I bet Walther had no idea that the creation of their PP series would spawn generations of Walther-like clones across Eastern Europe. Walther introduced the compact and capable PP series, following it up with the PPK and PPK/S. Eastern Europe then essentially said, “Yep, that works,” and proceeded to produce dump trucks full of clones—guns like the vz. 70, the Makarov, the FEG PA-63, and many more.
The basic design even made its way beyond Eastern Europe, which is why Astra, STAR, and Bersa have also produced numerous clones. Lord knows how many other Walther-like guns have been manufactured over the years. Today, we’re going to talk about the vz. 70, sometimes also called the CZ 70, a compact pistol produced in Czechoslovakia when it was still a unified country.
What Does “Walther-Like” Mean?
The Walther PP series isn’t particularly fancy. They are simple DA/SA (Double-Action/Single-Action) pistols that utilize a straight blowback principle and feed from a single-stack magazine. One of the main “Walther-like” design inclusions is the use of the barrel as a recoil guide rod. Guns that follow this style of design are considered Walther-like.
The vz. 70 is very Walther-like and adopts all of those cues. It mirrors the Walther PP in size, featuring a 3.8-inch barrel, similar to the Walther PP’s 3.9-inch barrel. The gun fires the .32 ACP cartridge and feeds from an eight-round magazine. However, it does differ a bit from the original Walther design.
Mainly, the safety. The safety is frame-mounted rather than slide-mounted. It has three positions: safe, fire, and decock, allowing the vz. 70 to be carried “locked and cocked” if desired. The grip is also surprisingly wide from the front strap to the rear strap, especially with its wide, Bakelite grips. It could be much, much smaller and more comfortable.
It’s very “2×4-like” and just an odd choice. Perhaps those Eastern European folks simply had large hands?
From the vz. 50 to the vz. 70
The vz. 70 evolved from the vz. 50. The vz. 50 originated in the 1940s and established the original standard and most of the design cues for the vz. 70. The vz. 50 series was used by police and military forces in Czechoslovakia and also sold commercially. The vz. 50 was upgraded to the vz. 70 in 1970, incorporating a number of improvements, including:
- New grip shape with a larger tang
- Smaller magazine release
- New texture on the take-down lever
- Wider slide serrations
- Slide machined with waves to reduce glare
- Trigger guard “melted” to remove sharp angles
- New grip pattern
- Larger hammer with a hole
- Pinky rest on the magazine
The changes between the two guns are fairly minor, amounting more to a quality-of-life upgrade than a major facelift for the vz. 50.
Handling the vz. 70
The vz. 70 is full of surprises. If you cock the hammer, the slide is very easy to rack—easier than on guns like the Walther PP and Makarov. The safety is easy to manipulate, but decocking the gun requires a firm press to drop the hammer. This is a hefty gun, weighing 26 ounces. That Soviet steel is no joke.
The heavy weight and the use of .32 ACP mean the recoil is timid, even with the blowback action. It’s downright “chipper.” It’s not snappy and is very easy to control. The gun shoots quickly and softly, making it quite capable. You can blast through all eight rounds without the gun ever rising significantly off target.
While the sights are quite small, they aren’t impossible to use. If you take the time to get them nicely aligned, you’ll hit your target. A fixed barrel certainly has its benefits for accuracy. The gun is much easier to shoot in single-action than double-action. I’m not sure if the Soviet mindset considered a heavy trigger a safety device.
The double-action trigger is absolutely horrendous. It has to be one of the worst double-action triggers I’ve encountered. It’s not just heavy, but also gritty and long. If it were DAO (Double Action Only), your hand would get tired before the magazine was empty. Luckily, the single-action is much better. It’s surprisingly nice; I expected an okay trigger, but I’d put it in the “just plain good” category.
Banging Around
The straight blowback design isn’t fancy and has its downsides, but it is reliable. The vz. 70 shoots without a problem and chews through both standard FMJs and exposed lead rounds. It reliably cycles hollow points and hot European loads without a hitch. The little gun certainly “barks” when you pull the trigger.
The old vz. 70 is a cool little gun, and it used to be an extremely affordable option. Sadly, it seems like the price has risen sharply, with examples now selling for around $400 to $500. That makes them a little unrealistic for anyone other than dedicated .32 ACP fans like me. If you find one at a solid price, it’s a great entry into the world of .32 ACP.
May John Browning’s light shine upon you!
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