Mumbles Marble Mouth
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Lower Mainland
Well I'm back again with another range report update on my CSA .223 Vz 58. Its hit another mile stone so I figured its time for an update. The CSA line up of Vz 58 rifles have a bad rep with the .223 Vz 58 having the worst rep of being a firing pin breaking hunk of #### that fails to feed properly. If you haven't been following my previous range reports, my goal is to hopefully prove that the CSA line up of Vz 58 rifles are indeed good rifles. I will keep updating range reports until I have a failure with the gun. Last time, the gun hit the 130 round mark. This time, its hit the 300 round mark at the end of this shooting day.
Here is a link to the second range report. On the second range report, there is a link to the first range report.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/949823-223-Vz-58-Range-Report-Update-(Pictures)
Skip a head a bit to the range report as this is a rant message to the members of my range.
First off, before I start the range report, this message goes out to people who are a member of the Pacific Rim Fish & Game Range. I came in today to greet the range in disaster. It was a mess, shells all over the ground, the 25 yard target board has collapsed because of people using their shotguns on the rifle side of the range. Someone used the garbage lid as a target and destroyed it, and are rifle barrel rests both of them have been wrecked. I understand that there is no range officer at are range so we can't stop idiots that are not members from coming in, but please if you see anyone at the range using a shotgun on the rifle side, tell them to put it away or go shoot on the shotgun side. If you see someone who isn't a member, tell them to leave. This is a members only range and its not open to the public. The membership is only $40. I spent 15 minutes before shooting fixing and cleaning things up. Just some pictures to show what I mean.
I would of fixed the target board if I had the materals to do it. Takes about 15 minutes to nail up a new target board so I've made a mental note to bring some nails with me next time I go to the range. There was a bag of 4 nails there but I used them to fix the table. There was a hammer, level, and hacksaw left at the range for people to use to fix the target boards or anything, but the hammer got stolen almost right away.
I figured this looked pretty dangerous so I fixed it.
.223 Vz 58 Range Report Update #3
Just to confuse the media, This is my AR-15 Assault Shotgun Rocket Propelled Grenade Launching Ruger 10/22 with a multiple bullets energy blaster attachment dispenser. I took 100 rounds of ammo with me and left with none. It was a very fun shooting day. I haven't shot this much in a very long time and completely forgot how fun it is to just shoot. I shot at 25 yards, 50 yards, 100 yards, and 200 yards so I show the targets in order of distance rather than in order of what I did which is usually how I do range reports.
If you want to know the year your CSA Vz 58 was made, look for the Czech Lion on your gun. All Czech made guns will have a Czech Lion on it. Its a proof mark of it being manufactured in Czech Republic so Brno, CZ, and CSA guns will have this. My CZ 550 has it, my friends Brno Combo Gun, Brno Super Trap Gun, CZ 452, CZ 527, and my brothers CZ 75 all have this Czech Lion. My CZ-USA Redhead doesn't have the Czech Lion as its not made in Czech Republic. Lots of people on this site are very ignorant and believe the CSA Vz 58's are made in America but they're wrong. They're made in Jablunka which is close to the boarder of Slovakia. Anyways, the year the gun was made is the number that follows after the Czech Lion. Some I've seen the number before the Lion. Anyways, This CSA .223 Vz 58 was made in 2013. It takes a Czech to know these things as most of you probably didn't realize that mark on the gun is a Lion.
The ammo used today was 60 rounds of American Eagle AR-15 55gr .223 FMJ, 25 rounds of Winchester 55gr .223 FMJ, 10 rounds of Federal 62gr .223 FMJ, and 5 rounds of Winchester 45g .223 HP. The most consistent, and my favorite to shoot, is the American Eagle 55gr .223 FMJ. The most accurate is the Federal 62gr .223 FMJ. The least accurate is the Winchester 45gr .223 HP.
25 yards
Here is a 5 shot group at 25 yards off hand from the standing position using American Eagle AR-15 55gr.
5 shot group at 25 yards bench rested using Winchester 55gr.
5 shot group at 25 yards bench rested using American Eagle AR-15 55gr.
50 yards
5 shots at 50 yards bench rested using Winchester 55gr.
5 shots at 50 yards bench rested using Federal 62gr. Made into a 10 shot group at 50 yards that's under 3". The diameter of a clay bird is 4" and that's why I'm using it as a reference.
Here is the 5 Winchester 45gr HP and I'm going to show you just how bad it is in accuracy compared to the other ammo. I do not recommend buying this ammo for your .223 Vz 58 unless you really want to be disappointed and like 4" groups at 50 yards.
5 shots at 50 yards bench rested using Winchester 45gr HP. 4" group at 50 yards. This turns into 8" at 100 yards.
5 shots at 50 yards off hand in the standing position using American Eagle AR-15 55gr. Its not fair to just test the accuracy of the rifle with out testing the skill of the person using the gun right. Plus, off handed shooting is pretty fun.
100 yards
5 shots at 100 yards bench rested using Winchester 55gr. 3 hits on target.
5 shots at 100 yards bench rested using Federal 62gr.
10 shots at 100 yards off hand in the standing position using American Eagle AR-15 55gr. The gun shoots to the right a bit so I tried to compensate for that by aiming at the middle of the two targets. Some hit my other 100 meter target. Again, testing the skill of the user and not just the gun
Then the last thing I did at 100 yards is I shot the clay bird I was using as a reference to the size of the groups. I was pretending as if this was a live game animal and the clay bird was the vital area that I had to hit and I only got one shot. Using American Eagle AR-15 55gr, I hit it on the first try. In BC, its legal to hunt deer with a .223 so its possible to use the .223 Vz 58 as a hunting rifle. I already have a great .270 Winchester so I don't hunt with the .223.
200 yards
5 shots at 200 yards bench rested using American Eagle AR-15 55gr. My first attempt at 200 yards with this gun. I placed my target under this one and used this old target as a reference as where to aim. I figured I would need to aim a bit high but I was wrong. It hit pretty much at what I was aiming at aside from me aiming slightly off to the left to compensate for the rifle being sighted off to the right a bit. 4 hits on target.
5 shots at 200 yards bench rested using American Eagle AR-15 55gr. My second attempt at 200 yards with this gun. I aimed slightly lower than before but pretty much got the same results. 4 hits on target.
5 shots at 200 yards bench rested using American Eagle AR-15 55gr. My third attempt at 200 yards with this gun. I aimed directly at the target this time. Note that this range report is not in order of what I did. Its in order of what was done at each distance and thus the reason why the clay bird still exists here in this picture. Shooting the clay bird was the last thing I did before I left. 4 hits on target.
Conclusion & Final Thoughts
This gun is a hell of a lot of fun to shoot. Its light, light recoil, and decent accuracy. With my skill, its a 4moa gun. Don't expect AR-15 accuracy. At least its not better or worse than a Ruger mini 14. I'm sure if it was braced it would probably be a 2moa gun but practical accuracy of this gun with any user will most likely be 4moa. I have gotten the odd 2.5" - 3" group at 100 with it using the Federal 62gr but this gun is definitely 4moa with my skill.
So, 300 rounds later and the gun continues to not fail. Not a single jam, FTF, FTE, or catastrophic explosion in my face. I'm not denying that the CSA Vz 58 rifles had problems, but from what I understand, the majority of the problems came from the short barrel .223 models and not the longer barrel models. They're multiple reports of broken firing pins and I have taken precaution by getting .223 snap caps the day I purchased the gun. CSA products have 5 years of warranty so if you get one that's a melon, at least you know you can get it replaced or fixed. Warranty claims help manufactures improve there products. Not buying the product will result in them simply taking it off the market. If you're wanting a Vz 58 and can't find a used CZ 858, then don't be turned off by the CSA Vz 58 rifles simply because of the bad rep they have. I've owned both and had no problems with either the CZ or the CSA. Since there were so many warranty claims on the CSA products, I would assume the new ones are probably fine now.
Happy Shooting CGN
MMM signing off.
Here is a link to the second range report. On the second range report, there is a link to the first range report.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/949823-223-Vz-58-Range-Report-Update-(Pictures)
Skip a head a bit to the range report as this is a rant message to the members of my range.
First off, before I start the range report, this message goes out to people who are a member of the Pacific Rim Fish & Game Range. I came in today to greet the range in disaster. It was a mess, shells all over the ground, the 25 yard target board has collapsed because of people using their shotguns on the rifle side of the range. Someone used the garbage lid as a target and destroyed it, and are rifle barrel rests both of them have been wrecked. I understand that there is no range officer at are range so we can't stop idiots that are not members from coming in, but please if you see anyone at the range using a shotgun on the rifle side, tell them to put it away or go shoot on the shotgun side. If you see someone who isn't a member, tell them to leave. This is a members only range and its not open to the public. The membership is only $40. I spent 15 minutes before shooting fixing and cleaning things up. Just some pictures to show what I mean.
I would of fixed the target board if I had the materals to do it. Takes about 15 minutes to nail up a new target board so I've made a mental note to bring some nails with me next time I go to the range. There was a bag of 4 nails there but I used them to fix the table. There was a hammer, level, and hacksaw left at the range for people to use to fix the target boards or anything, but the hammer got stolen almost right away.
I figured this looked pretty dangerous so I fixed it.
.223 Vz 58 Range Report Update #3
Just to confuse the media, This is my AR-15 Assault Shotgun Rocket Propelled Grenade Launching Ruger 10/22 with a multiple bullets energy blaster attachment dispenser. I took 100 rounds of ammo with me and left with none. It was a very fun shooting day. I haven't shot this much in a very long time and completely forgot how fun it is to just shoot. I shot at 25 yards, 50 yards, 100 yards, and 200 yards so I show the targets in order of distance rather than in order of what I did which is usually how I do range reports.
If you want to know the year your CSA Vz 58 was made, look for the Czech Lion on your gun. All Czech made guns will have a Czech Lion on it. Its a proof mark of it being manufactured in Czech Republic so Brno, CZ, and CSA guns will have this. My CZ 550 has it, my friends Brno Combo Gun, Brno Super Trap Gun, CZ 452, CZ 527, and my brothers CZ 75 all have this Czech Lion. My CZ-USA Redhead doesn't have the Czech Lion as its not made in Czech Republic. Lots of people on this site are very ignorant and believe the CSA Vz 58's are made in America but they're wrong. They're made in Jablunka which is close to the boarder of Slovakia. Anyways, the year the gun was made is the number that follows after the Czech Lion. Some I've seen the number before the Lion. Anyways, This CSA .223 Vz 58 was made in 2013. It takes a Czech to know these things as most of you probably didn't realize that mark on the gun is a Lion.
The ammo used today was 60 rounds of American Eagle AR-15 55gr .223 FMJ, 25 rounds of Winchester 55gr .223 FMJ, 10 rounds of Federal 62gr .223 FMJ, and 5 rounds of Winchester 45g .223 HP. The most consistent, and my favorite to shoot, is the American Eagle 55gr .223 FMJ. The most accurate is the Federal 62gr .223 FMJ. The least accurate is the Winchester 45gr .223 HP.
25 yards
Here is a 5 shot group at 25 yards off hand from the standing position using American Eagle AR-15 55gr.
5 shot group at 25 yards bench rested using Winchester 55gr.
5 shot group at 25 yards bench rested using American Eagle AR-15 55gr.
50 yards
5 shots at 50 yards bench rested using Winchester 55gr.
5 shots at 50 yards bench rested using Federal 62gr. Made into a 10 shot group at 50 yards that's under 3". The diameter of a clay bird is 4" and that's why I'm using it as a reference.
Here is the 5 Winchester 45gr HP and I'm going to show you just how bad it is in accuracy compared to the other ammo. I do not recommend buying this ammo for your .223 Vz 58 unless you really want to be disappointed and like 4" groups at 50 yards.
5 shots at 50 yards bench rested using Winchester 45gr HP. 4" group at 50 yards. This turns into 8" at 100 yards.
5 shots at 50 yards off hand in the standing position using American Eagle AR-15 55gr. Its not fair to just test the accuracy of the rifle with out testing the skill of the person using the gun right
. Plus, off handed shooting is pretty fun.100 yards
5 shots at 100 yards bench rested using Winchester 55gr. 3 hits on target.
5 shots at 100 yards bench rested using Federal 62gr.
10 shots at 100 yards off hand in the standing position using American Eagle AR-15 55gr. The gun shoots to the right a bit so I tried to compensate for that by aiming at the middle of the two targets. Some hit my other 100 meter target. Again, testing the skill of the user and not just the gun
Then the last thing I did at 100 yards is I shot the clay bird I was using as a reference to the size of the groups. I was pretending as if this was a live game animal and the clay bird was the vital area that I had to hit and I only got one shot. Using American Eagle AR-15 55gr, I hit it on the first try. In BC, its legal to hunt deer with a .223 so its possible to use the .223 Vz 58 as a hunting rifle. I already have a great .270 Winchester so I don't hunt with the .223.
200 yards
5 shots at 200 yards bench rested using American Eagle AR-15 55gr. My first attempt at 200 yards with this gun. I placed my target under this one and used this old target as a reference as where to aim. I figured I would need to aim a bit high but I was wrong. It hit pretty much at what I was aiming at aside from me aiming slightly off to the left to compensate for the rifle being sighted off to the right a bit. 4 hits on target.
5 shots at 200 yards bench rested using American Eagle AR-15 55gr. My second attempt at 200 yards with this gun. I aimed slightly lower than before but pretty much got the same results. 4 hits on target.
5 shots at 200 yards bench rested using American Eagle AR-15 55gr. My third attempt at 200 yards with this gun. I aimed directly at the target this time. Note that this range report is not in order of what I did. Its in order of what was done at each distance and thus the reason why the clay bird still exists here in this picture. Shooting the clay bird was the last thing I did before I left. 4 hits on target.
Conclusion & Final Thoughts
This gun is a hell of a lot of fun to shoot. Its light, light recoil, and decent accuracy. With my skill, its a 4moa gun. Don't expect AR-15 accuracy. At least its not better or worse than a Ruger mini 14. I'm sure if it was braced it would probably be a 2moa gun but practical accuracy of this gun with any user will most likely be 4moa. I have gotten the odd 2.5" - 3" group at 100 with it using the Federal 62gr but this gun is definitely 4moa with my skill.
So, 300 rounds later and the gun continues to not fail. Not a single jam, FTF, FTE, or catastrophic explosion in my face. I'm not denying that the CSA Vz 58 rifles had problems, but from what I understand, the majority of the problems came from the short barrel .223 models and not the longer barrel models. They're multiple reports of broken firing pins and I have taken precaution by getting .223 snap caps the day I purchased the gun. CSA products have 5 years of warranty so if you get one that's a melon, at least you know you can get it replaced or fixed. Warranty claims help manufactures improve there products. Not buying the product will result in them simply taking it off the market. If you're wanting a Vz 58 and can't find a used CZ 858, then don't be turned off by the CSA Vz 58 rifles simply because of the bad rep they have. I've owned both and had no problems with either the CZ or the CSA. Since there were so many warranty claims on the CSA products, I would assume the new ones are probably fine now.
Happy Shooting CGN
MMM signing off.
