I have and have had for about 10 years one of each.

They recently piqued my interest (they were in the way as I was moving stuff out of the back of the safe) and I have started a quest to try to find information about them.
I did find one or two little snippets on the net about the VZ52 and one pretty decent write-up on the Hakim.

Any experts out there that can point me in the right direction(s)??

The Hakim is really well made and in good condition, and the VZ 52 seems to match what one site said, (heavily covered in black pebble finish paint. No rust anywhere though. IF it had a 7.62X39 rather than the 7.62X45 barrel I would be thrilled! or even if I could find a reasonably priced 7.62X39 barrel.

KirbyOG (OG for original gangster)
He got tagged with the nick name after an ill advised foray into trying to write a line of rap.
Any way I think Kirby put up this page or at least some of the content.
I have a Hakim and one of the original forged steel gas valve adjusting tools. The tool is probably more rare than the rifle. I presume you know how to strip a Hakim if not send me an IM.
Hakim here

not an expert but own one for years. do know not many are in the states in real good condition. would never sell it. i reload and it's nice to be able to turn off gas valve and have a single shot rifle. ireload 2 is right valve tool is impossible to find, my hakim's valve was shut off and used the rifle for several years as a single shot till found an article saying a nut driver, forgot size, with a notch cut in it would fit over the valve, it does and works fine.

How about the VZ52?? Nobody with any info.
How about a source of 7.62X39 barrels for the VZ52? I know they were available at one time to overcome the ammo issue.

I may well have to shoot the Hakim one of these days. Shortage of brass is somewhat of a holdup on that project. I have other 8 mms to feed ansd they are not hard on the brass as I have heard about the Hakim snd the brass deflector/"charging handle".

I have heard of a few VZ 52s that had been converted to the 7.62 X39 but I have never seen one. I would just get rid of it and dig up a Rashid (baby Hakim) somewhere.
The Hakim is hard on brass. If you are energetic enough you can make brass out of 30-06 or 270 brass with a trim die.
It bends the rim with the extractor, dents the rim with the ejector and dents the case body with the buffer handle. Sometimes the case mouths are dented by some part. Finally they are thrown 20 or 30 feet why you are receiving a concussion from the muzzle blast.
Never ever fire one without both ear muffs and ear plugs at the same time. The muzzle blast feels like it can blow your cap off.

To minimize damage to your cases you can shut off the gas and operate it manually.

Middle east firearms board http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=87

Czech firearms http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12

There are chamber inserts that are available to convert the 7.62x45 chamber into a 7.62x39 chamber. They are supposed to be epoxyed in. Some people have concerns over the safety of such, in that if they come out an excess headspace condition would exist. The inserts were available from Numrich.

The barrels are pressed in, which would make rebarreling . . . interesting. Until recently, spare barrels were advertised for sale by the Czech manufacturer, but the link has gone dead. I would imagine importation would also be . . . interesting.

Large numbers of VZ-52's were apparently sold by Century with inserts in their chambers, in addition to the truck-bed-liner on the stock.

There is another similar rifle, the VZ-52/57, which was originally manufactured in 7.62x39. I occasionally see examples at gun shows.

CDD

On the Hakim would it be possible to just turn the gas valve a little as to try regulate the gas rather then turn it all the way off? I don't have one to know and am curious.

I know some of the Valmets damage brass badly and they have a rubber protector that goes on the buffer handle, although it throws your brass further.

With my Hakim valve on the first detent you get pretty beat up brass. With it wide open it might put the brass in orbit.

TCLouis

Don't know if you are interested in it or not but I got my 7.62x45 brass form
http://www.buffaloarms.com/search.htm
I have a CZ or VZ 52 rifle, it is the one referred to as SHE rifle or something like that. It's the one with the attached bayonet. It shoots pretty good also. I hope to use it to get a Deer one day.

Steve E.......

I had a VZ52 for a while- it never did work properly, but I did have a chamber insert for it that I never used because I had about 700 rounds of 7.62X45 for it..

The insert was supposed to be secured with Locktite.

I eventually sold the rifle, ammo and insert for a bit more than i paid for them, and I do wish I had been able to get it to cycle properly.


Rashid and Hakim rifles were available here in southern California from Fed-ord a long time, and they still turn up at gun shows on occasion.

I seem to recall the Hakim was the 8MM copy of the Swede Ljungman rifle, while the Rashid was an original design chambered in 7.62X39.

I'll have to see if Dave still has both of his and is willing to let me shoot some photos.

-Badger-

I've had hands on with the Hakim. It's a quality piece, although a brass wrecker. From what I've read about the Rashid it's a POS. I heard good about the Czech VZ52.