Brownells Gun Tech™ extraordinaire and discerning firearms collector Keith Ford tells us about the Czechoslovak CZ 82 pistol. After his recent video on the Russian Makarov, the CZ 82 is an appropriate topic because it's chambered for the same 9x18mm Makarov cartridge AND shares many elements with the much older Soviet design, even though Česká zbrojovka developed the CZ 82 in the early 1980s. Like the Makarov, it is blowback-operated and has a double action / single action (DA / SA) trigger. But the CZ 82 has a double-stack magazine holding 12 rounds (vs the Makarov's 8-round single stacker), polygonal rifling, and ambidextrous mag release and manual thumb safety - the first military-issue pistol with ambi controls. The CZ 82 has the Makarov's barrel fixed to the frame, recoil spring encircling the barrel, and swing-down triggerguard for disassembly. For an extra measure of safety, you can't seat the magazine if the triggerguard isn't fully snapped back in place. The CZ 82 entered Czechoslovakian military service in 1982 and continues to serve in the armed forces of Slovakia and the Czech Republic. It's a well-made, robust, reliable all-steel pistol. CZ 82s used to sell for cheap, but as collectors recognize their value, not so much now. The CZ 83 was the commercial export version more commonly available in the U.S. and chambered in .32 ACP, .380 ACP, or 9mm Makarov. Interesting point for collectors: the CZ 82 is classified a "Curio and Relic" by the ATF, but the CZ 83 is not.