Braced 9mm Pistols: CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Review

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Braced 9mm Pistols: CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Review
The semi-automatic CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 uses a blowback mechanism encased in a fiber-reinforced polymer receiver.

The Scorpion EVO 3 S1 from CZ is a semi-auto braced pistol chambered in 9mm, with incredible accuracy and versatility as a truck or survival gun.

What the CZ Scorpion EVO S1 offers:

  • A blowback design ensures accuracy of around 1 inch at 25 yards with the CZ Scorpion EVO S1.
  • The Scorpion is a semi-automatic 9mm braced pistol like the original full-auto variant.
  • With rails for optics and a threaded barrel, the sky’s the limit when it comes to accessories and mods.
The semi-automatic CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 uses a blowback mechanism encased in a fiber-reinforced polymer receiver.
The semi-automatic CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 uses a blowback mechanism encased in a fiber-reinforced polymer receiver.

The Scorpion EVO 3 S1 from CZ has a reputation to live up to. The original Skorpion vz. 61 is a select-fire, blowback-operated pistol chambered in .32 ACP with a cyclic rate of 850 rounds per minute.

The Scorpion is an updated semi-automatic version that uses a blowback mechanism, though with a fiber-reinforced polymer receiver in lieu of stamped steel.

The receiver of the Scorpion is made of two polymer halves that sandwich together with a trigger group that snaps underneath and a handguard that slides over the barrel.

The barrel is equipped with a CZ flash hider attached via 1/2×28 threads so you can fit either 1/2×28 or 18×1 accessories to the muzzle. The Scorpion has a blocky look that makes it appear heavier and larger than it actually is.

It features an ambidextrous thumb safety and mag release. The safety rotates to either safe or fire mode. Some shooters find the safety selector raps against their knuckle when firing. It is also difficult to flip on/off with the thumb of the shooting hand. HB Industries sells a Right Safety Delete V2 that removes the right-side safety lever. I would invest in this aftermarket product if you want to really run the Scorpion.

Sights were well-designed and serrated on the shooter-facing side to cut glare.
Sights were well-designed and serrated on the shooter-facing side to cut glare.

The magazine release is built into the front of the trigger guard with coarse serrations, thus your trigger finger can easily dump a mag, or you can use the thumb of your supporting hand. The cocking handle can be swapped for either a right- or left-handed shooter. It operates like an HK MP5 — very easily and locks back after the last round.

Not a lot of strength is required to cock the pistol or lock it back. With the adjustable pistol grip, you can increase or decrease the distance from the backstrap to the trigger face. The grip is relatively smooth on the sides, but the front and rear straps are serrated. The grip butt is flared so your hand does not slide off even in rapid fire. The bolt release is located on the left side in a similar location as an AR-15 bolt release button.

The top side features an 11-inch Picatinny-style rail with steel front and rear sights attached. The front post is adjustable for elevation and protected by wings. A tool comes with the pistol to adjust the front sight. The rear sight has four aperture choices that rotate and click into place and is adjustable for windage with a flat blade screwdriver or a cartridge rim. The shooter-facing side of the sight is serrated to cut glare.

The Picatinny rail allows plenty of options if you want to mount a red-dot or reflex sight. The handguard has rails at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions if you want to mount a tactical light or laser pointer.

The CZ Scorpion EVO features a hand stop to ensure your support hand doesn’t slip past the muzzle. Note the ample rail space.
The CZ Scorpion EVO features a hand stop to ensure your support hand doesn’t slip past the muzzle. Note the ample rail space.

A hand stop is located at the very end of the handguard as a vital piece of safety gear because your supporting hand can easily slip in front of the muzzle. You can also use the stop to push the pistol toward the target while your shooting hand pulls back. This is another way to fire more steadily.

The trigger has a slight curve and is coarsely serrated. The trigger guard is plenty large, so the Scorpion EVO can be operated with gloved hands.

The Scorpion is well balanced. I can shoot it one-handed, but fatigue sets in quickly. The ergonomics are good except for the safety selector. The Scorpion is compact and light. An adapter kit that is a buffer tube attaches to a SIG brace. Two 20-round magazines and a bore snake cleaning rod are included. Additional 10- and 30-round magazines are available.

The mags are a translucent polymer, so you can easily see remaining ammo. And they are easy to load. The feed lips of the magazine are polymer and I did not see any significant wear after running the Scorpion.

All ammunition cycled flawlessly through the Scorpion. Magazines seated easily and with authority. The pistol is easy to cock since you can pull back on the cocking lever with your support hand and provide good resistance with the firing hand. I fired the Scorpion with and without a sling and concluded the sling offered a steadier aiming position.

With Winchester Train ammo using 147-gr. FMJ bullets the Scorpion averaged five-shot 1.05-inch groups at 25 yards.
With Winchester Train ammo using 147-gr. FMJ bullets the Scorpion averaged five-shot 1.05-inch groups at 25 yards.

Bench rest accuracy was very good, averaging about one inch for five rounds at 25 yards. I consistently grouped five shots into 0.5 inches with the Hornady American Gunner and Winchester Train ammo.

The Scorpion EVO had more felt recoil than the other two pistols due to the simple blowback mechanism. (The CZ’s blowback system uses the force of a fired cartridge to throw back the bolt.) Even so, the pistol was easy to adapt to and manipulate.

Reloads were fast and smooth. The bolt locked back after the last shot fired. The pistol was easy to shoot with both eyes open. I would prefer a lighter trigger, my sample measured 8.4 pounds, but accuracy was good even with the heavy pull.

In conclusion, recoil was more noticeable due to the blowback mechanism. The ambidextrous safety selector bumped my knuckle when shooting but that is an easy fix. The CZ was easy to cock, and the operating handle was reversible. It is very adaptable for mounting optics, stabilizing braces and other accessories.

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1
CALIBER: 9mm
ACTION: Blowback
TRIGGER: Single Action
BARREL LENGTH: 7.72 in.
OVERALL LENGTH: 16.0 in. (w/o brace), 23.85 in. (w/ brace)
WEIGHT: 5 lbs. (empty)
SIGHTS: Fully Adjustable Aperture/Post
FINISH: Matte Black
GRIP: Smooth Polymer
BRACE: SIG SB
CAPACITY: 20+1

Scorpion-9mm

Editor’s Note: This excerpt is from 9mm: Guide to America’s Most Popular Caliber, available now at GunDigestStore.com.

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