For this month’s BackUp Gun Match, I decided to bring out the CZ38 – one of the top contenders for ugliest service pistol ever adopted. It’s a single-stack, double-action-only .380 with a weirdly bulky grip, so it’s not winning any ergonomic awards either…
Commentary
ZB-26 vs Bren LMGs (w/ John Keene)
ZB-26 Available from Morphys here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_N__UTTERLY_FANTASTIC_CONDITION_WWII_GERMAN_NAZI_P-LOT655878.aspx Today John Keene and I are comparing two light machine guns: the Czech ZB-26 and the British Bren. Of course, the Bren is a development of the ZB, so […]
Uncategorized
CZ-2000 “Lada” – AK Czechnology in 5.56mm
Development of the CZ-2000 began in the 1970s as a replacement for the vz.58 rifle. The project was named “Lada”, and was essentially an improved AK-74 rifle chambered for the 5.45x39mm cartridge. The new rifle […]
General Purpose MGs
UK vz.59 Czech Universal Machine Gun: Shooting
Yesterday we looked at the history and the mechanics of the Czech UK vz.59 universal machine gun – so today we are taking it out to the range for some shooting! The UK 59 is […]
“(…)top contenders for ugliest service pistol ever adopted(…)”
Now I am wondering what would be matching long fire-arm for usage in 2gunmatch?
Ugly long arm for usage? How about the Kg M/40?
pretty is as pretty does.
The CZ38 was double-action only, blowback, had an oversized trigger guard so you could use it while wearing heavy winter gloves, and fired what was at the time about the most powerful cartridge you could safely put in a blowback (as 9mm Ultra and 9 x 18 Makarov hadn’t come along yet).
Seen in that light, every “odd” thing about it makes perfect sense.
cheers
eon
“(…)9mm Ultra and 9 x 18 Makarov hadn’t come along yet(…)”
True, but 9×20 already was available in 1938, as it was consumed by Husqvarna m/07.
Also mentioned weapon spawned Prototyp čs. pistole vz. 38 v ráži 9 mm Parabellum
https://www.vhu.cz/exhibit/prototyp-cs-pistole-vz-38-v-razi-9-mm-parabellum/
which suggest that there was some desire to increase muzzle energy, but it was found that Patrone 08 and blow-back operation is poor pairing.