CZ 52

The CZ 52 (also known by the Czechoslovak military designations vz. 52, for (vz. - vzor = model) "model of 1952", and CZ 482) is a semi-automatic pistol designed by two brothers, Jan and Jaroslav Kratochvíl, in the early 1950s for the Czechoslovak military. Around 200,000 vz. 52s were made by Česká Zbrojovka in Strakonice from 1952 to 1954. Before standardizing on the 7.62×25mm vz. 52, the Czechoslovak military used several domestic and foreign pistol models in three different calibers. After 30 years of military service, the vz. 52 was eventually replaced by the 9×18mm Makarov caliber vz. 82. The CZ 52 is technically known as the vz. 52; the Czech military designation. It's often referred to as the CZ 52 to differentiate it from the vz. 52 rifle, which entered the export market before the pistol.