Jan

Czechoslovak firearms designer Miroslav Rybář (1924–1970) holding his iconic machine pistol, the Škorpion vz. 61... Miroslav Rybář designed the weapon around 1959 under the working name "Model 59," and it was officially adopted in Czechoslovakia in 1961. It is officially designated as a machine pistol (or compact submachine gun) known as Samopal vzor 61. . . . Rybář was a weapons designer in Czechoslovakia during the Cold War. In the late 1950s, he was asked to design a compact weapon for soldiers who needed something smaller than a rifle but more capable than a pistol, such as tank crews, radio operators and officers. The result was the vz. 61, better known as the Škorpion. The “vz.” stands for “vzor,” Czech for “model,” and 61 refers to 1961, the year it was officially adopted by the Czechoslovak army. It was unusually small for its type, about the size of a large pistol, with a wire stock that folded over the top. That made it easy to carry in a vehicle or under a coat. Around 200,000 were made at the Česká zbrojovka factory in Uherský Brod, and it spread to armies and security forces in dozens of countries. Its distinctive look made it a favorite of filmmakers and game designers. It has appeared in movies and in popular games like “Call of Duty: Black Ops,” introducing it to millions of players who had never heard of Czechoslovakia. The Škorpion is often called a submachine gun, but because it’s so small and fires a pistol cartridge, many experts classify it as a machine pistol instead. #archaeohistories