Zastava CZ99 explained

Zastava CZ99
Origin:	Yugoslavia
Type:	Semi-automatic pistol
Is Ranged:	yes
Wars:	Second Liberian Civil War Kosovo War^[1] Bosnian War^[2] 2001 insurgency in Macedonia
Designer:	Božidar Blagojević ^[3]
Design Date:	1989
Manufacturer:	Zastava Arms
Production Date:	1990–present
Weight:	970 grams
Length:	190mm
Part Length:	108mm
Height:	140mm
Cartridge:	9×19mm Parabellum and .40 S&W
Action:	Recoil operated (DA/SA or DAO)
Range:	50m
Feed:	10- or 15-round magazine

The Zastava CZ99 is a semi-automatic pistol produced by Zastava Arms.^[4] It was developed in 1989 to replace the M57 in the Yugoslav military and police. The CZ99 is primarily chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum with a 15-round magazine, although .40 Smith & Wesson variants also exist, with ten-round magazines.

Design

The pistol was designed in 1989 by Božidar Blagojević. The CZ99 should not be confused with the Czech firearm manufacturer Česká Zbrojovka, because the CZ in the CZ99's name stands for "Crvena Zastava". The CZ99 replaced the outdated Zastava M57 in Yugoslavian military service because of its many new features, such as a fully chromed barrel, tritium night sights, an indicator for the last three rounds remaining in the magazine and a loaded chamber indicator. The CZ99 is still used in military and police service throughout the Balkans. The CZ99 is no longer produced, however, smaller variants with some modern improvements, the CZ999 and the EZ9, are still being produced. The CZ999 and the EZ9 are almost identical to the CZ99, however they are redesigned to be more ergonomic. Most parts will interchange between the newer and older designs, but some parts, like the grip panels, will not.

Visually, the pistol resembles a SIG-Sauer P226 and, as such, it is often compared to the SIG.^{[5] [6]} However, the overall design of the pistol took far more inspiration from the Walther P88 than the P226. Some of the P88 features that were used on the CZ99 include similar slide serrations, magazine, magazine release, and, of course, the ambidextrous combined safety-decocker. Also unlike the P226, the CZ99 also has a machined steel slide. The P226 (at the time of this pistol's design) had a stamped and welded sheet steel slide. The external appearance of the gun and lack of an external extractor were design ideas taken from the P226.

Variants

• CZ999 Scorpion (ЦЗ999): An updated variant of the CZ99 with some improvements, such as a slimmer grip and redesigned grip panels, wider slide serrations, a serrated backstrap, standard 3-dot sights, a curved trigger, a square trigger guard and a longer hammer spur. While initially intended for the 9×19mm, there is a variant of the CZ99 chambered in .40 S&W, primarily for foreign importers, with many of these handguns imported by the US in 1990. Over time though, newer versions of this firearm have been developed: The Zastava CZ999, with DAO and DA/SA selector, as well as the CZ999 Scorpion without this selector. Also features a loaded chamber indicator. Comes in compact model as well.^[7]
• Zastava EZ is the fourth generation CZ99. It is exactly the same as the CZ999, however it has an under-barrel picatinny rail for mounting lights and accessories and a larger ring hammer. Service- and personal defence gun, single/double action, ambidextrous. The CZ999 and EZ9 do accept standard CZ99 magazines, but they will not accept all CZ99 parts, such as grip panels. Also like the CZ999, the EZ9 exists in two calibers.^[8] There are compact versions of both calibers.^[9]
• KSN Golan is an Israeli clone of the CZ99, with rights being purchased after Zastava halted production. Though the Golan lacks the CZ99's loaded chamber indicator and has a shorter slide and barrel, different grips, and other minor cosmetic variations from the CZ99, it is virtually identical in internal design, and some parts are interchangeable between the two.^[10]
• Tressitu TZ99 is a South African clone of the CZ99. In the early 1990s South African company Tressitu entered into a licensing agreement with Crvena Zastava to produce a licensed copy named the TZ99, offered in both 9×19mm and .40 S&W. It was only produced for a short period before the company went out of business in the mid-1990s. A number of TZ99s stored from the dissolution were imported to the US in the mid-2000s.^[11]

Users

• ^[12]
• Iraq^[13]
• Israel^[14]
• Jordan^[15]
• Lebanon^[16]
• Liberia^[17]
• Montenegro^[18]
• ^[19]
• ^[20]
• Serbia^[21]

See also

• SIG Sauer P226
• Zastava PPZ - CZ99's successor

Notes and References

1. Structure of the Serbian forces involved in Kosovo in 1999. 22. https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/653651/pdf. 23 February 2011 . International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991. 1. Prosecutor v. Vlastimir Đorđević: public judgement with confidential annex. IT-05-87/1-T. https://web.archive.org/web/20220706094853/https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/653651/pdf. July 6, 2022 .
2. Bosnian Soldier holding his CZ99 during the Bosnian War, 1993 https://web.archive.org/web/20190417205432/https://forum.klix.ba/stari-grad-u-periodu-1992-1995-p12327778.html#p12327778
3. Web site: Unofficial Zastava CZ 99, CZ 999, EZ and PPZ site - CZ99.org . 31 January 2010 . 3 December 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171203102953/http://www.cz99.org/index.php?page=cz99 . dead .
4. Web site: Pistol CZ99 . Zastava Arms . 5 December 2014 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120501061207/http://www.zastava-arms.rs/cms/index.php?id=267 . 1 May 2012 .
5. News: Serbian SIG for under $400: CZ999 Scorpion (VIDEO). Guns.com. en-US. 2017-01-29.
6. News: Zastava Yugoslav CZ-99 Review - The Armed Lutheran. 2015-09-19. The Armed Lutheran. en-US. 2017-01-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20190415171017/http://www.armedlutheran.us/zastava-yugo-cz-99-review/. April 15, 2019.
7. Web site: Pistol CZ999 Compact . Zastava Arms . 18 November 2016.
8. Web site: Pistol EZ9/EZ40 . Zastava Arms . 18 November 2016 . 4 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190704222332/https://www.zastava-arms.rs/en/civilianproduct/pistol-ez9ez40 . dead .
9. Web site: Pistol EZ9 Compact/EZ40 Compact . Zastava Arms . 18 November 2016.
10. Web site: GOLAN DOUBLE-ACTION PISTOL. American Rifleman. 24 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20220705084941/http://www.nramuseum.org/media/363991/Aug%2096.pdf. July 5, 2022.
11. Web site: Firearm Review, July 2001: Tressitu TZ99 9x19mm Pistol. Cruffler.com. 26 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20210630071821/http://www.cruffler.com/Features/JUL-01/review-July-01.html. June 30, 2021.
12. Web site: Brigadno takmičenje u disciplini "Pištolj". bs. 5 April 2010. mod.gov.ba. Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina. https://web.archive.org/web/20190331104125/http://www.mod.gov.ba/OS_BIH/struktura/Operativna_komanda/6Pjesadijskabrigada/default.aspx?id=16145. March 31, 2019.
13. News: First arms shipment bound for Iraq. https://web.archive.org/web/20080603003031/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/business-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=06&dd=02&nav_id=50737. 2 June 2008 . B92. 3 June 2008. dead.
14. Web site: Israeli Pistols. https://web.archive.org/web/20230216082706/http://www.pmulcahy.com/pistols/israeli_pistols.htm. February 16, 2023.
15. Web site: Annual Report on The Transfers of Controlled Goods in 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20141221190408/http://www.sipri.org/research/armaments/transfers/transparency/national_reports/serbia/SER_08.pdf/view. dead. 21 December 2014. 54 . Republic of Serbia Ministry of Economy and Regional Development. 24 September 2018 . en.
16. Web site: Annual Report on the Transfers of Controlled Goods in 2008 . 37 . Ministry of Economy (Serbia). Republic of Serbia: Ministry of Economy and of Regional Development. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute . 25 October 2014 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141221190408/http://www.sipri.org/research/armaments/transfers/transparency/national_reports/serbia/SER_08.pdf/view . 21 December 2014.
17. Book: Report of the Panel of Experts concerning Liberia (S/2002/1115). United Nations Security Council. United Nations Security Council. 25 Oct 2002. 18. https://web.archive.org/web/20180829175327/https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/D5FA5B63184345C5C1256C7E00456BF3-unsc-lib-25oct.pdf. August 29, 2018.
18. Web site: Children and weapons in Montenegro - A review of data and research . https://web.archive.org/web/20220322054544/https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/136875/Montenegro_Report_-_English_version.pdf . March 22, 2022.
19. News: Kosovars suffer new ethnic hatred. Phil . Davison. 17 May 1999. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/kosovars-suffer-new-ethnic-hatred-1094096.html . 7 May 2022 . subscription . live. The Independent.
20. Web site: This Week in Pictures: May 10 - May 16th, 2014. https://archive.today/20230504022812/https://avax.news/pictures/90011. May 4, 2023.
21. Web site: Пешадијско наоружање - Пиштољ 9 mm ЦЗ99 . Infantry weapons - 9 mm pistol CZ99 . 5 December 2014 . . sr.