The Firearm Blog

Over the next three years the Czech armed forces will be adopting the 5.56mm CZ 805 rifle, the 9mm CZ Skorpion EVO III (no relation to the original CZ Skorpion), CZ 75 Phantom (polymer version of the CZ 75) and CZ 805 G1 underslung grenade launcher.

CZ 805. Photo ⓒ Adamicz. Used with Permission.

Česká zbrojovka a.s. and the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic signed today the purchase contract for supply of 7, 800 ordnance sets designed for the Armed Force of the Czech Republic. During the years 2010 – 2013 Česká zbrojovka a.s. will supply to the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic in total 6, 687 pcs. of assault rifles designated as the CZ 805 BREN A1 chambered in 5.56 x 45 mm cal. and 1, 250 pcs. of assault rifles designated as the CZ 805 BREN A2 chambered in 5.56 x45 and made in shortened version – carbine, including accessories. The overall supply contains also the CZ 805 G1 underslung grenade launchers made in 40 x 46 mm cal., sighting systems to be used in day or night light conditions and marker devices. Deliveries of firearms will be accompanied with tool outfits for maintenance, sets of spare parts and proper ammunition. The overall volume of the contract makes CZK 1.1 billion incl. VAT.

Česká zbrojovka a.s today also signed a contract to supply 5, 570 pcs. of the CZ 75 PHANTOM semi-auto pistols in cal. 9 x 19 mm, including accessories such as tactical flashlights, sets of spare parts and tool outfits for maintenance. At the same time the contract contains a clause covering supply of 572 pcs. of fully-automatic personal defence weapons the CZ SCORPION EVO 3 A1 in 9 x 19 mm cal. (PDW category), including accessories. These weapons will be also accompanied by deliveries of tactical flashlights and sighting devices, tool outfits for maintenance, sets of spare parts and proper ammunition. The overall volume makes a sum of CZK 129.8 incl. VAT, and this contract will be performed over the period 2010 – 2011.

CZ have introduced a new 9mm submachine gun called the Skorpion EVO III. Contrary to what the name suggests, it shares no heritage with the classic CZ Škorpion vz. 61 subgun.

CZ’s 2009 military weapon line up.

Since the 1993 split of Czechoslovakia into the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic, the Slovakian arms industry has gone into decline and is now only a shadow of its former self. The fact that the Czech arms industry is doing well seems to be a source of irritation to the Slovak government.

The Skorpion EVO appears to be a cosmetic update to the Laugo LG 205 submachine gun that was designed by a Slovakian firm sometime in the last decade. They must have been unsuccessful in generating interest in the product and appear to have sold the design to CZ.

From the excellent site Small Arms Illustrated.

I know very little about the gun other than it is chambered in 9mm Luger / Parabellum, made of lightweight polymer and has all the picatinny rails you could want.

CZ are marketing it as a PDW (Personal Defense Weapon), although I cannot see any feature that distinguish it from any other 9mm submachine gun. You can see in the top image that they have given it the same stock and pistol grip as the new CZ S 805 rifle, which their marketing department are using as a selling point.

It will be interesting to see what becomes of this gun. At one point the designer (I have no idea who designed it, despite an hour and half of research) had it on display with a thumbhole stock and carbine length barrel. Personally I think it would have a great 9mm civilian carbine.