Vz. 58 vs ZB vz. 37: Specs Compared

ASmall arms

Vz. 58

Assault rifle

Credit

Jan Hrdonka ( en:User:Hrd10 ) · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

BSmall arms

ZB vz. 37

Medium machine gun

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Vz. 58vz. 58 V with bayonet fixed

1 m

Length source ↗

ZB vz. 37ZB-53, Vz.37 · Length · Length

1.105 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Measured figures

Head to head

19 of 65 rows sourced on both sides

1mvz. 58 V with bayonet fixed

1.11mZB-53, Vz.37 · Length · Length

LengthScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

0.845 m

vz. 58 P

Single source

0.845 m

vz. 58 V stock extended /

Single source

0.636 m

vz. 58 V stock folded

Single source

1 m

vz. 58 V with bayonet fixed

Single source

vz. 58 P: 845 mm (33.3 in) vz. 58 V 845 mm (33.3 in) stock extended / 636 mm (25.0 in) stock folded 1,000 mm (39.4 in) with bayonet fixed^[source]

1.105 m

ZB-53, Vz.37 · Length · Length

Single source

1.105 m (43.5 in)^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Length

72mmstock folded

—

Width

All recorded figures & sources

0.057 m

stock extended

Single source

0.072 m

stock folded

Single source

57 mm (2.2 in) stock extended 72 mm (2.8 in) stock folded^[source]

255mm

—

Height

All recorded figures & sources

0.255 m

Height

Single source

255 mm (10.0 in)^[source]

2.91kg

21kgZB-53, Vz.37 · Mass · Empty

Mass

All recorded figures & sources

2.91 kg

Mass

Single source

2.91 kg (6.42 lb)^[source]

21 kg

ZB-53, Vz.37 · Mass · Empty

Single source

21 kg (46 lb) empty^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Mass

2.8kmMaximum; Maximum firing range

—

Range

All recorded figures & sources

0.1–0.8 km

Effective; sight adjustments

Single source

2.8 km

Maximum; Maximum firing range

Single source

100–800 m sight adjustments^[source]

2,800 m^[source]

390mm

736mm

Barrel length

All recorded figures & sources

0.39 m

Barrel length

Single source

390 mm (15.4 in)^[source]

0.736 m

ZB-53, Vz.37 · Barrel length · Barrel length

Single source

0.736 m (29.0 in)^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Barrel length

800rpm

500–800rounds/min

Rate of fire

All recorded figures & sources

800 rounds/min

Rate of fire

Single source

800 rounds/min^[source]

500–800 rounds/min

ZB-53, Vz.37 · Rate of fire · Rate of fire

Single source

500–800 rounds/min^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Rate of fire

705m/sMuzzle energy : 1988 J

—

Muzzle velocity

All recorded figures & sources

705 m/s

Muzzle energy : 1988 J

Single source

705 m/s (2,313 ft/s) Muzzle energy : 1988 J^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

Vz. 58 and ZB vz. 37 configuration
Specification	Vz. 58	ZB vz. 37
Type	Assault rifle^[source]	Medium machine gun^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Type
Place of origin	Czechoslovakia^[source]	Czechoslovakia^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Place of origin
In service	1959–present^[source]	1937–1960s (Czechoslovakia)^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · In service
Used by	See Users^[source]	See Users^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Used by
Wars	Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Cambodian Civil War Nigerian Civil War Communist rebellion in the Philippines Cyprus conflicts Lebanese Civil War Cambodian-Vietnamese War Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present) The Troubles South African Border War Eritrean War of Independence Gulf War Burundian Civil War Kosovo War War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Iraq War Kivu Conflict First Libyan Civil War Syrian Civil War War in Iraq (2013–2017) Russian invasion of Ukraine^[source]	Spanish Civil War World War II Second Sino-Japanese War 1948 Palestine war Cyprus Emergency Portuguese Colonial War Vietnam War Bangladesh Liberation War Bay of Pigs Invasion Nigerian Civil War Turkish invasion of Cyprus South African Border War Soviet–Afghan War United States invasion of Panama^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Wars
Designer	Jiří Čermák^[source]	Václav Holek^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Designer
Designed	1956–1958^[source]	1935^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Designed
Manufacturer	Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod^[source]	Zbrojovka Brno Zbrojovka Vsetín^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Manufacturer
Produced	1959–1982^[source]	1936–early 1950s^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Produced
No. built	Approx. 920,000^[source]	—
Variants	See Variants^[source]	—
Cartridge	7.62×39mm^[source]	7.92×57mm Mauser 7.62×45mm^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Cartridge
Action	Gas-operated , hinged locking piece assisted breechblock^[source]	Gas-operated^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Action
Feed system	Staggered 30-round detachable box magazine , weight 0.19 kg (0.42 lb) unloaded^[source]	225-round metal link belt^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Feed system
Sights	Open-type iron sights with sliding rear tangent and shrouded front post 353 mm (13.9 in) sight radius^[source]	—
Reported operators	Reported operator · Angola Reported operator · Burundi Reported operator · Cuba Reported operator · Cyprus Reported operator · Eritrea Reported operator · Ethiopia Reported operator · Guatemala Reported operator · Guinea Reported operator · India Reported operator · Indonesia Reported operator · Iraq Reported operator · Kurdistan Reported operator · Ivory Coast Reported operator · Laos Reported operator · Libya Reported operator · Mozambique Reported operator · Philippines Reported operator · Slovakia Reported operator · Somalia Reported operator · Syria Reported operator · Tanzania Reported operator · Ukraine Reported operator · Vietnam	Reported operator · Cuba Reported operator · Cyprus Reported operator · Guatemala Reported operator · Afghanistan Reported operator · Argentina Reported operator · Bangladesh Reported operator · Biafra Reported operator · Chile Reported operator · China Reported operator · Czechoslovakia Reported operator · Iran Reported operator · Israel Reported operator · Namibia Reported operator · Nazi Germany Reported operator · Panama Reported operator · Peru Reported operator · Romania Reported operator · Slovak Republic (1939–1945) Reported operator · Spain Reported operator · United Kingdom Reported operator · Venezuela Reported operator · Yugoslavia

FORCETALLY

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Vz. 58

ZB vz. 37

Type

Assault rifle^[source]

Medium machine gun^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Type

Place of origin

Czechoslovakia^[source]

Czechoslovakia^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Place of origin

In service

1959–present^[source]

1937–1960s (Czechoslovakia)^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · In service

Used by

See Users^[source]

See Users^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Used by

Wars

Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Cambodian Civil War Nigerian Civil War Communist rebellion in the Philippines Cyprus conflicts Lebanese Civil War Cambodian-Vietnamese War Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present) The Troubles South African Border War Eritrean War of Independence Gulf War Burundian Civil War Kosovo War War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Iraq War Kivu Conflict First Libyan Civil War Syrian Civil War War in Iraq (2013–2017) Russian invasion of Ukraine^[source]

Spanish Civil War World War II Second Sino-Japanese War 1948 Palestine war Cyprus Emergency Portuguese Colonial War Vietnam War Bangladesh Liberation War Bay of Pigs Invasion Nigerian Civil War Turkish invasion of Cyprus South African Border War Soviet–Afghan War United States invasion of Panama^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Wars

Designer

Jiří Čermák^[source]

Václav Holek^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Designer

Designed

1956–1958^[source]

1935^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Designed

Manufacturer

Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod^[source]

Zbrojovka Brno Zbrojovka Vsetín^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Manufacturer

Produced

1959–1982^[source]

1936–early 1950s^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Produced

No. built

Approx. 920,000^[source]

—

Variants

See Variants^[source]

—

Cartridge

7.62×39mm^[source]

7.92×57mm Mauser 7.62×45mm^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Cartridge

Action

Gas-operated , hinged locking piece assisted breechblock^[source]

Gas-operated^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Action

Feed system

Staggered 30-round detachable box magazine , weight 0.19 kg (0.42 lb) unloaded^[source]

225-round metal link belt^[source]ZB-53, Vz.37 · Feed system

Sights

Open-type iron sights with sliding rear tangent and shrouded front post 353 mm (13.9 in) sight radius^[source]

—

Reported operators

Reported operator · Angola
Reported operator · Burundi
Reported operator · Cuba
Reported operator · Cyprus
Reported operator · Eritrea
Reported operator · Ethiopia
Reported operator · Guatemala
Reported operator · Guinea
Reported operator · India
Reported operator · Indonesia
Reported operator · Iraq
Reported operator · Kurdistan
Reported operator · Ivory Coast
Reported operator · Laos
Reported operator · Libya
Reported operator · Mozambique
Reported operator · Philippines
Reported operator · Slovakia
Reported operator · Somalia
Reported operator · Syria
Reported operator · Tanzania
Reported operator · Ukraine
Reported operator · Vietnam

Reported operator · Cuba
Reported operator · Cyprus
Reported operator · Guatemala
Reported operator · Afghanistan
Reported operator · Argentina
Reported operator · Bangladesh
Reported operator · Biafra
Reported operator · Chile
Reported operator · China
Reported operator · Czechoslovakia
Reported operator · Iran
Reported operator · Israel
Reported operator · Namibia
Reported operator · Nazi Germany
Reported operator · Panama
Reported operator · Peru
Reported operator · Romania
Reported operator · Slovak Republic (1939–1945)
Reported operator · Spain
Reported operator · United Kingdom
Reported operator · Venezuela
Reported operator · Yugoslavia