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Jihoceska Zbrojovka, Pilsen & Strakonitz, Czechoslovakia. (1919-21) Ceska Zbrojovka, a.s. Prague & Strakonitz, Czechoslovakia. (1921- ) This Company was founded in 1919 at the instigation of Karel Bubla who realized the need for Czechoslovakia to build an firearm industry. Designed in 1926 by Frantisek Myska, the model 27 was based on the Model 24 but was unlocked blowback rather than recoil operated with a rotation barrel lock. In 1939, after twelve years of use by the Czechoslovakian police, the German Occupation Army saw its potential and adopted it as a secondary military weapon and for police and Luftwaffe use as Pistole 27(t). Two interesting variants the Germans developed were the .22 LR RF version for target practise and the long-barrelled model modified for a silencer. The early German pistols were made to pre-war standards, but as the war progressed, quality declined greatly. By 1942 all production went to the Luftwaffe, and the pistols were marked only with the code fnh and German proofs. Early weapons had wooden grips and were marked ‘CESKA ZBROJOVVKA AS V PRAZE’ At the war’s end commercial production resumed, with pre-war markings but starting at around serial number 480000. After 1938 plastic grips were used and pistols were marked ‘BOHMISCHE WAFFENFABRIK PRAG’. When the communists took over Czechoslovakia in 1948 the factory was nationalized. It is estimated that nearly 600000 of these pistols have been made. The 1927 model pistol is a single action, unlocked blowback arm with an assembly design similar to Colt. The trigger mechanism is based on the 1910 Mauser but can be removed from the frame as a unit The safety catch is also a direct Mauser copy, which block the hammer and sear. A hammer was used to detonate the cartridge. (Ref. ‘Pistols and revolvers’ by JE Smith, ‘Price guide for collector handguns’ by R H Balderson, ‘Pistols of the world’ by Hogg and Weeks p50, Dictionary of guns and gunmakers by John Walter p113)

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