A Cold Warrior back from the Abyss

The 1950s were an interesting time for weapons.  The Cold War, with massive Armies on NATO's central front, faced off against the Soviet dominated Warsaw Pact. The Czechoslovakian Government, being independent and obedient at the same time, developed their own weapons and cartridges.  The Vz 52 rifle was the result of some of this development.

 The 7.62x45 cartridge was years ahead of it's time.  it would make a great round for an AR type rifle today.  However, by the mid 1950s the Word was passed, adopt the 7.62x39 COMBLOC cartridge.  The Czechs and Slovaks complied and introduced the Vz 52/57 in the COMBLOC cartridge.

 By the late 1950s the 10 round semi automatic was obsolescent.  The very excellent Vz 58 relegated the Vz 52 and later 52/57 to second line use.  They were used in battle in hot spots on the periphery of the Cold War.  This one was imported  and converted to 7.62x39 from the original 7.62x45.  Unloved and abused it was covered in truck bed liner and sold on the cheap.

 Initially the rifle did not function, but an adjustment to the gas system fixed that.  Hours of elbow grease removed the truck liner and restored the original appearance.