Here are pictures of the outside and inside of a lightly engraved Brno Arms sidelock:
The history of arms making in Czechoslovakia is complicated. Here is a bit of a FAQ I wrote up circa 1995 for fledgling collectors of Czech firearms. Things have changed since the following was written, but the history remains the same :-)
A bit of the history of Ceska Zbrojovka and Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka (and Ceska Zavody Motocyklove) for anyone interested.
Ceska Zbrojovka
The company we know as Ceska Zbrojovka was founded in 1919 in Pilsin, as the Jihoceska Zbrojovka (South Bohemian Arms Factory). It moved in 1921 to a new factory in Strakonice, and in 1922 it merged with the Hubertus Factory and changed its name to Ceska Zbrojovka (Bohemian Arms Factory). Its trademark is "CZ", where the "Z" is inside the loop of the "C" and the "C" is in a circle. Ceska Zbrojovka was the sole supplier of handguns to the Czech military from 1926 to 1954 (and possibly beyond). Among the military pistols produced by Ceska Zbrojovka are the Vz-24, V-27, Vz-36/45, Vz-38, Vz-50 & Vz-70, and the Vz-52. (Note: "Vz" is the abbreviation for "Vzor", or "Model").
Ceska Zbrojovka was preparing to move from Strakonice to Uhersky Brod in 1939 when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia and seized the factory. During the Occupation, Ceska Zbrojovka was owned by (read "expropriated to”) the Reichswerke Herman Goring (RWGH) and their production was dedicated to the Third Reich. During WWII, Ceska Zbrojovka remained at in Strakonice and continued to make pistols for the Third Reich. Germany used a number of Czech Vz-24's, Vz-27's (as the "Pistole Modell 27") and Vz-38's (as the model "P.39(t)"). Pistols made during the Occupation can be found marked "Bohmische Waffenfabrik A. G. Prag". Ceska Zbrojovka also produced parts for the Walther P.38, and such parts will have the code "fnh" and the Waffenamt "WaA 76". Ceska Zbrojovka was considered for production of the P.38 during WWII, but whether they actually produced any complete pistols is a matter of dispute. This subject is clouded by the post-war (1946) production of some P.38’s by Ceska Zbrojovka using parts and salvaged pistols, and P.38’s marked “Vz-46” are known to exist.
In 1955 Ceska Zbrojovka finally moved to Uhersky Brod and the Strakonice factory was turned over to the Ceska Zavody Motocyklove to produce motorcycles. Today, Ceska Zbrojovka is still in operation and produces pistols such as the Vz-75, Vz-82, and Vz83 and sub-machineguns like the Vz-61 (Scorpion) and the Vz-83. It now also appears to produce sporting rifles, and has a net site at
http://www.czub.cz.Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka
Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka was founded in 1918 in the city of Brno, acquired Mauser’s tooling to produce Model 98 rifles, and began production of M98 Mauser rifles. Its trademark was the letter "Z", inside a rifled bore. This trademark originally belonged to the Praga Zbrojovka whose assets were purchased by Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka in 1926. As Ceska Zbrojovka had the "lock" on Czech military pistol contracts, so Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka was the sole supplier of long arms to the Czech military. Probably the most well known rifle produced by Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka is the Vz-24. With Germany in general and Mauser in particular banned from producing military arms, Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka moved into the void and became one of the major exporters of small arms during the inter-War years.
Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka was also occupied during WWII, and was expropriated to the Reichswerke Herman Goring (RWGH) and their production was also dedicated to the Third Reich. Rifles produced by Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka for the Third Reich will be found with the manufacturer's codes “dot” (Brunn plant), “dou” (Bystrica plant), and “dov” (Vsetin plant). One often ignored fact is the British BREN light machinegun is a Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka design, and was produced by the Royal Arms factory in England under license from Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka.
Folks frequently confuse the trademarks of these companies - a situation not helped by the fact the country code for Czechoslovakia is also "CZ". The place name "Brno" is also frequently misused as a company identifier for Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka, possibly because few non-Czech speakers want to attempt to pronounce "Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka". But be that as it may, the name "Brno" came into such common usage that it was utilized as a product name after the Communist take-over of Czechoslovakia. Speaking of which…
With the Communist take-over in the late 1940's both Ceska Zbrojovka and Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka ceased to exist, at least as we think of them as companies. Rather they became State owned manufacturing facilities ("Narodni Podnik", or "National Enterprise"). At his point it becomes unclear the degree to which commercial firearm markings indicate what factory was involved in the production of the firearm. At some point the manufacturing facility in Brno was renamed to Zbrojovka Brno (Brno Arms). The manufacturing facility in Uhersky Brod became a member of the Zbrojovka Brno Narodni Podnik in 1965. At this point the firearms produced at Uhersky Brod were also marked (I won't say "used the trademark") “Brno".
I think it's important to note here that while these were still physically different manufacturing facilities, both were a part of the same National Enterprise. That's an important distinction since what we, in a capitalistic society, think of as "companies" and "trade marks" either do not exist or have different meanings in a Socialist State.
With the deterioration and eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union private enterprise again came to Czechoslovakia. The National Enterprise located at Uhersky Brod is once more "Ceska Zbrojovka", and appears to be well on the road to private ownership. It even has a new trademark; the outline of a pistol in a circle. Ceska Zbrojovka has an Internet site at
http://www.czub.cz, and an office here in the States. The last address I have for their US office is:
CZ USA
Building B, Unit 119
1401 Fairfax Trafficway
Kansas City, KS 66115
800/955-4486
913/321-1811
913/321-2251 Fax
email: czusa@gvi.net
Following the Second World War, Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka produced few arms - it began the manufacture of information and communications devices. In 1989, it was restructured and reorganized. The change reached a head in 1995 when it emerged as Zbrojovka Brno (a joint stock company) and resumed larger scale production of sporting rifles and shotguns. Which brings us to the second trademark of the reformed Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka - “ZB”.
As of 18 May 1995, Zbrojovka Brno/Brno Arms was still in operation and producing fine shotguns, rifles, pistols, and airguns. Individual shareholders held 50.43% of its stock, with the remainder of its capitalization provided by governmental entities. Reportedly, 40% of its production goes to 52 countries worldwide. Zbrojovka Brno uses “ZB”, the letter "Z" inside a rifled bore, “Brno Arms”, and “Arms Brno” among its trademarks. To the best of my knowledge, Zbrojovka Brno does not have a US office, but does have an internet site at
http://www.zbrojovka.com/auvod.htm
