CZ-52 Czech Military Sidearm

[TJm15.38]

I have three pistols chambered in the 7.62x25 Soviet pistol round. Of the three, the strongest and most unique piece is the Czech CZ-52. This pistol was originally designed in 9x19 (9MM Luger) but the Soviets insisted that all Warsaw Pact members chamber their weapons in Soviet standard calibers/rounds. In the 1950's, that was the 7.62x25 round which is also used in the TT-33 Tokarev and various submachineguns dating back to WWII. The Czechs were forced by Russia to chamber their standard military sidearm in the Soviet round. The pistol is single action, but has a unique safety and de-cocker. The pistol can be carried "cocked and locked," or with a round in the chamber and de-cocked. The action is a delayed blow-back system using a roller-lock system similar to the MG-42 German machine gun. The gun pictured here was manufactured in 1954 and arsenal refurbished in 1984. Thanks for looking.

 

[alwslate]

I have one that I bought way back when they were readily available. Mine is refurbished and came with an original holster and extra mag. Very well made pistols. Be careful if you decide to disassemble your gun because the spring clip that retains the grips are scarce. So don't break it.

 

[ralph7]

Be careful with this gun.
Mine fired a round when I decocked it with my finger nowhere near the trigger.
I have heard mine isn't a singular occurence.

 

[TJm15.38]

Be careful with this gun.
Mine fired a round when I decocked it with my finger nowhere near the trigger.
I have heard mine isn't a singular occurence.

I don't trust the decocker either. These Cold War pistols have some features that just aren't good designs. I have a CZ-70 pistol that has a similar decocker and firing pin system. I manually decock these pistols, or shoot them from a "cocked and locked" condition. Unlike the CZ-52, the CZ-70 is a SA/DA pistol.

 

[murphydog]

I shot one many years ago, at a covered outdoor range. It was so loud I had several nearby shooters stop by to look at what was making such a racket.

I also recall the firing pin tip being prone to breaking, so dry firing should be limited.

 

[hkcavalier]

Be careful with this gun.
Mine fired a round when I decocked it with my finger nowhere near the trigger.
I have heard mine isn't a singular occurence.

This is pretty common. There's something about the decocker that wears with use and becomes, ah, less than effective. I owned one that would do this too, especially after I replaced the firing pin.

With this, the grips that shift around (clipped in), and the lack of cheap milsurp I sold mine off circa 2012. Fun range toy, great fireballs at dusk, but not something I would carry or use as a nightstand gun.

 

[LVSteve]

Somebody in the CZ drawing office had some odd ideas about grip angle and shape. This weirdness reached its zenith with the CZ 38 and the CZ 52, with their very upright grips. I guess the guy got fired in the 60s because the CZ 75 has fantastic ergonomics.

 

[.455_Hunter]

On a summer night in 1994, I was 18 and had one of these on my belt loaded with Fiocchi FMJ. Given the situation, I was very happy it was there.

 

[duman444]

Original Planet of the Apes

Quite a few apes carried the CZ52 in the original POA movie.

I have one, replaced the floating firing pin with a new design pin with spring that I got from Makarov.com when they still sold parts.
Roller action makes this gun very strong which it had to be to shoot the 7.62 x 25.

Fun gun to shoot, big fireball from powder that should be burning in a longer subgun barrel, chunks empties into next week and fairly accurate. Sights are minute.

 

[Dave_n]

However, never dry fire any CZ72 unless you have spare firing pins. A few years ago you could buy them in a "more rugged meta"l now "unobtainable". Dave_n

 

[Rule3]

I bought my replacement FP here:


Harrington Products CZ-52 Firing Pins

 

[Marshwheeling]

CZ 52 was my first gun. Actually, I bought it with a ČZ 50 from a motorcycle buddy who thought anybody with ČZ and Jawa motorcycles ought to have some ČZ firearms as well. I haven’s shot it for a while, but it is a lot of fun.

 

[TJm15.38]

I shot one many years ago, at a covered outdoor range. It was so loud I had several nearby shooters stop by to look at what was making such a racket.

I also recall the firing pin tip being prone to breaking, so dry firing should be limited.

I don't dry fire and the original firing pin and rollers were replaced with newly manufactured heat-treated hardened steel. Some of the early manufactured guns had inferior steel rollers and cast firing pins. The pins were prone to breakage from dry-firing and the rollers were susceptible to deforming out of round with use. Once that happens, the slide is subject to being damaged beyond repair when fired.

 

[bc1023]

I have three pistols chambered in the 7.62x25 Soviet pistol round. Of the three, the strongest and most unique piece is the Czech CZ-52. This pistol was originally designed in 9x19 (9MM Luger) but the Soviets insisted that all Warsaw Pact members chamber their weapons in Soviet standard calibers/rounds. In the 1950's, that was the 7.62x25 round which is also used in the TT-33 Tokarev and various submachineguns dating back to WWII. The Czechs were forced by Russia to chamber their standard military sidearm in the Soviet round. The pistol is single action, but has a unique safety and de-cocker. The pistol can be carried "cocked and locked," or with a round in the chamber and de-cocked. The action is a delayed blow-back system using a roller-lock system similar to the MG-42 German machine gun. The gun pictured here was manufactured in 1954 and arsenal refurbished in 1984. Thanks for looking.

View attachment 697443
View attachment 697444

No sir. It’s a locked breech gun. It’s not a delayed blowback. Common confusion with these pistols. The HK P9S and a few other pistols are roller delayed blowbacks like the MG42.

The CZ-52 is not. Totally different design. Pull the slide back and you’ll see the barrel is locked in place briefly. Blowbacks, delayed or straight, don’t do that.

 

[bc1023]

These pistols are roller delayed blowbacks and all are German, as it’s a very German design. These are the only pistols I know of that use it.

Korriphila HSP701, HK P9S, Geiger GRP, and Korth PRS







Here is a high end pistol called the Delta Top Gun that uses the CZ52’s roller locked breech design (albeit it on the opposite side of the quality meter). It’s completely different from the delayed blowbacks above.

 

[Tex1001]

I shot one many years ago, at a covered outdoor range. It was so loud I had several nearby shooters stop by to look at what was making such a racket.

I also recall the firing pin tip being prone to breaking, so dry firing should be limited.

I got into a pair years ago when they flooded the market. I replaced the rollers and made firing pins out of Lee priming pins.
9mm barrels were sold then and I got a pair but never use them.
I reload with Starline brass and AA9 powder. The Hornady
hollowpoints are lasers.
I still take at least 1 to the range and use it to knock the
paint off of the ceiling when some clown opens up with an
AR pistol.

They're fun without an actual purpose.
ETA: SUPER strong and well made, overall.

 

[peterdeb]

Bought my cz-52 almost twenty years ago from Ohio Southern Guns for a hundred bucks. Original, 1954 matching numbers gun, holster, extra mag and cleaning rod. Not a bad deal. I have only shot it once. It has the biggest boom around. Like others with their range shootings experience, people stopped and came over to see what was being shoot. Just iconic.

 

[Old Corp]

Had one for a few years back when they were cheap, and in my area the 7.62x25 was the LAST of the cheap surplus ammo after everything else had gone way up in $$.
Last batch I obtained was obviously sub-gun ammo, extremely hot and very hard primers. at least 1/3 of the rounds required 2 firing pins strikes to fire.
That got old really fast.
Listed it for sale on a local shooters forum and it went quickly.
The new owner called me the next day (not happy!) telling me he broke the firing pin while dry-firing and wanted to know what I planned to do about it.
- That was kinda strange.......

 

[Terry G]

That happened to me also. Dropped the safety and BOOM! It was pointed down range since I heard this could happen. DON'T trust the drop safety. A gunsmith told me he could fix it easily. I said how much will you give toward that CZ 75 Compact D? He said $150.0 and I said SOLD! Now I have a 9MM CZ 52 called the "Civilian" model. It has a shiny blues slide, but it's just a CZ 52 in 9MM. It has never fired with the drop safety, but I'm still careful with it. I've heard these are rare.,

 

[Rule3]

Only issue I have with mine is it ejects brass into the next time zone! Never had a gun that sends the brass that far. As parts are not available I do not want to fiddle with the ejector.
I have a case of surplus, corrosive primer ammo. It's brass but berdan primed. So not worried about picking it up other than range "rules"