The 1st-generation CZ Scorpion machine pistol was adopted by the Czechoslovak Armed Forces at the height of the Cold War in 1961 and saw use anywhere the Warsaw Pact sought goodwill. Over the years, the CZ Scorpion has gained a reputation as a premiere submachine gun of the 20th century. The CZ Scorpion Evo 3 is the 3rd-generation version that leans on heritage by name but is an entirely new departure that contends in the crowded pistol-caliber carbine market.
CZ Scorpion Features
There are a few different Scorpion models to choose from. The Gen. 3+ Micro is the smallest of the bunch but comes with a pistol-length 4.25-inch barrel. This same model is also available with a 7.8-inch barrel. The latest iteration, the Evo. 3, uses this longer barrel and has a melted appearance and fully-ambidextrous safety, bolt release, and charging handle that the other models lacked until now.
The Evo 3 series are chambered in 9mm Luger for the American market and use a straight blowback action like most PCCs on the market today. The beefy upper aluminum receiver houses a heavy bolt and a polymer lower receiver for the trigger group, magazine well, and pistol grip. If AR-style guns are your forte, this setup should be somewhat familiar. Likewise, the magazine release and safety are in their familiar places.
The addition of a stubby polymer M-Lock handguard, aperture and post iron sights, and a full Picatinny rail on the sighting plane for an optic will also ring a bell. The forward-mounted charging handle is the only major departure. The handle does not reciprocate on firing and can be locked open by bringing the handle rearward and up into a safety notch. And, yes, you can do the H&K slap to charge the gun, but it can only be done with the bolt already locked open into that notch.
Although not as prevalent as Glock mags, Scorpion mags are completely functional, made for full-auto abuse, and out there for a reasonable price. Magpul’s standard 35-round stick magazine and CZ magazines ranging from 10-30 rounds can be had at reasonable prices.
Decisions, Decisions?
The CZ Scorpion is an excellent military submachine gun and in semi-auto format, it is a great PCC. But in a market flooded with the type, the biggest drawback of the CZ is the sheer number of alternative options you might consider. A buying decision will come down to your intended purpose and how much you want to spend over those alternatives.
If you want to shoot pistol rounds and get more power out of them, look elsewhere. Ballistically, a more traditional pistol-caliber carbine like the Keltec Sub 2000 or Ruger PC carbine would be a better option. Their sixteen-inch barrels can give you 100-300 feet per second greater velocity out of a given 9mm or 40 S&W pistol loads than out of a five-inch handgun. At the low velocities handgun rounds are clocking in at, that is enough of a difference to make a difference. Further, you can get these options for far less cash.
Picking gets easier if you want the compactness of a braced pistol and you are willing to put up with pistol ballistics while gaining some shootability over a conventional handgun. With an MSRP between $1000-1300, coupled with the expense of a brace, the CZ commands a premium over a traditional carbine but is set below a comparable Sig MPX or B&T.
One of the few braced pistols in the CZ’s price range is the Grand Power Stribog. That PCC has stormed onto the scene and gained a following. Like the CZ, the Grand Power was designed for military service before its redesign for the civilian marketplace. In terms of price, you are saving by going with the Grand Power. But saving goes beyond the green in your wallet. Aftermarket support for the Grand Power is growing, but it is still a long way from CZ’s market power. Given CZ’s storied history and the Scorpion as a mainstay PCC, the decision to buy and resupply can be that much easier.
