CZ 858 vs. CSA VZ 58 ?

abbynormal

abbynormal

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
28   0   0
Location
West Coast
Sooooo - at the risk of being burned by all the CZ 858 purists out there - is there a clear edge for either rifle?

What are the pro's / con's of the two of them?

Should I be thinking of trading in my BNIB 858 for a VZ 58?

Thoughts? .... Opinions? ....

Abby
 
CSA: you can mount an optic from the side of the receiver. Chrome lined seems to be important to people on m4carbine.net. Reviews on M4carbine.net say CSA made rifles are good rifles and much better than the century made rifles. CSA comes tabbed for gremlin prevention.

There have been some sporadic/anecdotal comments about needing warranty work, mags not fitting, accessories not fitting, people paying gunsmiths to avoid the warranty hassles.



CZ can't or won't produce any more cz858 rifles. So there is that rarity factor. Some cz have gremlins. CZ paint can blister and peal.
 
Last edited:
I've had three of each make in x39, all six ran fine with no issues. All were equal in reliability and quality. Still have one of each and 100% happy....just wish I could have kept them all..but wifey said "No!":rey2
 
Im torn, I've owned both and they both have their pros and cons, its really comparing apples to oranges.

CSA:
Pros: Chrome line barrel, new parts (was not prohibited in that debacle), side mount pre drilled and tapped, warranty.
Cons: Externals can rust if not properly maintained, higher price.

CZ:
Pros: Indestructible paint (in my experience), Actually made by CZ.
Cons: Not chrome lined, surplus parts (Allegedly used modified FA receivers, hence was prohibited), optics mounting is a bit tricky.
 
SquidMeister said:
Im torn, I've owned both and they both have their pros and cons, its really comparing apples to oranges.

CSA:
Pros: Chrome line barrel, new parts (was not prohibited in that debacle), side mount pre drilled and tapped, warranty.
Cons: Externals can rust if not properly maintained, higher price.

CZ:
Pros: Indestructible paint (in my experience), Actually made by CZ.
Cons: Not chrome lined, surplus parts (Allegedly used modified FA receivers, hence was prohibited), optics mounting is a bit tricky.
Click to expand...

any rifle can rust is not maintained.
 
Also consider the VZ58 calibre.. I've read that the 223/5.56 may have had more issues than the 7.62 x 39 based off the material in these forums

abbynormal said:
Sooooo - at the risk of being burned by all the CZ 858 purists out there - is there a clear edge for either rifle?

What are the pro's / con's of the two of them?

Should I be thinking of trading in my BNIB 858 for a VZ 58?

Thoughts? .... Opinions? ....

Abby
Click to expand...
 
I sort of like the CSA better, only problem is half the aftermarket parts fit and half are cz858 dimensions, I believe there are slight dimension differences which is a pain. Slight differences in mag releases and bolt catch/release. Cheap KCI cz 858 mags don't feed well in my CSA, but the factory CSA ones are flawless..
 
I had three x39 CSA rifles... they all had gas system problems and improperly heat treaded 'soft' receivers. They all visited Movie Arms. Perhaps I was just unlucky. They were accurate and fed reliably... but they didn't pass the test (1000+ rounds with no maintence) 500 rounds was the max until a failure.

Bought a N/R CZH2003 and CZ858 instead. No issues.
 
I've had them both and agree with all of the above comments, shy of external rusting on the VZ (mines gone through rain and snow).

In my opinion they both shoot the same, took the same aftermarket parts, and I've had no issues with either. I have heard that the VZ accepts the B&T magwell adapter with zero issues (mine did), the CZ requires a little bit of work to get it in. I slapped on a railed dust cover with a little TRS red dot and have enjoyed it since.

I, personally, prefer the matte black finish on the VZ over the painted finish on the CZ's. However, that said, I could see the CZ finish being a bit more durable (repairable) than the VZ.

I have some side by side photos of the internals. The VZ's internals looked better than the CZ's; however, this statement is purely subjective.

It's like choosing between a J-Body Chevy Cavalier or Pontiac Sunfire.
 
Last edited:
I wouldn't sell a cz858 to buy a vz58. It makes no sense. It is equivalent to selling a Colt USA m4 to buy a colt Canada c8. Or selling a Randall 4 to buy an esee 4.
 
I've had two 858 and one 5.56 CSA Vz 58. I was fine with both guns. If you want optics then get the CSA. If you don't care then get the CZ. The issues the CZ have are easily repairable without a gunsmith. Welding the bolt carrier isn't required. It's just once the welded carrier is done, it's done for good. You can fix it by bending the sear rebound spring to put more tension on the sear. The other problem is easily fixed with a washer or anything you can use as a shim. My CSA had a warranty problem but was taken care of quickly when Movie Arms was the warranty center. Over all, I liked both guns. The only deciding factor is if you want to tac it out or leave it original.
 
I got both, I like em equally. Quality wise they both seem pretty even.

CSA VZ comes D&T ready for optics if that's your thing- CZ858 will not.

The finnish is differnt on both

CZ comes with beaver barf ( a plus imo) - VZ plastic furniture ( meh, the plastic seems to bite more the beaver barf)

Magazines are slightly differnt.

I keep telling my self I will sell one but I just can't bring my self too, so ya, there both awesome.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom