Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

VZ 58 vs AK 47

K-tech
I am familiar with AK and how they perform, but I was wondering if anyone knows how a VZ 58 stacks up to an AK in areas like accuracy and reliability. I want to hear your thoughts and/or experiences
0

Comments

6 comments

Date Votes
  • rufe-snow
    Your not talking about the real mccoy you understand. The VZ 58's on the market are made with U.S. made receivers and enough U.S. made parts to qualify them as being American. Unless you note the specific receiver manufacturer and who assembled the particular VZ 58 you are not going to get any sort of read on which is more accurate and functions better.
    0
  • tsr1965
    They are both AK platforms, as the GALIL is also. They will perform similarly. Unless you get one put together by HESSE, VULCAN, BLACKTHORN, or CAI...then they might not perform well at all...either one.

    Best
    0
  • beantownshootah
    quote:Originally posted by tsr1965
    They are both AK platforms, as the GALIL is also. They will perform similarly. Unless you get one put together by HESSE, VULCAN, BLACKTHORN, or CAI...then they might not perform well at all...either one.

    Best


    Although they LOOK sort of similar externally, the VZ-58 is really not the same as an AK.

    With a Galil, overall operation is similar to an AK, and in fact, many of the parts (including the bolt carrier) will interchange between AKs and Galils.

    With a VZ-58, NONE of the parts will interchange.

    In fact, the VZ operating system is mechanically quite different. The AK uses a rotating two lug bolt. The VZ uses a dropping/locking bolt block system with a short stroke bolt.

    You can see details here: http://50ae.net/VZ-vs-AK/

    Now, I don't have any experience firing them (they're rare as hens teeth in the USA), but supposedly the REAL Czech VZs are built using milled receivers to high levels of fit and finish, and are excellent guns. The tilting block design is supposed to promote smoother operation and better accuracy than the typical Kalashnikov. They're supposedly reliable. can't speak to how reliable compared to AKs, but the VZ-58 design still is reasonably simple, and they probably are nearly as reliable.

    Now, if the CAI built guns are as "good" as the rest of the CAI builds (of Galils, AKs, etc), then I wouldn't expect nearly the same level of performance as the "real McCoy" VZ guns.

    Biggest problem with a VZ-58 I think, is just the overwhelming popularity of the AK platform means that you're going to have a harder time finding parts and accessories for the VZ platform.
    0
  • K-tech
    Ya i was aware that the VZ 58s are not actually the "real" ones and they are completely different guns than an AK. I guess i figured that they would be about the same as far as reliability and accuracy as your average AK type rifle. Thanks for the input
    0
  • mkillebrew
    quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
    Your not talking about the real mccoy you understand. The VZ 58's on the market are made with U.S. made receivers and enough U.S. made parts to qualify them as being American. Unless you note the specific receiver manufacturer and who assembled the particular VZ 58 you are not going to get any sort of read on which is more accurate and functions better.


    I'm pretty sure czechpoint usa sells Czech manufactured VZs that were imported single stack and milled out. the fire control group makes up the majority of the US parts count. That's about as "real" as they get. The VZ's system is a bit more balanced than the AK's, mass of the moving parts is distributed symmetrically, giving it a very smooth function while shooting. I wouldn't say it's more or less reliable than an AK, just entirely different in every way imaginable. The only functional advantage I'd say it has over an AK is a bolt hold open and a safety that doesn't sound like you're closing the bed of a pickup truck when you operate it.
    0
  • 32 Magnum
    We've sold a few CAI labeled pieces - I've handled them, but not shot any - I like the feel seems more balanced and I like the WIDE OPEN space when bolt and carrier retract - nothing there to catch an empty casing.
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity