So I got it today. The excitement all day was amazing.
First of all it came shipped in a marstar branded hard case. That was a bonus that I didn't expect. Next I opened it and was initially surprised by the color of the finish. It is a deep purple. I have never seen a finish like this before in person. I have seen some tokarevs that have taken the "plum" finish. This would be similar.
Next, I was surprised at how small the barrel was. I kept looking further ahead of it expecting the barrel to miraculously grow. Never happened. After fondling it a little and checking the finish I went to the internals. I wanted to see how the insides differed from my 858. I saw a czech forum that showed different pins on each rifle so I knew there were differences here and there. Here it is. You can look and compare for yourselves.
After that, I went to the brake because I knew there was no FSB that would hold it in place with a pin. I took this picture trying to show how it was held on. Basically it is threaded and the threads protrude past the cuts in the brake. There is also more thread left on the inside of the brake but the set screw in the top has stopped it in its current place. I haven't taken it off to see if there is a slot for the set screw or not. That is for another day when I shoot and maybe want to give it a thorough cleaning.
Lastly, the finish. For those who have an 858, I have to say the painted finish is a lot more durable than any caustic bluing. This one is blued and it came out of the box with some scratches and a black "spot" that I can't figure out. It looks like it has been taken apart a few times. Maybe by the RCMP. Here is the spot.
That's that. If you have any questions let me know and I will try to snap a pic for you or take a look. No more disassembling beyond what I have shown. Well, the front bracket for the lower handguard was wiggly from jump. My CZ858 has been shot and it is still super tight. In terms of finish and fitment, I would give the match to the CZ. The verdict is still out on this. A range session is definitely in order. I would like to hear from other owners and if their rifles have some of the same things in common.
First of all it came shipped in a marstar branded hard case. That was a bonus that I didn't expect. Next I opened it and was initially surprised by the color of the finish. It is a deep purple. I have never seen a finish like this before in person. I have seen some tokarevs that have taken the "plum" finish. This would be similar.
Next, I was surprised at how small the barrel was. I kept looking further ahead of it expecting the barrel to miraculously grow. Never happened. After fondling it a little and checking the finish I went to the internals. I wanted to see how the insides differed from my 858. I saw a czech forum that showed different pins on each rifle so I knew there were differences here and there. Here it is. You can look and compare for yourselves.
After that, I went to the brake because I knew there was no FSB that would hold it in place with a pin. I took this picture trying to show how it was held on. Basically it is threaded and the threads protrude past the cuts in the brake. There is also more thread left on the inside of the brake but the set screw in the top has stopped it in its current place. I haven't taken it off to see if there is a slot for the set screw or not. That is for another day when I shoot and maybe want to give it a thorough cleaning.
Lastly, the finish. For those who have an 858, I have to say the painted finish is a lot more durable than any caustic bluing. This one is blued and it came out of the box with some scratches and a black "spot" that I can't figure out. It looks like it has been taken apart a few times. Maybe by the RCMP. Here is the spot.
That's that. If you have any questions let me know and I will try to snap a pic for you or take a look. No more disassembling beyond what I have shown. Well, the front bracket for the lower handguard was wiggly from jump. My CZ858 has been shot and it is still super tight. In terms of finish and fitment, I would give the match to the CZ. The verdict is still out on this. A range session is definitely in order. I would like to hear from other owners and if their rifles have some of the same things in common.
