How to get rid of the infamous CZ/VZ gremlin
- Thread starter Xman
- Start date
I'm gremlined!!!! about every 5-10 rounds. pull the trigger, no click, no bang.
This is crazy you would think they would fix the damn issue not expect us to carve away at our rifle when we get it. This has permanently turned me off of cz. Also it didn't start happening till ~200 rounds were through the rifle.
Bull-s**t.
This is crazy you would think they would fix the damn issue not expect us to carve away at our rifle when we get it. This has permanently turned me off of cz. Also it didn't start happening till ~200 rounds were through the rifle.
Bull-s**t.
Hey guys,
Had my 858 for a couple of years now. Might have had 1 FTF out of several k rounds but possibly a bad primer (can't remember if the pin dropped - just dumped the round and kept firing-go figure!). Concerned about the gremlin 'cause my bolt is not tabbed so I thought I'd have a look.
So what I did was pulled the sear as per instructions/video - pop the springy thing on the R side of the rcvr. then hold trigger and punch pin to the right.
Had a look at the "bushing" - on mine actually extends thru the sear cl and does not appear removable, greased it up and reinstalled. click, click, click,... nothing.
WTF - sear moving towards right and against the rcvr "block"; as soon as it shifted over I had the gremlin. Shiite - pulled and put it back together a few times - same thing. WTFX2!!!
I figure I got some grief and best puzzle it out before "the walking dead" comes on on Sunday - even tho the show is more like zombie coronation street now...
Had a close look at the "springy thing" that you release to get the pin out. even tho the front side was locked into the recess in the rcvr the back (pin) end looked a bit high.
tapped the pin from the R side of the rcvr then used a punch and tapped around (on)the "springy thing" where the pin goes through. Seemed to suddenly go down a mm or so...into the slot on the pin.
All of a sudden no more problems - so I repeated the above and what i found was-
If you can push (hard) the sear over to the right (towards the "block") while working the trigger - if it gets to within a mm or two of the block - you are too loose with the "springy thing". Once the springy thing "lock" is properly in the sear pin slot you cannot move the sear to the right at all. No need for washers or anything else.
Let me know if this works for anybody?
Cheers
Saskatoon
Had my 858 for a couple of years now. Might have had 1 FTF out of several k rounds but possibly a bad primer (can't remember if the pin dropped - just dumped the round and kept firing-go figure!). Concerned about the gremlin 'cause my bolt is not tabbed so I thought I'd have a look.
So what I did was pulled the sear as per instructions/video - pop the springy thing on the R side of the rcvr. then hold trigger and punch pin to the right.
Had a look at the "bushing" - on mine actually extends thru the sear cl and does not appear removable, greased it up and reinstalled. click, click, click,... nothing.
WTF - sear moving towards right and against the rcvr "block"; as soon as it shifted over I had the gremlin. Shiite - pulled and put it back together a few times - same thing. WTFX2!!!
I figure I got some grief and best puzzle it out before "the walking dead" comes on on Sunday - even tho the show is more like zombie coronation street now...
Had a close look at the "springy thing" that you release to get the pin out. even tho the front side was locked into the recess in the rcvr the back (pin) end looked a bit high.
tapped the pin from the R side of the rcvr then used a punch and tapped around (on)the "springy thing" where the pin goes through. Seemed to suddenly go down a mm or so...into the slot on the pin.
All of a sudden no more problems - so I repeated the above and what i found was-
If you can push (hard) the sear over to the right (towards the "block") while working the trigger - if it gets to within a mm or two of the block - you are too loose with the "springy thing". Once the springy thing "lock" is properly in the sear pin slot you cannot move the sear to the right at all. No need for washers or anything else.
Let me know if this works for anybody?
Cheers
Saskatoon
The Cz is a good product. Appearently this issue became a problem because of turning the rifle into semi only for the Cdn market. It's an easy fix, I did it and have fired more than 1000 rounds since with no problems. Plan to get a second one next spring.
i believe there are more than one causes to the gremlin i have experienced the one where you pull the trigger to quickly or hold it in after firing a shot and the sear is brought to the lowered position. due to the design of the bolt carrier the disconnect does not disconnect the trigger before the striker has already ridden past the sear and therefore you get a light strike on the primer. and cannot fire until recocking and ejecting the lightly hit round. which will fire if you reload it. so that is one form of the gremlin which the cure is extending the bolt carrier with a tab that comes in contact with the disconnect before the striker rides past the sear thus completely fixing the problem... however it is difficult to find someone willing to do the alteration. if any of this confuses you just read it while you are looking at the parts im talking about and cycle the action slowly you will find if you pull the trigger as the bolt carrier is riding backwards now the sear is lowered and unable to connect to the striker and does not become raised until the bolt carrier comes forward to hit the disconnect but by then the striker is already forward of the sear. poor timing of your trigger pulls causes this one. there is lots of info on the web on this just google "tabbed vz 58 bolt carriers"
ok the second incarnation of the gremlin which i have also had is slop in the sear and disconnect connection and a simple fix is to throw a brass shim or small thin washer in there to cause a more positive contact between the sear and the disconnect. I know this is all info available on the net but i struggled finding it all and so i thought i would sum it up here.
the end
ok the second incarnation of the gremlin which i have also had is slop in the sear and disconnect connection and a simple fix is to throw a brass shim or small thin washer in there to cause a more positive contact between the sear and the disconnect. I know this is all info available on the net but i struggled finding it all and so i thought i would sum it up here.
the end
Sure did. Brass is easy to make a washer out of. I had to make two washers to take the slop out of mine. I used a drill though and some old scissors to cut the outer dimensions of the washer. Pretty easy stuff.
Be sure to make the OD of the washer small enough that it doesn't hang up the striker.
M'aiq the Liar
Member
- Location
- Vancouver Island
I tied a garbage bag twist tie in-between the sear bushing and the sear and I’ve put over two crate loads of ammo though it without any fails. I had a video of this on YouTube but I closed my YouTube account.
kiltmonkey
Member
- Location
- Vancouver, BC, Canada, Eh?
Is it possible to get the "gremlin" again after the rifle has been fixed by a gunsmith?
I bought my CZ 858 back in January and in March I experienced the "gremlin" (I pulled the trigger and nothing happened...). I took the rifle back to the gun store since it was still covered by warranty and I got it back about three weeks later. However, this past Sunday I went to the range (first time in about six weeks) and I experienced the "gremlin" thing again (pulled the trigger and nothing happened).
I'm going to take it back to the store to see if their gunsmith can take a look at it again. I love my CZ but this is getting annoying...
I bought my CZ 858 back in January and in March I experienced the "gremlin" (I pulled the trigger and nothing happened...). I took the rifle back to the gun store since it was still covered by warranty and I got it back about three weeks later. However, this past Sunday I went to the range (first time in about six weeks) and I experienced the "gremlin" thing again (pulled the trigger and nothing happened).
I'm going to take it back to the store to see if their gunsmith can take a look at it again. I love my CZ but this is getting annoying...
You need a tabbed bolt carrier.period. The only sure fire way to get rid of the gremlin. All 858's are subject to the problem because the full auto trigger group got gutted and were stuck with a design that is not what was intended originally.
Screw the gunsmith, screw cutting up spent 9mm cartridges or putting closet door track springs in your trigger group. Start digging and find yourself a tabbed bolt carrier, you just swap it out and your good to go. North sylva co imports Csa parts, you can get it from them or do what I did and buy an Nea one thats parkerized and has ambi charging handles. Hard to get Nea though, sell like hot cakes and they basically don't make them anymore cause they're always so damn buisy.
Screw the gunsmith, screw cutting up spent 9mm cartridges or putting closet door track springs in your trigger group. Start digging and find yourself a tabbed bolt carrier, you just swap it out and your good to go. North sylva co imports Csa parts, you can get it from them or do what I did and buy an Nea one thats parkerized and has ambi charging handles. Hard to get Nea though, sell like hot cakes and they basically don't make them anymore cause they're always so damn buisy.
i posted these pics on another thread....tabbed and un tabbed bolt carriers side by side for comparison......cz 858 untabbed, and a csa vz 58 tabbed.....
as you can see its a very easy fix....anybody that can weld can do it......
this should help.........
as you can see its a very easy fix....anybody that can weld can do it......
this should help.........
The NEA ones don't come with the gremlin erasing tab. Did it solve the problem for you or did you have to weld a tab yourself?
Last edited:
For future reference to anyone who wants to get a bolt carrier from CSA. I was able to order an entire bolt assembly, bolt, striker, firing pin and bolt carrier through one of their dealers locally.
I paid more than I'd like to admit but I can't weld and anyone who can would not do it because it's a firearm part and they are ignorant.
I paid more than I'd like to admit but I can't weld and anyone who can would not do it because it's a firearm part and they are ignorant.
