CZ 82

Vz 82, CZ 83
Vz 82 Czechoslovak Military pistol in 9×18mm Makarov caliber. (note: Serial number digitally concealed)
Type	Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin	Czechoslovakia
Service history
In service	1983-1993 (Czechoslovakia, since 1993 Czech Republic, Slovak Republic)
Production history
Designer	Augustin Nečas
Designed	1982
Variants	CZ-83 (civilian version)
Specifications
Weight	800 g (28 oz) empty (9×18 mm Makarov/.380 ACP) 920 g (32 oz) loaded (9×18 mm Makarov/.380 ACP) 750 g (26 oz) empty (.32 ACP)
Length	172 mm (6.8 in)
Barrel length	97 mm (3.8 in)
Width	36 mm (1.4 in)
Height	127 mm (5.0 in)
Cartridge	9×18mm Makarov (82 & 83), .380 ACP (83 only), .32 ACP (83 only)
Action	Blowback, double action
Muzzle velocity	305 m/s (1,001 ft/s)
Effective firing range	50 m (55 yards)
Feed system	12-rd, staggered-column, detachable box magazine (9×18mm Makarov/.380 ACP) 15-rd, staggered-column, detachable box magazine (.32 ACP)
Sights	fixed front blade; rear drift-adjustable for windage

The Česká zbrojovka Vz. 82 is a compact semi-automatic pistol made for the Czechoslovakian military. "Vz" is an abbreviation for "vzor", which translates to "model." A civilian export version is called the CZ 83.

Manufactured by the Czechoslovak firm Česká zbrojovka the vz. 82 replaced the 7.62×25mm Tokarev vz. 52 pistol in Czechoslovak military service in 1983. It is a compact, single/double-action, semi-automatic pistol with a conventional blowback action. This type of action allows the barrel to remain solidly fixed to the frame, resulting in improved accuracy over pistols with pivoting barrels (like the U.S. M1911 series). The low bore axis of the vz. 82 provides for less muzzle rise and quicker follow-up shots. For added convenience, both the frame-mounted thumb safety and the magazine release are ambidextrous. The vz. 82 was the first service pistol to feature both these features. The bore is chrome plated, which gives it three advantages: longer barrel life, resistance to rust from the use of corrosive ammunition, and ease of cleaning. Another feature of this pistol is the use of polygonal rifling in the barrel bore. This replaces the traditional lands and grooves rifling design with a rounded, smooth polygonal pattern which has a more "hills and valleys" appearance.

The vz. 82 was added to the US government's "Curio and Relic" list with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) in February 2007, after an individual wrote a letter to the ATF attaching a letter from a federal museum curator who stated that the vz. 82 had "museum interest" as a curio and relic.

The Vz. 82 was made in 9×18mm only while the CZ 83 is available in a variety of finishes and chamberings: