CZ
CZ grips
Česká zbrojovka (CZ), officially Česká zbrojovka a.s., traces its origins to 1918 in Strakonice, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic). After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the new state needed domestic arms production
In 1919, the Czechoslovak government established Zbrojovka Strakonice to manufacture small arms. The company began producing the CZ vz. 22 pistol in 1922, followed by the iconic CZ vz. 27 (.32 ACP) in 1927—both reliable pocket pistols that gained widespread use
In 1930, the factory relocated to Uherský Brod (now the main CZ facility) and adopted the name Česká zbrojovka in 1937. During WWII, it produced German weapons under occupation (including Mauser rifles and MG 42 components)
Post-war nationalization in 1948 integrated it into the state-owned arms industry. The breakthrough came with the CZ 75 in 1975—designed by František Koucký and Josef Koucký—a revolutionary double-action 9mm pistol with forged frame, slide rails inside the frame, and exceptional ergonomics. Unveiled publicly in 1985 after export restrictions eased, the CZ 75 became one of the most copied handguns worldwide
Privatized in 1992, CZ expanded globally, acquiring Dan Wesson (2005) and launching modern lines like the CZ P-10 striker-fired series (2017). Today, Česká zbrojovka Group is a leading European firearms manufacturer, renowned for reliability, innovation, and the enduring CZ 75 legacy
