Pistole vz. 24
Česká zbrojovka Strakonice · Pistol · Discontinued · 1924
Also known as: CZ vz. 24, vz. 24, Pistole 24(t)
Overview
The Pistole vz. 24 was the standard sidearm of the Czechoslovak Army during the interwar period. Chambered in 9mm Browning Short (.380 ACP), it is a short-recoil, locked-breech semi-automatic pistol that uses a rotating barrel to lock the breech, an unusually robust action for so modest a cartridge, inherited from designer Josef Nickl's earlier vz. 22. It has an external hammer, a single-action trigger, a magazine safety, and an eight-round detachable box magazine.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 680 g (24.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 160 mm (6.30") |
| Barrel Length | 90 mm (3.54") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 290 m/s (951 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 259 J (191 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .380 ACP · primary — also known as .380 Auto, 9x17mm, 9mm Kurz, 9mm Browning Short, 9mm Short
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Magazine Disconnect Safety
- Features: External Hammer, Locked Breech Rotating Barrel, Lanyard Loop, Fixed Sights
Service history
Operators
- Czechoslovak Army · adopted 1924 · as vz. 24
- Nazi Germany (Wehrmacht) · adopted 1939 · as Pistole 24(t)
- Slovak Republic (1939-1945) · adopted 1939
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 190,000 · Production years: 1925-1937
Estimates range from roughly 183,000 to about 196,000 pistols; the bulk were produced by Česká zbrojovka Strakonice by the mid-1930s.
Origin
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Designer: Josef Nickl
Discontinued: 1937
Notes
Developed from the Mauser-licensed vz. 22, the vz. 24 refined Josef Nickl's rotating-barrel locking system. After the 1939 occupation of the Czech lands, remaining stocks were pressed into German service as the Pistole 24(t).
Background
The vz. 24 wears a rotating-barrel, locked-breech action normally reserved for far more powerful cartridges, even though its low-pressure 9mm Browning Short round is mild enough for a simple blowback pistol; the over-engineering was a legacy of the Mauser-derived vz. 22 that preceded it.