Ceska Zbrojovka-Narodni Podnik Strakonice

[cnegley3rd]

Made in Czechoslovakia, 6.35 is circled, 48 is also stamped. Does anybody know anything about this old pistol my mother in law gave us? Has serial #89830. Mainly, what ammo does it shoot? Thanks for helping.

[James K]

6.35mm is the European equivalent of what we call .25 ACP, and that is the ammunition it fires. We cannot tell more without a good picture, since that company made several guns of that caliber.

Jim

[highpower3006]

Not much of a description. You really need to post pictures.

Kind of like: I have a car made by GM with a V8. What is it?

[CaptainO]

I believe that they ae correct. What you have is a .25 ACP pistol. Of CZ manufacture. It comes from the Czech Republic and should be of decent quality.

If it is in good condition it should shoot modern .25 ACP ammunition (of USA manufacture). Generally speaking, US .25 ACP (from the major manufacturers is a bit on the anemic side). This is done because the "litigation factor" is nor to be dismissed. (Meaning that if a pistol is too frail, and it ruptures, the first thing blamed is the ammunition).

If a gunsmith declares it safe to shoot, go purchase some factory .25 ACP and enjoy your handgun.

[gyvel]

If it's DA only, it's most likely a CZ45 (or possibly, though unlikely, a CZ36).

If not DA, it could also be a "Z" which was the renamed Czech "Duo," a small gun similar to an FN/Browning 1906. Those are your most likely suspects.

"48" is the year it was submitted for proof testing and is most likely the year of manufacture as well.

Post some photos: Left side, right side, and closeup of slide markings.

[gyvel]

Kind of like: I have a car made by GM with a V8. What is it?

A rust bucket with a bad ignition switch.:D:D:D

[gyvel]

FWIW, that particular gun is still made as the "CZ 92," but is not able to be imported into the U.S.

[Limnophile]

All firearms production at CZ-Strakonice was halted in 1955 and consolidared at CZ-Uhersky Brod. Thus, the OP is correct in saying the pistol is of Czechoslovak manufacture, because the Czech Republic did not exist until 1993.

Being a .25 Auto of Czechoslovakian manufacture before 1956, it could be a CZ 22, a CZ 36, a CZ DUO, or a CZ 45. This article may help you determine which it is: http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/2CZ25s/2cz25s.html.

CZ-UB currently makes the CZ 92, which is unavailable because it does not have enogh ATF points to be imported. CZ Custom was talking about building some here, but I never saw that they did.

[gyvel]

Anything is possible, but the probability of it being a CZ22 are low; I have only seen photos of the CZ22, which was apparently also known as the "Fox."

(Not to be confused with the Nickl designed CZ22 which was a .380.)

As an afterthought, being marked "Narodni Podnik" which is (more or less) "People's Factory," the likelihood is that it is a CZ45, since only that gun and the "Z" were produced in any quantities after the Communist takeover.

The "Z" however was not marked "Ceska Zbrojovka-Narodni Podnik Strakonice" as far I have been able to determine.