CZ 52 - Takedown Latch/Hold Open Pin Works Loose

[ckurts]

My beloved old CZ 52 is become a nuisance and possibly dangerous to fire. I have replaced the hold open catch, the pin and the hold open catch spring. Everything functions fine when I cycle by hand, but when I let loose 1 or 2 of those mean little 7.62 X 25 rounds, the pin starts to back out toward the left hand side of the pistol (by the holdopen catch). It's about halfway out by 3 rounds!

The pistol was bought in the arsenal refinished condition, and I've put about 2000 rounds through it. I put in an aftermarket break-resistant firing pin and extractor at about 200 rounds, an extra-power Wolff recoil spring and new "hardened" rollers at about 1500 rounds. They love me at Makarov.com.

Other than being a little loose on the rails (but no worse than a Colt 70 series I once owned) that's the only problem. It's reasonably accurate and very reliable. The barrel does not even show much wear.

 

[George Stringer]

Ckurts, I'd try replacing it first the original pin could just be worn. But if you can't find a replacement part then you might try using a cold chisel and make two opposing dents in it. The metal around the dents will raise a little and may provide you with enough tightening to hold the pin in place. George

 

[ckurts]

Thanks, George

I've already tried replacing the pin....three times. There's evidence of a small amount of wear on the replaced pins, just a little removal or polishing of the bluing or parkerizing. The part is easy and relatively cheap to find online but it drives the wife crazy to think that I'm paying $3-$6 to get a $2 part.

I'll try working with the pin as you suggested. Nobody's ever gonna hire me at NASA as a rocket scientist, so let me make sure I get this straight: the pin when installed sticks out a very tiny bit on the side of the gun opposite the hold open catch. Should I work with the pin installed (I think I have a very small chisel) or off the gun?

By the way, is this normal for CZ 52s? Of the 2000 or so rounds I've put through it, about 50% has been new commercial S&B ammo, 25% has been some fairly recent Chinese steel cased stuff, but about 25% has been some pretty gnarly old milsurp of various and sometimes dubious parentage. (I should probably be asking this over on Parallax Bill's milsurp board).

Thanks again, George.

Kurt

 

[marlon3320]

cz 52 take down pin loose

Have you come up with a cure for the takedown pin problem. My takedown pin comes loose after every shot. I did not see a post showing success.

 

[James K]

There is no takedown pin on the 52. Takedown is by pulling down on the takedown latch, not by removing any pins. I assume you mean the slide stop pin, which should NOT be removed for normal field stripping and cleaning. It is staked on the right end at the factory, using a center punch, and is not intended to be removed by the user. I suggest you do the same thing and then leave it alone.

Jim

 

[Toolman]

Mine had the same problem. I thought the pin was too long and here's what I did to correct it.
1: I mic'd the width of the frame where the pin is inserted.
2: I removed the pin & mic'd the length of it.
3: Using a surface grinder & vee-block, I ground .030" off the length of the pin and deburred that end.
4: I re-installed the pin and set it into the frame by .015" on each side of the frame.
5: Then I staked each side of the pin hole using a flat ended punch that's larger diameter than the pin hole.

This looked a lot better than using a center punch, the hole is staked all the way around and it hasn't come loose yet.