UK vz. 59

The Universal Machine Gun Model 1959 (Czech: Univerzální kulomet vzor 59) is a general-purpose machine gun developed in Czechoslovakia in the 1950s. It remains in use by the Czech Army and the Slovak Armed Forces.

Description
The Uk vz. 59 fires 7.62×54mmR ammunition (although a Vz. 59N variant for 7.62×51mm 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 a co-axial mounted weapon (Vz. 59T version).

The machine gun is equipped with a lever-type feed mechanism introduced in Louis Stange's MG 39 Rh, 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.

Users

 * 🇦🇫 Afghanistan
 * Biafra
 * 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
 * Democratic Republic of Congo: Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
 * Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda


 * Georgia
 * 🇱🇾 Libya
 * 🇲🇱 Mali
 * 🇸🇰 Slovakia
 * 🇹🇯 Tajikistan
 * 🇹🇿 Tanzania
 * 🇺🇦 Ukraine: 3,200 UK vz.59s were gifted from the Czech Republic, sent as part of a military package in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
 * Vietnam: used by the PAVN and Viet Cong during the Vietnam War/