CZ-52 Rifle opinions

telewinz · November 23, 2002, 07:55 PM

Thinking about going back to a gun show tomorrow and getting a CZ-52 Rifle in 7.62X39mm. Must be one of those centiry arms imports because it's coated with that black crinkle paint. Guy wants $175 for it but will take less. My desire is to remove all the paint and hope to fix it up to like issue condition. I have just about all the rest 10rd semi-auto rifles except this one. I have heard that many had cracked stocks before paint was applied. Is this true and are they well made safe rifles?

Al Thompson · November 23, 2002, 08:59 PM

I'm not sure of this, but wasn't the CZ-52 in some oddball 7.62 x ??? cartridge?

telewinz · November 23, 2002, 09:04 PM

7.62X45mm first but the Russians made them convert most to 7.62X39 for the sake of uniformity in soviet bloc ammo.

**JohnKSa** · November 23, 2002, 10:21 PM

I think most of the conversions from 7.62x45 to 7.62x39 were actually done by importers when they were brought into the states. This was done to make them easier to sell since the original ammo was scarce, corrosive and expensive.

They seemed to have a problem with stocks breaking. I don't know if it was a design problem, or lousy wood, or both. Either way, I wouldn't mess with the wood. The black finish stocks are the only ones people seem to have luck with.

Converting this gun back to original condition would be done just for fun. The rifle has about zero collector value chambered for the 7.62x39 and precious little collector value in the original chambering.

I would consider the gun to be strictly a shooter and blast away. BTW, if you look around you should be able to find barreled actions without stocks for a pittance. Cheap spare parts!

DMK · November 23, 2002, 11:21 PM

If it's chambered in 7.62x39 it's a CZ-52/57. They are very hard to find and I don't think you'd have any trouble selling it if you didn't like it.

As a matter of fact, I'll buy it from you for more than you paid for it. If you want to sell it, PM me.

**JohnKSa** · November 24, 2002, 12:32 AM

Quote:

If it's chambered in 7.62x39 it's a CZ-52/57. They are very hard to find and I don't think you'd have any trouble selling it if you didn't like it.
As a matter of fact, I'll buy it from you for more than you paid for it.

If you're sure they're valuable, I think I can get you all you want.

Seriously, someone (Century?) made a bunch of these guns by repairing and painting the stocks and then gluing in a chamber insert to do the caliber conversion.

Gewehr98 · November 24, 2002, 01:00 AM

Take a look at the gun's receiver for the manufacturing date, it's a 2-digit number. If it's actually stamped 57 or 58, it more than likely came from the Czech factory chambered in the shorter Soviet 7.62x39 round. The VZ-52/57's draw a higher price than their older VZ-52 stablemates, chambered in the 7.62x45 round.

Chamber inserts are bad juju, no 2 ways about it.

Century Arms decided to hide a multitude of sin by slathering that black crinkle pait all over the VZ-52's they sold, even covering the metal heatshield of the handguard. After stripping off the paint, cracked, dinged, or broken stocks see the light of day.

Great American Gunstock Company in Yuba City, CA, sells walnut reproduction stocks and handguards for the VZ-52 and VZ-52/57 rifles.

Surplus 7.62x45 ammo is still out there, albeit corrosive and non-reloadable. Some enterprising individuals, myself included, make our own 7.62x45 brass from .220 Swift or 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schonauer donor brass. Easy to do, and the gun does quite well running 123gr AK bullets in the reformed cases. They actually do better than the AK for groups at 100 yards, too. The rifle is a pussycat in either chambering, with it's heavy stock, long barrel, and unique gas system.

Here's one website that speaks at length about the VZ-52:

http://www.mauser98.com/vz52.html

**JohnKSa** · November 24, 2002, 03:31 PM

Quote:

After stripping off the paint, cracked, dinged, or broken stocks see the light of day.

I guess I gave them too much credit! I figured they had repaired the stocks & painted them to hide the repair. Still, I've never heard of one of the black painted stocks breaking which makes me wonder a little...

DMK · November 24, 2002, 04:32 PM

Quote:

gluing in a chamber insert to do the caliber conversion.

Geeze! I never heard about that insert garbage!

Thank you for the heads up on that. You saved me a lot of grief. I should have known that there was something seriously wrong with it at that price.

Like Gewehr98 said, there are real 7.62x39 chambered CZ-52's. I've seen some real low down deals, but I can't believe that Century would try to pass those off as '52/57s. Well yea, I guess I can believe it. :barf:

**JohnKSa** · November 24, 2002, 05:15 PM

Well, to be absolutely fair, they're not advertising them as 52/57 rifles. If memory serves, the ads I saw listed them as being "converted to 7.62x39."

telewinz · November 25, 2002, 07:09 AM

after reading the comments made on the CZ52 I went back to the gunshow and looked at it more closely. It did have an insert for the 7.62X39mm which the dealer admitted after I asked. He was asking $175 for this and $189 for one in the original 7.62X45mm caliber. For this reason and the fact their was no good way to determine the condition of the stock (cracks, ect.) I decided to pass on the whole thing. The dealer was interested in dealing though.

rcbs · November 25, 2002, 07:53 AM

Quote:

I think most of the conversions from 7.62x45 to 7.62x39 were actually done by importers when they were brought into the states. This was done to make them easier to sell since the original ammo was scarce, corrosive and expensive.

If your CZ 52(The She Rifle) is marked 52/57 it was done at the arsenal. If it has a chamber insert it was butchered stateside.

Quote:

Converting this gun back to original condition would be done just for fun. The rifle has about zero collector value chambered for the 7.62x39 and precious little collector value in the original chambering.

In my neck of the woods it is a very sought after collectors item in both calibers but more so in the 7.62x39. I have seen people fighting over mint condition specimans and paying up to $500 without batting an eye. I paid $425 for mine and was happy to find a mint condition one at such a price.

Workmanship is flawless and accuracy is superb.

Although I do not think much of its gas system compared to the more reliable SKS the CZ is built like a tank and made with quality materiels and workmanship. It works with military ammo but you may have to play a little bit with it to make it function with cast bullet loads. The right burning rate powder and an 150 graind cast bullet will usually do the trick. I like mine very much and would never consider selling it.

November 23, 2002, 07:55 PM	#1
telewinz Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2002 Location: South East Ohio Posts: 399	CZ-52 Rifle opinions Thinking about going back to a gun show tomorrow and getting a CZ-52 Rifle in 7.62X39mm. Must be one of those centiry arms imports because it's coated with that black crinkle paint. Guy wants $175 for it but will take less. My desire is to remove all the paint and hope to fix it up to like issue condition. I have just about all the rest 10rd semi-auto rifles except this one. I have heard that many had cracked stocks before paint was applied. Is this true and are they well made safe rifles?

November 23, 2002, 08:59 PM	#2
Al Thompson Staff Alumnus Join Date: May 2, 1999 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,611	I'm not sure of this, but wasn't the CZ-52 in some oddball 7.62 x ??? cartridge? __________________ http://www.scfirearms.org/

November 23, 2002, 11:21 PM	#5
DMK Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2001 Location: Over the hills and far, far away Posts: 3,206	If it's chambered in 7.62x39 it's a CZ-52/57. They are very hard to find and I don't think you'd have any trouble selling it if you didn't like it. As a matter of fact, I'll buy it from you for more than you paid for it. If you want to sell it, PM me. __________________ - Homeland Security begins at home: Support your Second Amendment - www.gunowners.org - www.saf.org - act.nraila.org - www.grnc.org

November 24, 2002, 01:00 AM	#7
Gewehr98 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2000 Location: Token Creek, WI Posts: 4,067	The real deal... Take a look at the gun's receiver for the manufacturing date, it's a 2-digit number. If it's actually stamped 57 or 58, it more than likely came from the Czech factory chambered in the shorter Soviet 7.62x39 round. The VZ-52/57's draw a higher price than their older VZ-52 stablemates, chambered in the 7.62x45 round. Chamber inserts are bad juju, no 2 ways about it. Century Arms decided to hide a multitude of sin by slathering that black crinkle pait all over the VZ-52's they sold, even covering the metal heatshield of the handguard. After stripping off the paint, cracked, dinged, or broken stocks see the light of day. Great American Gunstock Company in Yuba City, CA, sells walnut reproduction stocks and handguards for the VZ-52 and VZ-52/57 rifles. Surplus 7.62x45 ammo is still out there, albeit corrosive and non-reloadable. Some enterprising individuals, myself included, make our own 7.62x45 brass from .220 Swift or 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schonauer donor brass. Easy to do, and the gun does quite well running 123gr AK bullets in the reformed cases. They actually do better than the AK for groups at 100 yards, too. The rifle is a pussycat in either chambering, with it's heavy stock, long barrel, and unique gas system. Here's one website that speaks at length about the VZ-52: http://www.mauser98.com/vz52.html __________________ "Bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round... Neural Misfires

November 23, 2002, 09:04 PM	#3
telewinz Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2002 Location: South East Ohio Posts: 399	7.62X45mm first but the Russians made them convert most to 7.62X39 for the sake of uniformity in soviet bloc ammo.

November 23, 2002, 10:21 PM	#4
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 25,004	I think most of the conversions from 7.62x45 to 7.62x39 were actually done by importers when they were brought into the states. This was done to make them easier to sell since the original ammo was scarce, corrosive and expensive. They seemed to have a problem with stocks breaking. I don't know if it was a design problem, or lousy wood, or both. Either way, I wouldn't mess with the wood. The black finish stocks are the only ones people seem to have luck with. Converting this gun back to original condition would be done just for fun. The rifle has about zero collector value chambered for the 7.62x39 and precious little collector value in the original chambering. I would consider the gun to be strictly a shooter and blast away. BTW, if you look around you should be able to find barreled actions without stocks for a pittance. Cheap spare parts!

November 24, 2002, 05:15 PM	#10
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 25,004	Well, to be absolutely fair, they're not advertising them as 52/57 rifles. If memory serves, the ads I saw listed them as being "converted to 7.62x39."

November 25, 2002, 07:09 AM	#11
telewinz Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2002 Location: South East Ohio Posts: 399	after reading the comments made on the CZ52 I went back to the gunshow and looked at it more closely. It did have an insert for the 7.62X39mm which the dealer admitted after I asked. He was asking $175 for this and $189 for one in the original 7.62X45mm caliber. For this reason and the fact their was no good way to determine the condition of the stock (cracks, ect.) I decided to pass on the whole thing. The dealer was interested in dealing though.