The Top 5 CZ Guns Of All Time

Introduction and Criteria for Top CZ Guns

The video presents a ranked list of the top five CZ firearms of all time, limited to guns produced from the company’s founding in 1936 up to the present, without speculating on future releases. The host is joined in the Czech Republic by Karel from CZ’s marketing team to provide historical context and technical background. The list is based on observed history, production impact, and personal evaluation after handling the guns and learning their stories. It includes both widely produced commercial models and significant historical designs. The goal is to highlight firearms that shaped CZ’s reputation, influenced later designs, or achieved major adoption, rather than focusing solely on current catalog popularity.

Number 5: CZ 457 Rimfire Bolt-Action

Number five is the CZ 457 rimfire rifle in .22 LR. It is a modern bolt-action platform threaded for a suppressor, making it very quiet and easy to shoot when suppressed. The 457 continues CZ’s long tradition of rimfire bolt guns that began shortly after World War II and evolved through models like the CZ 451 and 452. Those earlier rifles have been widely copied and remain in service around the world. With the 457, CZ refined the design with updated safety features and a more modern configuration while retaining accuracy and reliability. Rimfires are often overlooked as less “cool,” yet CZ sells large numbers of these rifles globally and is considered a dominant manufacturer in the .22 bolt-action segment, which is why the 457 earns a place on the list.

Number 4: LK 30 Aircraft Machine Gun

Number four is the LK 30, the first product CZ ever manufactured. The factory was built in 1936, and the LK 30 was produced before the Second World War as an aircraft-mounted gun of original Czech design. It was chambered in 8x57, a standard Mauser-type caliber of the era. The gun is now a historical piece held at CZ’s headquarters and treated as a museum-grade artifact rather than a shooter. Its mechanical layout, including a moving drum, visually recalls elements of both the Lewis gun and the Browning M2. The LK 30 was effectively the first and, for a long time, the last belt-fed gun CZ produced, giving it unique significance in the company’s history. Even though only one was made and it never became a mass product, it earns its place on the list as CZ’s starting point.

Number 3: CZ Bren 2 and Bren 3

Number three covers the CZ Bren 2 and its evolution, the Bren 3. The Bren 2 is a short-stroke piston rifle that has seen extensive military use, including tens of thousands delivered to Ukraine, where it has been heavily tested in recent conflict. The example shown is an 11-inch military configuration in 5.56×45. The Bren 3 builds on the Bren 2 by retaining the lower receiver and control layout while updating the platform with M-LOK handguards, increased modularity, and additional calibers such as 300 Blackout. CZ also strengthened certain components to improve robustness and durability under harsh conditions. The Bren 2 has repeatedly performed well in comparisons with other short-stroke piston 5.56 rifles, noted for soft recoil and controllability. The Bren 2 line includes 5.56 and 7.62×39, while the Bren 3 adds 5.56 and 300 Blackout, including an SD-style suppressed variant in 300 Blackout.

Number 2: CZ Scorpion and VZ 61 Origins

Number two is the CZ Scorpion family, with roots in the VZ 61. The VZ 61 was developed in 1961 as a compact personal-defense weapon in .32 ACP, featuring a distinctive wire stock that folded over the top, resembling a scorpion’s tail and inspiring the name. It was intended for tank crews, pilots, and others needing more firepower than a pistol in a small package. CZ later recognized the need to move to 9mm, the standard pistol-caliber carbine cartridge, leading to the development of the Scorpion Evo 3. The “3” designation reflects an intermediate VZ 68 prototype in 9mm that never reached full production. The Evo 3 is a new design with a polymer receiver and simple blowback action, emphasizing ease of disassembly, straightforward maintenance, and reliability. Introduced in 2009 in Europe and arriving in the U.S. market around 2014, it became one of CZ’s bestselling products and significantly influenced the pistol-caliber carbine segment. Despite being blowback-operated, it is noted for unusually soft recoil and controllability, and has seen widespread law enforcement and military use, including in the Czech Republic.

Honorable Mention: CZ P-10 Polymer Pistol

Before revealing the top spot, the discussion turns to an honorable mention: the CZ P-10 polymer-framed pistol. The P-10 follows earlier CZ pistols like the P-09 and represents CZ’s entry into a crowded modern striker-fired market. It is highlighted for its ergonomics, reliability, and recent ported variant, which reduces muzzle rise and is described as shooting very well. The P-10 has gained adoption among various European police departments, and additional international users are expected, though specific agencies are not named. While it has not been in service as long as some of the other guns on the list, its design and growing presence suggest it will become increasingly significant. Because it is relatively new compared to CZ’s historic models and long-established platforms, it is recognized as important but kept as an honorable mention rather than placed in the top five.

Number 1: CZ 75 and Shadow 2 Line

Number one is the CZ 75 family, including the original CZ 75, the CZ 75B with firing pin block, and modern derivatives such as the CZ Shadow 2 and Shadow 2 Target. The CZ 75 is presented as CZ’s most iconic product line, with numerous variations built on the same core concept. The original design established CZ’s reputation for double-action/single-action service pistols with excellent ergonomics and shootability. The 75B added a firing pin block for enhanced safety while preserving the basic layout. The Shadow 2 series refines the platform further for competition and precision-oriented shooting, with tuned triggers and features aimed at target performance. Across decades, the CZ 75 pattern has become one of the company’s defining achievements, influencing many other pistols and remaining central to CZ’s identity, which is why it occupies the top position on the list.