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.
UK vz. 59
Joker Island · Public domain
- Name
- Uk vz. 59
- Field
- general-purpose machine gun
- Region
- Czechoslovakia
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Documentary evidence
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wikidata · Q548744 · wikipedia · UK vz. 59
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Uk vz. 59 • Origin — Czechoslovakia • Type — General-purpose machine gun • Is Ranged — yes • 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 • Design Date — 1956-1959 • Manufacturer — Zbrojovka Vsetín • Production Date — 1959—1990s • Variants — Vz. 59 L, vz. 59T, vz. 59N, vz. 68, vz. 95, vz. 98 • Weight — 9.28 kg (vz. 59) 8.67 kg (vz. 59 L) • Length — 1215 mm (vz. 59) 1115 mm (vz. 59 L) • Part Length — 650 mm (vz. 59) 550 mm (vz. 59 L) • Cartridge — 7.62×54mmR / 7.62×51mm NATO • Action — Gas-operated, tilting breechblock • Rate — 700-800 rounds/min • Velocity — 830 m/s (vz. 59) 810 m/s (vz. 59 L) • Range — 100 to 2000 m sight adjustments • Feed — 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
Users
Users
• Afghanistan • Biafra • Czech Republic • Democratic Republic of Congo: Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo • Flagge FDLR.svg 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.
Gallery
Gallery
• Illustration — alt= Ukrainian volunteer with UK vz. 59
machine gun UK-L vzor 59, Uk vz. 59
Michal Maňas · Self-photographed
machine gun UK-L vzor 59, Uk vz. 59, detail, view from above
Michal Maňas · Self-photographed
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. • Illustration — UK-L vz. 59 with bipod. • Illustration — Detail of the UK-L vz. 59.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article UK vz. 59, revision 1374904013 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
References
Citations
References
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Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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