Eli just dropped a new video on the YouTube channel with three very unique offerings and I thought it would be cool to shed a little more light on just how special these guns are.
First up in the video, Eli currently has not one, but two shiny nickel plated long barreled S&W 29-2’s; but probably not for long. If you do not know what a S&W Model 29 is, slap yourself, and watch Dirty Harry, then, read this article and then follow up with this one. Now, go down to Liberty Tree and buy one of these beauties before I do.
You may be wondering what the “ -2” designation means, well simply put it identifies what might be considered a version number. There are 29s, 29-2s, 29-3s and so on. Obviously the Model 29 (no extra number) was first and was produced from 1957 to 1961 the “-1s” & “-2s” start in 1962 and the “-3’s” are from 1982-87. You can today also buy a 629, but that denotes a stainless gun, and these would be nickel plated (shinier, different maintenance requirements). What might make these guns more attractive to potential buyers is as model 29-2s they do not have key locks, which is a big deal to some people, nor do they have any metal investment molded (MiM) parts in them. If you don’t know what that means, then you also probably won’t care. But basically a MIM cast part is a metal part that has been injected molded with the strength of a machined part. It is a high-tech process, it can create a superior and more cost effective part vs traditional machining; the downside is if a manufacturer is not extremely skilled at the process or they have not been doing it long, it can result in more variation. Ruger has been doing them for years and is very skilled at the process; other companies who have flirted with it, but are not as committed to it have experienced some hiccups they had to work through. These guns predate S&W’s early attempts and come with all machined parts. I will say no more on the subject. Also, as 29-2s they should still have pinned barrels and recessed cylinders which come collectors/buyers find desirable. But LOOK at the video, they are beautiful examples of the gunmaking art.
The second Gun Eli showcased is a real unique firearm that is pretty rare in the West. the 7.62mm samonabíjecí puška vzor 52 … for those of you who do not speak Czech ‘vzor‘ means “model”. In the west we call it the vz52, and sometimes we erroneously call it a CZ 52. It is not technically a CZ firearm, because that company is not who originally made them, although eventually it was produced by CZ’s Česká zbrojovka ( Czechoslovakian Arms Factory) (in the town of) Uherský Brod, (lit. “river crossing to Hungary”), Czechoslovakia Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod [-say that with strong Eastern European accent, it makes you sound manly]
For those who do not know, the craftspeople and gunsmiths in former Czechoslovakia , now the Czech Republic, are some of the absolute best in the world, and have a legacy of creating and manufacturing very, very, nice firearms. The vz52 has some unique design features. The trigger mechanism is similar to that of a M1, the bolt is of a tilting design, but it tips forward, the rifle is charged on the right side,but the ejection system is made in such a way that the spent brass is ejected to the left and forward of the shooter. It feeds from a box magazine, but is also able to accept stripper clips. At least a million were produced between 1951-1952 but few have found there way to the West. Most of the ones produced during the Warsaw Pact days were made for the 7.62 x 39 cartridge of AK fame, but they were originally designed for the slightly more powerful Czech 7.62 x 45 And Liberty Tree has one…for a while.
Lastly, but perhaps the one that caught my attention the most is a Semi Auto rifle chambered in .22 Magnum. Eli touched on this in the video and it is a very good point, the .22 Magnum just does not get the love it deserves. It is a very very capable little cartridge, and we should embrace it more. The question is, are there few rifles chambered for the cartridge because the cartridge is somewhat unloved by the firearms using public, or is the cartridge underappreciated because of the dearth of rifles chambered for it? That is hard for me to say, but as Eli mentions there are very few choices in semi auto rifles chambered in 22 Mag. Eli mentions the Savage A22 Mag, and they are available. They are functional. They have good quality. But, well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose. Ruger used to make a 10/22 Magnum, and as some of you know I am not ashamed of being a fan of Ruger’s products, but sadly there are no new ones, and the used ones’s do not change hands often (which should tell us something). Which brings us back to CZ Arms. CZ is a great firearm manufacturer, they are hard to beat. And the CZ 512 is another one of CZ fine offerings. Several years back, for a period of time, CZ limited what models they were exporting for US import, because, reasons. But the successor to the discontinued 511 is back in the 512 and is being sent to our shores.
The 512 is a Semi Auto rifle chambered in 22 Mag, with a beautiful stock, and nice lines. It comes with good iron sights and is tapped for a scope. It is of an easily maintainable modular design and does not require a tool other than a coin for takedown. It shares the same scope and rings with the CZ model 455 bolt action rifle, so that is a neat feature. It is a fine looking rifle no matter the caliber, but when matched to the soft shooting but deceptively effective .22 Mag, this one is really a winner. Get it before it is gone, go visit Liberty Tree Guns.
