SA Vz - 58 The SA Vz - 58 is a assault rifle made in Czechoslovakia in 1958 by the Česká zbrojovka , and is still being used by the Czech and Slovak Armies , is being slowly replaced by the CZ - 805 BREN and the CZ - 2000 . Description . The Samopal vzor 1958 ( submachine gun , model of 1958 ) was the standard assault rifle of the Czechoslovak army from the late 1950s and until the dissolution of the ČSSR in the 1993 . At the present time the SA Vz . 58 is still used by the Czech and Slovak armies , as well as sold for export in some quantities . The SA Vz . 58 saw not much of real combat , so it is hard to judge how it stakes up against the most known contemporary rivals , like the Soviet / Russian AK - 47 or the US M16 . But the overall quality , fit and finish of this rifle is excellent . This rifle had been designed by the Czech arms designer Jiří Čermák , under the project codename " KOŠTĚ " , or " Broom " , in English . Development began in January 1956 , and the rifle was adopted for service only 2 years later , in 1958 . The rifle was manufactured by the state - owned arms factory " Česká zbrojovka " , located in the town of Uherský Brod ( CZ - UB ) . The Czech army planned to replace the SA Vz . 58 with the newest CZ - 2000 and the CZ - 805 rifle system , chambered for 5 . 56mm NATO ammunition , but the financial difficulties severely slowed down this process . The SA Vz . 58 strongly resembles externally the famous Kalashnikov AK - 47 assault rifle , but internally it is entirely different and of original and well - thought out design . Technical description . The SA Vz . 58 is a gas operated , magazine fed , selective fire weapon . It uses more or less conventional short stroke gas piston , located above the barrel . The gas piston has its own return spring . The locking system features a linearly moving bolt ( breechblock ) with a separate tilting locking piece . The breechblock ( bolt ) is located under the bolt carrier , and the locking piece is hinged to the bolt and located under it . Gun fires from the closed bolt all times . When gun is fired , the gas piston gives a short tap to the bolt carrier . After a free movement of about 22 mm ( . 9 inch ) the bolt carrier swings the locking piece up from the locking recesses in the receiver , and thus unlocks the bolt . From this moment on the bolt group moves back at once , extracting and ejecting the spent case and chambering the fresh cartridge . At the end of the return stroke the bolt stops in the forwardmost position against the breech face , while the bolt carrier continues to move forward , swinging the locking piece down and into the locking recesses , thus locking the bolt to the receiver . The overall system can be roughly described as a mix between the Walther P - 38 pistol and the Czech ZB - 26 ( or British Bren ) machine gun locking . The charging handle is attached to the right side of the bolt carrier . The trigger / hammer unit also differs from the most common designs in that it is a striker fired design . The massive cylindrical striker is located at the rear , hollowed part of the bolt , and has its own spring located under the bolt group return spring . The striker has a lug that interacts with the sear and is used to hold the striker in the cocked position . The overall design of the trigger unit is relatively simple and has few moving parts . The safety / fire mode selector switch is located at the right side of the receiver , and has 3 positions for safe , single shots and full automatic fire . The basic variant , SA Vz . 58P , has a fixed buttstock , and furniture made either from wood ( early models ) or from wood - impregnated plastic ( late production models ) . The SA Vz . 58V has a side - folding metallic buttstock , and the SA Vz . 58Pi is similar to the SA Vz . 58P except that it has a large mounting bracket on the left side of the receiver , that allows for the IR / Night sights to be mounted . The sights are of open type , with hooded front post and open notch adjustable rear .