CZ-52 Technical Details

External

Overall length: 209 mm (8.2")

Weight: 0.95 kg (2.09 lb)

Barrel length: 120 mm (4.7 in)

Finish: Original military finish was either parkerized or a gray oxide coating. In the 1970s some CZ-52s were arsenal refinished blue.

Operation background

Operating controls of the CZ-52 include a single-action trigger, an external hammer, a magazine catch at the heel of the grip frame, and a combination de-cock and safety lever on the left side of the receiver behind the left grip panel.

The manual safety blocks movement of the sear, preventing the hammer from releasing and so firing a round. A second safety in the form of a spring-loaded firing pin block prevents the pistol from firing unless the trigger is pulled to the rear, rendering the pistol "drop safe". Because the sear must also overcome the additional spring pressure of the firing pin block, an unusually heavy trigger pull results.

Česká Zbrojovka vzor 52 pistol and 7.62x25mm Tokarev ammunition.

The trigger pull of a stock CZ-52 is often in the range of 8-10 pounds. Our replacement firing pins and drop-in trigger enhancement kits can lower this to 3.5-4 pounds, a feel preferred by many shooters and which can lead to greatly improved accuracy.

The hammer is of the rebounding type, meaning that it does not contact the firing pin while in its uncocked position and cannot do so unless the trigger is pulled, another safety feature.

Loading, safety operation, and firing

Load the weapon by inserting a full magazine and then retracting and releasing the slide. This will cock the hammer, strip a cartridge from the magazine and chamber it.

Rotating the safety lever fully downward, exposing a red dot between the receiver and hammer pivot pin, renders the pistol ready to fire.

Rotating the safety lever upward to cover the red dot engages the sear block (for "cocked and locked" carry).

Rotating the safety lever fully upward decocks the hammer by releasing the sear and intercepting the hammer's rotation. The hammer must then be cocked manually and the safety disengaged before a round can be fired.

As the trigger is pulled, the trigger bar rotates the sear, a lug on the sear disengages the firing pin safety located directly above it, and the opposite side of the sear releases the hammer. The hammer impacts the firing pin, the firing pin impacts the primer of the cartridge and the shot is fired.