My CZ-52 bit the dust...

[OC_]

I have had this pistol for around 5 years now and have probably put 4000 rounds through it. It has been a great pistol and on of my favorite guns. I took it shooting yesterday and it performed great as usual, though; i did have one stovepipe which i have never gotten before.

When I cleaned it later at home, i noticed a 1" crack on the slide starting at the ejection port and going toward the muzzle end. Needless to say, this pistol is no longer safe to shoot.

I have mostly shot romanian surplus though it, but I did put 800rounds of the bad '52 headstamp bulgarian though it some years ago. I remember there was a couple of hot ones in there, but nothing serious and i didnt see any damage. Again, that was years ago and i have put thousands of rounds through it since.

I think maybe the rough machining, which creates stress risers; and the poor communist metallurgy caused the problem. It seems like the slide of the pistol is made from the same metal as the famously breakable firing pin. I dont know for sure.

Well, now I'm looking for a new slide. If anyone knows where I can get one, that would be a big help. I would hate to retire this gun for good.

 

[Shadow 7D]

you can get a new slide for about 30-50 if you know where to look, or just part it out.

 

[armoredman]

Numrich or Brownells to start, maybe.

 

[bluetopper]

I used to have one and the first thing I did was replace the recoil spring with a stronger one from Wolff springs. I'm not saying had you done this it wouldn't have happened, but it would have helped. I just thought the one that was in it was waaay too light.

 

[Fastcast]

I used to have one and the first thing I did was replace the recoil spring with a stronger one from Wolff springs. I'm not saying had you done this it wouldn't have happened, but it would have helped. I just thought the one that was in it was waaay too light.

and most likely worn out!

 

[il_10]

http://www.buymilsurp.com/slide-stripped-cz52-cz52-cz-52-pistol-p-413.html

Good source for cz52 parts if something else is breaking, too. I'd pick up the slide and a new spring and get the thing functioning again. Might be good insurance to take it by a gunsmith to check it out after you replace the slide.

 

[OC_]

I may be wrong, but it would seem that a stronger spring wouldn't do much to prevent the damage my pistol saw. The cams lock the slide to the barrel during firing, so the slide has a lot of force going into it. Some of that force is pushing on the sides of the slide, and that's where the failure occurred; before the spring even gets compressed. Still, i guess its a good idea to get to get the spring.

 

[makarovnik]

Don't forget to replace those recoil springs every so often. The frame you save may be you own.

 

[Col. Plink]

Mine has a broken take-down release tab on one side. i don't see it listed on the site mentioned; is it part or another assembly? thanks!