Early CZ 858 Tactical 2 with stock chrome-lined bore (pictures!)

[762mm]

Ok... so I thought it was time to put the "CZ 858's never came with chrome bores" myth to rest, simply because I was one of the lucky few to get one of them when they first came out (in 2004, was it?) and mine DID come with a chrome-lined non-restricted bore... and I finally got some pictures to post!

For comparison purposes, some pictures also feature a newer model CZ 858 which DOES NOT come with a chrome-lined bore... and has some other minor cosmetic differences as well.

CZ 858 (the early one with the chromed bore)

Markings on the side of receiver (my early chrome-lined version). Please note that it says "CZ 858 Tactical 2" and not VZ58L or whatever...

Receiver markings of the "chromed" version... note the "30" on the right side of the selector switch.

Receiver markings on the non-chromed later version... note that there's no "30" anymore.

Chamber on the "chromed" version... please take note that the pictures (taken with a cheap digi cam) do not do it justice.

Another shot of the "chromed" chamber... nice and shiny, eh?

Non-chromed later version's chamber for comparison. The difference is obvious even to the untrained eye.

Picture of the bore. Please note that the bore is not wet with oil and the only light source is a piece of white paper jammed in the open bolt and an overhead halogen lamp. Suffice to say that it's nice and shiny in there, as opposed to my other (later) CZ-858 which is dull and grey.

Mag release comparison. The one on the left is the "chromed" early version and the one on the right is the standard non-chromed CZ-858 mag release (rounded).


So there you have it... that gun was bought new, came in a factory sealed box with all the standard accessories and has been a safe queen since it was bought (never fired a round). Therefore this is its' original condition, as it came from the CZ factory in 2004 (or whenever the 858's hit the Canadian market). To my knowledge, the distributor HAS NOT altered anything on the rifle, it is in its' all-original factory configuration.

 

[P@rick]

That last pic has me hypnotized......I'm getting very sleeeepy.....I'm getting veeeeery sleeeepy....i'm getting veeeeeery..........

 

[762mm]

That last pic has me hypnotized......I'm getting very sleeeepy.....I'm getting veeeeery sleeeepy....i'm getting veeeeeery..........

Like I said... cheap digi-cam with a f*cked up auto focus feature + low light conditions. I had to delete at least 20 pictures and keep the best ones to show y'all.

 

[cadgo]

Very nice. Did the chrome lining stop to cut costs?

 

[762mm]

Very nice. Did the chrome lining stop to cut costs?

Most likely... that's what CSA's distributor is claiming about the new guns that aren't using NOS (new old stock) military barrels: any barrels that are "custom-made" to longer lengths are non-chromed to keep the manufacturing costs down (and therefore generate somewhat lower costs to the customer).

Personally, I wouldn't mind dishing out $50 more for a gun that's chrome-lined and won't rust as fast from surplus ammo... and I'm sure I'm not the only one. After all, if chrome lining wasn't worth it, then the com-block militaries wouldn't have been using it this extensively for the past 60 years, now would they? (plus they were reputed to be running everything on a nickel!). However... who am I to argue, right? I'm just a customer and my opinions don't count (sarcasm).





P.S. If I remember correctly, my chrome-lined CZ 858 cost me something like $750 now that I think of it (I thought it was more, but I got confused with another rifle I bought at the same time). So, since today's CZ 858s sell new for $700 without chrome-lining, $50 extra for a chrome-lined non-restricted bore seems about right. Well worth it, IMHO.

 

[cadgo]

I would have paid an extra 50-100 dollars easily for a chrome lined barrel

 

[5440fight]

I don't know, mine has every single feature yours has, and I was under no impression that it was chrome lined. Any experts like to chime in?

 

[762mm]

I don't know, mine has every single feature yours has, and I was under no impression that it was chrome lined. Any experts like to chime in?

The gun is stock out of the box, never fired... and I also have a non-chromed later model for comparison. One peek down the bore/chamber of each rifle in the same lighting conditions is all you need to see the major difference. I also got a non-restricted CSA in .223 a few days ago... and the non-chromed .223 bore/chamber is the same dull grey as my non-chromed CZ 858.

Besides, the pictures are there... you be the judge.

 

[5440fight]

The gun is stock out of the box, never fired... and I also have a non-chromed later model for comparison. One peek down the bore/chamber of each rifle in the same lighting conditions is all you need to see the difference.

Besides, the pictures are there... you be the judge.

I hear you, but I can't tell if that's just a shiny clean bore, or chromed. Mine has seen a few rounds through it and isn't quite so clean in the chamber, but I vever pay as much attention there when cleaning. Most of the mess is further down, when I shoot a few hundred rounds. Nevertheless, I seem to have the same rifle, bits-wise, and my bore shines. I'm going to check a few chromed bores for comparison (norinco sks's & vz 52-57)

 

[Stevo]

Cold-bluing solution will colour a non-chrome bore, but not one that's chrome-lined.

 

[5440fight]

Cold-bluing solution will colour a non-chrome bore, but not one that's chrome-lined.

That's a trick to decide it. It won't make the chamber "sticky" when using laquered casings, will it?

 

[Stevo]

It shouldn't. You can also try it on the barrel crown.

 

[Curtton]

im not saying i dont believe you but honestly this discussion could easily be solved by a test of cold blue .

pic means squat cos both rifles are not in the same condition , a safe queen vs. one that is well used .

features also means nothing , i got a 2006 , same mag catch as yours and its has the "30" and the selector can be moved to full auto but unlike yours , its not a chrome .

 

[762mm]

My selector can't be moved onto the "30" setting, but it's there nevertheless. My brand new non-restricted CSA in .223 has also never been fired, yet the bore & chamber on it are dull grey, just like my non-chrome CZ 858. So usage does not seem to "darken" the bore on non-chromed variants according to the evidence at hand.

When I get a chance, I'll try the cold blue trick on the chamber and see what it does... However, I also have a late model SKS (unissued) and the chrome-lining on it looks the same as my shiny-bore CZ 858, hence my assmuption.

In any case, if the CZ-858 in question is not chrome-lined... then the CZ factory has polished the bore on that sonofab*tch something fierce, because it's mirror-silver! Any ideas why they would do something like that?

 

[Dr.Lector]

Please get a better camera and take pictures of the crown.
There, at the crown, the chrome lining (if any) should be more obvious.
Do not take pics along the bore , but at an angle.
If the flash (or a strong lamp) hit the chrome lined bore,
it will appear white as opposed to the steel,
which usualy is dull grey.

 

[DMcFaul]

From the source;

"All newly made CZ barrels are not chrome lined, but I can not rule out that
there were some old surplus military barrels made 40 years ago that were
that long and like all military barrels chrome lined. The reason for this
could be that I think there might have been a rare machine gun (long
barreled) version of Sa vz. 58. I am not sure, but I think I have heard that
such a barrels existed, though in very limited quantity. Never saw them
myself."

... If it is indeed a 18.5" CZ 858 and the barrel is chromed, you'd likely want to keep that info to yourself...

However, as the rest said.. A dot of cold blue will tell in a jiffy.


... For the record; all my VZ chambers look loke that, they've all been honed and polished. Doesn't make it a super rare mystery gun. Unless you just want to hear that it's a treasure in which case they're for sale.

 

[cadgo]

From the source;

"All newly made CZ barrels are not chrome lined, but I can not rule out that
there were some old surplus military barrels made 40 years ago that were
that long and like all military barrels chrome lined. The reason for this
could be that I think there might have been a rare machine gun (long
barreled) version of Sa vz. 58. I am not sure, but I think I have heard that
such a barrels existed, though in very limited quantity. Never saw them
myself."

... If it is indeed a 18.5" CZ 858 and the barrel is chromed, you'd likely want to keep that info to yourself...

However, as the rest said.. A dot of cold blue will tell in a jiffy.


... For the record; all my VZ chambers look loke that, they've all been honed and polished. Doesn't make it a super rare mystery gun. Unless you just want to hear that it's a treasure in which case they're for sale.

Why??

 

[DMcFaul]

... Rare or not a 40yr old MG convert would be deemed bad.

 

[cadgo]

... Rare or not a 40yr old MG convert would be deemed bad.

Having a barrel from an MG doesn't effect anything.

 

[Mr.4x4]

Let's see a pic of the non chrome lined barrels crown and down the barrel please. My 858 has a super shiny bore like the pic you showed of your chrome lined one. This is all very interesting. Thanks