Česká zbrojovka firearms

Česká zbrojovka logo

Firearms associated with the name Česká zbrojovka ("Czech Arms Factory" in Czech), often rendered simply as "ČZ" (or "CZ") have been produced by various factories that have been mutually independent in their management and ownership.

The factories include:

• Zbrojovka Praga – founded before 1917, and active as of 2007
• Československá státní zbrojovka (Zbrojovka Brno) – 1917–2007
• Česká zbrojovka Strakonice – since 1919
• Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod (ČZUB) – since 1936
• Zbrojovka Vsetín (ZVI) – since 1937 (as of 2007)
• Alfa-Proj – since 1993 (as of 2007)
• Arms Moravia (Technoex) – founded 1993

Firearms made in many different factories in Czechoslovakia and later the Czech Republic have been sold under the name ČZ, Brno or Vz.

ČZ (or CZ) is an abbreviation of Česká zbrojovka, while vz. (or Vz., vz, Vz) is an abbreviation of vzor ("model"). In most cases, only weapons adopted by the Czechoslovak or Czech military have sign "vz." in the name (e.g., the CZ 75 pistol was not adopted by the military, so there is no "vz. 75" pistol), although there are some exceptions from this rule. Sa (or Sa.) is an abbreviation of samopal ("submachine gun"). The Czech army used the term "samopal" for Sa vz. 58 though it is an assault rifle, so this may be as an analogy to Russian term automat.

Note that military weapons were after World War II designed by several independent development centers (e.g., ZVS-VVÚ Brno, VTÚVM Slavičín etc.) and then assigned to a production factory.

ČZW

Czech Weapons (ČZW) is a subsidiary group of Česká zbrojovka who develops and evaluates firearm platforms.

Developments and Products

• ČZW-556 (Czech Republic - Assault Rifle - 5.56×45mm NATO)
• ČZW-762 (Czech Republic - Light Machine Gun - 7.62×39mm M43)
• ČZW-438 (Czech Republic - Personal Defence Weapon - 4.38×30mm Libra)
  • ČZW-438 M9 (Czech Republic - Submachine Gun - 9×19mm Parabellum)
• ČZW-9 (Czech Republic - Submachine Gun - 9×19mm Parabellum)
  • ČZW-9M (Czech Republic - Submachine Gun - 9×19mm Parabellum)
• ČZW-9PS (Czech Republic - Submachine Gun - 9×19mm Parabellum)
  • ČZW-9FC (Czech Republic - Submachine Gun - 9×19mm Parabellum)
• ČZW-127 (Czech Republic - Anti Material Rifle - 12.7×99mm NATO)
• ČZW-40 (Czech Republic - Grenade Launcher - 40×53mm)
• RAG-30 (Czech Republic - Grenade Launcher - VOG 17)
  • SAG-30 (Czech Republic - Grenade Launcher - VOG 17)