I think I got a lemon.

So i just got the dang thing and it looks awesome but looks can be deceiving I guess because when I rack the slide back it and release it, it sometimes only travels half the way back to the breech. Also, about 50% of the time, the trigger doesn't reset. In other words sometimes the trigger goes click and other times theres nothing. Is this the "gremlin"? I guess I can call the company and see what they say. Since I have the weekend to inspect it
is there something you guys can recommend I check on the mechanism?

Thanks!

Make sure the back cover is on properly.  Its easy to put on where one side is not in the grooves and basically tilted.  This causes massive feeding problems and trigger issues.  If this helps stay alert it'll happen again.

So here's a short vid of whats happening. I apologize for the shakiness but I was doing it one handed:

View My Video

Its hit or miss, sometimes it wont do it for a few cycles and other times it does it every time for like 5 or 6 tries where it wont fire.

I opened it up and it was bone dry so I lubed everything, plenty of oil on everything.

thanks for all the help.

get your carrier tabbed

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_4_99/156699_The_VZ2008_and_the_Czechpoint_Complete_Bolt.html

Mine does the same exact thing. If you ride the carrier forward it will stop halfway. If you pull it back slowly it will stop halfway.

It didn't effect the function so I ignored it but I guess it could have a potential for problems.

Did you push down on your striker springs to lighten them?

No I haven't modified the rifle in any mechanical way. I only oiled it up as it was dry as the Sahara desert inside.

I've surfed around the net and found other people having similar problems but
here's another little "tick" I just noticed:
(again please pardon the one handed quick video job)
View My Video

Carrier tab you say? Is that going to fix the "trigger not resetting" issue too? hmmmmm I have to see if I can find the link to that guy that does the tab fix unless someone has it handy perhaps, please, thankee?

Honestly, I'm not sure about your last video. But the trigger not resetting is the gremlin issue. Czechpoint/Czech Small Arms rifles come with the carrier tabbed. Century has a "fix" that they do, but it's not 100%. Century initially tabbed their guns. But they got sued by CSA/Czechpoint several years ago.

Forced March is the only person I'm aware of that does the tabbing presently:
http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=61434.0

The infamous gremlin issue has been around for years and Century VZs still suffer from it? How frequent seeing this problem? I just ordered my VZ2008 from PSA, maybe I should cancel the order! I don't want to mess with it unless there is an easy fix, welding a tab is too much trouble and I don't think worth to mess with it.

czech point has a patent on the tab. So any other company will still  "suffer" from it. The VZ 58 was never designed to be a SA.. czech point patented the tab carrier to solve this "gremlin" issue.

Get the carrier tabed for $55 or spend $1060 for a czech point that is already tabed from them.

It also should be said; not all will have this problem.. but there is always a chance on a untabbed carrier.

I never had a gremlin issue on mine; but i sent it to be tabbed for $55 which included is the tab, the cost to install it and return shipping. Check my link above.

Your rifle is most likely fine.  You're riding the bolt.  My VZ2008's work perfectly and will do the exact same thing as yours if I ride the bolt.  Pull the bolt back like you're mad at it and completely let go when the bolt is at the back and let it snap forward.  All guns should be racked like that, although not all need it.   You can rack the bolt with all your might and force and you will still not come close to applying the punishment that normal live-fire cycling will.

The action will smooth out with use, but even then it will hang up if you ride the bolt.  

If you open the dust cover and play with the safety selector you'll see why it will let the bolt go.

All that said, you may still have a Gremlin, although unlikely as 99% of the Gremlin reports are with makes other than Century and with Century's 2nd generation, where they weren't legally able to tab the carrier.  My two rifles shot 1,000 rounds perfectly and still got them tabbed for long term reliability.  The tabbing doesn't do anything except lengthen the amount of time the disconnector is pressed down; we're talking about fractions of a second.  It's very cheap insurance.

Try racking the bolt with authority, take it out shooting, and see how it does.  If you send it back to Century now, they'll probably find nothing wrong with it and send it back to, with several weeks turnaround.  If there actually is a problem, Century is reportedly taking care of any issues with these rifles, which honestly are few and far between.  I do recommend eventually tabbing the carrier.  

Thank you all for the replies and advice. I'm going to send the bolt out to get 'tabd' and then I'll go from there.

Spax, thank you for tirelessly helping us vz2008 virgins. Century and its resellers should be paying you money for every one of their customers you are helping!!!

Bod, Wow congrats on your first post!! I feel honored that you took the time to answer my plea for help with such insightful knowledge and indepth explanation.  I'm truly grateful.

Knife, Gas and Jack, thanks for giving me some direction, guys. It is most appreciated!

Palmetto, the fit and finish on the rifle is beautiful thanks guys. Its a nice product at a great price. However, you really should warn people about this problem so we don't have to go to lengths to figure out the fix for this issue.

And lastly, shame on me for not doing more research before I bought this product.

Glad i could help you. I 100% agree with you on the fit and finish.. for a century product these are amazing.





As for shame on  you.. nah Its ok.. at least you posted here and asked for second opinions before freaking out to century.

You're welcome!  Enjoy the rifle!  You'll probably find that it works very well, and if not, then tabbing the carrier should fix that.

There may be some other issues:  You may find that when you pull the trigger nothing happens -- this is not the striker reset issue typically know as the Gremlin, it's the trigger itself not resetting.  Instead of racking the bolt, let the trigger out all the way.  All guns need the trigger let out to reset, it's just that the VZ2008 is a little less forgiving.  I had terrible habits initially (it may be due to being strictly a revolver guy for a long time) and this problem was also happening with other semi-auto's I have.  I've since improved my trigger discipline and corrected the issue.  It's not the fault of the VZ2008.

I'm getting a message that this post is too long; I'll continue below.

(cont'd)

Another thing that may happen is that you'll pull the trigger and again nothing happens.  You let the trigger all the way out and still nothing happens.  Worse yet, you can't get the dust cover off to see what's happening.  This problem didn't happen with my rifles, but seemed to be common with the second generation VZ2008's.  What happens is that the safety selector pin "walks" laterally maybe 1/16" and the notch/cam effectively puts your gun into safe mode even though you didn't touch the safety selector switch.  The immediate fix is to push the safety selector pin back into place -- it will barely move but that's all it will take and the notch/cam will allow the trigger to work.  If you take your dust cover off and study the interaction of the FCG while turning the safety selector you'll see what I mean.  The permanent fix is to file away just a tiny bit at the cam so that when the pin walks, it will no longer interfere with the trigger.  After I read about the fix, I checked both my rifles and it was obvious that Century had already implemented it.  You probably won't have to deal with it.

Those are the quirks that I know of.  Again, have fun!

One last question please. Does that tab cause any abnormally fast wear on a certain internal part such as the striker reset?

I had the same concern, but if you look at the mechanism closely, you'll see that it should not increase wear.  Go online and search for "VZ58 carrier tabbed" and you'll get a bunch of photos to study.  You'll see that all the tab does is extended forward what is already a "tab" built into the carrier.  The extension (welded tab) increase the amount of time the disconnector is engaged.  If anything, I would think that it would reduce wear as it smooths operation and eliminates the need to rerack due to the striker following the bolt home (classic gremlin), although that reduction is probably nominal.

There is a simple test to determine if your rifle has the gremlin issue but i can't find the thread that had it. As for the binding, mine came out of the box smooth as glass but first time I reassembled it mine would bind up halfway, so I found a great assembly/dissassembly video on youtube and watched it several times, then put mine back together correctly and it functioned fine. But I'd contact Century first, there was an earlier post that someone's warranty wasn't honored because the 'clock' on the warranty started when century sold the rifle to the dealer, not to the buyer. Not sure if that's true but wouldn't hurt to go ahead and submit a request, you've still got time to address it before you ship it off. Century's return work seems to be good based on what I've read.  

Do  not hesitate in dealing with the gentlemen on CZ forum ( http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=61434.0). Communication was excellent, the work done was fantastic and affordable. My vz 2008 didn't have the gremlin yet.. but i wanted a carrier tabbed for peace of mind. $55  was the cost.. it included tab and return shipping . Turn around time was 2-2.5wks.. which was perfectly acceptable to me.

Here are some of my photographs of his work.