POTD: The CZ 82 – Cold War Era Pistols for Military and Export Markets

Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! In the late 1970s, Czechoslovakia’s state arms industry developed the CZ 82 pistol to meet multiple needs: military modernization, police equipment, and hard currency exports. Designed by CZ, the pistol was produced in three calibers: 9x18mm Makarov (vz.82), .32 ACP, and .380 ACP (both CZ 83). Production began in 1982, with the vz.82 adopted by the Czechoslovak military in 1983. The pistol features a blowback action, double-stack magazine, ambidextrous controls, and chrome-plated bore. The vz.82 uniquely uses polygonal rifling, initially designed for a special Czech 9x18mm round with sintered iron bullets. The CZ 83 variants use traditional rifling. Both models have since become popular surplus firearms in the U.S. market, with the vz.82 gaining “Curio and Relic” status in 2007.

“Manufacturer: CZ

Model: 82

Type: Pistol

Gauge: 9 mm Makarov

Barrel: 3 3/4 inch round

Finish: blue

Grip: plastic”

Lot 513: Two CZ 82 Semi-Automatic Pistols with Boxes – A) CZ Model 82 Pistol. (n.d.-y). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/2050/513/two-cz-82-semiautomatic-pistols-with-boxes.

Sam.S

Writer | TheFirearmBlog Writer | AllOutdoor.com Instagram | sfsgunsmith Old soul, certified gunsmith, published author, avid firearm history learner, and appreciator of old and unique guns.