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Czechoslovakia Ceska zbrojovka (CZ)
CZ 75
A double-action/single-action, all-steel service pistol whose slide-inside-frame design and ergonomic grip made it one of the most widely copied handgun designs in the world. It remains in service with numerous militaries and police forces across Europe and beyond.
In service since 1975 · 20 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
50
m range
350
m/s
16
rds
💲 ≈ $650 — Approximate retail price
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to Czechoslovakia export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 20 operators
In service since 1975. Status: active · ~1,500,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Effective range
Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope.
- 50 m Stronger than 50% of pistols
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 350 m/s Stronger than 26% of pistols
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 9×19 mm Parabellum
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 9 mm
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 16 Stronger than 69% of pistols
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 0.21 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 1 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
- Barrel length
Barrel length — longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling.
- 120 mm
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $650 Stronger than 31% of pistols
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 1,500,000 Stronger than 67% of pistols
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 20 Stronger than 55% of pistols
Specifications compiled from public Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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How many crew does the Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) CZ 75 require? +
The Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) CZ 75 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) CZ 75? +
The Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) CZ 75's primary weapon is the 9×19 mm Parabellum.
What is the Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) CZ 75 used for? +
The Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) CZ 75 is a pistol & sidearm typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) CZ 75? +
The Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) CZ 75 is operated by 20 countries.
How much does the Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) CZ 75 cost? +
The Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) CZ 75 has an approximate unit cost of 650 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
