There are a few firearms that are immediately recognizable, even at a glance, and need no formal introduction. These include, but are not limited to the Uzi, AK-47, M16 and the Thompson. Manufactured in great numbers, utilized worldwide, and immortalized on film, these guns are known even to those who have no interest or background in the firearms community. Due to the vast number of troops returning from tours in the desert regions of the globe, and the media (as well as Hollywood) coverage of these events, there seems to be another “up and comer” to add to this list; the vz. 61 Scorpion.

No stranger to members of the gun culture, the Czechoslovakian Scorpion Submachine Pistol is quickly identified by its unique wooden pistol grip and square receiver. Designed in the late 1950s and chambered in 7.65 Browning (.32 ACP) this easily concealable firearm boasts a rate of fire in excess of 1,000 rounds per minute. Depending on the level of concealability desired it can be utilized with a 10-round or 20-round magazine. While some claim to have little use for this style of tiny submachine gun, the Scorpion handily fulfills its intended role of a basic pistol capable of carry in a holster with the option of fully automatic fire.

Welcome to America

Due to the 1968 GCA and 1986 ban on the manufacture of domestic machine guns, civilian legal variants of these unique and desirable firearms are extremely limited at best. At least they were until Czechpoint, Inc. of Knoxville, Tennessee established a distributorship for their newly manufactured, BATFE approved, semiautomatic version, the SA vz. 61 Scorpion.

Manufactured by D-Technik a.s. in the Czech Republic, these new variants have been redesigned in a semiautomatic-only capacity to allow import and sale for civilian purchase in the United States. Design modifications to the manufacturing process of the original SMG that meet BATFE legal standards include the semiautomatic-only fire control group, removal of the rate reducer and modification of three parts, including a new safety. Thanks to Czechpoint, those who desire a variant of this famous machine pistol now have an option.

When Czechpoint contacted SAR we immediately embraced the idea of a T&E on the new SA vz. 61 Scorpion. We are always interested in military and historically significant firearms, especially when they are available in any configuration to the general population. This example of “Trickle Down Weaponomics” illustrates the ingenuity of those in our industry to bring more firearm designs to more people, while complying with the numerous laws in place at all times. Since the original Scorpion pistol was never designed or intended to be offered in a semiautomatic-only variant, Czechpoint and D-Technik deserve credit for their innovative new design and market application.

In an attempt to get the whole picture, arrangements were made to test several variants of these pistols. A standard pistol as offered from the manufacturer, as well as an NFA Short Barreled Rifle (SBR) version were ordered for testing. We also obtained a registered select-fire version for comparison in both feel and function. Although Czechpoint only offers these in the standard pistol configuration, they have a working relationship with IN RANGE, a Kodak, TN based Title II Manufacturer to supply the SBR version should the purchaser desire one in that configuration. The SBR tested in this article was indeed an IN RANGE conversion. Troy and Christy Sellars of IN RANGE are well-known, long time members of the NFA community with a long history in manufacturing. While they are best known for their immaculate AK/Krinkov conversions, their high-end work reputation translated quite well into the SA vz. 61 we received.

When we received the Scorpions for our testing, it was immediately apparent that these were delivered from a professional establishment. The packaging is not something that is typically worthy of noting in a T&E article, but in this case we will make an exception. Each SA vz. 61 is shipped in a custom fit hard plastic case. Each case is custom fit for (and filled with) the pistol, a nylon holster, a holster belt, a nylon dual magazine pouch, and 3 magazines; two of 20-round capacity and one 10-round magazine. Also included is a professional CD filled with information about the weapon system including a printable owner’s manual in PDF format, historical information and information about the original submachine guns. There is also a holster suspension belt included, giving the user the option of wearing the holster on a belt in a traditional manor or suspended from the main belt and attached to the upper leg for stability with an additional (included) belt.

The Basics

The fit and finish of the pistols received was excellent. The upper receiver portion of those tested is a dark black paint and matches the finish of the barrel, and magazines. On the SBR version, it also matched the finish of the stock. The frame on our test models was blued but is also available with a Nickel finish if desired. The grips on our test models were the standard military versions with several vertical grooves covering both sides, the front and rear of the grips. Also available are a composite material “Police” grip and two fancy checkered models, one in Walnut and the other in Beech.

The barrel length is 4.53 inches and extends approximately 1.5 inches out the front of the receiver. The rear sight is an “L” sight that flips to 2 positions, preset from the factory for 75 meters and 150 meters. The front sight is a protected post and the “ears” of the sight double as the locking mechanism for the top folding stock on the SMG and the SBR models. When closed, the stock simply locks over the ears of the front sight and a gentle amount of upward pressure will unlock it so it may be extended. When fully extended, the stock locks open into the locking mechanism at the rear of the SBR receiver. On the pistol version, the rear of the receiver is smooth and does not include this portion of the stock assembly. To unlock the extended stock, it is compressed at the rear of the receiver so it no longer engages the locking lug and may be folded back over the top.

The vz. 61 Scorpion (in all configurations) fires from a closed bolt. The safety/selector is located on the left side of the receiver immediately above the pistol grip. It can be operated with one hand (thumb) if the shooter is right-handed. The magazine release is located on the left side of the receiver to the rear of the magazine. The vz. 61 uses a bolt hold-open mechanism that engages after the last round is fired or may be manually engaged by depressing a button directly in front of the trigger guard to the rear of the magazine, also on the left side of the pistol.

Live Fire Testing

While the sights are marked as 75 meters and 150 meters respectively, we thought it made more sense to shoot at a target at a more reasonable distance for a .32 ACP pistol with a sub 5-inch barrel. We decided on 20 yards and completed all testing at that distance. After a few test rounds for a simple function check we proceeded to start recording data. First was checking the muzzle velocity followed by off-hand accuracy shooting of all three models and a quick test of the rate of fire of the select-fire model. Ammo utilized was commercially available Sellier & Bellot 73-grain FMJ.

Noticed by all testers was the extremely light trigger pull. Many semiautomatic-only variants of submachine guns have a heavy and long pull. Trigger squeeze seems to not usually be as high of a priority with these guns as it may be with a traditional “target pistol.” Because it was so obviously light, we decided to measure the pull with a Lyman Electronic Trigger Pull Gauge. The average trigger pull measured between 3 and 3.5 pounds. For comparison, the FN FiveseveN pistol measures almost two times as much on the same gauge.

All testing was done in 10-round groups (complete compact magazines) without the aid of a rest at the previously mentioned distance of 20 yards. Targets were standard Green B27 Targets with an 8-inch Birchwood Casey “Shoot-N-C Target” overlaid for increased visibility with a nice red dot for a consistent point of aim. The first vz. 61 Scorpion tested in the accuracy portion was the standard pistol configuration. The 9 shots that landed “in the black” measured 4.5 inches with a flyer (first shot) bringing the overall size of 6.5 inches. For a distance of 20 yards, off-hand with a non target pistol, we were quite pleased in the capabilities of this model.

Next was the IN RANGE registered SBR. We considered it a “no brainer” that the next group would be significantly smaller given the extra steadiness of a shoulder stock. That is, at least until the first shooter readied the gun and shouldered it to begin shooting. It was quickly remembered that the design of this system was to be concealable, not comfortable. With an extended stock length of only 10.5 inches, the rear sight was about 2.5 inches from the shooters eye instead of the distance of 19 inches when held off-hand. With a firearm sight radius of less than 6 inches to begin with, this only gives the front sight a distance of 8.5 inches from the eye when using the stock. Concealable? Yes. Optimum for easy target engagement? No. Effective anyway? Most Certainly. As the focus was concentrated on the front post (as best as could be), the first 10-shot group with the stock extended was fired. The results were amazingly encouraging and repeatable in every test. Even though the comfort of shooting in this small package would not receive a high mark, the results of the shooting, which is ultimately the key goal of such an exercise, would score much higher than expected. Like the first 10-shot group with the pistol, the first round was a flyer. The remaining 9 shots landing in the black measured a maximum spread of 3.25 inches. When the first round flyer was equated, the overall group opened to a disappointing 7.5 inches. Subsequent group testing supplied the same results and those without a human-error flyer scored quite nicely.

Knowing it was not going to record the same type of accuracy as the semiautomatic versions, it was still necessary to repeat the tests with a 10-round magazine in the select fire version to see how it actually would perform. First, the cyclic rate was checked with a PACT IV timer and determined to run at an average of 1,082 rounds per minute. At such a high cyclic rate, not many controlled bursts could be fired before the magazine was empty; but we averaged three bursts per magazine – sometimes only two and sometimes up to four. For this test, the point of aim was simply center of mass on the B27 target as the little Birchwood Casey target didn’t really seem as appropriate for this type of test as an actual silhouette target. In select fire burst shooting, the average 10-round magazine yielded 7 rounds in critical areas with 3 rounds in non-critical areas – a somewhat impressive performance.

It should be noted that another unique feature of the vz. 61 Scorpion is the path of ejection. Neither left-handed or right-handed shooter needs to worry about the ejection path hitting them in the face. Both, however, should be concerned with their cranium. These guns eject straight up and, depending on the shooting angle of the impact area, usually rain brass casings straight back down. While something that most people got quite a chuckle about and made this little gun even more fun to shoot, occasionally a few casings would find a home inside the collar of the shooter. Attention should be paid to this interesting feature as an unexpected hot shell casing in the neck may cause an instinctive jerking reaction with a resultant possible accidental discharge.

Summary

Czechpoint, Inc. and D-Technik a.s. have done a great service for the recreational shooter and military firearms collector by importing and distributing the SA vz. 61 Scorpion. A number of returning servicemen will no-doubt want a version of this unique gun they saw during their recent deployments. Many military gun collectors who had once considered this firearm desirable but unobtainable will now have an option to add one to their collection. At a reasonable MSRP beginning at $599, they are not priced out of reach for this type of firearm and the ammo it uses is commercially readily available. The performance well exceeded our expectations at all levels. While attending a local shoot there was a small, steady line of those waiting to shoot these unique but seldom handled guns and all left with a smile and an inquiry of the selling price. Whether a serious shooter or a collector, the SA vz. 61 Scorpion should be an exciting addition to any collection. At the time of this writing these are in stock and ready for immediate shipment.

For those interested in having their Scorpion pistol done as an SBR like the one in this article, contact IN RANGE using the information below. At the time of this writing their price for converting your pistol on your approved BATFE Form 1 is $175 including the stock. Turn around time is usually inside four weeks or so. If you desire purchasing an SBR directly and having it transferred to a Class III Dealer on a BATFE Form 3 instead of doing your own Form 1 conversion, please contact Dan Brown at Czechpoint, Inc for pricing and information.

What’s Next?

As this article was going to print SAR was informed that a 3-lug adapter and ½x28 threaded sleeve is in the works for those who wish to suppress their Scorpion.

Also, keep your eyes open for a future issue of Small Arms Review where we will be testing the Czechpoint, Inc. vz. 58 rifles. The guns are in-house and testing is almost ready to commence.

Technical Specifications SA vz. 61 Scorpion Pistol

Caliber: 7.65 Browning (.32 ACP)
Barrel length: 4.5 inches (115 mm)
Rifling: 6-groove, 1 in 13.8 inches (350 mm)
Sights:
Front – Protected post
Rear – Flip type, 2 position:75 and 150 meters
Sight Radius: 6.5 inches (165 mm)
Overall length: 10.6 inches (270 mm)
Weight, empty: 2.43 pounds (1.10kg)
Magazine capacity: 10 rounds or 20 rounds
MSRP (pistol): $599.00

Sources

CzechPoint, Inc.
103 Stone Road
Knoxville, TN 37920
Tel: (865) 247-0184
Fax: (865) 247-0185
E-Mail: dan.brown@czechpoint-usa.com
Website: www.czechpoint-usa.com

IN RANGE
Troy and Christy Sellars
1048 Eagle View Drive
Kodak, TN 37764
Phone/Fax: (865) 932-6509
E-mail: inrange97@aol.com

One of the most iconic firearms of the Cold War was the diminutive Vzor 1961 (Model 1961) submachine gun made in the Czech city of Uhersky Brod by the firm of Ceska Zbrojovka. More properly classified as a machine pistol than true a SMG, the Vz61 was named the “Skorpion.” This unusual Combloc firearm, of which only a few post-86 dealer samples are currently in the United States, seemed to naturally find its way into the hands of Red Brigade terrorists, Central American assassins and assorted bad guys who opposed American interests.

Skorpion parts kits are available in the US and now, for the first time, a lower receiver made here in the US is available for sale and is specifically designed for direct “drop in” of a Skorpion parts kit. It has just received ATF approval for sale as a receiver which “is not readily convertible” to full automatic. You can now legally possess a Skorpion that is as close to the actual Vz61 as our government will allow without some form of NFA provision.

The Company Behind the Skorpion

RT Manufacturing is the creator behind this US-made Skorpion Vz61 receiver. Co-founded in 1999 in Wauconda, Illinois, by Jack Koziol and a business partner, it was purchased outright by Jack in 2000 and has continued under his management since that time. Employing four full time machinists, it is a general job shop which has several major customers, one of which is a huge entity in the medical precision equipment field.

Jack and his family have been in the machinist trade for many years. After completing a four-year formal apprenticeship program in the machinist field (and winning a VICA “National Machining Championship” in the 1990s), over a 15-year career, he taught himself CAD/CAM designing and its integration with CNC machining. This became key to the Skorpion project.

Aggressively looking for more work in early 2001, he introduced himself to a neighboring firm in Wauconda – Krebs Customs – and started performing subcontractor machine work for them. Krebs is nationally known for quality AK parts and RT Manufacturing began making their muzzle compensators, Picatinny rail fore-end, front sight gas block and other precision AK parts. As Jack had never worked with firearms before, he became increasingly fascinated with their design and manufacture. It was at this point the Skorpion concept emerged.

With RT Manufacturing looking for more projects in the firearms field, Mr. Krebs threw Jack a huge challenge in mid-2003….build a Skorpion lower receiver which can pass ATF muster as a legal semiauto pistol when fitted with a parts kit. Krebs had been very interested in the Vz61 for years but simply did not have the time to properly design and build one themselves given their AK work.

There was only one problem with this. RT Manufacturing had literally no idea what a Vz61 was or looked like. Further, Jack now laughingly admits he did not even know there was a “K” in the Skorpion name instead of the Americanized “C”. For this reason his first Internet searches turned up no information. Not admitting failure, Jack made the October, 2003, pilgrimage to Knob Creek and purchased his first Skorpion parts kit. Though he had the parts kit, he still did not know what it should look like.

Designing the Lower Receiver

Throughout late 2003 and early 2004, Jack carefully examined every piece of the Vz61 parts kit being very interested in how the Czech’s had machined the lower receiver. Fortunately, the kit included the four torch-cut receiver pieces. By examination of their machining marks, he determined their sequence of cuts and the kinds of tools used. He also realized this was not an easy project and why Mr. Krebs had directed it his way.

The Skorpion lower receiver was a true jewel of the machinist’s art. The Czech’s are internationally recognized for their industrial skills and the Vz61 was proof of that reputation. Designed by Miroslav Rybar in 1959 when CNC did not exist and the Communist regime had literally thousands of skilled machinists and many tons of machine tools, the receiver was truly “old school” in both design and execution. During its production run of 1961-1976, the Skorpion was manufactured by manually-controlled equipment. RT Manufacturing could not economically apply this extremely labor-intensive practice to create a new Skorpion. A new receiver could only be profitably cut by CNC.

Jack began reverse-engineering the receiver by using the parts kit itself as the starting point. The overall dimensions of the new receiver were easily captured by the upper receiver from the parts kit. The front of the lower receiver was determined by the takedown pin hole. The rear of the lower receiver was established by the back of the upper receiver where it must snap into place. The magazine well area was defined by the proper lockup of the magazine, while the trigger area was brought into relationship by the rivet hole of the trigger guard. In short, Jack was able to arrive at a fairly accurate starting point for the dimensions of the lower receiver. But that was the starting and not ending point.

Using these initial dimensions, Jack then began using CAD/CAM software to design the first version of the Vz61 receiver. It was a laborious trial and error process in which iterative test cutting was done on blocks of 6061 aluminum. With each passing block the parts kit would fit better. By the 15th block the parts kit simply “dropped in”…with just one problem to overcome.

The front pin hole

Try as he might, Jack could get everything to routinely fit except for the front pin hole. It seemed that one time the parts kit would fit as expected while another would have trouble getting its upper receiver to mount with the front takedown pin and then slide into the rear of the receiver. He even considered making the hole larger to accommodate all possibilities, but, that could lead to a sloppy fit. Finally, by moving the hole a few thousandths of an inch at a time, Jack got it precisely where needed. The temporary loan of a post-86 dealer sample Skorpion ultimately validated the dimensions by allowing direct comparison of the new lower receiver to that of an original. This also facilitated minor cosmetic corrections such as the depth of lightening cuts, etc.

It was now mid-2005 and time to machine a steel Vz61 lower receiver and get it to ATF’s Tech Branch for validation as a legal semiautomatic receiver. Almost two years of work was now coming to this final step.

Manufacturing the Lower Receiver

The receiver is manufactured out of billet 4140 pre-hardened steel. This starts life as a 6.75 lb “hunk of metal” that measures 1.5 x 2.5 x 6.75 inches and is precisely machined down to three-quarters of a pound, an incredible 89% reduction in weight. To achieve this result, RT Manufacturing uses MasterCam CAD/CAM software which is directly connected via RS232 cables to two machines: a Haas VF2 and Hurco vertical machining centers.

While each machine can easily carve a complete Skorpion lower receiver by itself, so much time is consumed to make a receiver that it takes two machines running simultaneously to output a profitable production run. One machine simply could not mill a receiver fast enough.

The MasterCam software produces almost 15,000 lines of G-code to define a Vz61 receiver. In turn, this code controls each machining cut so that every steel billet requires almost five hours of dedicated machine time – and seven separate setups – to be converted into a receiver. Every single internal and external surface on the receiver is touched in some fashion by a carbide cutting tool. Each side of the receiver of this intensive machining takes approximately 45 minutes to make. There are six sides.

After the CNC work is done the lower receiver is still not completed. RT Manufacturing must still perform over 30 minutes per receiver of hand deburring with an air tool to remove all sharp edges. It is then tumbled in ceramic media for another 45 minutes to ensure all internal edges are truly finished. After that….the entire receiver is glass bead blasted to finalize the surface preparation.

Each receiver is then quality checked on a granite surface plate which allows readings to one millionth of an inch. However, for a firearm, this level of tolerance is unnecessary and in fact would lead to an unreliable and far too costly weapon. RT Manufacturing holds the Vz61 receiver production tolerances to +.0025” and for the critical pin holes to +.0005”. These are tighter tolerances than original Czech receivers. But there is still one more “real world” inspection to pass. Will the new receiver accept a Vz61 parts kit? RT Manufacturing verifies this by taking a kit and test fitting the mag well parts into the receiver. A factory mag must correctly lock up with minimal movement. The upper receiver is then slid into place to ensure no lateral deviation and also must smoothly mate with the rear of the lower receiver. Finally, the front takedown pin is snapped into its pin hole and must properly lock up. Upon passing all these inspections the new receiver is stripped and shipped for final finishing.

This final surface finish is a deep black oxide finish that goes well with either blued or powder painted parts kits. The firm which does this is a full time finishing service and has worked with RT Manufacturing for years. Thus, their processing quality and delivery schedule are a known quantity. However, if requested, RT Manufacturing will at no cost leave the receiver in-the-white if the customer wishes to finish it themselves.

ATF Certification of the Lower Receiver

After milling the first receiver in June of 2005, it was sent to ATF’s Tech Branch for examination and validation as a semiauto firearm. This is the single step that has caused more problems and concerns for so many manufacturers. However, Jack’s Vz61 lower receiver passed the first time through in just two months.

ATF issued their approval on 25 August 2005 and confirmed that any receiver which RT Manufacturing made to the specifications contained in that letter would be classified as a semiautomatic firearm. Jack had done his research very well and now had the formal government documentation to validate his work. While the specific internal modifications made to gain ATF approval are proprietary, a copy of the letter will be shipped with each Skorpion lower receiver to assure the end user of a legal firearm. Externally, the RT Manufacturing Vz61 Skorpion receiver appears to be an exact duplicate of the real thing. Side by side, other than the required US manufacturing markings and no folding stock dovetail, you cannot tell the difference.

Building the Skorpion Semiauto Pistol

The absolute first thing to do is obtain a parts kit. Prices have gone higher and availability is getting tight. SILLC of Nevada imported 200 Vz61 kits in the late 1990s and an additional 200 in 2003. These kits were “as new” when decommissioned and first class in all respects. SILLC is importing another group of 130 Vz61 kits but, after that, US government regulations may have shut the door. At a minimum, kits which might come in will not have barrels remaining intact. Yugoslav-made Skorpions, known as the M61(j), are still being produced but their availability is unknown. There are probably less than 550 Czech Vz61 parts kits currently available in the US. So, getting one is the first order of business.

Handling about 20 parts kits over the past six months, it appears that two slightly different variations of Skorpion were imported: One group was made in 1965 and contains all blued parts, while the second type was made in 1975-76 and has a tough, dark grey-blue powder paint finish. Both kits are exactly the same with regard to quality of manufacture and ease of assembly. Each kit comes with a 10-round magazine, lanyard, leather holster and cleaning kit. A special magazine deal is available where you can get two high capacity, factory 20-round mags and leather pouch for about $40.

The Skorpion as delivered from RT Manufacturing arrives in a sturdy cardboard tube and contains the receiver, a slave pin to ease trigger assembly, a trigger axis pin to replace the one in the kit and a small button-head screw which replaces the trigger guard rivet. After cleaning and laying out the parts, the sequence to build the Skorpion is:

1. Bolt hold open, magazine catch and ejector assemblies.
2. Trigger guard, pistol grip screw, rate reducer and bolt stop assemblies.
3. Trigger mechanism and safety selector.
4. Hammer and spring cover assemblies.
5. Bolt assembly and upper receiver.

Construction starts with removing all parts from the kit’s torched central section which contains the bolt hold open, magazine catch and ejector assemblies. Use a 1/16 inch punch and push down on the small detent pin that is at the rear of the ejector. This pin is spring-loaded so once you push it down, carefully slide the ejector forward and remove it; the detent pin and spring are now free to be taken out.

This ejector detent pin also cleverly retains the bolt hold open and magazine catch assemblies. Once this detent pin comes out, these two assemblies will pull out easily. Make sure each of their springs comes with them as these could inadvertently remain hidden inside the torched section due to congealed grease or metal movement from the demil procedure.

Reverse the process to insert them into the new Skorpion receiver. The order should be the bolt hold open, mag catch, and ejector assemblies. To verify all is correct, insert a magazine to ensure it locks up and releases correctly. The Skorpion has a tight well and you will have minimal magazine rocking.

The trigger guard, pistol grip screw/rate reducer and bolt stop assemblies are now installed into the new receiver. The original Skorpion had a riveted trigger guard while the new receiver uses a 4-40 buttonhead screw. Some trigger guards were slightly bent during demilling and thus, depending on yours, it may fit perfectly or require some slight bending/cutting to line the holes up. If the small curved tang on the trigger guard must be removed to obtain proper hole alignment, then do so as it does not affect functioning or looks. You must also enlarge the trigger guard rivet hole with a 1/8 inch drill bit to allow clearance for the screw. Finally, use a drop of blue Loctite and a 1/16 inch allen wrench to install the front of the trigger guard onto the receiver.

Insert the pistol grip screw/rate reducer assembly into the wooden grip, then through the large hole at the rear of the trigger guard. Screw this assembly into the receiver until it seats the wood grip into place. Insert a 1/8 inch punch into the two holes on the bottom cap to further tighten it. You could use blue Loctite but this is not necessary since a wave washer is holding it in place.

Next is the installation of the bolt stop assembly. Insert the “hat shaped” axis pin into its hole in the left side of the receiver and push it all the way through while capturing the rate reducer lever and bolt stop. Make sure the bolt stop has its detent pin assembly in place before doing this otherwise it will not cycle correctly.

The trigger mechanism is relatively easy to complete with a bit of patience. Using a 1/8 inch punch, tap out the original axis pin and remove the full auto controlling lever (aka the “FA sear”) on the right side of the assembly and bolt hold open connecting lever on the left side. Discard the FA controlling lever as it will no longer be used on this semiauto pistol; however, set aside the bolt hold open connecting lever as it will be reutilized. Next, insert the provided slave pin through the axis hole on the right side of the receiver, then through/capturing the remaining parts of the trigger mechanism, and into its corresponding hole on the left side, to temporarily fix it into place.

Now, slightly withdraw the slave pin back towards the right and drop the connecting lever back into place on the left side of the assembly. The forward tip of this lever must fit into the hole on the back of the bolt hold open button. Line everything up and tap the new axis pin into place from left to right. This will push out the slave pin while keeping all parts aligned. The single groove on this new axis pin must be on the left so the connecting lever can snap into it. Once again, the single groove on this new trigger pin must be on the left side.

Now, take the safety selector and insert it into position from left to right and rotate counterclockwise into place. You will have to depress the bolt hold open button to mechanically lower the connecting lever in order to give the safety selector enough entry clearance. To validate its proper installation, flip it back and forth from “0” to “1” several times. When installed properly you will see the bolt hold open go up and down.

The hammer assembly is installed by inserting the main spring into the main spring guide. This guide is the cylindrical housing attached to the front of the trigger assembly. Then, insert the main spring strut into the spring and slide the entire hammer assembly down into the receiver. Insert the flathead axis pin from right to left and you are complete. The hammer stop pin is then inserted through the receiver from left to right. Finally, drop the large and small detent pin assemblies into their holes on the bottom of the receiver and slide the spring cover over them. Make sure the pins fully snap into their respective holes in the cover.

To attach the upper receiver you use a small needle or dental pick to push in the tiny detent pin which is found on its left mounting arm. Push it in just enough so you can rotate the takedown pin and force the detent further back into its hole. Then, withdraw the takedown pin just enough (about 1/8 inch) to allow the upper receiver to be installed onto the mounting lug of the lower receiver. Push the takedown pin into this lug and then rotate it until the detent snaps back into position. The upper receiver is now locked onto the lower receiver.

Insert the complete bolt assembly into the upper receiver, drop into place the two cocking knobs and then slide it all the way forward. Swing the upper receiver down onto the lower receiver, push it back 1/4 inch until it stops, then snap the takedown pin all the way home. Congratulations, you have just built your Skorpion pistol.

Obtaining the Skorpion Lower Receiver

RT Manufacturing has invested many man-hours of time and research into this ATF-approved semiauto Skorpion receiver. It is the first one of this quality, and the first ever, to come onto the US market. With five hours of CNC machine time per receiver, an additional two hours for hand deburring, inspection, test fitting, tumbling, plus the black oxide finish, it is a high quality product.

The current retail price from RT Manufacturing is $645 and includes insurance and delivery to anywhere in the United States. Volume purchasers will receive pricing discounts and should contact Jack for more specifics. Add to this the cost of an original Czech Vz61 parts set and for less than $1,000 you have an iconoclast of the Cold War which will truly enhance a small arms collection. More than that, it is just pure fun to shoot with widely available ammunition.

Mods and Sods

The .32 ACP ammo that the Skorpion fires is a light recoiling cartridge. More importantly, the common 71-grain FMJ projectile is easily subsonic at approximately 900fps. This means the Skorpion is an excellent candidate for suppression. But, there are currently no suppressors being built in .32 ACP by the leading manufacturers such as Gemtech, SWR, etc.

RT Manufacturing is addressing this gap by optionally installing an H&K-style three-lug adapter to the muzzle of the Skorpion barrel and allowing a standard 9mm snap-on suppressor to be mounted. Though the 9mm aperture is inefficiently large for a slug measuring 7.65mm in diameter, it is dealing with substantially less expanding gas and the sound signature remains very quiet. Thus, for those owners who already have a 9mm suppressor of this type, there is now an additional weapon which can use it. RT Manufacturing will sell/install the adapter for a nominal charge and this option should really be looked into by the enthusiast.

Another option being investigated is a .22 conversion kit. While still in the initial planning stage, this possibility could greatly reduce the cost of firing the Skorpion. Since the factory barrel is pressed and then pinned into a steel trunnion, some form of .22 barrel liner is being looked at as a viable solution. Of course, the issues of magazine modifications, bolt, offset firing pin, spring rates, etc. must all be dealt with. This option is clearly further down the line but not outside the capabilities of the firm.

Finally, for those who possess the proper NFA authorization, RT Manufacturing will sell a fully automatic version of the Skorpion as a post-86 Dealer Sample firearm. This has already been tested and works as reliably as the original Skorpion. In fact, of the first production run of 50 Skorpion lower receivers, 15 of these are already spoken for as post-86 versions. As before, contact Jack for additional information on this option.

Conclusion

Rare, unusual, hard to “quite-really-define” what category it fits into, the Czech Vz61 Skorpion has been an enigmatic firearm since its shadowy introduction over 45 years ago. Ostensibly designed for armored vehicle crewman who needed a small and efficient firearm in their cramped quarters, it typically found its way into terrorist, police, insurgency and other paramilitary hands. Other than a handful imported into America, this situation has been clearly remedied by RT Manufacturing.

Their ATF-approved semiautomatic Skorpion lower receiver is a superbly designed piece of the machinist art. Externally it is an exact duplicate of the original version and is cleverly built to accept the drop-in of a Vz61 parts kit. Made of proper 4140 pre-hardened steel and cut on modern CNC milling machines to the highest tolerances, it is a delight to own and fire. RT Manufacturing has certainly done their homework on bringing this Skorpion to America.

Sources

RT Manufacturing Company Inc.
Attn: Jack Koziol
1000 Rand Road, Unit #212
Wauconda, IL 60084
(847) 487-7562
SILLC
631 N. Stephanie Street, #372
Henderson, NV 89014
(702) 564-0521
surplusllc@aol.com
www.sillc.com