The ZK-466 was one of the post-war submachine guns developed in Czechoslovakia as part of the competition for a new Czech military SMG. Developed by Josef Koucky (who was also designer of the ZK-383 before the war), it is a 9x19mm open bolt simple blowback system with a collapsing stock and folding magazine well using ZK-383 magazines. It was designed in 1946, and it was Koucky’s sixth design project for the year (hence 46 6 in the designation).
The ZK-466 was part of the large trial in 1947, and a different system won the military contract. After that, Brno attempted to sell the gun on the export market instead. It was marketed as a pilot’s survival weapon on account of its compact nature, but was unable to find any interested buyers. A total of 22 were made, with the largest sale being five examples sold to WF Bern in Switzerland in 1949. A second slightly improved model was also made, but this didn’t attract any additional interest and the project was dropped by the end of 1950.
Thanks to the Czech Military History Institute (VHU) for graciously giving me access to this one-of-a-kind prototype to film for you! If you have the opportunity, don’t miss seeing their museums in Prague:
https://www.vhu.cz/en/english-summary/
Are the trigger guard and grip frame made of aluminum? A casting perhaps?
Interesting to look at this within the stream of overall SMG development: This gun’s full-length stamped “spine” certainly derived from the Moscow-made PPSh 43; the later SIG 310 not just using a folding magazine, but folding the magazine as the only safety.
Typo: PPS 43 not PPSh 43
yes, alumium alloy. btw the selector positions are same as on the VZ.58 and other czechoslovak military guns. we had a drill: 30 to enemy – forward position. down for safe and 1 for you /rearwards positon.
“(…)dropped by the end of 1950.(…)”
Hmm… then I wonder: why it did surfaced https://imfdb.org/wiki/ZK_466 in Čtyři vraždy stačí, drahoušku released in 1971 (i.e. around 2 decades after 1950)?
Where did the film makers get one? Both movies were made in Czechoslovakia. I guess somebody knew somebody.
nobody knows. but I know the czechoslovak moviemakers used a lot of czechoslovak experimental guns and submachine guns in their sci-fi movies or show, like Návštevníci – about the time travelers, or in Velká filmová loupež.
“(…)Number 10 specifically went to Argentina who tested it.(…)”
Wait… to my understanding they used .45 Auto in 1940s as their default pistol cartridge. Did they wanted to switch to 9×19 or they were pressing to get .45 version?
Argentina adopted the PAM-1 and PAM-2 SMGs or “sub-fusiles” or “metralletas” or whatever in 9x19mm. During the 1930s police in Buenos Aires used 9mm Beretta M1918-30 PCCs or sub-carbines The Halcón M-1943 was available in 9mm and .45acp. The Halcón M-57 was used by the army in 9mm and the police in .45acp. The ML-63 and FMK-3 of the 1980s are also both 9x19mm SMGs.
“(…)collapse the stock all the way inward like that till the stock the butt plate is flush with the pistol grip (…)”
Folding stock blending into grip was also part of Italian https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TZ-45.jpg which also shares with Czechoslovak sub-machine gun 3-position fire-selector and muzzle device to counter muzzle climb. Both were also developed with improved safety in mind, though Giandoso elected hold-to-deactivate safety nearby magazine well and Koucký unfold-magazine-to-deactivate. As side note: why magazine well of TZ-45 have different color at linked photo?
“(…)So this was his sixth design of 1946. He was a very busy man.(…)”
There were 2 different entities assigned ZK at that time.
Josef Koucký https://guns.fandom.com/wiki/Josef_Kouck%C3%BD
František Koucký https://guns.fandom.com/wiki/Franti%C5%A1ek_Kouck%C3%BD
It is known that they also sometimes worked in unison, like in ZK-383 https://modernfirearms.net/en/submachine-guns/czech-republic-submachine-guns/zk-383-eng/ If there is not primary source stating all ZK-46… are of Josef Koucký making, then I found more plausible than workload was split, which will give average of 3 design of 1946 model year.
At least one of these guns did end up in combat use. Venezuelan guerillas were filmed wielding a ZK 466 in the 50s or 60s. It can be seen here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ForgottenWeapons/comments/1l9mkq1/guns_of_the_venezuelan_1950s60s_guerrillas/
Czech cousin of the MAT 49.
The ZK 466 submachine gun with the number 011 was donated to the Venezuelan Minister of National Defense on January 26, 1948.
In hazy, indistinct photos, this Forty-six, six [not “four-sixty-six” insofar as it was the sixth design of 1946, not the fourth of 1966…] there does not appear to be anything all that remarkable about this prototype. Only when the medium of hands-on video by Mr. M’Collum is applied, and we can all truly see how the various parts and bits fit together and how the controls operate, and see it from various angles to we glean a better appreciation for the design. Just goes to show how important this medium is in firearm design discussions. The “squeeze the bolt and spring together connected by the guide rod and prize out of the receiver looks awkward if efficient. The square folded sheet metal or square section tubing is positivly P.A. Luty-style, no?