Czech vz. 52/57: The SKS We Have At Home
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- Опубликовано: 16 ноя 2023
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We don't need the SKS, we have gun designers at home! In the early days of the Cold War, the Czechoslovak communist party was on very good terms with Josef Stalin, and were able to design and use their own small arms. A whole new slate of small arms were developed in the early 1950s, with a rifle, pistol, and light machine gun all adopted in 1952 as vz. (model) 52. The rifle used a short-stroke annular type gas piston that was located around the barrel. It was chambered for a proprietary Czech 7.62x45mm cartridge, as was the vz.52 light machine gun.
When Stalin died in 1953, the new leaders of the USSR were much less tolerant of Czech small arms independence. They allowed the country to continue to use non-standard arms, but required them to convert to the 7.62x39mm cartridge. This led to the vz.52/57 rifle, which went into production in 1957 and ceased production in September 1959, replaced by the vz.58. The only substantial change to the 52/57 was the chamber, and a slightly adapted magazine with a spacer in the front to better fit the shorter 39mm cartridge. The 52/57 magazines are recognizable by their flat floor plate, where the vz.52 magazine has an upward bend at the front of the floor plate.
A total of 99,475 vz.52/57 rifles were made, all at the CZ Uhersky Brod factory. Original vz.52 rifles were not converted to the 7.62x39mm pattern; they were all left intact. Both vz.52 and 52/57 rifles were distributed widely as military aid after the adoption of the vz.58. Many of them went to Cuba, and thence to many other places in central and south America.
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*Launches recoil spring and top cover*
"Should we retake?"
Ian "No, they need to know. They need to see."
🤓
Imagine if it had happened during the early days of the channel, on Ian's first visit to a proper government armoury - the cringe factor would have been excruciating.
@AshleyPomeroy whole face tense up kinda cringe, lol. 😆
I'm glad the channel took off as well as it did. I hate that I'm not able to afford to keep up with it now that RUclips has put a thumb on their necks. Being cut off because I can't afford it really sucks.
ahh yes the VZ-52. not to be confused with the VZ-52 and ...the VZ-52
Yes, but there are long oficial names that takes away most of the confusion and joke-ability.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Just like the Type 56 that must not be confused with the Type 56, the Type 56, and the Type 56 😂😂😂
Don't forget the VZ-52 😂
exactly like the m1, the other m1, the big m1 and the m1
With all of the stuff Ian takes apart, I would love to see a blooper reel. The top cover flying off is typical of real life.
I had a friend that had a tooth chipped taking apart my M-31 Suomi, but damned if it wasn't one of the most hilarious things I've ever witnessed.
@@Operator8282 And then there is all the time spent crawling around on a floor looking for a spring or detent ball.
I was sitting in my Mazda pickup one day at a make shift range attempting to field strip my newly aquired Astra 400 pistol before I knew how. I got a big crack in my windshield, but found the part. Drove that truck for over 20 years that way. One day a cop stopped me for expired plates and asked me if the crack interfered with my vision, I said no. Got a ticket for the expired tag, but sent me on my way.
Needed a distant "Aaaaarrgh !" for comic effect. 😊
@@Kevin-mx1vi I think it was edited out.
Fun fact, this gun is still in use by Presidental guard units for ceremonial occasions.
Sort of - the guards actually have a slightly different model specifically for ceremonial duties. I need to do a video on it...
@ForgottenWeapons A shop here in town refurbishes them for the guards. I snapped some pictures when I was there having a front sight replaced.
I think I have pictures of the guards at Prague Castle with these rifles with a polished (or nickel-plated?) finish.
I'm pretty sure the Police Museum and the excellent new Army Museum Zizkov have examples of them, too.
P.S. the collection at Zizkov is very impressive, with lots of CZ prototypes 👍🏻
Thank you for saying something… I remember seeing the guards about 10 years ago and very confused as to what they were carrying.
These guns are actually non-functional, because ceremonial handling requires movements, hits and positions that are not safe for most weapons. Or for crowds around.
But there are always some guys with Brens nearby...
unlike the things mom says we have at home, this is actually good
Unintentional Czech puns,
Nose booping,
Spring sproinging disassembly.
Good stuff
I have to say, that bayonet placement is pretty slick! The Czechs sure know to how to compartmentalize things!
That's quite a nifty out-of-battery safety mechanism, shifting the cartridge out of alignment with the firing pin while the action is unlocked.
That has to be the nicest folding bayonet I've ever seen.
I like the groove in the fore-end that allows the bayonet to fold into. No specific reason, I just like how the bayonet just fits into the fore-end like that.
It's a very elegant solution.
It folds away nicely and it sits right in the middle of the rifle when unfolded.
The mechanism seems to be simple and reliable, too.
It tickles my autism just right lol.
It's a nice looking system
Its super neat (=
I dig the Gray Finish with the bead blast look! and just rough Enough Finish to be a GREAT TOOL!
VZ-52: "Man, what a short service life. I feel miserable."
EM-2: "I feel ya man... "
Hit the early gang for a change. Love learning about czech firearms
To be strictly pedantic, the spring that launched the top cover across the room was under compression, not tension. Still, an understandable confusion if it's just hurled a piece of metal at one.
Ah, strictly pedantic. That's the best kind of pedantry...
Yes, if you're going to be pedantic, you Better Be Strict about it.
The gas recoil layout is marvellous.
Did not think you could make an SKS look more appealing, but I’m sold! Wishing I had one now.
The ammo for these doesn't exist in bulk anywhere near America 😅
For this model it’s everywhere, 52/57.
@@someguy5444This uses the 7.62x39mm Soviet round, Cabela's always seems to have crates of it for sale.
Expect 2 to 3 grand. The 52 is fairly easy to find.
There is a chamber adapter, don't bother, it sucks ( 762×45 to 762x39)
Nice to see the evolution to the vz58. ( better than an AK........come on haters!)
In watching your videos over the years, I think that's the biggest "Whoops" I've seen. That's a great track record!
Glad you guys are liking our Czech weapons, both old and new. Sometimes it feels like our weapons are more appreciated in the west than at home, which is kinda crazy.
Many great inventions aren’t thought of so highly once a nation “becomes good” at designing arms. After awhile it’s like we’ll of course it’s good, it’s Czech
Huge fan of the vz. 58. Far superior to the AK platform in weight, reliability, and accuracy while still looking very much like an AK.
Czechs make some of the raddest stuff. I love my VZ58.
I miss the time I saw the Prague Castle Guards carried those ceremonial rifles in their patrol duty 13 years ago
i like the bayonet deployment, and storage. pretty unique .
it even has a garand ping
Gotta love czechnology... I love my VZ 58, one of my favorite rifles.
I have one of these, in unfired, pristine condition. Beautiful workmanship! Thanks for the video, Ian!
I'll give you a dollar for it.
@@DH-xw6jp LOL A *LOT* of people would!
I got one of these too, but in VG condition, purchased from my nephew. He also managed to snag two magazines w/pouches at a gun show for me; a lucky find! It's somewhat of an oddball rifle, but I found it to be innovative.
@@Tony-om5kr Good for you! It's a very interesting firearm, and I probably *will* take mine to the range someday. Stay well!
what is a good price for a functioning but non-numbers matching example for one of these?
7:57 ha ha I got a good laugh out of that top cover going flying. A soldier in the field probably wouldn't be amused by that.
That bayonet arrangement is very interesting... haven't seen that before.
The gas system is interesting. Reminds me of a semi-auto shotgun.
Benelli ?
Just recently acquired one of these for my collection, absolutely love it , its heavy compared to the sks but its beautifully made and a fun shooter
To be fair the VZ. 58 also might be the "SKS We have at Home"... An SKS that didn't skip leg days and could go toe to toe with the AK, but pretty much an SKS action nonetheless.
Kind of like "what if those SKS conversions to 30 round box mags were actually good?"
The VZ 52 and 52/57 have features "borrowed" from other weapons. The trigger mech is like an over-built, but slightly shrunken, M1 rifle trigger mech, the gas system closely resembles the MKb 42(W), the magazine is a scaled-down G-43 box.
The VZ 58 lock-up is more like an up-scaled Walther P-38 with a separate "locking piece". Supposedly, these locking pieces were made in a few different sizes, not unlike the "head-space adjusting" bolt-heads for the Brit. No4 rifle.
Then, there is the "linear striker"; just because....
Aluminum, mags that are designed to work with a proper "hold-open" catch.
And finished in a grey "epoxy" paint that was a nice change from "basic black". See also: the nifty furniture made from basically "log chips in a phenolic resin at the same time Eugene stoner was designing stuff with glass-fibre and polyester resins.
The Czech stuff is well made and all interesting.
...and then you ca.... *metallic sounds of bouncing across the room* XDD That just about made my evening.... Thank you Ian for leaving that in the original release
Of all the times we are warned by Ian that a spring will go flying across the room, and doesn’t… we aren’t warned and it does.
Lmao...I legit spit out my water when the top cover went flying 😂
That flying top cover made my day...😂
Great timing! I just saw the Elbonian paratrooper vid with a gun based on the VZ-52.
Found one of these in my grandpas safe while doing an inventory after he passed. Had to do my own research since there isnt many videos on it. Appreciate the content Ian!
Had a chance to buy a vz52 last year but passed on it cuz the x45 ammo is exceedingly difficult to find=-[ Had it been one of these 52/57's I woulda been all over it!
A wonderful presentation of a wonderful weapon, one of my grail guns. Thanks , Ian!
There was a time when the vz52 rifles were coming on the market where someone was offering a steel sleeve that could be glued into the 7.62x45 chamber using loctite and with that adapter in place, the 7.62x39 m43 round could be fired in the vz52. It was essentially their version of our navy sleeve that was used to convert M1 Garand rifles to 7.62 NATO.
I've been waiting for this video for a couple of years now and I'm not disappointed, thanks again for great content.
I have too.
While the two cartridges are similar, my unscientific test of firing both into a muddy bank shows quite a bit more mud splashed by the 7.62x45. Might not make for a lot higher performance, but it is definitely more powerful.
Stick around for tomorrow's video :)
Thank you
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I SAW SOMETHING GO SPROINGING OFF ON IAN!
This made my day.
I love the way you kept the blooper of losing the top cover and hearing it hit the floor.
I have been watching your shows for A long time. This one gave me a laugh....a show of a bit of reality. Respect from Australia
I love the design and looks.
Wow I've been waiting for this one! My dad bought one in the 90s.
Very cool. I have a 52 rifle and a 52 pistol. Love them both! I've had to collect the dust cover and recoil spring from across the room a few times.
The best way I've found to avoid the "dust cover explosion" is to push the cover all the way forward, lift slightly up then ease it back so the spring guide doesn't fall into its hole, but next to it. Since the dust cover has that little cutout, you can then lift it off, grab the spring/retaining rod and control its removal.
Great video Ian!
SPROOOIIIING!!!!!! (Top cover flies across the room)
Nice - I wasn't watching when the top cover flew off but loved the Tom and Jerry sound effects as it hit whatever it hit
Excellent .
What a great Rifle I had one brand new in grease it was beautiful. I Lil front beaver to shoot. But engineering plus. Cleaning it was a pleasure just looking at the fine fine machining
Thank you. I haven’t had the gun that long. I haven’t even fired it yet. It looks to be in excellent condition. I will update if I get it open.
I love my 52/57! It beats the hell out of the SKS IMHO.
I found the anular gas system very interesting.
It was a good stop gap until the excellent Vz58 came out
I remember the vz. 52 in the Red Oktober 2 gun match on the InRangtv channel, and how it broke during the match.
Respect for keeping the ejected top cover in the video.
Very interesting gun and very well made
What a nice looking rifle.
Seeing those impresses on me how simple and robust the SKS is in comparison.
I'm impressed
I was hoping that Ian would mention that there are chamber inserts for VZ 52’s that allow them to fire 7.62x39 rounds. However this (along with changing the markings) has enabled unscrupulous people to pass these rifles off as the more valuable VZ 52/57’s. Look closely before you buy one.
Thank you , Ian .
🐺 Loupis Canis .
I hope you don't take offense, but I laughed hard enough to wake my wife up when that rear cover flew across the room. I must also state that I am in a different part of the house.
Cool rifles I will add one to my collection at some point too
That’s a real piece of art
I love my VZ52, but sure wish I could get new manf brass case ammo…. One day I will add a 52/57 to my collection…Thanks Ian. 👍
Yea haw, finally the VZ 52! For some weird reason, I love this old rifle.
When the top cover went flying i had to pause the video and have a good laugh. We've all done it, with various firearms.
Back when I was in my "wood guns are better guns" phase, I very seriously considered getting a vz.52 rifle. But, I'd had enough "oddball" cartridges, by that point, that I could see myself having to get really intensive about managing my fired brass, especially since I frequented an unmanned range that had a brass poacher living nearby.
I wish I'd known about the vz.52/57 back then.
They sure love their slide locking bolts ... none of the rotating locking lugs crap :-)
Now I want one.
When the recoil spring and top cover flew off it made me think, there must be a great goof reel to be made from all the times stuff like that has happened to Ian while filming.
I was half expecting to hear someone scream followed by ,"My eye, my eye!"
I really like the look of this rifle.
I was fortunate to get my hands on a nice example Vz 52. I think just before century painted and changed the 52/57, easy finding that ammo then. Now it’s hard to find and it’s expensive. Ended up selling it. Maybe I should’ve kept it since I got it for a steal.
I really love the look of the Czech vz guns, they're like alt history versions of the more common equivalents!
8:00 - been a while since I laughed so hard at a forgotten weapons vid.
Laugh at what, this is a solid, smooth shooting, and more powerful than a SKS or a 223
@@monta247 If you look at that timestamp, they're laughing at the top cover launching across the room. Don't be so touchy.
When looking at the bolt, you can see where they developed the Vz-58 assault rifle from. It’s a clear evolution.
Can’t quite put my finger on why, but that is a gorgeous rifle.
We haven't seen a part fly across the room in a while!
As far as I understand it, from those I know with Czech heritage:
Czechoslovakian (when they were one nation)
Czech (current Czechia)
Slovak (current Slovakia)
I've always used Czechoslovak, so that it matches with the modern Slovak.
This anglophone custom to say that country = nation and nation = country is quite weird. But there are different.
Czechoslovakia = country
Czechs = nation (Czech is adjective for people or things connected with country, languague or culture. It is not name of country)
Slovaks = other nation. (Slovak is also adjective...)
Because both were nations before 1992/1993 split.
I was waiting for the "D'OH!" after the spring-loaded top cover crash...
Clean after firing 😮 the gas piston head can jam due to the barrel rusting underneath it. Then it just fires once 😮
I have so badly wanted one of these for no particular reason.
My favoite semi auto rifle ❤
That is an ingenious gas system. In some ways it certainly seems better than a standard SKS.
Great Stuff 💯💥💥💥💥💥💥💥
7:59
“And then you can...
Send it springin’ sproingin’ straight across the room and into your overly observant buddies eye”
“Man I told you I don’t like people watching while I work”
I love that bayonet.
Something about Czech furniture is just so good
It's nice to know that I'm not the only guy who has had to get down on his belly to 'hopefully' find spring launched parts.......
My "Carpet Monster" has eaten a few parts. 😂
Very nice gun ! Je le rajouterai volontiers dans mon râteliers !! ;)
That is a gorgeous looking rifle. (No I haven't finished the video, yes I'm loving it). You really do have the knack of finding beauties, Ian.
TIL 7.62x39 fits in the 7.62x45 magazine, this is great information for that one Fallout 4 VZ52 mod where I can create an addon that rechambers it to 7.62x39 DLC ammo for extra immersion
Thanks Ian.
I wasn't there - but it's my understanding that most of the weapons the Communists were equipped with in Vietnam were SKS's rather than AK-47's. These made handy Souvenirs as being semi-automatic there was less chance of problems than with an AK.
.
My FFL sold a VZ 52 a guy had "restored" a few years ago. He had refinished the metal and provided several small boxes of ammo for the gun. Some of the rounds he had reloaded with non-corrosive primer and powder (not sure if original ammo was corrosive TBH), but he accomplished repriming the brass using JB weld. The guy never told the FFL he had done this until I asked him about it. Needless to say, that ammo is never gonna be sold or shot by anyone.
I think you're supposed to disconnect the recoil spring from the cover before taking it off, kinda like on the SVT
Just a quick fact. These rifles are still used as ceremonial rifles of Prague Castle Guards. However in different finish.
Awh yes, the Vz.52/57 return spring during disassembly...how do you think I ended up blind?
I like the fluted barrel
I have always had a thing for used military surplus guns. Dad had a No1 #3 that he used for deer hunting, it have never been touched by a sportorizer, and looked to me like a lot of gun to carry into the field compared to todays sporters. Dad also had a bayonet from a German Mauser that he used to "stick" hogs when butchering, it lay on a shelf in the entry of our house. I used to take the blade down and look at it, then wonder if it was ever used to kill a soldier, the same thoughts also came to me when dad had me learn to shoot with the old .303. Over the years I have owned a lot of surplus military guns, the same thoughts came to me when I used them. Now days all I have are just copies, like my M1911A1 that has never seen a days service and dad's old Remington Target-master .22LR rifle that he used to take deer out of season when we were hungry and didn't have the funds for grocery.
I had a VZ52 I loved it but ammo was hard to find and expensive
Pretty sure the SKS is the VZ 52 we have at home
1000% want (in modern caliber)
It does look like a handsome beast.
Linus Sebastian of LTT sends his approval regarding the handling of the top cover.