Firearms / Assault rifles / Vz 58
Vz 58
General Facts
- TYPE
Assault rifle - ORIGIN
Czechoslovakia - NICKNAMES
- - DESIGNED
1956 - 1958 - DESIGNER
Ji?í ?ermák (CZ) - PRODUCTION
1959 - 1984 - PRODUCERS Czechoslovakia - CZ
- QUANTITY
About 920.000 - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
High rate of fire
Rugged
Harder to control than AK-47
Introduction
The Vz 58 is an assault rifle of Czechoslovak origin. It is often mistaken for a derivate of the AK-47, but it is very different internally. The Vz 58 is no longer produced, but remains in widespread use.
Design
The Vz 58 was developed at the same time as the AKM and had the AK-47 as an example, but resulted in a very design with similar capabilities. It uses a short stroke gas piston and a falling breachblock. Altough the same ammunition is used the magazines of the Vz 58 and AK-47 are not interchangeable.
Firepower
The Vz 58 is a select fire rifle that fires the 7.62x39mm Soviet round from 30 round magazines. The cyclic rate of fire is 800 rpm, which is much higher than the AK-47 and its derivatives. The effective range is about 300 meters.
Users
The Vz 58 was the standard issue rifle of Czechoslovakia and remains in service with the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Vz 58 has also been widely exported, mainly to Africa.
Vz 58
The Vz 58 is an assault rifle that externally has great resemblance with the AK-47. Internally the Vz 58 is very different as it uses a short stroke gas piston. The fixed stock model is the Vz 58P, with P standing for P?chotní which is Czech for infantry. The folding stock model is the Vz 58V, with the V standing for Výsadkový which is Czech for airborne.
| Type | Assault rifle |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 7.62x39mm Soviet |
| Magazine | 30 rounds |
| Operation | Gas operated, short stroke gas piston, falling breechblock |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 800 rpm |
| Barrel length | 390 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 4 grooves, 240 mm right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 705 m/s |
| Stock | Fixed |
| Length | 845 mm |
| Width | 57 mm |
| Height | 255 mm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.14 kg |
| Sights | Iron sights, post front and tangent rearsight, 100 to 800 m gradations, 353 mm sight radius |
| Remarks | - |
| Type | Assault rifle |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 7.62x39mm Soviet |
| Magazine | 30 rounds |
| Operation | Gas operated, short stroke gas piston, falling breechblock |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 800 rpm |
| Barrel length | 390 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 4 grooves, 240 mm right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 705 m/s |
| Stock | Foldable |
| Length | 845 mm / 636 mm |
| Width | 57 mm / 72 mm stock folded |
| Height | 255 mm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 2.91 kg |
| Sights | Iron sights, post front and tangent rearsight, 100 to 800 m gradations, 353 mm sight radius |
| Remarks | - |