Pistole vz. 22
Československá zbrojovka Brno · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1922
Also known as: CZ vz. 22, Nickl M1922, Selbstladepistole M 1922
Overview
The Pistole vz. 22 was the first domestically designed Czechoslovak military service pistol, a locked-breech, hammer-fired semi-automatic chambered in 9mm Browning Short (.380 ACP). Developed from an experimental design by former Mauser engineer Josef Nickl, it employs an unusual rotating-barrel short-recoil locking system rare for a cartridge of its power. Produced by Československá zbrojovka in Brno between 1921 and 1924, roughly 19,000 were made before it was refined into the more widely produced vz. 24.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 634 g (22.4 oz) |
| Overall Length | 152 mm (5.98") |
| Barrel Length | 87 mm (3.43") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 300 m/s (984 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 277 J (204 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .380 ACP · primary — also known as .380 Auto, 9x17mm, 9mm Kurz, 9mm Short, 9mm Browning Short
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Rotating Barrel Lock, External Hammer, Fixed Sights
Service history
Operators
- Czechoslovak Army · adopted 1922 · as vz. 22
- Slovak Armed Forces · adopted 1939
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 19,000 · Production years: 1921-1924
Manufactured by Zbrojovka Brno; superseded by the improved vz. 24
Origin
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Designer: Josef Nickl
Discontinued: 1924
Notes
The rotating-barrel locked breech was a technically advanced but expensive-to-manufacture feature, later simplified in the vz. 24. When Slovakia declared independence in 1939 it seized several thousand vz. 22 pistols from Czechoslovak arsenals.
Background
Its designer, Josef Nickl, brought the rotating-barrel locking system over from his work at Mauser in Germany, making the little Czech service pistol mechanically more sophisticated than many contemporaries firing far more powerful cartridges.