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| Uk vz. 59 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | General-purpose machine gun |
| Place of origin | Czechoslovakia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1959–present |
| Used by | Czech Republic Slovakia |
| Wars | Vietnam War Nigerian Civil War Lebanese Civil War Afghanistan Wars Uganda–Tanzania War Angolan Civil War South African Border War Tajikistani Civil War Mali War Kivu conflict Russo-Georgian War Libyan Civil War Russian invasion of Ukraine |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1956-1959 |
| Manufacturer | Zbrojovka Vsetín |
| Produced | 1959—1990s |
| Variants | Vz. 59 L, vz. 59T, vz. 59N, vz. 68, vz. 95, vz. 98 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 9.28 kg (20.5 lb) (vz. 59) 8.67 kg (19.1 lb) (vz. 59 L) |
| Length | 1,215 mm (47.8 in) (vz. 59) 1,115 mm (43.9 in) (vz. 59 L) |
| Barrel length | 650 mm (25.6 in) (vz. 59) 550 mm (21.7 in) (vz. 59 L) |
| Cartridge | 7.62×54mmR /7.62×51mm NATO |
| Action | Gas-operated,tiltingbreechblock |
| Rate of fire | 700-800 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 830 m/s (2,723 ft/s) (vz. 59) 810 m/s (2,657 ft/s) (vz. 59 L) |
| Effective firing range | 100 to 2000 m sight adjustments |
| Feed system | Belt-fed 50-round, weight 0.19 kg unloaded or 250 round belt |
| Sights | Hooded front post, folding leaf rear sight, sight radius 353 mm (13.9 in) |
TheUniversal Machine Gun Model 1959 (Czech:Univerzální kulomet vzor 59) is ageneral-purposemachine gun developed inCzechoslovakia in the 1950s. It remains in use by theCzech Army and theSlovak Armed Forces.
The Uk vz. 59 fires7.62×54mmR ammunition (although a Vz. 59N variant for7.62×51mm NATO ammunition also exists), delivered via an ammunition belt. The weapon can serve as a light (light barrel and bipod, vz. 59L model) and medium machine gun (heavy barrel and tripod), and can also be used as aco-axial mounted weapon (Vz. 59T version).
The machine gun is equipped with a lever-type feed mechanism introduced inLouis Stange's MG 39 Rh,[1] which is operated by the feed lever mounted outside the right wall of the receiver.
The pistol grip acts as the charging handle for the Uk vz. 59.
Afghanistan
Biafra[2]
Czech Republic[3]
Democratic Republic of Congo:Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo[4]
Georgia[5]
Libya[6]
Mali[citation needed]
Slovakia[3]
Tajikistan
Tanzania[7]
Ukraine: 3,200 UK vz.59s were gifted from theCzech Republic, sent as part of a military package in response to the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[8]
Vietnam: used by thePAVN andViet Cong during the Vietnam War/[9]
Media related toUK vz. 59 at Wikimedia Commons
