CODE – 02-029-961

NAME – Vz-61 Skorpion

NAME (NATIVE) – Samopal vzor 61

COMMON NAMES – Skorpion

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Czechoslovakia

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1961

CALIBER – 7.65x17mmSR (.32 ACP)

OVERALL LENGTH – 27 cm (10.63 in) Stock folded, 51.7 cm (20.35 in) Stock extended

46.9 cm (18.48 in) Stock folded, Suppressor mounted, 71.6 cm (28.2 in) Stock extended, Suppressor mounted

BARREL LENGTH – 11.5 cm (4.53 in)

SUPPRESSOR LENGTH – 22.2cm (8.75 in)

RIFLING (TYPE & TWIST) – 6-Groove, Right-hand twist, 1 turn in 30 cm (11.8 in)

BULLET DIAMETER – 7.92mm (0.312 in)

BULLET WEIGHT – 4.80 g (74 grains)

MUZZLE VELOCITY – 317 m/s (1040 fps), 274 m/s (899 fps) with suppressor mounted

MUZZLE ENERGY – 241 j (178 ft/lb), 180 j (133 ft/lb) with suppressor

WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 1.28 kg (2 lb 13 oz)

WEIGHT (LOADED) – 1.70 kg (4 lb 12 oz) with 20 round magazine

WEIGHT (LOADED) WITH SUPPRESSOR – 2.04 kg (4 lb 8 oz) with suppressor and 20 round magazine

SUPPRESSOR WEIGHT – 0.34 kg (12 oz)

SUPPRESSOR MOUNTING – 3-jaw collet

SUPPRESSOR OPERATION – Three-stage, expansion chamber, rubber wipe, muzzle expansion chamber

SIGHTS – Front sight – post, Rear sight-Flip-type leaf w/apertures, leaf for 75 and 150 meters

EFFECTIVE RANGE – 50 m

OPERATION – Blowback, fires from closed bolt

TYPE OF FIRE – Selective, Semi and Full automatic

RATE OF FIRE – 35 rpm Semi, 80 rpm Full

CYCLIC ROF – 750-800 rpm, 950 rpm with suppressor

FEED DEVICE – 10 or 20 round box magazine, double column, double feed

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 10-round – 0.16 kg (5.6 oz), 20-round – 0.26 kg (4.2 oz)

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (LOADED) – 10-round – 0.24 kg (8.5 oz), 20-round – 0.42kg (14.8 oz)

BASIC LOAD – 1-10 round magazine, 4 – 20 round magazines (90 rounds)

LOAD WT – 1.92 kg (4 lb 3.7 oz)

MANUFACTURER – Česká Zbrojovka Arms Factory, Uherský Brod, Czechoslovakia, License built in Yugoslavia as the M84

STATUS – Obsolescent

SERVICE – Czechoslovakian military, commercial sales

     Designed by Miroslav Rybář in 1959, this very small submachinegun was his post-graduate thesis project at the Czech Military Technical Academy. The submachine gun was adopted by the Czech military in 1961 and was in full production by 1962. The very compact design of the weapon was to fulfill a need to arm military gun crews, armored vehicle operators, communications technicians, and some officers. Basically, the definition of what is now called a Personal Defense Weapons (PDW). The weapon was very quickly picked up by some State Security Services and Special Forces.

     The basic design of the Vz-61 is of a simple blowback weapon, hammer fired from a closed bolt. The means of accomplishing this goal is not very simple. To aid in having a very short overall length, the Vz-61 uses a fairly light telescoping bolt that overhangs a portion of the barrel. The actual travel of the bolt during the firing cycle is very short, which would normally result in a very high, if not uncontrollable, cyclic rate of fire. To minimize this problem, there is a rate reducer mechanism in the grip of the weapon.

      When the bolt reaches the rear of the receiver, a pair of hooks grasp the bolt and stops its travel. In turn, the bolt drives an inertia weight down into a spring-loaded cylinder held in the pistol grip. The weight reaches the bottom of the cylinder and rebounds against spring pressure. As the weight of the rate reducer reaches the top of its travel, it strikes the hooks holding the bolt back, releasing it to continue the firing cycle. This mechanism effectively doubles the length of the bolt travel as far as timing goes and reduces the cyclic rate of fire to a controllable 700 rounds per minute.

     To also aid in making the Vz-61 controllable as a hand-held automatic weapon, it is chambered for the 7.65x17mm semi-rimmed (.32 ACP) round. This round has been used in WWI and WWII as a ranking officers pistol round, but it is rarely seen in a combat weapon. The use of the 7.65x17mm SR round also allows the simple use of a muzzle suppressor on the Vz-61, which increased its appeal for undercover and clandestine use. An unusual marking on the front of the factory suppressor reads NA 50m MIŘ 30cm NÍŽE [FOR 50m DIMENSION 30cm BELOW] meaning “At 50 meters, aim 30 cm (12 in) low.”

     The small weapon is not much larger than a full-sized automatic pistol. It has a folding stock, that is quite short but does aid in shoulder firing the weapon. The stock attaches at the rear of the receiver and folds over the top of the weapon, being held in the folded position by a small spring clip at the front sight base. The folding-over stock, with the formed wire butt piece on its end, helped give the Vz-61 its more popular name of Skorpion submachine gun. The Skorpion is normally issued with either a hip or shoulder holster and two magazine pouches, each holding two 20-round magazines. To properly fit in the holsters supplied for it, the Skorpion is loaded with a 10-round magazine. A popular weapon, the Skorpion saw international commercial sales, some of which resulted in its being used by terrorist forces. About 210,000 weapons produced between 1961-1979 at the original Czechoslovakian plant. The weapon was also produced under license in Yugoslavia and has been copied by other countries.

 

A left-side view of the Vz-61 Skorpion. The bolt is locked back on an empty 20-round magazine in this picture, indicated by the position of the cocking knob being held back in its slot. Above the pistol grip is the safety/selector switch. The switch is pointing down to the “0” position, indicating that the weapon is set on safe. Pushing the switch forward with the thumb of the firing hand puts it on the “20” notch, setting the weapon to full automatic fire. The rearmost notch, marked with a “1”, is the setting for semiautomatic fire. PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN DOCKERY
A left-side view of the Vz-61 Skorpion. The bolt is locked back on an empty 20-round magazine in this picture, indicated by the position of the cocking knob being held back in its slot. Above the pistol grip is the safety/selector switch. The switch is pointing down to the “0” position, indicating that the weapon is set on safe. Pushing the switch forward with the thumb of the firing hand puts it on the “20” notch, setting the weapon to full automatic fire. The rearmost notch, marked with a “1”, is the setting for semiautomatic fire. PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN DOCKERY
The right-side of a Skorpion Vz-61. The stock has been unfolded and locked into the open position. The weapon is loaded with an empty 20-round magazine. The bolt is locked to the rear indicating that the weapon has an empty magazine. The ejection port is on the top of the receiver and the weapon is known for ejecting fired brass straight up into the air when it is fired. At the base of the exposed barrel can be seen the small ring that helps secure the collet of the suppressor when it is mounted. PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN DOCKERY
The right-side of a Skorpion Vz-61. The stock has been unfolded and locked into the open position. The weapon is loaded with an empty 20-round magazine. The bolt is locked to the rear indicating that the weapon has an empty magazine. The ejection port is on the top of the receiver and the weapon is known for ejecting fired brass straight up into the air when it is fired. At the base of the exposed barrel can be seen the small ring that helps secure the collet of the suppressor when it is mounted. PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN DOCKERY
The right-side of a Vz-61 Skorpion with some of the materials issued with it. The bolt on the weapon is locked back on an empty magazine. Fitted with a 20-round magazine as seen here, the weapon will not fit into the hip holster it is laying on. To fit in the holster, the Vz-61 would have to be loaded with the 10-round magazine laying on the table between the holster and the magazine pouch. The shape of the pouch is due to the strong curve on the 20-round magazines (2) that it normally holds. PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN DOCKERY
The right-side of a Vz-61 Skorpion with some of the materials issued with it. The bolt on the weapon is locked back on an empty magazine. Fitted with a 20-round magazine as seen here, the weapon will not fit into the hip holster it is laying on. To fit in the holster, the Vz-61 would have to be loaded with the 10-round magazine laying on the table between the holster and the magazine pouch. The shape of the pouch is due to the strong curve on the 20-round magazines (2) that it normally holds. PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN DOCKERY
The right-side of a Vz-61 Skorpion. The weapon is loaded with a 20-round magazine. The bolt is locked back on an empty chamber as indicated by the cocking knobs being two-thirds of the way back in the slot it travels in. The folding stock is latched in place by the spring slip at the base of the front sight. The two-lugged cap at the bottom of the wooden pistol grip retains the rate reducing mechanism inside of the grip. PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN DOCKERY
The right-side of a Vz-61 Skorpion. The weapon is loaded with a 20-round magazine. The bolt is locked back on an empty chamber as indicated by the cocking knobs being two-thirds of the way back in the slot it travels in. The folding stock is latched in place by the spring slip at the base of the front sight. The two-lugged cap at the bottom of the wooden pistol grip retains the rate reducing mechanism inside of the grip. PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN DOCKERY
The Vz-61 Skorpion fitted with the original suppressor designed for it. The suppressor mounts to the exposed barrel of the Skorpion with a 3-jaw collet that is tightened by the knurled ring at the barrel-end of the suppressor. This specimen has the stock unfolded and is loaded with a 10-round magazine. PHOTO CREDIT: DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
The Vz-61 Skorpion fitted with the original suppressor designed for it. The suppressor mounts to the exposed barrel of the Skorpion with a 3-jaw collet that is tightened by the knurled ring at the barrel-end of the suppressor. This specimen has the stock unfolded and is loaded with a 10-round magazine. PHOTO CREDIT: DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
The interior of a Vz-61 with the weapon loaded with a 10-round magazine. The bolt is forward on a chambered round and the hammer cocked and ready to fire. At the rear of the receiver and within the pistol grip can be seen the fairly complex inertia weight rate reducing mechanism. PHOTO CREDIT: DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
The interior of a Vz-61 with the weapon loaded with a 10-round magazine. The bolt is forward on a chambered round and the hammer cocked and ready to fire. At the rear of the receiver and within the pistol grip can be seen the fairly complex inertia weight rate reducing mechanism. PHOTO CREDIT: DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
The Vz-61 Skorpion filed-stripped for maintenance. PHOTO CREDIT: DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
The Vz-61 Skorpion filed-stripped for maintenance. PHOTO CREDIT: DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
The inertial rate reducing mechanism for the Vz-61 Skorpion removed from its housing in the pistol grip of the weapon. The inertia unite itself is removed from the grip by unscrewing the end cap, identified as Part #7 in the illustration. The mechanism itself is held in a cylinder inside of the pistol grip. PHOTO CREDIT: DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
The inertial rate reducing mechanism for the Vz-61 Skorpion removed from its housing in the pistol grip of the weapon. The inertia unite itself is removed from the grip by unscrewing the end cap, identified as Part #7 in the illustration. The mechanism itself is held in a cylinder inside of the pistol grip. PHOTO CREDIT: DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY