Fans of action movies, video games, and Soviet firearms will be very familiar with the vz. 61 Skorpion.
But this bizarre Cold War-era pistol doesn’t just exist in fictional media and the illicit business dealings of contemporary entrepreneurs who measure their product in grams and bricks.
The Czechpoint vz. 61 is available in the U.S. right now, and the company just announced a version of the pistol chambered for the other 9mm cartridge: 9×18 Makarov.
Czechpoint vz. 61 Specs & Features
Specs
- Caliber: 9×18 Makarov
- Action: Semi-automatic, blowback
- Capacity: 20+1
- Barrel Length: 4.53”
- Overall Length: 9.9”
- Country of Origin: Czech Republic
Features
- Threaded barrel
- Chrome-lined chamber
- Drilled and tapped for a brace
The Czech vz. 61 hit the scene in (go figure) 1961. The goal was to provide special operations teams and soldiers in vehicles with a compact and concealable fully-automatic sidearm.
Interestingly, it was chambered for .32 ACP because John Browning’s pistol round was extremely popular in Europe at the time.
Czechpoint already offers the vz. 61 in .32 ACP and .380 ACP. This new offering offers a little more power, closing the distance to 9mm ammo.
This vz. 61 is semi-automatic only, so the change in cartridge should have minimal impact on cycling characteristics.
The receiver is drilled and tapped for a collapsible brace like the original.
Other changes include a polymer grip instead of wood, and a threaded barrel so you can add a suppressor.
Czechpoint hasn’t listed an MSRP for the newest vz. 61, but existing models are all in the $1,000 ballpark.
What do you think of the new Czechpoint vz. 61? Let us know in the comments. For more guns from the other side of the iron curtain, check out our guide to AK Models.
4 Leave a Reply
According to the Czechpoint web page the VZ61 is offered in .32 ACP and .380 ACP in addition to the newly released 9mm Mak. I wouldn’t mind having one in .380 (better ammo availability and choice of projectile styles) and equipped with a good brace.
Can't argue with that. Shooting is way more fun than chasing down ammo.
"What do you think of the new Czechpoint vz. 61?"
I would love to have one in .380, an ammo that I can actually buy locally.
I have added the .380 model to my list, after the Ruger SP101, S&W Model 10 no-lock, Beretta M9A1, and the Mossberg Maverick. One of these days....
That is an excellent list, Jim!