Jan 01 2007
VZ58 Furniture Problems
The recent range trip was not entirely without mishap, as we did see the reappearance of a specific problem experienced with the VZ58, that is the seperation of the lower handguard while firing the rifle.
Now this problem was experienced a while back (with the black furniture) and a field-expedient fix was done on that occasion (simply using some micropore tape from my vehicles first-aid kit to shim the forward edge of the handguard). The quick fix was removed when the furniture was refinished and undoubtedly this has recreated the circumstances that lead to the previous problems.
When the handguard is installed a quick visual inspection shows that there is approx 1mm of extra space visible along the leading edge (where the forward portion of the handguard slides into the lower ferrule). Grasping the lower handguard firmly one can slide it forward and backward just enough to notice it, and it is likely moving 1 or 2mm. The handguard is secured at it’s rear by a pin crossing the front of the receiver and mating with a narrow channel at the bottom rear edge of the handguard.
Now I have two sets of furniture for the VZ58, and as the two lower handgaurds are dimensionally identical (and one of them appears entirely unused) I think we can assume the problem lies with the ferrule, which does have a fair bit of slop to it, wiggling approx 5mm at the bottom.
The ferrule is secured to the barrel by an overlapping hook coming back from the gasport assembly (referred to in the manual as the “piston extension”), and I can puzzle out no easy means of removing it without removing all sorts of other bits first.
Anyone with some good insight here please feel free to sound off. In the meantime I’ll go for the non-destructive fix, and likely build up the rear channel with some JB weld and then dremel out a new channel for the retaining pin. Should be the least labour intensive option available (unless I’m missing something dead simple).
Once again, suggestions are welcomed.
A temporary extension on the old black furniture?
Well, it look pretty close to my AK’s set up.
But there are some diferances.
Instead of building up the hand guard, or worse altering the sheet metal, I’d see if there’s a spring clip (like on AKs) you can fit in there.
The whole leading edge groove on the AK is held in by a key, if yours is secured to the barrel, and there is a gap, I’m not sure how else to help.
Unless you can drill the rear pin hole back a few mm, to pick up the slack.
Mike: The black tan furniture is the old black furniture with the paint stripped off and re-done.
I have this habit of keeping a set of original furniture aside when I start tampering just in case I screw up (stacked in a corner by the gun cabinet is a full set of M14, SKS-D and VZ58 furniture. Figure it’s not a bad thing if I go and resell the rifles to offer unmodified furniture along with the redone stuff.
Piet: Oh trust me, I’m a big fan of non-permanent modifications. Adding a few mm of JB Weld along the rear edge of the lower handguard is no big deal.
I’m curious if anyone else has this problem as theres play with both sets of furniture, which would suggest the problem is with that ferrule. Still, no biggy (particularly as the problem only seems to surface when others are shooting the rifle).
Got some pics of your AK I can drool over?
-GRIN-
Give me a day or two and my F’ing blog will be up.
Really? Cool!