Those lucky Czechs will soon be able to purchase a semi-automatic version of the CZ Scorpion EVO III submachine gun CZK 30,000 (~$1,700 USD).

CZ emailed me saying …

The small submachine gun produced by Česká Zbrojovka Uherský Brod, the successor to the legendary Scorpion Model 61 is also available as a semi-automatic civilian version.

The Scorpion EVO 3 represents the newest compact submachine gun from the traditional Czech manufacturer of small firearms. Besides the purely military version, which the Czech Army has ordered for the Prague Castle guards, the manufacturer ́s product portfolio also includes the semi-automatic version labelled S1 with the cal. 9 mm Luger. The price is around CZK 30 thousand.

The roots of this little firearm reach over to Slovakia, the homeland of the Laugo LG 205 that saw the light of the world ten years ago. However, the firearm never made it further than to prototype version. The project was taken over by Česká zbrojovka a few years later to master it to the final product under the already mentioned name – Scorpion Evo 3 – with the first official introductory presentation in the year 2009. It is also worth mentioning that Česká zbrojovka worked on the “extremely small automatic rifle” called Hrom (Thunder) or Mor (Plague) in the second half of the previous decade. Those were real successors to the legendary Model 61 of very small size and unique telescopic barrel. The Scorpion Evo 3 belongs to notably larger firearms class, yet it is still presented by the manufacturer as the successor in the tradition of the small submachine guns range.

Last year, the Czech Army ordered almost 600 brand new Scorpions for the Prague Castle guard, besides other items, and the firearms will be supplied in subsequent consignments starting this autumn. The recent news disclosed that Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod will be supplying thousands of brand new CZ 75 pistols, Scorpions and BRENs to an undisclosed Arabic country.

The military version of Scorpion A1 is 660 mm long, 410 mm with the retracted stock, which also applies to the civilian semi-automatic version S1. The difference is substantially in the inability to fire in burst mode, the magazine limitation to twenty rounds only, compared to thirty rounds in the military version, also resulting in reduced weight – 2.55 kg. The gun is fitted with adjustable mechanical sights, forged barrel and the frame is made from a hardened light polymer the effective range is up to 250 m, which is a standard feature of any personal defence weapon (PDW).

The gun does not require any special cleaning or maintenance tools, the rails in sides and the top of the submachine gun allow for fitting of various accessories, optical sights, flashlights or markers.

Before you ask, I have no idea if they plan on (or are able to) export it to the USA.