CZ 82

Vz 82, CZ 83
Vz 82 Czechoslovak Military pistol in 9x18mm Makarov caliber. (note: Serial number digitally concealed)
Type	Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin	Czechoslovakia
Service history
In service	1983-1993 (Czechoslovakia, since 1993 Czech Republic, Slovak Republic)
Production history
Designer	Augustin Nečas
Designed	1982
Variants	CZ-83 (civilian version)
Specifications
Mass	800 g (28 oz) empty 920 g (32 oz) loaded
Length	172 mm (6.8 in)
Barrel length	97 mm (3.8 in)
Width	36 mm (1.4 in)
Height	127 mm (5.0 in)
Cartridge	9x18mm Makarov (82 & 83), .380 ACP, .32 ACP (83 only)
Action	Blowback, double action
Muzzle velocity	305 m/s (1,001 ft/s)
Effective firing range	50 m (55 yards)
Feed system	12-rd, staggered-column, detachable box magazine (data for basic military variant in 9x18mm Makarov)
Sights	fixed front blade; rear drift-adjustable for windage

The Česká zbrojovka Vz. 82 is a compact semi-automatic pistol made for the Czechoslovakian military. "Vz" is an abbreviation for "vzor", which translates to "model." A civilian export version is called the CZ 83.

Overview

Manufactured by the Czechoslovak firm Česká zbrojovka the vz. 82 replaced the 7.62x25mm Tokarev vz. 52 pistol in Czechoslovak military service in 1983. It is a compact, double-action, semi-automatic pistol with a conventional blowback action. This type of action allows the barrel to remain solidly fixed to the frame, resulting in improved accuracy over pistols with pivoting barrels (like the U.S. M1911 series). The low bore axis of the vz. 82 provides for less muzzle rise and quicker follow-up shots. For added convenience, both the frame-mounted thumb safety and the magazine release are ambidextrous. The vz. 82 was the first service pistol to feature both these features. The bore is chrome plated, which gives it three advantages: longer barrel life, resistance to rust from the use of corrosive ammunition, and ease of cleaning. Another feature of this pistol is the use of polygonal rifling in the barrel bore. This replaces the traditional lands and grooves rifling design with a rounded, smooth polygonal pattern which has a more "hills and valleys" appearance.

Curio and Relic

The vz. 82 was added to the US government's "Curio and Relic" list with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) in February 2007, after an individual wrote a letter to the ATF attaching a letter from a federal museum curator who stated that the vz. 82 had "museum interest" as a curio and relic.

Caliber

The Vz. 82 was made in 9x18mm only while the CZ 83 is available in a variety of finishes and chamberings:

• .32 ACP (aka 7.65mm Browning) - 15 round magazine capacity.
• .380 ACP (aka 9mm Browning Short) - 12 round magazine (13 round if a 9x18mm Makarov magazine is used). The standard Vz. 82 magazine fits the CZ-83 in .380 ACP without alteration.
• 9mm Makarov - 12 round magazine. Produced 1999 - 2001.

Users

• Czech Republic
• Kazakhstan: 20 pistols CZ-83 were bought in 1998 for Ministry of Internal Affairs
• North Korea^{[citation needed]}
• Slovakia

The CZ 83 stripped-down into its main assemblies.

External links

• English translation from a Czech book about pistols
• (Czech) Basic data on Czech army page