CZ 858

Canada's answer for the AK

   In Canada, any AK variant is classified as a Prohib firearm, meaning that unless you have the right licence there is no legal way to own an AK-47 looking rifle while living in Canada. Although there are semi-automatic AK variants out there, they are still prohibited because of their history, that's like banning all pit-bulls because a few eat children... So the good ole country Czechoslovakia, sent in some surplus parts to make a semi-automatic SA vz 58's. Us here in Canada ate it up, so much to the extent that Canada had started making a "Canadian" model of the rifle: real wood stock with a maple leaf engravings... The CZ 858 (and the vz 58) have no internal relations to the AK, the only similarities to the original rifle is the basic shape, reloading method, and caliber.

   It's a fun rifle to shoot, only problem is the recoil. I don't mean the recoil is bad though, it just that the iron sights seem to be a bit low, if you get the rifle with a wire stock or a scope mount, then there'd be less of a chance of being tapped in the jaw by the wooden stock. Also there had been many surplus rounds of 7.62x39mm that would corrode the metal if you didn't properly clean the rifle. Something about chemicals in the primer affecting the type of metal that the knockoff AK's and SKS's were made of.

   Making the CZ was ultimately fun up until I reached the area that covered the gas piston, and the front sight. I had to figure out how to model these parts with a low poly count and still make it look up to snuff. I can't complain with the results in the end.