Category: All About Guns

“Scorpion EVO 3” at the firing line. Photo forgottenweapons

Why do the stars burn,
Why do the stars burn,
Why do the stars burn?
Not warm.
Get me a gun
Find me a gun,
Buy me a machine.
Quicker.
“Dear boy.” Music by D. Tukhmanov, lyrics by L. Derbenev

stories about weapons. Not so long ago, during the discussion of one of the author’s articles, a discussion arose regarding the Czech submachine gun “Scorpion” model vz. 61, which was a development of Ceska Zbrojovka and was produced in Czechoslovakia from 960 to 1975. At home, he was accepted as a weapon for tankers, radar station operators, signalmen and some other specialists. In addition to the Czechoslovak army, “Scorpion” hit some African countries. But he acquired the loudest “glory” as a weapon … of radical elements and a variety of “freedom fighters”, from the “banana republics” in Latin America to numerous troubled states in the Middle East. Although the frankly weak 7,65 x 17 mm Browning cartridge, when fired at close range, nevertheless gave an excellent result, while the submachine gun itself was very portable, and its weight with cartridges was only 2 kg. Model vz. 63 could fire already shortened 9 mm cartridges, and in the vz. 68, the 9mm Parabellum cartridge, standard for Western countries, began to be used. But time flies forward quickly, so today a descendant of that “ancient” “scorpion” has already appeared in the Czech Republic, and it is also a “Scorpio”. And that’s what we’re going to tell you about today…

One of the independence fighters with a submachine gun “Scorpion” model vz. 61 in hand. From Christopher Shant’s book. “Weapon of the infantry. Encyclopedia of small arms. M.: Omega, 2006. S. 67

After World War II, the joint-stock company Česká zbrojovka (“Czechska zbroevka”) was nationalized, and its branch in Uherský Brod, which became a separate enterprise in 1950, gradually became the main manufacturer of small arms in Czechoslovakia. His most famous examples of the post-war period were the Model 48 submachine guns (renamed 1950/23 submachine guns in 25), which fired 9 mm Parabellum cartridges.

Submachine gun M48. Photo czub.cz

It was an original submachine gun with a magazine in the pistol grip and a bolt that partially ran over the barrel. At that time, these were the most advanced submachine guns in the world. By 1953, 545 pieces were produced in Uhersky Brod, of which 000 were in 345 mm Tokarev caliber (000/7,62 submachine gun). Well, the legendary compact Scorpion submachine gun turned out to be a very successful attempt to fill a niche between classic submachine guns and service pistols. Until 24, over 26 units of this submachine gun in the base caliber 2000 mm Browning were produced in Uherski Brod, and in the 207s small volumes of the pistol were produced in the Browning version in 000 mm caliber. In cooperation with CZ-USA, the production of CZ (Česká zbrojovka) weapons was launched in Kansas City, Kansas. In particular, pistols of the successful CZ P-7,65 series began to be produced there. The CZ P-1990 F (full-size), CZ P-9 SC (semi-compact), and CZ P-10 S (compact) were added the same year.

“Scorpio” model vz. 61. Holster and cartridges for it. Photo czub.cz

But, as already noted, time flies forward, and the company decided to develop a new “Scorpion” that is not inferior to the old one. Work began in 2002, and the submachine gun entered mass production in 2009. In the interval between these dates, a sample CZ 868 was created, but in the end it failed.

The prototype of the new “Scorpion” was very similar to the old one, even externally, except for the materials used in it. Instead of metal, plastic was used wherever possible, so its weight turned out to be record light. Three Picatinny rails were integrated into the design of the stock. The magazine became straight, and the pistol grip became hollow. Photo forgottenweapons

Interestingly, the idea of ​​​​creating a new PP to replace the Scorpion arose not only in the Czech Republic, but also in neighboring Slovakia. There, in 2001, a group of enthusiasts from the city of Trencin tried to create a new software called LAUGO LTG-1. In Latin, the name of the city of Trencin is written as Laugaricio, and the abbreviation LTG-1 is the first letters of the names of its developers: Jan Luchansky, Piotr Tverdym and Frantisek Gasparik – hence such a strange name. By the way, Yan Luchansky visited many hot spots and was well versed in the advantages and disadvantages of weapons from various countries.

Well, in the end, the fruit of this cooperation was this: CZ Scorpion EVO 3

Naturally, the Slovak designers began to look for investors who could support their work, and in 2004 they were lucky: the LAUGO submachine gun was noticed by the Cheshskaya Zbroevka specialists. In January 2007, a contract was signed between the LAUGO development team and CZ, and then they began to work together. “Czechska Zbroevka” started developing plastic stores, USM with a fixed queue length, design and technological documentation. Well, the LAUGO designers and developers became its full-time employees and continued to bring their brainchild to mind. So, Jan Luchansky took up ergonomics, the development of a new stock and the final debugging of the new software.

9-mm submachine gun CZ “Scorpion” EVO 3 A1 (right view). Shop for 20 or 30 rounds. A round magnet is clearly visible on the butt, and on the body under the window for ejection of cartridge cases there is a metal plate for this magnet. Photo czub.cz

9-mm submachine gun CZ “Scorpion” EVO 3 A1 (left view). Photo czub.cz

The first presentation of the new “Scorpion” took place in May 2009 at the IDET-2009 exhibition, after which it was tested in the same year, as a result of which the software already received the official name: СZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1. The abbreviation EVO 3 refers to its belonging to the third generation of submachine guns, which had the name “Scorpion”, A1 – that this is the first modification capable of automatic fire. The self-loading variant can only fire single fire and is designated with an “S”.

“Scorpion EVO 3 S1: a carbine for the civilian market. It cannot fire in bursts and is designed in such a way that it is impossible to put a trigger on it from a submachine gun. Therefore, the conversion of the civilian version into an automatic weapon is completely excluded. In addition, a characteristic external difference from military weapons is a long (412 mm) barrel, while the barrel length of the A1 model is 196 mm. They differ in the design of the muzzle brake. Photo czub.cz

Fashion is fashion. Therefore, the Scorpion has five Picatinny rails at once, which complies with the STD-MIL-1913 standard. The top rail is integrated into the receiver, while the other four are on the plastic forearm. The sights are also the most modern, made by the Italian company LPA, and consist of a fiberglass front sight and a Ghost-Ring rear sight.

Removable red dot sight and top Picatinny rail. By the way, right under the index finger you can see the magazine attachment key. It is double, right and left, with semicircular grooves for convenience. Photo czub.cz

The PP trigger mechanism is installed in a detachable housing, so it is very easy to separate it, say, for cleaning. USM trigger, designed for three modes of fire: single shots, bursts of 3 rounds and continuous. It can be changed by a double-sided flag translator (aka fuse) on both sides in the upper part of the handle, which is easily moved to the desired positions with the thumb of the shooting hand. To understand what is what and how to rearrange it, a horizontal pictogram, accessible to the understanding of the most mediocre mind, should help. The upper part of the USM body is a guide for the shutter – a simple and obvious solution, which made it possible to simplify the design of the receiver, and make the partial disassembly of the PP record-breaking fast. By the way, the handle is also easily rearranged, since it is in no way connected with the USM. After all, all people have fingers of different lengths, and this solution again allows you to achieve maximum comfort for the shooter in shooting from the new Scorpion. Now weapon designers pay attention even to such seemingly insignificant trifles.

Butt “Scorpion” leans back to the right. And it does not interfere with shooting from it. Again, there is in its design and its own “zest” – as they say, “a trifle, but nice.” The designers fixed a metal plate on the PP case on the right, and a neodymium magnet in the form of a “tablet” on the butt. This mount is very convenient. It perfectly holds the folded stock without any loose fasteners, and at the same time, it does not require much effort from the shooter to open it! Photo forgottenweapons

The stock is telescoping so again it can be adjusted in length, as can the position of the pistol grip. It is interesting that there were no requirements for adjusting the butt and the handle to the individual characteristics of the shooter in the TTZ of potential customers, but here the designers already showed their initiative and … they were not mistaken! The Scorpion has received excellent ergonomics, so it is very quickly aimed at the target and is easily kept on it even with continuous firing in long bursts.

Some samples are equipped with a hand rest so that it cannot slip onto a hot flame arrester. Photo forgottenweapons

And then in the spring of 2010, the Czech Ministry of Defense signed a contract with CZ for the supply of 572 Scorpions to arm the guards of Prague Castle, an elite unit of the Czech army that performs both representative functions and guards the residences of the Czech President.

One of the Prague Castle guards, armed with a Scorpion. Photo by the author 2017

The new “Scorpion” is a visual embodiment of a relatively new concept of PP. As you know, there are “light” and “heavy” PPs, and so after a period of enthusiasm for “light” PPs, the military again turned to heavy ones, and ergonomics again played their role here. “Skoripon” model 61, like the Israeli “Mini-Uzi” and the American “Ingram”, it is inconvenient to hold with two hands and shoot bursts. A lot of ammo is spent almost for nothing. The fact is that a modern fighter has to wear a bulletproof vest, and if he is also wearing winter clothes, then the convenience of using a weapon comes out on top. It is convenient to install removable sights and high-capacity magazines on heavy PPs. In a word, Czech designers guessed the trend in time and created a weapon for it that meets the requirements of the time.

Ian McCollin, host of Forgotten Weapons, is testing the Scorpion with a high-capacity drum magazine. It turns out there is one! As for McCollin, he is absolutely delighted with the third generation Scorpion! Photo forgottenweapons

Another feature of this software was the inscriptions stamped on it. First of all, the large-format inscription CZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1 on the action box, which catches the eye. Photo forgottenweapons

But this inscription is simply touching. “Read the instructions before use“. For the first time I meet such a “warning” on a military weapon … Photo forgottenweapons

Author:

Vyacheslav Shpakovsky

When shotgun manufacturer Benelli introduced its first bolt action rifle a few years ago, the Benelli Lupo made something of a splash. The Lupo drew attention because it was a stylish rifle. It was also adjustable for a customized fit thanks to its chassis-style design with a separate stock, receiver, and forend. It didn’t hurt that the rifle proved to be quite accurate.

Now the rifle is turning heads again with the Lupo BE.S.T Walnut model. It blends contemporary styling with old-school charm. A richly figured AA-Grade satin-finish walnut stock, this is a package that is certain to turn heads at the range or in the field.

See More: Field Tested: Benelli’s BE.S.T. Lupo Rifle

Stunning Good Looks

Synthetic stocks rule these days, for several good reasons. But they’ll never match the beauty and warmth of a finely crafted, high-grade walnut stock. I’m old enough to remember a time when most rifles wore walnut stocks, but it’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a relatively affordable factory production rifle with a stock as beautiful as the one on the Benelli Lupo Walnut. Different manufacturers use different grading systems to describe walnut stocks. Some say that an AA-grade stock has a 25 percent or more fancy figure on both sides of the stock behind the wrist. Others assert that an AA-grade stock has a 50 percent figure. I would rate the butt stock on the rifle sent to me for testing as being closer to 50 percent.

That’s a subjective evaluation on my part, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to my eye, this is one beautiful rifle. The butt stock has straight lines, a high comb, and a subtle Monte Carlo cheekpiece. These elements work in concert to position the eye properly behind a scope. The separate forend is scalloped, on its upper side, for a sure grip with the fingers of the supporting hand. Both the buttstock and the forend have nicely executed checkering. The buttstock wears Benelli’s Progressive Comfort recoil pad, which does a decent job of mitigating recoil. Overall ergonomics are excellent.

An Impervious Finish

Walnut-stocked Lupos are offered in 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 Win., 30-06 Springfield, and 300 Win. Mag. chamberings. Rifles in 308 Win. and 30-06 Springfield have 22-inch barrels, while guns chambered for 6.5 Creedmoor and 300 Win. Mag. have 24-inch barrels. All have 1:11 rates of twist except for the 6.5 Creedmoor, which has a 1:8 twist rate. The hammer-forged barrels are cryogenically treated to relieve stress and enhance accuracy and are threaded 5/8 x 24 for suppressors or muzzle brakes.

The glossy black finish on the free-floated barrels is Benelli’s proprietary BE.S.T treatment, which is applied using a combination of Physical Vapor Deposition and Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition technologies. These processes use electricity, radio frequencies, and plasma in a high-vacuum environment to deposit a solid coating that uniformly covers the treated parts. This makes the barrel impervious to the elements. It allows Benelli to offer a remarkable 25-year warranty against rust and corrosion.

Steel Action, Aluminum Chassis

One of the things that sets the Lupo apart is its innovative receiver design. Rifles with two-piece stocks aren’t always noted for producing tack-driving accuracy, but the Lupo design has the strength and rigidity to ensure repeatable accuracy. The lower part of the aluminum receiver is actually a chassis, upon which rests a hardened steel barreled action, with the barrel attaching via a steel barrel extension. The receiver has a somewhat slender, trim appearance and angular lines imparting a bit of European flair.

The one-piece machined bolt used in the Lupo deserves special mention. It’s a three-lug design that has a cut-out area on the bottom of the bolt that allows rounds to ride high atop the magazine for reliable feeding. Although it takes a bit of force to raise the bolt handle and cock the rifle, the bolt cycles quite smoothly. The dogleg bolt handle has a short, 60-degree throw, ensuring ample room for scope clearance. The bolt knob is shaped somewhat like a football. It looks a bit unconventional, like many things on this rifle, but I found it exceptionally easy to grasp and work the bolt.

Flush-Fit, Detachable Magazine

I also like the rifle’s detachable magazine, which holds five rounds and inserts just forward of the trigger guard into a substantial magazine well. The magazine was easy to load by simply pushing rounds straight down from above. That means you can top off the magazine while it’s inserted into the rifle. The magazine inserts into the gun without much fuss, but it takes a bit of forceful pushing in and down on the magazine release lever to remove the magazine. That makes it highly unlikely to be accidentally dropped from the gun while maneuvering through the brush.

At the rear of the action, you’ll find a two-position, tang-mounted safety, located within easy reach of the thumb, as well as a red cocking indicator. The safety does not lock the bolt down when engaged. It takes just enough force to operate that it is very unlikely to be accidentally moved out of position.

Adjustable Trigger

The Lupo’s single-stage trigger, adjustable from 2.2 to 4.4 pounds, is a very good one. As the rifle arrived from the factory, the trigger broke cleanly and quite crisply at an average pull weight of 2 pounds, 2 ounces, with no hint of creep. The surface of the trigger is grooved, and the trigger is protected by an oversized, angular trigger guard that will easily accommodate a gloved trigger finger.

The rifle has a listed weight of 7.1 pounds, but weight can vary considerably with wood-stocked rifles due to variations in the density of the wood. My test rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, weighed 8 pounds, 7 ounces with a scope and rings added. That’s still light enough, in my view, for the gun to be an everyday hunting rifle. I didn’t notice the weight much when handling the rifle because the gun is so well balanced in the hands. It carries easily in one hand and mounts quickly to the shoulder.

Accuracy

For range testing, I wanted to keep the rifle’s weight down and maintain its trim profile, so I mounted a Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10 x 40mm scope in a set of Weaver rings to the rifle’s pre-installed, two-piece Picatinny rail. While this scope didn’t provide the higher magnification that I often prefer for range testing, it was a perfect setup for hunting with the Lupo. With the scope installed, I was able to zero the rifle with just two rounds and then ran it through a quick function test. The rifle fed rounds from the magazine with no hiccups, and it fired, extracted, and ejected rounds with no issues.

I expected the rifle to be quite accurate, based on my prior testing of a Lupo, but wondered if this wood-stocked gun would shoot as consistently as the synthetic-stocked model I last tested. My doubts were increased by the fact that I had to contend with a full-value wind varying from 5-15 mph on the day I tested the rifle, but the Lupo did not disappoint.

Results

All four tested factory 6.5 Creedmoor loads printed three, three-shot groups at 100 yards averaging less than an inch — and best groups well under that mark. Looking at best groups alone, which hint at the rifle’s accuracy potential, the Hornady Precision Hunter 143-grain ELD-X load shot the best group measuring 0.50 inches. Winchester’s 140-grain match load shot a 0.44-inch best group, and Federal’s 120-grain Trophy Copper load shot a best group measuring just 0.31 inch. The average group size for all three of those loads was less than 0.75 inches.

That’s outstanding accuracy given the testing conditions. Velocities, measured over a Competitive Edge Dynamics M2 chronograph, were quite close to factory-stated numbers. The 140-143-grain bullets launched at 2,607–2,688 fps out of the rifle’s 24-inch barrel. The 120-grain load stepped out at 1,825 fps.

Final Thoughts On The Benelli Lupo Walnut

In a market glutted with so many look-alike rifles with synthetic stocks, the Benelli Lupo Walnut rifle is a refreshing change. I found much to like about this gun and virtually nothing to dislike, which is something of a rare circumstance.

With an MSRP of $2,199, the walnut-stocked version of the Lupo costs about $300 more than Lupos with camo synthetic stocks and about $500 more than rifles with plain black synthetic stocks. If you’re on a tight budget, the synthetic-stocked models make sense. For my money, the Lupo Walnut is a great deal considering its fantastic ergonomics. Not to mention a finish that is practically impervious to the elements and a great warranty.

With the Benelli Lupo Walnut, you’re not just getting a very accurate hunting rifle. You’re getting a visually stunning rifle that deserves to be treated as a family heirloom.

Specifications

Benelli BE.S.T. Lupo Walnut Rifle

Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor, as tested

Action Type: Push-feed bolt action

Trigger: Adjustable

Rate of twist: 1-8

Barrel: 24-inch, threaded

Finish: Glossy BE.S.T.

Stock: Satin AA-grade walnut

Magazine/capacity: Detachable, 5+1

Sights: None, two pre-installed Picatinny rail sections

Overall Length: 46.225 inches

Weight: 7.1 pounds

MSRP: $2,199

Contacts

Benelli USA

Competitive Edge Dynamics

Federal Ammunition

Hornady Ammunition

Leupold Optics

Nagel’s Gun Shop

Winchester Ammunition