The vz. 52 rifle is a self-loading rifle developed shortly after the Second World
War in Czechoslovakia. Its full name is 7.62mm Samonabíjecí puška vzor 52. Vz.
52 is an abbreviation for vzor 52, meaning "model 52". It fires the unique
7.62×45mm cartridge. It is considered both reliable and accurate, although it
is longer and heavier than later assault rifles such as the vz. 58. The first
5000 vz. 52 rifles were made by Považská strojárne in Považská Bystrica, but due
to production difficulties, its manufacture was taken over by Česká
zbrojovka Uherský Brod. Design details
The vz. 52 is a shoulder-fired semi-automatic rifle with a tilting-bolt
locking mechanism powered by an annular short-stroke gas piston system. The bolt
is locked by two lugs that recess into slots machined into the receiver.
However, unlike most vertically-locking breech mechanism, the rifle's bolt has
the unusual feature of tipping the bolt frontally to lock the mechanism, whereas
other tipping bolt designs tip the bolt to the rear. The piston is actuated by
residual gases from the bore, vented into a sleeve surrounding the barrel to
overcome the inertia of the bolt carrier, bolt and the resistance of the
return spring in order to unlock the chamber, eject the empty cartridge
casing and then introduce a new round into the chamber upon return to battery.
The barrel is press-fit and pinned into the receiver. The manual safety switch
is placed inside of the trigger guard and is manipulated by the shooter's
index finger. The trigger mechanism closely resembles that used in the
American M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle. The cocking handle is integrated into
the bolt carrier and is located on the right side of the rifle; this
arrangement enables the shooter to reload the rifle without disturbing his
aim. The rifle is equipped with open-type
iron sights with a hooded front post and V-notch rear sight placed on a sliding
tangent, adjustable for elevation between 100–950 m. The rifle can also
accept day and night-time optics that interface with an optional,
receiver-mounted side rail. The one-piece pistol grip stock is carved
from either walnut or beech and stained a yellowish-brown color; the stock has a
hollowed butt which is used as a storage compartment for a cleaning rod, oil
bottle and accessories. The rifle has an integral blade bayonet which folds into
a recess carved into the stock on the right side.
The vz. 52 feeds from a detachable box magazine with a 10-round cartridge
capacity but could also be rapidly recharged from stripper clips with the
bolt retracted. For this purpose, a stripper clip guide is milled into the
front face of the bolt carrier, aligning with the magazine when the bolt is
locked in the open position. This is the primary method of reloading the rifle as
infantrymen were only issued 2 magazines per rifle. It ejects cartridge cases
vigorously forward and to the left. Conversion
After pressure from the Soviet Union to adopt its 7.62×39mm cartridge, existing
Czech rifles were rechambered to the Soviet caliber, and all further
production of the rifle was chambered in this caliber and re-designated the vz.
52/57. The vz. 52/57 is identical except for its barrel and its magazines. It is
considerably less common and are generally found in better condition due
to the vz. 52/57 chromium-plated bore and chamber. The vz. 52 magazines can be
used with the vz. 52/57, but they do not feed as reliably.
Decommissioning All of the vz. 52 series were quickly
replaced in Czechoslovak service by the vz. 58, but the earlier rifles found
their way to Soviet allies during the Cold War, and have seen service in
Grenada, Somalia, Cuba and Afghanistan and many of those were passed on to
guerrillas. The Czech Castle guard uses chrome-finished, deactivated vz. 52
rifles with darkened wood stocks as ceremonial weapons.
Users Czechoslovakia
Egypt Indonesia: service with the KorMar.
Grenada Guinea-Bissau: vz. 52/57.
Nicaragua Nigeria
Syria Yemen
Israel See also
SKS References
Bibliography External links
Buddy Hinton Collection Modern Firearms
(Italian) VZ-52