The original Ceska zbrojovka Uhersky Brod, or CZUB, is celebrating 85 years of operation with two limited 85th-anniversary guns, a CZ 557 85th Anniversary rifle and a CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow 85th Anniversary pistol. Both are subtle special editions of their production counterparts with brass appointments and gold PVD highlights.
Workers broke ground at Uhersky Brod in 1936, building a facility to produce machine guns in anticipation of war with Germany, and arms production started in 1937. And despite the decades of struggle to follow, the company continued to develop and adapt to become the international success it is today.
The company continued to produce definitive firearms throughout the Cold War, including the highly regarded CZ 75, which is one of the most replicated pistols ever designed to this day.
Now the CZ brand is recognized around the world as one of the most innovative and influential companies in the business, once again producing arms for hunting, personal protection, competition and military and police forces. And that is a good reason to celebrate.
“Today’s Ceska zbrojovka Uhersky Brod was founded in 1992, and due to its increased focus on export, managed to overcome the difficult 1990s and prepare for further development at the beginning of the new millennium,” said CZUB in the announcement. “After 2006, under the ownership of a Czech majority shareholder, it quickly transformed into a modern and highly efficient company with a radically updated portfolio.”
“The new generation of CZ firearms received an enthusiastic reception from its customers and Ceska zbrojovka was definitively placed among the elite manufacturers in its field.”
“In 2018, Ceska zbrojovka became part of the international holding group Ceska zbrojovka Group SE, which aims to become a world leader in the production of small arms and to achieve sales of one billion euros by the end of 2025,” they added. “An important step towards this goal was the recent acquisition of the famous American company Colt.”
“Even after this major expansion, Ceska zbrojovka remains the largest manufacturer in the CZG Group, with its products exported to almost 100 countries around the world,” the company said.
Just 2,000 of each Anniversary edition will be produced. Their choices reflect the company’s history and position going forward.
The CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow 85th Anniversary pistol is based on the modern, updated CZ 75 designed for defensive use and tuned for performance. CZ 557 85th Anniversary rifle is one of their core offerings, used by hunters across the globe.
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And the rifle might also be a bit of an Easter egg to go with this little snippet. “Regarding CZ centerfire rifles, a major next-generation update is being prepared for release in 2021.”
We’re all looking forward to find out. For more information about CZUB, visit them online.