Not much to do with the VZ2008. Below are a few things, most are a matter of taste.
- Get the carrier tabbed. I did them on each of mine, but only after a 1,000 rounds without the tab. Never had a problem, but it's good insurance.
- Bend down one of the leafs on the trigger spring to lighten the pull. It helps a lot, although from what I've read there are different weighted springs out there so the improvement may vary.
- This isn't a mod, but make sure that the split pin that holds in the mag release/bolt hold open pin is inserted from the outside and bottom of the receiver. The flat head should point down at the ground. If it's installed the opposite way, which it is on many rifles, there's a chance that the pin could rotate and the flat spot of the split pin allow the mag release pin to walk out, letting your mag release parts spill onto the ground.
- Get a surplus Czech, chrome-lined gas piston. The Century, US-made one is fine most of the time, but the Czech ones are better made. Replace the Century one and keep it as a spare. If you do, however, you'll need to get another US-made part. Ronin makes good grips. You could also change out the stock or hand guards. If you do replace the piston, they tend to have different diameters and you may have to open the piston hole in the back of the rear sight block with a round file -- go very easy and slowly as it doesn't need much.
- Replace the springs -- gas piston, striker, recoil -- with new or new-old-stock. Ebay usually has sets from the Czech of Slovak republics. The Century ones are of varying quality and wear, although all mine worked fine. Replace them and keep the Century ones as spares.
- Replace the striker with a new-old stock one. Keep the original as a spare.
- The front hand guard, obviously, gets hot. You could either replace it or modify the original. I got another surplus one for cheap and drilled vent holes in the bottom and sides. That helped, but I ended up bolting an angled foregrip onto it. You could also add a vertical one.
- One of the best mods I did was to get a surplus rear sight ladder, drill and tap it, and attach a rifle sling stud to make a peep sight. I first tried to retain the elevation adjustment, but ended up removing the slider and making it one height. It works very well and I can repeatedly hit steel bunnies and pigs from 50-100 yards, as well as a steel gong to 200 meters. Much faster than the factory notch sight.
