The CZ 52 semi-automatic pistol, chambered for the 7.62×25mm Tokarev cartridge. CZ 52 was originally designed for 9×19mm Parabellum caliber however under the political pressures from the side of then-government it had to be redesigned for Soviet standard. It weighs approximately 950g unloaded. Ergonomically, the grip of the CZ 52 is long when measured from front to rear and the grip is quite slim from side to side with a low "hump" which meets the web of the hand at the rear. This causes the bore axis to sit high just above the grip, resulting in strong felt recoil. Due to its high muzzle velocity and the shape of projectile, certain higher pressure FMJ ammunition fired from the CZ 52 pistol will penetrate NIJ IIA ballistic vest, which is the lower rated but is stopped without any problem by a standard police issue NIJ II or better ballistic vest. CZ 52's operating controls involve a single-action trigger, an external hammer, a magazine catch located at the heel of the grip frame, and a combination of safety lever located on the left rear side of the receiver aft of the left grip panel /de-cock. The manual safety blocks movement of the sear, which prevents the hammer from releasing and firing a round. A second safety of this model is a spring-loaded firing pin block, prevents the pistol from firing unless the trigger is pulled fully to the rear; this feature renders the pistol "drop safe".
