especially if you run some kind of vertical grip. No heat issues. I've never really seen any big negatives with the polymer handguards. The ones from FAB and CAA are good options for the money. And retain zero. They only issue I'd be worried about is if you do a crap load of mag dumps in a row and have sustained, high heat. I've never heard of a polymer handguard melt on vz. 58. But I've seen at least one melt on an AK.

Offline RSR

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #10 on: August 18, 2014, 02:03:03 PM »
FWIW, I run an AFG and gas pedal on my NEA -- it's more narrow than bonesteel. 

With bonesteel, on backorder, I plan to just run the afg with rail ladders.  We'll see if that works!

Offline Enthusiasm

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #11 on: August 18, 2014, 03:26:14 PM »
Quote
I run an AFG and gas pedal on my NEA
Do you have any pics of this set up?
I strongly considered that road but was unsure about the look

Offline Sheepdog

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #12 on: August 18, 2014, 10:24:07 PM »
For illustrative purposes. This pick doesn't have the gas pedal. But here's a pic I pulled off the web of the NEA rail with an AFG:


I use and AFG2, but use a set of Bonesteel railed handguards:


Offline RSR

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #13 on: August 20, 2014, 01:53:36 AM »
Here's how the AFG w/ gaspedal is setup on NEA (sorry crappy phone pic I took awhile back):



Don't have my reddot on in this pic, and the gaspedal is a polymer airsoft one but haven't had any issues.  Their aluminum ones in FDE have been sold out for some time.

With the short rail on lower, the bottom front hole is open for ventilation, and partial of the left front is open too.  There's also a small hole on the upper handguard immediately above piston that ventilates too and helps the heat to flow up.  Right side the front 3 holes are covered with a short rail section as well (I use a QD flashlight mount here, otherwise it's blank).
« Last Edit: August 20, 2014, 01:59:46 AM by RSR »

Offline marine6680

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Re: VZ58 (VZ2008) Barrel/Gas Block Heat
« Reply #14 on: August 26, 2014, 11:51:48 PM »
Someone mentioned drilling holes in the upper handguard to allow more air flow and hot gas to vent better.

Anyone actually try this?