VZ 52 help!

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I just acquired a Czech VZ 52 Carbine and I have figured out most of the disassembly but can't seem to get the bolt and carrier out. Can anyone help or know of a link. I need to remove it to replace a broke firing pin and spring.
 
So if you stare at something long enough you will figure it out. Thats what I just did. As it turns out all you have to do is remove the recoil spring housing by sliding it forward and pulling it slowly back and off. Then the bolt carrier will move freely in its channel. This was the hard part to figure out. How to remove the carrier. Well as it turns out I saw some routed out marks on the right side of the BCG. All you have to do is slide the BCG back about half way, line up the routs in the BCG with the guides on the frame rails, then pull it towards you (facing the right ejection side of the gun) rotating the left side up and off the reciever. Kinda crappy explanation but it seems something you have to be shown or tinker with to figure it out. Thanks for the links Jaws. Now I just need a firing pin, pin lock, and pin spring. All these parts will set me back about $40. Not bad for a free rifle that my stepdad thought was worthless and broke beyond repair! Now the search begins for 7.62x45 czech ammo...........
 
Slide it back 2/3 of the way, then lift the bolt handle and imagine you're tipping it hinged on the left side of the bolt, there's a cutout on the rail for the bolt guide ribs.
 
Now the search begins for 7.62x45 czech ammo...........

I have a bit of a different problem. When I bought my VZ52 I immediately bought a bunch of 7.62x45 ammo. The problem is that my rifle has the collar installed that converts it to 7.62x39. I've heard these collars, unless installed properly, can pop out during shooting. Further, the Russian 7.62 doesn't seat properly in the Czech 7.62 mags and can cause reliability issues, and, 7.62 Russian mags are difficult to find and expensive. I'm tempted to take the rifle to my smith and have the conversion collar removed if possible. I've had this rifle for three years and haven't fired it yet as I can't decide how to proceed.
 
Storm that would be advisable. In my research on this gun I discovered that in 1957 the Czechs converted all of these rifle to 7.62x39 by adding the collar. They were then designated the VZ 52/57. Due to the problems with the converted rifles they discontinued making them and began production on the VZ 58 in 1958. The VZ58 is similar in looks to the AK47 and takes the popular 7.62x39 Russian. The collar was a cheap way of doing the conversion....I guess. However I have heard that it can be shucked out with a round that has expanded too much. Not good for the rifle or you if you do not notice it has come out and fire the next round :eek:.
 
Storm that would be advisable. In my research on this gun I discovered that in 1957 the Czechs converted all of these rifle to 7.62x39 by adding the collar. They were then designated the VZ 52/57. Due to the problems with the converted rifles they discontinued making them and began production on the VZ 58 in 1958. The VZ58 is similar in looks to the AK47 and takes the popular 7.62x39 Russian. The collar was a cheap way of doing the conversion....I guess. However I have heard that it can be shucked out with a round that has expanded too much. Not good for the rifle or you if you do not notice it has come out and fire the next round :eek:.
They were NOT converted....they were NEW build rifles with CHROME lined 7.62x39 chambers. If you have a Vz.52 and it fires x39 then it's sleeved.

I however built my own 52/57 by swaping barrels on a junk 52 with a like new 52/57 barrel. Change mags and all is well.
 
actually the were setback then sleeved, INSERTS are a completely US invention. Most if not all are held in by locktite.
 
Can anyone post a pick or explain the convertion. I think mine has a camber collar after close inspection. Also the chambering stamp on the barrel reads as such. M52 7.62x * czech. The 45 has been etched out.....What American civilian would go through the trouble of etching out the 45 if a convertion was done? Also to note the prodution stamp dates it to 1955.

They were NOT converted....they were NEW build rifles with CHROME lined 7.62x39 chambers.

Sorry sir my research was off the errornet. Seems it lived up to its name on this one.
 
Check Numrich under the VZ 52, they have a good picture of the conversion, it's a steel ring that gets glued into the x45 chamber,
 
As for the internet
there were 3 versions of the rifle,
the Vz 52, the Vz 52/57 and the Vz 57
52/57 were converted 52s, they were converted by cutting the chamber down and adjusting the shoulder/ boring out the 52 and putting a threaded insert in.

You can tell one of these rifle because the will be marked Vz. 52/57 and be re struck x39
 
As for the internet
there were 3 versions of the rifle,
the Vz 52, the Vz 52/57 and the Vz 57
52/57 were converted 52s, they were converted by cutting the chamber down and adjusting the shoulder/ boring out the 52 and putting a threaded insert in.

You can tell one of these rifle because the will be marked Vz. 52/57 and be re struck x39

This is incorrect...
52 is the x45 rifle
52/57 is the x39

52 have non-chrome bores while 52/57s are chromed. There is no "Vz.57".

AFAIK the Czechs did NOT convert any to x39 instead they chose to build new. If it's marked 52 but in x39 then its been converted here. 99% of those were done with a chamber insert...while very few (like mine) were done by replacing the 52 barrel with a chrome 52/57 barrel and using 52/57 mags. Everything else is the same...
 
Ok.....I need a firing pin and pin stop or complete bolt. I can only find 2 wesites with parts one is out of firing pins and buymilsurp.com has the parts but also alot of bad press. Does anyone know where I can get these items from someone I can trust????
 
Well I ended up straightening the firing pin and sanded a bit to get it to move freely in the bolt. I also made a Firing pin retainer out of some roundstock steel and it seems to be holding it in place. I will be testing the rifle on sunday......bolted to a rest and pulling the trigger with a string. The bore is clear and everything seems to work fine but better safe than sorry.
 
Well took the rifle out to my dad's this weekend and in between rain storms I got to try it out. I went through a box of Silver Bear 7.62x39 with zero problems! I must say also that this rifle is a nice shooter. Hardly any recoil and fairly accurate given the condition of the barrel (fairly dirty and pitted). I ran about 50 patches through it about every ten I ran a wet mop of Hoppe's #9 and let it sit for a bit then a few passes with a brass brush. After I repeated this several times I was still not able to get a clean patch out of it. I guess all these years of having corrosive ammo shot in it and not cleaned after has left the bore in a perma-dirty state. Oh well it will still be a great little plinker that also has some value to it.
 
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