Ceska Zbrojovka ZK-383

History

ZK-383 is a submachine gun system developed locally in the Czech Republic, which appeared before World War II. It combines the design of a rifle with a solid wood stock and fluted front end, a short barrel and the widely used 9x19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge. The action is based on the recoil principle and has a rate of fire of up to 700 rounds per minute. Muzzle velocity is specified at 1,500 feet per second, with a maximum attack range of up to 250 yards.

The weapon is fed from a 30- or 40-round detachable magazine, which is mounted in a chute on the left, and the spent case is ejected through an opening on the right. For obvious reasons, the receiver and barrel are of all-metal construction, and the barrel is wrapped in a perforated jacket that cools and protects the firefighter's auxiliary hands. The pistol grip is integrated as part of the wooden stock, and the trigger assembly is attached directly in front of it.

Aiming is through an iron array.

The ZK-383 was developed by two brothers (Koucky) from 1930. At the time, they were employed at the Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka factory in Brno, the legendary arms production center - the birthplace of the famous British BREN machine gun. By this time, rumours of war had become more common as Germany's Adolf Hitler consolidated his power and formed an army to conquer Europe with Czechoslovakia as part of his early master plan. The ZK-383 was designed as a squad support weapon (with a foldable bipod and detachable barrel), although it chambered for a 9mm pistol cartridge, and it's really defined as a submachine gun. The weapon offers automatic fire in a portable form, but has limited range and range penetration.

In any case, the type was done with the highest quality and care - a hallmark of most Czech gun designs of the period.

Low-cost production of the ZK-383 began in 1938. However, the Germans began occupying the sovereign state that year, and all future instances of production fell into the hands of the Waffen SS. The occupation continued until the end of the war in 1945.

The range of the ZK-383 is undoubtedly limited by occupation conditions, and its deployment is as limited as production numbers.

After the war, production returned to Czech ownership, but in limited quantities. It was eventually exported to a handful of outside parties, with little success overall. By the height of the Cold War, the weapon had given way to a smaller, lighter and more defined submachine gun form.

Eventually, three different versions emerged - the basic ZK-383 submachine gun, the ZK-383-P "Police" variant without bipod mounts and quick-change barrel features, and the Cold War-era ZK-383-H , by being their bottom magazine mount, and lacking a bipod and interchangeable barrel assembly.

By the end of its history, the ZK-383 made its home in Bolivia, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Nazi Germany and Venezuela. About 20,000 units were produced from 1938 to 1966.

Specification

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Performance

Changes