Skorpion VZ 61 (M84)

Description

The Czech Skorpion was developed during the Cold War as a sidearm for their special forces, vehicle crews and support personnel. It officially entered service 1961 (hence the VZ 61 designation) and remains in use by many Middle Eastern and African nations.

Aptly named the Skorpion due its small size and powerful sting, it primarily fires a .32 ACP (7.65×17mm Browning SR) cartridge, however models are also available in Soviet 9×18mm Makarov (vz. 65 & vz. 82), or .380 ACP ((vz. 64, vz. 83).

It fires from a closed bolt and can be used in either semi or fully automatic modes. A folding stock allows for added stability when firing automatic, however at a cyclic rate of 850 rounds/minute (14 rounds/second) the 10 or 20 round curved magazines obliviously don’t take very long to empty, therefore incredibly short bursts or single shots are recommended.

This particular example was made under license in Yugoslavia from 1984 through to 1992 where it was re-designated the ‘M84’. It would see extensive use with Serbian regular and irregular forces during the Yugoslav civil wars of the 1990’s. With this and Czech models later finding themselves in the hands of eastern European organized crime groups as well as terrorist organizations such as the IRA.