CODE – 02-029-947

NAME – ZK-476 Infantry Model

Name – ZK-476 Parachutist Model

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Czechoslovakia

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1947

CALIBER – 9x19mm

OVERALL LENGTH – 71.5 cm (28.15 in)

Parachutists Model – 46 cm (18.1 in.) Stock Folded, 66 cm (26 in) Stock Extended

BARREL LENGTH – 20.5 cm (8.07 in)

BULLET DIAMETER – 9.02 mm (0.355 in)

BULLET WEIGHT – 7.45 g (115 grains)

MUZZLE VELOCITY – 376 m/s (1234 fps)

MUZZLE ENERGY – 527 j (389 ft/lb)

WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 2.98 kg (6 lb 9.1 oz)

Parachutists Model – 2.78 kg (6 lb 2 oz)

WEIGHT (LOADED) – 3.54 kg (7 lb 12.9 oz)

Parachutists Model – 3.34 kg (7 lb 5.8 oz)

SIGHTS – Front – blade, Rear, L-flip with apertures for 100 and 300 m (109 and 328 yards)

EFFECTIVE RANGE – 200 m (219 yards)

OPERATION – Advanced primer ignition blowback, fires from open-bolt

TYPE OF FIRE – Selective fire, Semi and Full automatic

RATE OF FIRE – 40 rpm Semi, 90 rpm Full

CYCLIC ROF – 600 rpm

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 0.21 kg (7.4 oz)

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (LOADED) – 0.56 kg (1 lb 3.8 oz)

BASIC AMMUNITION LOAD – Ten 30-round box magazines (300 rounds)

LOAD WEIGHT – 5.6 kg (12 lbs 6 oz)

MANUFACTURER – Zbrojovka Brno

STATUS – Obsolete

SERVICE – None, prototypes only

     This was a post-World War II design developed by the Koucký brothers, Josef and František. It is considered to be one of the first, if not the first of the Third Generation of submachine guns. The weapon is made primarily of steel stampings for quick and relatively easy manufacturing. The design also incorporated a telescoping bolt, reducing the overall length while retaining a useful barrel length. Additionally, the weapon uses a magazine well inside of the pistol grip, making for a quick and easy reload even in the dark. The pistol grip magazine well also puts the balance of the weapon above the pistol grip, where it doesn’t change as the magazine is emptied. On the back of the pistol grip was a grip safety that had to be held in by the firer’s hand in order for the bolt to be allowed to move.

     The weapon also has a central cocking knob along the top of the weapon, as did the Thompson M1921 and M1928 models, which allows the weapon to be cocked with either hand. Advanced primer ignition gives the design a lighter bolt than it could otherwise operate with safely. Though a number of these features were used in earlier designs, the Koucký brothers were the first to combine all of these characteristics into a single weapon. The weapon was designated the ZK-476 and came out in two variations. The Infantry model had a solid wooden stock while the shorter Parachutists model had a folding metal stock. Though successful in design, the weapon was not adopted by the Czech military and remained in prototype form only. Reportedly only 58 individual weapons were produced and the pattern was offered for sale internationally. In February, 1949, representatives of Zbrojovka Bruno visited Israel, bringing with them samples of the ZK-476. The weapon was strongly considered but not adopted by the Israelis, but it did greatly influence their upcoming native design, the Uzi submachinegun.