CZ 868
Ceska zbrojovka a.s. · Submachine Gun · Prototype · 2005
Also known as: XCZ 868
Overview
The CZ 868 (also designated XCZ 868) was an experimental 9x19mm Parabellum submachine gun prototype developed by Ceska zbrojovka Uhersky Brod (CZUB) in the Czech Republic around 2005. It was a refined iteration in a chain of prototypes that began with a Slovak Laugo submachine gun design acquired by CZUB. Operating on a simple blowback principle and built around a polymer receiver, the CZ 868 served as a developmental stepping stone toward CZUB's next-generation compact automatic weapon. The prototype was ultimately not adopted for production; instead the company chose to develop a fundamentally new weapon that emerged as the widely successful CZ Scorpion EVO 3.
Specifications
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Polymer |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Features: Select Fire, Polymer Lower Receiver, Modular Design
Production
Production years: 2005
Prototype only; not series produced. Superseded by the CZ Scorpion EVO 3 development program.
Origin
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Notes
The CZ 868 was a transitional prototype and never entered series production. Detailed physical specifications (weight, barrel length, cyclic rate) were not published, as the design was superseded before finalization. It is historically significant chiefly as a direct ancestor of the CZ Scorpion EVO 3 submachine gun family.
Background
The CZ 868 was one of the last experimental links in a lineage that stretched back to a Slovak Laugo submachine gun project. When it too fell short, CZUB abandoned incremental refinement and started fresh, a decision that produced the globally adopted CZ Scorpion EVO 3.