CZ 82

In the early 1980s, the Czechoslovak People's Army needed a replacement for its aging vz. 52 pistol. The requirements: 9x18mm Makarov chambering for Warsaw Pact compatibility, higher capacity than existing designs, and suitability for both military and police use.

Česká zbrojovka in Uherský Brod was tasked with the design. The engineers weren't constrained by Soviet design philosophy that prioritized manufacturing simplicity above all else.

The CZ 82 uses a straight blowback operating system — no locked breech needed since the 9x18mm Makarov operates at modest pressures. The DA/SA trigger provides a double-action first shot at approximately 12 pounds, transitioning to roughly 4.5 pounds single-action.

What set it apart:

• Fully ambidextrous controls — magazine release and safety/decocker accessible from both sides, virtually unheard of in the Eastern Bloc
• Polygonal rifling — improves barrel life, gas seal, and velocity
• 12-round capacity — 50% more than the standard Makarov PM
• All-steel construction with genuine ergonomic refinement

When surplus CZ 82s began arriving in the United States in the 2000s at $200-250, they quickly earned a reputation as one of the best bargains in the handgun market. Shooters discovered accuracy, reliability, and build quality that surplus Makarov PMs couldn't touch.

The CZ 82 stands as evidence that excellent firearms engineering transcended the Iron Curtain. Its combination of ambidextrous controls, polygonal rifling, generous capacity, and genuine ergonomic refinement would have been impressive in any Western catalog of the early 1980s.