Star Model Z84
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Star Z-84 | |
|---|---|
 Star Model Z-84 Diagram |
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| Type | Submachine gun |
| Place of origin |  Spain |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Star Bonifacio Echeverria, S.A. |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 3 kg (6 lb 10 oz) |
| Length | 410 mm (16 in) with stock retracted |
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| Cartridge | 9x19mm Parabellum |
| Action | Blowback-operated, open bolt |
| Rate of fire | 600 rounds/min |
| Feed system | 25-round detachable box magazine |
The Star Z-84 was a Spanish submachine gun originally manufactured by the now defunct Star Bonifacio Echeverria, S.A.. The Z-84 was a sturdy well designed weapon that never saw high production due to politics. Originally manufactured for use by scuba divers, the Z-84 could be used right out of the water without and need to drain the working parts or magazine.
Star S.A. developed the weapon after a successful run of submachine guns based on the German MP-40 design. Realizing they couldn't rebuild the same weapon over and over, they built the Z-84 completely from scratch using modern designs and engineering. At the time of the Z-84's design, Star was building and importing large numbers of cheap handguns into the US. The 1994 Assault Weapons Ban (now repealed), banned the importation of many of their designs. This proved disastrous for Star and by 1996 had driven them into bankruptcy.
The Z-84 is a 9mm Luger, blowback operated, fully automatic, open bolt weapon. Few moving parts make it a simple weapon to operate and maintain. Made mostly of stamped and cast parts, little machining is needed to produce the weapon. It uses an "overhung" bolt meaning the bolt actually rides forward over the barrel for 3". This allows a shorter overall length while maintaining a long barrel for better accuracy. First pioneered by Beretta in the model 12 SMG, the overhung bolt had become a fixture in many of today's modern designed SMGs.
A sturdy folding stock helps the weapon gain accuracy when fired from the shoulder. The sights are protected by large steel ears and are adjustable. the rear sight is a flip-type aperture sight with 100 and 200 meter settings and the front is adjustable for windage and elevation.
Less than 1000 Z-84 were manufactured before the company went bankrupt but many were sold on a testing basis to various countries in South and Central America.
[edit] References
(1996) The Directory of the World's Weapons. p98: Blitz Editions. ISBN 1-85605-348-2.
