Century vz 58

**alvincullumyork** · 11-25-13, 18:10

What are the potential problems with century built vz 58s? Are they like the wasr where if they run they will likely run forever? If they are screwed up how easy/how much does it cost to get them running? Who works on them?

Sent from my clutch hand while riding a wheelie....

**Walleye** · 11-25-13, 19:30

Just got one last week from AIM and shot it this past weekend. Century contracts these out near as I can tell; it's well finished and solidly built. Accuracy is decent. Didn't have any function problems with my example after 60 rounds of Wolf - not a high round count I know, but it was too cold to stay out there much longer.

I doubt it would run forever as it has a US made barrel although the receiver looks well-made. No chrome lining on the bore or chamber. The safety operates in the reverse of the real Vz.58. The folding stock is very stiff, I had to use a clamp to get the button to unlock for the first time. The only recent issue I can recall was someone reported their gas block wasn't pinned in place and they had to send it back to Century who fixed it under warranty.

I wasn't too fond of spending $1000+ on a Czechpoint and they're out of stock right now, then the AIM Vz-2008 deal came along and it was too good to pass up. I don't consider it a go-to carbine though. If you had any serious issues then they would most likely be with the sights and gas block which would require drilling out some pins and hammering them back into place (assuming canted sights/gas block). I don't know of who you could send it to for repair work outside of Century.

Truth be told I'd like to build my own as kits seem to be around and come with original barrels; the only thing keeping me back is receivers aren't commonplace and I don't have a hydraulic press to populate the barrel.

**SteyrAUG** · 11-25-13, 23:09

Originally Posted by alvincullumyork

What are the potential problems with century built vz 58s? Are they like the wasr where if they run they will likely run forever? If they are screwed up how easy/how much does it cost to get them running? Who works on them?

Sent from my clutch hand while riding a wheelie....

The problems with the CAI guns starts with the receiver. It gets worse from there. You either want a Czechpoint or not at all.

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread...6-Czech-Please

**Bret** · 11-27-13, 07:20

Originally Posted by alvincullumyork

What are the potential problems with century built vz 58s? Are they like the wasr where if they run they will likely run forever? If they are screwed up how easy/how much does it cost to get them running? Who works on them?

The WASR is built in Romania and then converted to hicap configuration here. The odds of the Century monkeys screwing it up are much less. On the other hand, the Century VZ58's are built here by the Century monkeys. I've built several AK's (which are difficult compared to AR15's) and know enough to know that building a VZ58 is even more difficult. If they throw one together and it works it's just blind luck. I have to agree with SteyrAUG. If you want one, pay out and get an original. I have two and they run 100%.

BTW, if you want an idea of what kind of simple crap the Century monkeys can screw up, take a look at the pictures below of a Serbian O-PAP that I picked up last Friday. I went to field strip it and found that the recoil spring assembly is stuck in the bolt carrier.

No joke. I don't even really see how this is possible, but the monkey that replaced the gas piston somehow managed to capture the recoil spring assembly in the process. No amount of tugging or twisting will allow it to come loose. I'm sure if I pulled hard enough I could get it loose, but then it wouldn't be covered under warranty. The money who installed the gas piston screwed it all the way down so there is absolutely zero wobble. Then I think he pinned or welded it from one side only.

You can see the gas piston threads through the hole in the other side of the carrier.

Whoever did this piston install then must have figured that it's not acceptable to have any bit of the gas piston shoulder (right above the threads) hanging over the end of the carrier, so he ground the crap out of everything. He even took the grinder to the stem of the gas piston. There is also burr between the front sight and the slant brake that's preventing the slant brake from rotating off.

All the above was pretty simple stuff, yet they managed to screw it up. I can't imagine trusting the same people to properly assemble a VZ58. To their credit, Century did send me a call tag. The rifle went back yesterday.

**Walleye** · 11-27-13, 09:44

Originally Posted by Bret

The WASR is built in Romania and then converted to hicap configuration here. The odds of the Century monkeys screwing it up are much less. On the other hand, the Century VZ58's are built here by the Century monkeys. I've built several AK's (which are difficult compared to AR15's) and know enough to know that building a VZ58 is even more difficult. If they throw one together and it works it's just blind luck. I have to agree with SteyrAUG. If you want one, pay out and get an original. I have two and they run 100%.

FWIW Century contracts out their Vz2008 builds as they're supposedly too complex for in-house production. Mine is marked B&R Machine Ludlow, MA.

**Bret** · 11-27-13, 17:12

That's good to know. I have no idea about their reputation. It would be good to know.

**Walleye** · 11-27-13, 20:33

I'm going to be shooting it more this weekend but my searches indicate most issues with the Vz2008 seem to be in the past. It's still Century-associated so use caution regardless.

**bm176** · 11-30-13, 14:08

had my vz2008 couple years back from jgsales when they had them in the mid to high $300 for a week or so. came with the cool original wood stock, sadly the finish was pretty sad and the barrel looked like my mosin nagant lands and grooves=rough. i slugged the 2008 checked out at .308, slugged my cz usa vz58 at .311, so till this day with the newer 2008s nobody had confirmed if the barrels are stil .308 as opposed to the original .311 vz58s even my vz58 military parts kit barrel slugged at .311

**morbidbattlecry** · 12-08-13, 14:28

The newest ones from CAI seam to be very well made guns. Buy from a good dealer and have fun with it. You could waste 500 dollars on dumber things. If it had an original or chrome lined barrel i'd rate this recent batch above Czechpoint in several areas.