Document Verifies Visit of D. B. Wesson to CZ Factory in 1968

The Tactical Wire ^ | June 12, 2012

[50cal Smokepole]

Dan Wesson Firearms (finally) became part of the CZ family in 2005 when the company was acquired by CZ-USA. Unbeknownst to any of the parties involved in the 2005 transaction, a relationship between the two companies was initiated 37 years earlier.

January 5th to August 21st 1968 is known to history as the Prague Spring. Many rights and freedoms restricted by the Soviets after World War II were returned to the citizens of Czechoslovakia during this brief season of change. It was also during this time period that an apparent agreement was made between ÄŒeská zbrojovka (CZ) and the founders of Dan Wesson Firearms to manufacture Dan Wesson handguns in CZ's Uherský Brod plant.

On August 21st, 1968 the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries invaded Czechoslovakia with 2,000 tanks and 200,000 soldiers. Though the details have been lost, it can be assumed that the invasion and subsequent occupation that ended the Prague Spring, also ended any hope of fulfilling the agreement between the two manufacturers.

A recently found entry from a CZUB official journal known as "The Chronicle" documented the forgotten beginnings of a partnership never realized.

The portions of the journal entry written in Czech have been translated to English below.


April 26, 1968

Visit of our customers from the United States of America

D.B. Wesson

Karl Lewis

Accompanied by Mr. Hladik from Omnipol (State owned Export Company)

Purpose of visit: CZ factory tour and discussions about extending business relations

We are very favorably impressed with the facilities here and hope that this may be the begi9nning of a long and profitable connection for both your company and ours. With close and harmonious relationships we see nothing but continued success for your company and many firearms traded with the USA.

D B Wesson

I appreciate the opportunity to visit your country and especially your factory. Your factory is very well organized and the products are first class. I am happy that you will be manufacturing many fine products for our company to sell in the U.S. A. I toast to a long and prosperous friendship and understanding for all of us.

Karl Lewis.



About Dan Wesson Firearms:

Dan Wesson Firearms produces a premium line of 1911s and interchangeable barrel revolvers. In 1968, three years after the Wesson family sold Smith&Wesson, Dan Wesson, great-grandson of Smith&Wesson co-founder Daniel B. Wesson, partnered with Karl R. Lewis to manufacturer the Dan Wesson line of revolvers. The current line of Dan Wesson revolvers and 1911s are built in the same spirit of quality and innovation that inspired partnerships involving 2 men of the same name over a century apart.

[50cal Smokepole]

I found this an interesting tidbit of firearms history.
I carry a CZ 82 (9x18 Mak), so it piqued my interest on several levels.

[50cal Smokepole]

CZ Ping....

[Joe 6-pack]

Member of the class of -75B :-)

[Envisioning]

Interesting. I love my Dan Wesson 1911's!

[50cal Smokepole]

Yep, CZ makes some fine guns.

[50cal Smokepole]

Nice lookin’ shooters.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I keep a Dan Wesson .357 as my personal firearm. With a 4 inch barrel it is perfectly balanced. With the 6 incher it is a little barrel heavy. Fits my hand perfectly.

[Joe 6-pack]

My experiences at the range have led me to conclude that the reason God created CZ was to inform Sig owners that they paid entirely too much :-)

[50cal Smokepole]

My -82

[Paine in the Neck]

I picked up a Valor a year ago and I still can’t stop smilin’. I put some 10-8 grips on it to fill my hand better.

[Envisioning]

Nice lookin’ shooters.

Thanks, but don't let their looks fool you, they shoot as good as they look! LOL!

[lgjhn23]

CZs are high on the list of the best 9mm pistols in the world.
The CZ 9mm compact PO1 was my favorite concealed carry pistol....until my wife decided to try it out...now it’s hers! I since replaced it with a regular-sized CZ75BD instead because I got a good deal on it. These guns are super accurate and very reliable, but CZs are not cheap. CZ makes some nice rifles as well.

[Envisioning]

I picked up a Valor a year ago and I still can’t stop smilin.

Yep. I love the checkering, takes 2 hands and a foot to put it down. LoL.

Only bad thing about them is you want one of each.

[doorgunner69]

I am a diehard 1911 fan, but have had an interest in a CZ-75 or EAA equivalent for some time. Any differences between them?

[USMCPOP]

That gave me goosebumps. All I have is a CZ 52, a CZ 75 (pre-B model) and a .22 bolt action with the hogback stock (a fine piece).

Wish I had a bunch of CZ motorcycles. Rode one of those before I had one of their firearms. Good stuff. Sadly it all faded away.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%8Cesk%C3%A1_zbrojovka_Strakonice

[50cal Smokepole]

Sorry, but I’m not the one to ask about those. Someone here can help, I’m sure.

[Joe 6-pack]

"I am a diehard 1911 fan, but have had an interest in a CZ-75 or EAA equivalent for some time. Any differences between them?"

Interesting question...and the answer will take you in a full circle. CZ's quality control is exceptionally high, although a lot of people aren't keen on the aesthetics (of the handguns anyways). The design has a lot of Hi-Power elements in it, and the CZ-75 was the pistol Jeff Cooper chose as the basis for his dream pistol, the Bren Ten. Rumor has it that in the 90's when the SAS was looking to replace their Hi-powers, the rank and file wanted to go with the CZ-75, but since the eastern bloc had only recently crumbled, the powers-that-be wanted something from a more established, stable source.

The big advantage EAA had over CZ was in chambering for the 10mm, which CZ never did with the -75 family. The downside is that EAA Witness series developed a reputation for cracking slides, although the word on the street is these problems have been fixed. I'd still refuse to buy an older one, and would be reluctant to buy a newer one.

Now, since you love the 1911, but showed some interest in CZ vs. EAA, you can combine the best of all three worlds...

CZ, under the Dan Wesson name, makes a 1911 in 10mm...

Dan Wesson Razorback R-10

[USMCPOP]

I’m a little guy with short fingers, so I tend to like the Hi-Power, my first 9mm. So much so that I have an unfired spare. Wish I could get comfortable with the CZ, size-wise. I can shoot it but don’t feel like a kid with a squirt gun. And the Hi-Power seems to hit whatever I look at, in a good way.

[Chode]

my CZ...

[Tijeras_Slim]

They’re not making a clone of the Springfield Scout are they?