AGI Armorer’s Course for CZ-52 Pistols

Bob Dunlap is a renowned expert on most of today and yesterdays important and obscure firearms. He has been a warranty station for most manufacturers, both large and small. His understanding of the design, function, and repair of firearms in general is unsurpassed, and his appreciation of European and exotic arms is legendary among his students. The CZ-52 was an extremely successful Soviet Bloc service pistol, and its hot .30 caliber (7.62×25) cartridge is an amazingly entertaining jackrabbit motivator. The guns have been imported to the U. S. in big numbers since the collapse of the Evil Empire and this course is designed to help all of you owners who love the gun, but are a little mystified about its workings. We use a rare factory cut-a way gun that allows you to actually see how the various parts work and interact.

If you want the quick course on how to get this Czech hot shot semi-auto pistol apart, back together, and operating as intended, then this course is for you (if you want the long course, look into our basic 108 hour Professional Gunsmith Course.)

Among the items covered are:

History

• Pistols produced at CZ (esk Zbrojovka) in Strakonice, Czechoslovakia from 1952 to 1954 for the Czech military. The brothers Jan and Jaroslav Kratochvl did the final design work on the pistol after the earlier designs proved unsuccessful. They also designed the CZ-50 which was almost a clone of the Walther PP.
• Pistol is a single action, roller locked, locked breech, semi-auto
• The roller locking system was taken from the German MG-42 to enable it to withstand the pressure of the hotter Czech version (M-48 SMG) of the Russian 7.62×25 PPSH sub-machinegun cartridge
• Many of the guns were refurbished in the mid-70s, with warn parts, barrels, etc., replaced. The guns were hot caustic blued right over the original parkerizing
• Guns were accuracy tested and marked in one of four grades
• Guns fairly accurate (some very accurate), reliable, and their cartridge is very flat shooting. Currently it is also relatively cheap on the surplus market

Design & Function

• Roller locking system described and shown
• Definition and demonstration of loose breech, and why you need to fix it
• Back to the roller locking system
• Fire control system demonstrated and explained
• How the trigger drawbar/disconnector engages the sear
• Operation of the firing pin blocking safety shown and explained
• How the slide actuates the disconnector function of the trigger draw bar
• Safety operation demonstrated and explained
• Thumb safety blocks the draw bar, not the sear
• Third position of the safety drops the hammer to an intercept notch, an unusual feature on a pistol of this vintage
• Ejector identified
• Slide release, where is the button
• Hammer operation, rebound to safe/intercept notch
• Function of the slide retainer shown

Disassembly

• Extensive disassembly, and instructions on how to take apart those parts/assemblies not disassembled, such as the rear sight
• Field stripping the gun
• Barrel removal and disassembly demonstrated
• Slide disassembly continues with the extractor and firing pin blocking safety
• Magazine disassembly explained and shown
• Unusual grip removal shown
• Complete lower frame disassembly shown in detail
• You get a good look at how the various parts fit together and interact (particularly the springs) after they are removed from the gun and Bob explains things

Cleaning & Lubrication

• AGI cleaning & lubrication methods shown, along with the reasons for their use
• After cleaning, dry with air gun, or in the oven on Warm ~185-200 degrees (metal parts ONLY)
• Lubing the Bob way, and what kind he likes

Reassembly

• Pins, slave and tapered, hook punches, etc. Helpful tools that may be required to help you get a gun back together easier
• Magazine assembly, and the spring tab does not always cooperate
• Barrel assembly and trouble shooting
• How to repair that loose breech
• Slide reassembly
• Extractor moment of mass explained
• Lower frame reassembly
• Final assembly

Accessories

• 9mm Parabellum barrels are available off and on
• Hard rollers are available from www.makarov.com, the original and Korean barrels that Fed Ord imported can have soft rollers that will tear up the slide as they wear
• Good steel firing pins available from above source and cheaper than dirt as well, a good thing since the originals tend to break
• Magazines from the same sources

If you noticed how often the terms “explanation” and “demonstration” are used, you may be getting some idea of why this course is necessary for any CZ-52 owner, or someone who intends to be.

View a sample of the content of this course below.