I've been wanting to get a VZ58 for the past few months and with a Christmas bonus in the not-so-distant future, it might be possible to get one. I know that a few companies have put them together as kit builds with U.S receivers in the past, but those seem to have dried up. I know of two viable options right now:
Here's the Century VZ2008 The price is obviously more attractive, but what is sacrificed, if anything, in quality? I understand that these have barrels that are not chrome-lined. How big of an issue is that with the rapid fire of non-corrosive 7.62x39? (Wolf, Tula, Golden Tiger, Brown Bear, etc) It's nothing for me to shoot a up to 500 rounds during one trip to the range and sometimes more. Would a non-chromed bore hold up to that volume of fire for an acceptable (measured in years) amount of time?
The other option is the SA VZ58 Military from Czechpoint. The big selling point for this to me is the fact that it's completely Czech except for the trigger group and magazine follower/floor plates. It features a cold hammer forged and chrome-lined barrel. I know that it will hold up to my volume of shooting. My one concern is that it is made by Czech Small Arms, a company that appears to be a civilian-oriented manufacturer; not Česká zbrojovka, the arsenal responsible for producing VZ58s for the Czech military. Is there a difference in quality/reliability because of that or are they essentially the same rifle?
Is the $339 price difference between the rifle from Czechpoint and the Century VZ2008 worth it? Would the VZ2008 suit my needs well enough or should I spend the extra money? I'd like to get the VZ2008 because then I would have more money for ammunition and magazines, but I don't want this at the cost of sacrificing longevity, durability and reliability. Are there any owners of either rifle here who can chime in with their experience?
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