Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod
Joint stock company | ||
Industry | Firearms | |
---|---|---|
Predecessor | Česká zbrojovka Strakonice | |
Founded | 1919Jihočeská zbrojovka) 1936 (Uherský Brod factory) | (|
Headquarters | , | |
Area served | Worldwide | |
Products | ||
Revenue | 4,996,687,000 Czech koruna (2017) Parent Colt CZ Group | |
Subsidiaries |
| |
Website | www |
Česká zbrojovka a.s. (CZ,
CZ currently has around 1,800 employees. It is one of the highest volume exporters in the Czech Republic, sending its products to more than 100 countries. The company is among the top ten
History
In 1919 Jihočeská zbrojovka was founded in Strakonice. Today's Česká zbrojovka a.s. was built as part of a large-scale transfer of strategically important production capacities of the former Czechoslovakia as far as possible from the western borders threatened by Nazi Germany. In Uherský Brod in the south-east of Moravia, a brand-new arms factory was established in 1936, which was one of the most modern and most efficient factories at the time. In the first years of its existence, it was successfully engaged primarily in the highly demanding production of aircraft machine guns.
1945 – 1992
After
The vz. 58 assault rifle chambered in the 7.62×39 mm cartridge, was a Czechoslovak alternative to the Soviet's AK-47 with an original design. This firearm was produced in Uherský Brod for the national armed forces as well as for export until 1984 and the total production volume reached about 920,000 units.
In 1961 Sa vz. 61 Škorpion machine pistol was introduced to fill the gap between submachine guns and semi-automatic pistols. More than 200,000 of these machine pistols in the standard .32 ACP cartridge were produced in Uherský Brod until 2000, and small batches of these machine pistols in the .380 ACP version were produced in the 1990s.
The CZ 75 semi-automatic pistol, revolutionary in a number of aspects, was the work of the well-known designer František Koucký, who worked on its development based on an assignment of today's Česká zbrojovka a.s since 1969. This firearm with perfect ergonomics and unique double-action trigger mechanism co-defined the category of Wonder Nines, i.e. large capacity SA/DA pistols chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum and has long been one of the most popular of them.
1992 – present
In 1992 Česká zbrojovka was privatized and transformed it into a joint-stock company, which concentrates its activities in its main plant in Uherský Brod on the development and production of high-quality firearms, while utilizing its remaining capacity for the production of high-precision components for the automotive and aerospace industry. The position of Česká zbrojovka, a.s. on the world's firearms market has significantly strengthened by the establishment of the subsidiary distribution and service company CZ-USA in 1997. This subsidiary started its activities in California, but in 1998 it relocated to Kansas City, Kansas, where it still operates. Within the creation of the international holding Česká zbrojovka Group (now Colt CZ Group), CZ-USA became an independent business entity.
In order to preserve the famous tradition of firearms production in Brno, Česká zbrojovka a.s began preparing to take over the firearms division of
In 2011 the company began production of the new generation of CZ 805 BREN A1/A2 assault rifles, CZ SCORPION EVO 3 A1 submachine guns and CZ 805 BREN G1 grenade launchers for the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. Česká zbrojovka a.s significantly penetrated foreign markets by opening a separate space for the assembly and repairs of CZ pistols at the FAME army plant in Lima, Peru. The Czech company participated in the project by supplying modern equipment and tools and training of technical personnel. This enabled the Peruvian company to assemble CZ guns, provide service and sell them on the Peruvian market and then throughout Latin America. It was the first case of technological transfer of Česká zbrojovka a.s to this promising region.
Since 2018, Česká zbrojovka a.s has been part of the international holding
Notable developments
Over the years Česká zbrojovka has developed several revolutionary or highly influential designs in various fields of
- vz. 23/25 submachine gun with overhanging bolt
- vz. 52 roller locked automatic pistol
- vz. 61 Škorpion ultra compact submachine gun with rate reducer
- vz. 75 high-capacity automatic pistol with cam unlocking
Current production
Pistols
- CZ 75 - 9mm high-capacity semi-automatic pistol with cam unlocking
- CZ P-07- CZ P-07 (compact) and CZ P-09 (full-size) polymer pistols
- CZ P-10 - Striker-fired pistol with polymer frame
- CZ SHADOW - A double-action sport shooting version of CZ 75
- CZ TS - Championship Pistols CZ 75 TS and CZ TS 2 series
Submachine guns
- CZ Scorpion EVO 3- Select-fire 9x19mm Parabellum submachine gun
Rifles
- CZ 457 - Bolt-action rifle with .22 Long Rifle caliber
- CZ 600 - Bolt-action rifle
- CZ-USA Field Sports - Shotgun
- 7.62×51 mm NATOcaliber
- CZ BREN 2- Assault rifle with 5.56×45mm NATO and 7.62x39mm caliber
- CZ 805 G1 - Grenade launcher
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Pistol CZ 75
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PistolCZ P-07
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Pistol CZ P-10 C
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Pistol CZ SHADOW
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Pistol CZ TS
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Submachine gunCZ Scorpion EVO 3
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Assault rifleCZ BREN 2
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Grenade launcher CZ 805 G1
Discontinued products
Handguns
- ČZ pistol, Modell 27 Kal,7.65 mm
- ČZ pistol, caliber 7.65 mm
- ČZ pistol, caliber 6.35 mm
- Model LK 38 pistol, 9 mm caliber
- DUO pistol, caliber 6.35 mm
- Target pistol, Model ZKP 493
- CZ 40B pistol, a Joint venture with Colt
- CZ 40P (Limited run, no longer in production)
- CZ 45
- CZ 50
- CZ 52
- CZ 70
- CZ 82 and CZ 83
- CZ 97B/BD.45acp B = DA/SA; BD = DA/SA with de-cocker
- CZ 100
- CZ 110
- CZ 122
- ZKR-551 revolver, chambered in 7.62 Nagant, .22 LR, .32 S&W Long and .38 Special. Was manufactured from 1957-1971 and continued in 1990s until 2006.[4]
- ZKR-590 Grand revolver, in calibers .38 and .22 and 7.62 Nagant short
Smallbore rifles
- Model 242
- Model 243
- Model 244
- Model 245
- Model 246
- Model 247
- ZKM 452 2E
- CZ 452
- CZ 453
- CZ 455
- CZ 511
- CZ 512 - Semi-automatic rifle chambered in .22 Long Rifle
- CZ 513
- CZ 527, caliber .17 Hornet; .204 Ruger; .223 Rem; 7.62x39, etc.
Bigbore rifles
- CZ 550
- CZ 557
- CZ 584 combination gun,12 ga.x calibers 7x65R; 7×57R; 5.6×52R; 6.5×57R; .243, .308, .30-06, etc.
- CZ 807 - Chambered in 7.62x39mm
Aircraft machine guns
- LK 30
- MG 17
Assault rifles
Submachine guns
- Sa vz. 23/25 (9×19mm Parabellum and 7.62×25mm Tokarev)
- Škorpion vz. 61 (.32 ACP a.k.a. 7.65×17mm Browning SR)
Shotguns
- The CZ 581 Over and under shotgun, 12/12 bore;
- The CZ 585 Over and under shotgun; the over and under rifle/shotgun; the CZ 582 prepared for SKEET shooting
Miscellaneous
- Signal/flare pistol
- Components for the infantry fire-support machine gun models MG 34, MG 81, and the K 35 anti-aircraft cannon
- Alarm/starting pistols: UB 070 and 071
- Signal pistols: 44/67, produced between 1981–1983
- Target pistol: Model ZKP 493
- Air rifles: Z 47, 235, 236, 237, 612, 614, 618, 620, 624, 630, 631, 632, 634, 800, 801 and 802
- Air pistol: Model ZVP, 4.5 mm
- Gas-fired pistol: The APP Automatic
- Air pistol: Tex, Model 3
- CO2 pistol: Model CZ 75D Compact, 4.5 mm
- Three shot automatic shotgun: CZ 241, 12, 16 and 20 gauge
- Over and under shotguns: 12, 16 and 20 gauge
- Over and under ČZ models: 581 and 584 - 586
- Hunting rifles: ZKK 600, 601 and 602, calibers ranging from .243Win-.248Win
- Rifles: The ZKW 465 Hornet and the ZKW 465 Fox
- Small bore rifles: ZKM 452, 561, 573 and 581
- Rifles: ZKW 465, 680
- Rifle: CZ 537
See also
- Česká zbrojovka Strakonice
- Category:Semi-automatic pistols of Czechoslovakia
- Gun politics in the Czech Republic
- Zbrojovka Brno
References
- ^ "Příběh firmy Česká zbrojovka: kde se rodí pistole". E15.cz (in Czech). 28 December 2016.
- ^ "CZG – Česká zbrojovka Group SE kupuje společnost Colt" [CZG - Česká zbrojovka Group SE acquires Colt]. Armádní noviny (in Czech). 12 February 2021.
- ^ "CZG - Česká zbrojovka Group Has Changed Its Name to Colt CZ Group SE" (Press release). Colt CZ Group. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ Rusty S. (March 3, 2021). "Wheelgun Wednesday: Czech Revolver – The ZKR-551". The Firearms Blog. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
The ZKR-551 was manufactured by Zbrojovka Brno. From 1957 until 1971, about 2500 of these guns were made, chambered in 7.62 Nagant, .22 LR, .32 S&W Long (a popular UIT/ISSF competition chambering) and by far the most used in competition, .38 Special. A further run of 300 pieces was made during Zbrojovka Brno's second incorporation in the 1990's-2006. They were a success in the UIT competitive setting, helping Czechoslovakian shooters win and place well.
Literature
- David Pazdera, Jan Skramoušský: Česká zbrojovka. Historie výroby zbraní v Uherském Brodě [Česká zbrojovka. History of weapon manufacturing in Uherský Brod], 2006, .
External links
- Media related to Česká Zbrojovka Uherský Brod at Wikimedia Commons
- Česká zbrojovka official website
- CZ-USA official website
- CZ Firearms Factory Tour - The History of CZ, 1934-1945 on YouTube