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…
Conversion
Semiauto ZK-383 on the Range
The Czech ZK-383 is a magnificent submachine gun, but sadly very scarce in the United States. So when I saw the semiauto example, I wanted to take it out to the range for some plinking. […]
Semiauto Rifles
Looking for ZH-29 (and Z-36, Z-37, etc) Numbers and Data
I am trying to put together a database of ZH29 rifle information to figure out how many were made, who they were sold to, and find out anything I can about the later evolutions of […]
Bolt Action Rifles
Czech vz54 Sniper (Video)
While Czechoslovakia was a part of the eastern bloc, it did a pretty thorough job of developing its own weapons rather than use standard Russian designs. For example, the vz52 pistol, vz52, 52/57, and 58 […]
“(…)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.