C&R Zb-26 MG shoot

[SVT-40]

Shot this MG yesterday. It's been adapted to shoot 7.62x39mm and use AK mags. Not a permanent modification. Sweet shooter in this caliber....Also shot a FA M-14 made by Springfield Armory. Not as fun as the Zb. Really not controllable from the shoulder on FA.

[major burnout]

Do the spent cases just pile up like that?

[smle-man]

I'd like to know how it was converted to 7.62x39. Replacement barrel, bolt, and magazine adapter?

[SVT-40]

Yup the cases eject out of the bottom of the receiver and just pile up. Since the 7.62x39 round has much less power than the standard 7.92 the ejection is very mild. But even the 7.92 cases just pile up under the gun too.

The mods to adapt the MG from 7.92 to 7.62x39 are extensive, however do not involve any permanent mods to the receiver. The barrels are a hybrid which were made in China decades ago they took a standard used Zb barrel reamed it out and inserted a Chrome lined SKS barrel insert into it. The press fit is so tight that you can barely see the delineation between the two.

The ejector, extractor, and a number of springs were also adapted. The mag catch bracket was also adapted (lengthened).....The ejector is the only real "frail" part... It's length is about 1.5" longer than standard to make up for the decreased case length of the 7.62x39 case, so it kind of sticks out unsupported into the chamber area..

We has no ejector issues during firing though, and the guns owner said he has not yet broken one...Probably due to the mild recoil of the 7.62x39 round.

The extractor's "claw" needs to be lengthened to be able to grab the 7.62x39 round's rim. That is accomplished by cutting and welding.

The MG uses modified AK mags which are narrowed to fit the standard Zb mag well width and also cut back on the sides and the follower is modified. Surprisingly the standard Zb26 bolt is retained, and functions perfectly.

This conversion was apparently very common in China, and as such there are many 7.62x39 barrels available if you know the right people. The remainder of the modifications just involve a bit of grinding or welding to replaceable parts.

The tripod which the Zb was mounted on is also a real neat little bit of kit. It's very light, and has a recoiling mechanism built into it. We were shooting the MG off a concrete pad with no bracing. The tripod didn't move even 1/8th of an inch. The tripod has a clamp which mates to the Zb receiver. Just a perfect combination!!! It's Spanish and called a "FAO" Numrich apparently has them for around $225. The weight of the tripod and mount/clamp is less than 20 lbs....

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/1369870.htm

Just a note we were shooting reloaded berdan steel cased ammo, which most folks just throw away...Function with this ammo was 99.9% positive. We did have one failure to fire out of about 500 rounds which may have been related to a case sizing issue.

I had previously shot this same MG in 7.92 Mauser. The muzzle blast was much more violent with the 7.92 round. The 7.62x39 was a Pus*y cat!!!

[SVT-40]

A few more pic's of this magnificent machine!!

[smle-man]

Cool, thanks much!

[pitfighter]

Very nice SVT, the ZB is an amazing piece of work.

Must have been fun to shoot, and more economical in 7.62 x 39!

Thanks for showing the pics.