VZ-52 and VZ-52/57
The VZ-52 is a semi-automatic rifle developed shortly after World War Two in Czechoslovakia. It is consired a reliable and accurate gun and, despit seeing very limited service in the Czech army, it was very common in several other countries, being exported as surplus weapons during the 50's and 60's.
The VZ-52/57 is a VZ-52 rechambered to the Soviet standard 7.62x39mm caliber.
Together with the FN-FAL the VZ-52 was one of the most common weapons of the Revolutionary Army and Militia in Cuba during the early sixties. Large amounts of this firearm can be seen in pictures of the Bay of Pigs invasion.
During the Cold War Czechoslovakia was a very important source of weapons for leftist governments and rebel groups, either as direct supplier or as a front for Soviet weapons. Countries like Egypt, Syria, Cuba and Granada, and rebel groups in Argelia and Somalia all received weapons from Czechoslovakia, some were of Czech design like the VZ-52, others were russian guns, like the AK-47, Ppsh and SKS, or surplus World War Two german weapons like the STG-44 and the MG-34.
Cuba received many weapons from the Czechs beyond the VZ-52, like the SA.25 sub-machinegun and the ZB-53 machinegun.
The VZ-52 is a semi-automatic gas-operated rifle, that fires the 7,62x45mm Czech round or the 7,62x39mm round in the VZ-52/57 configuration. It is loaded with a 10 round detachable box magazine, but can be feed with clips too.
AK-47
The AK-47 is a russian designed select fire assault-rifle. During the early 60's was still a modern, relatively new design, seeing front line use by the Soviet Army. However, small quantities of the rifle find their way to several communist rebel groups throughout the world, and some arrived in Cuba.
AKs would officialy came to the island only a year after the Bay of Pigs Invasion, when USSR realized Castro was right about the intervention plots from the US government. However some pictures show Cuban soldiers carrying and firing AKs during the invasion, probably supplied trough the black market during the revolution.
The AK-47 is a select fire, gas-operated Assault rifle, it fires the intermediate 7,62x39mm cartridge. It's loaded with a 30 round detachable box magazine and it can be fitted with a bayonet.
Mosin-Nagant
The Mosin-Nagant is a russian-belgian designed weapon, in use in the Russian Army since 1891, it saw extensive use during World War One and World War Two. Many versions and variants were produced, with the more common outside of Russia being the World War Two variants.
After World War Two surplus Mosins were exported to a variety of countries, including Cuba. While not as common as American made rifles, or the Czech made VZ-52 and Belgian FN-FAL, the Mosin can be found in the revolutionary arsenal.
In the same picture were an AK-47 can be seen, there is a Mosin rifle closer to the foreground, and many other bolt-action rifles being used in the distance, that are probably Mosins or Springfields 1903.
The Mosin-Nagant is a bolt-action rifle, it has a 5 round, non detachable box magazine, that is loaded with 5 round stripper clips. It fires the 7,62x54mmR cartridge and it can be fitted with bayonets. There's also a sniper version, fitted with a russian scope and bent bolt-handle.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sources:
Internet Movie Firearms Database:
Wikipedia:
En.wikipedia.org–Nagant
Aquellas Armas de Guerra (wordpress blog):
Aquellasarmasdeguerra.wordpress.com
frozen