Jump to content

Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Česká zbrojovka a.s.
TypeJoint-stock company
IndustryArms industry
Founded1936; 90 years ago (1936)[1]
Headquarters
Uherský Brod
,
Czech Republic
Area served
Worldwide
Key peopleJan Zajíc (CEO)[2]
Products
[1]
RevenueOver CZK 6 billion (2024)
CZK 918.4 million (2023)
CZK 1.03 billion (2024)
Total assetsCZK 6.52 billion (2024)
Number of employees
1,322 (2024)
ParentColt CZ Group
Subsidiaries
Websitewww.czfirearms.com
Footnotes
Financial figures and year-end employee count:[2]
Česká zbrojovka 2024

Česká zbrojovka a.s., known as Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod or CZ, is a Czech firearms manufacturer based in Uherský Brod. It is a subsidiary of Colt CZ Group.[2] It makes pistols, rifles, submachine guns and grenade launchers for military and police, as well as the civilian market. The CZ 75 pistol, CZ Scorpion EVO 3 submachine gun and CZ BREN rifles are among its products.[1]

Česká zbrojovka Strakonice built the Uherský Brod factory in 1936 to produce aircraft machine guns.[3] After the Second World War, the factory came under state ownership and became a separate enterprise in 1950. Under state ownership, the factory produced the vz. 58 assault rifle and vz. 61 Škorpion. Production of the CZ 75 pistol began in 1975.[1] The business was privatised in 1992 and established CZ-USA in 1997. It became part of Česká zbrojovka Group, now Colt CZ Group, in 2018.[1]

History

[edit]

Establishment and German occupation

[edit]

Česká zbrojovka Strakonice built the factory in Uherský Brod, in south-eastern Moravia, in 1936. The company needed more capacity to meet military orders, and the Czechoslovak government wanted arms production farther from the German border in the west. The factory began operating in 1937, making machine guns vz. 30 and signal pistols.[4][5]

After the German occupation in 1939, the factory was ordered to supply the German armed forces. It first made machine-gun barrels, then complete MG 17 aircraft machine guns.[5]

State ownership

[edit]

After the Second World War, the factory came under state ownership and became a separate enterprise in 1950. In the first postwar years, it made air rifles, rimfire rifles and self-loading shotguns.[6]

Military production expanded with the vz. 48 submachine gun, which entered production in 1949 after being developed at Strakonice. Its two versions were renamed the Sa 23 and 25. In 1951, the factory switched to the Sa 24 and 26, chambered for the Soviet 7.62×25mm Tokarev cartridge.[7]

Submachine gun Sa 23/25 were the main infantry weapons of the Czechoslovak army

In 1958, the enterprise came under Závody říjnové revoluce in Vsetín. The factory produced the vz. 58 assault rifle for the Czechoslovak armed forces and foreign customers until 1984. It also manufactured the smaller vz. 61 Škorpion.[6][8] Another reorganisation in 1965 placed the enterprise under the industrial organisation headed by Zbrojovka Brno.[9]

František Koucký began developing the CZ 75 semi-automatic pistol in 1969 and production started in 1975. It combined a 15-round magazine with a double-action/single-action trigger mechanism designed to reduce the effort required for a double-action trigger pull.[10][11]

In the 1970s, the factory began making parts for the M601 aircraft engine, which powered the Let L-410.[12] Tractor hydraulics entered production in 1975. In 1983, the company was renamed Agrozet Uherský Brod. In the 1980s, aircraft-engine components and tractor hydraulics accounted for more of the factory’s output than firearms. It left Agrozet in 1988 and became a separate state enterprise called Česká zbrojovka.[9][13]

Assault rifle Sa vz. 58

Privatisation and expansion

[edit]

The factory lost military orders after 1989, while demand for its aircraft-engine and tractor components also fell. Sales of pistols and hunting rifles helped make up for the lost business. The state enterprise was privatised in 1992, and Česká zbrojovka a.s. was established on 1st May that year.[4][6]

Original CZ 75 model

The company then established CZ-USA in 1997 to sell and service its firearms in the US. Initially based in California, the subsidiary moved to Kansas City, Kansas, in 1998. In 2005, CZ-USA bought the Dan Wesson firearms business.[14][15]

In 2006, Brno Rifles bought machinery and hired workers from already defunct Zbrojovka Brno. It became a subsidiary of Česká zbrojovka in 2008 and was renamed Zbrojovka Brno in 2010.[16][13]

New management appointed in 2006 began modernising the Uherský Brod factory and developing new military firearms. The Czech Army received its first CZ 805 BREN assault rifles in July 2011.[17]

Sa vz. 61 Skorpion featured in many movies

Česká zbrojovka became part of Česká zbrojovka Group in 2018. The parent group bought Colt in 2021 and changed its name to Colt CZ Group in April 2022.[18]

Notable developments

[edit]

Over the years Česká zbrojovka has developed several revolutionary or highly influential designs in various fields of small arms, most notably:

Current production

[edit]

Pistols

[edit]
  • CZ 75 - Hammer-fired steel-framed pistol with cam locking system
  • CZ P-09 - Hammer-fired polymer-framed pistol series
  • CZ P-10 - Striker-fired polymer-framed pistol series
  • CZ DUTY - Striker-fired polymer-framed pistol series with modular chassis design

Submachine guns

[edit]

Rifles

[edit]

Discontinued products

[edit]
CZ 45
CZ 82
CZ 100
Model 244
CZ 452 A
CZ 527 rifle
The Prague Castle Guard with Vz. 52 rifle
Sniper rifle vz. 54

Handguns

[edit]
  • 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.[19]
  • ZKR-590 Grand revolver, in calibers .38 and .22 and 7.62 Nagant short

Smallbore rifles

[edit]
  • 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

[edit]
  • 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 5.56×45mm NATO and 7.62x39mm

Aircraft machine guns

[edit]
  • LK 30
  • MG 17

Service Rifles

[edit]

Submachine guns

[edit]

Shotguns

[edit]
  • 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

[edit]
  • 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

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "About Us". Česká zbrojovka. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "České zbrojovce loni vzrostl čistý zisk na miliardu, stouply i výnosy". České noviny (in Czech). ČTK. 16 October 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  3. ↑ "Uherský Brod přijde o jednu z výškových dominant. Bourá se komín v České zbrojovce". Český rozhlas Zlín (in Czech). 6 November 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  4. 1 2 Horáček, Filip (5 November 2015). "Příběhy českých značek: Zbrojovka vyráběla i části traktorů a šicí stroje". iDNES.cz (in Czech).
  5. 1 2 "Zbrojovka se do Uherského Brodu přestěhovala kvůli hrozící druhé světové válce". Novinky.cz (in Czech). ČTK. 30 January 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 "85th anniversary of CZ". Česká zbrojovka. 28 July 2021.
  7. ↑ "9mm samopal 23 a samopal 25" (in Slovak). Vojenský historický ústav.
  8. ↑ "Česká zbrojovka – zbraně pro celé dvacáté století". ČT24 (in Czech). Česká televize. 1 February 2012.
  9. 1 2 Šuman-Hreblay, Marián (2011). Encyklopedie českých traktorů od r. 1912 do současnosti (in Czech). Brno: Computer Press. p. 17. ISBN 978-80-251-2685-1.
  10. ↑ "VHÚ získal od České zbrojovky dvě unikátní pistole z edic Republika a Anthropoid" (in Czech). Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. 18 August 2020.
  11. ↑ "CZ introduces the CZ 75 LEGEND". Česká zbrojovka. 20 January 2026.
  12. ↑ Horáček, Filip (5 November 2015). "Příběhy českých značek: Zbrojovka vyráběla i části traktorů a šicí stroje". iDNES.cz (in Czech).
  13. 1 2 "About Us". Česká zbrojovka.
  14. ↑ "About Us". CZ-USA.
  15. ↑ "Česká zbrojovka koupila amerického výrobce zbraní". Novinky.cz (in Czech). 24 March 2005.
  16. ↑ "Společnost BRNO RIFLES zachová zbrojní výrobu v Brně" (Press release) (in Czech). Protext. 18 October 2006.
  17. ↑ Haladová, Olga (2 August 2011). "S novými puškami začnou vojáci cvičit už v říjnu" (in Czech). Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic.
  18. ↑ "CZG – Česká zbrojovka Group has changed its name to Colt CZ Group SE" (Press release). Colt CZ Group. 12 April 2022.
  19. ↑ Rusty S. (3 March 2021). "Wheelgun Wednesday: Czech Revolver – The ZKR-551". The Firearms Blog. Retrieved 10 March 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 1990s–2006. They were a success in the UIT competitive setting, helping Czechoslovak shooters win and place well.

Literature

[edit]
  • David Pazdera, Jan Skramoušský: Česká zbrojovka. Historie výroby zbraní v Uherském Brodě [Česká zbrojovka. History of weapon manufacturing in Uherský Brod], 2006, ISBN 80-903450-9-3. Two chapters online and .
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Česká_zbrojovka_Uherský_Brod&oldid=1382149402"