CZ Micro Scorpion Review: Purpose, Ergonomics and Reliability

CZ Micro Scorpion (Evo 3 S1)  Review

The CZ Scorpion was one of two weapons that helped kick off the pistol caliber carbine and SMG wannabe crowd. Since the Scorpion came to be we’ve seen an explosion of these guns from companies both big and small, as well as foreign and domestic. The CZ Scorpion has made its way into several different iterations, including different model pistols and rifles. The newest incarnation is the Micro Scorpion which is best described as a K model Scorpion. 

K is a designation typically applied to submachine guns starting with the MP5K model. It’s nothing written in stone, but it’s the semi-official designation for compact SMGs. The Micro Scorpion was originally a mod by fans of the Scorpion who’ve shortened their barrels and handguards to produce a more compact Scorpion. The Micro Scorpion is CZ’s brilliant answer to satisfy their fans. 

CZ Scorpion

2It took a long time to hit the market but now that it has it’s quickly become my favorite Scorpion model. I own both the original pistol, a PCC rifle variant, and now the CZ Micro Scorpion. In terms of operating systems and controls, they are all relatively identical. They just happen to be different sizes.


Checking Out the CZ Micro Scorpion

The Micro Scorpion is a 9mm, semi-automatic pistol that is of course much larger than most 9mm pistols. It’s an SMG wannabe turned pistol for the American market. The gun comes with the awesome PDW brace designed by Manticore and SB Tactical. This PDW brace is perfect for this compact 9mm. The gun also comes with two 20 round magazines and a handy dandy Bore snake. 

The Micro Scorpion is a blowback-operated weapon which is very common for SMGs and pistol caliber carbines of all types. The brace is a single position design that extends with nothing more than a tug. There is a large button in the middle of the brace adapter that allows you to easily collapse the brace. 

The Micro Scorpion comes with the HB Industries short handguard complete with M-LOK rails. The short 4.12-inch barrel is capped with a NoOsprey Faux suppressor. The 1/2×28 inch threads allow the use of most common muzzle devices. Beneath the 1/2×28 thread is another set of threads is 18×1. 

The Micro Scorpion comes with a robust set of iron sights, as well as a full-length scope rail that can accommodate most optics. Also, to top it off a small handguard is installed to keep your hand from slipping off the small forend. 

The Micro Scorpion is 16.35 inches long with the brace collapsed and 23.35 inches long when the brace is extended. The gun is 9.4 inches high and weighs 5.5 pounds.


Ergonomics Of The CZ Scorpion

The CZ Scorpion is a very sound gun ergonomically. The layout is designed to be mostly ambidextrous. The safety and magazine release are completely ambidextrous, and both are easy to reach and activate. The magazine release is set-up to allow for easy activation in multiple configurations. 

You can execute a speed reload and utilize your trigger finger to drop the magazine free. Or, you grip the magazine and use your thumb to release it. The magazine release is perfect for executing both speeds reloads and reloads with retention. 

cz scorpion micro

The safety has a relatively short movement and it clicks and snaps into place without issue. The downside is the fact the safety presses into your finger and causes some irritation and pain. It’s not a ton of fun, especially when you are shooting tons in a short period of time. There are plenty of aftermarket options out there that allow for a more comfortable experience. 

The charging handle can be reversed to work for both left and right-handed shooters. The charging handle is placed forward of the receiver and sits beside the barrel. It’s very quick and easy to reach and makes racking the weapon quick and simple. The charging handle can also be locked to the rear via a slot. 

The brace is small and very compact, but also comfortable wrapped around the forearm. The Velcro secures it well and allows for more support while firing the weapon one-handed. Braces can be used in any way you see fit and if you choose to use one against your shoulder, as a cheek rest, or bicep brace then you certainly can. 

It’s a poor shoulder brace, but luckily the weapon has very little recoil and the system works perfectly for the light and miniature Micro Scorpion.


On the Range

The CZ Micro Scorpion is a blast to shoot. The recoil isn’t bad, neither is any kind of muzzle rise or concussion. It’s incredibly reliable and that’s one of the big benefits of having a blowback-operated system. Blowback systems do require a big bolt that will increase felt recoil, but only minimally so. The gun runs through every type of ammo I’ve put through including bare-bones Remington brass cased ammo and all the way down to crappy steel-cased foreign made junk. 

The CZ Micro Scorpion is very comfortable outside of that damn safety digging into my finger. Besides that, it’s one of the easiest shooting guns on the market. The gun has an amazing set of iron sights and they are easily some of my favorites. These sights feature an AR-style front sight and a rear sight that features four different sized apertures. 

Unfortunately, it’s not an actual AR front sight post. If it was we could install a wide variety of aftermarket options including night sights. The front sight also requires a special tool to adjust and a standard AR front sight tool won’t do it. CZ missed a small mark here in my opinion. 

CZ scorpion micro

These different sized apertures correspond to different levels of precision the gun can do. The smaller the aperture the more precise the weapon can be. The larger the aperture the quicker it can be. With a gun this small I run it with the widest aperture open because speed is king with such a compact weapon. Speed-wise the gun is quick on target and swapping between targets is something you can do very quickly. The low recoil means it’s quick and easy to transition between multiple targets. 

Speaking of accuracy, you can go back to 75 yards and make easy hits onto a man-sized target. The gun extends well beyond what a typical 9mm pistol can do. The addition of a brace, substantially more weight, and the overall layout makes it a more accurate and easier to control weapon. On top of that, the barrel is cold hammer-forged and fixed into the frame. This increases accuracy as well. 

The Micro Scorpion’s ergonomics are top-notch and at the range, it’s hard not to notice how well the gun is planned out. Everything from racking a round into the chamber to locking the bolt to the rear is well executed and simple. 

One of the few downsides is the somewhat heavier and long trigger pull. It’s far from perfect and isn’t the best compared to guns like the MPX. However, it’s perfectly serviceable and doesn’t detract from accuracy. If this gun was designed for shooting at 500 yards it might be an issue, but it’s not so it isn’t. 

The magazines are transparent polymer and while the gun comes with 20 rounders 30 rounders are cheap and easy to find. These magazines function without issue and the semi-transparent design is great for peeking at how much ammo you have left.


 Purpose Of The CZ Micro Scorpion 

The CZ Micro Scorpion is a small and compact weapon that offers the low recoil design of a pistol cartridge with the handling characteristics of an SMG or larger weapon in general. They are more compact and lightweight than a long gun, but easier to handle than a handgun. 

The CZ Micro Scorpion would be an excellent home defense weapon and it’s even easy to suppress. The Scorpion is perfect for the range and is a ton of fun as well. It’s compact enough to be easily stored in a vehicle/ The fact that it’s a handgun also means it will likely fall under your concealed carry weapon license when it comes to rules regarding carrying it in a vehicle. They can be laxer than the laws regarding long guns. The Micro Scorpion is an excellent weapon for a variety of tasks.  

The CZ Micro Scorpion is one of the cheaper PCCs and the cheapest of these ultra-short SMG wannabes. Not only when it comes to the overall price, but the price of accessories, magazines, and parts. They are very affordable weapons in all ways.


Parting Shots

The CZ Micro Scorpion is a very cool and unique weapon. It has looks to kill and is so much to shoot. It’s easily one of my favorite guns, and likely my favorite gun released in 2019. The Micro Scorpion is reliable, accurate, and very ergonomic. 

The standard Scorpion and its rifle variants have been popular enough to inspire a rather larger aftermarket. This includes parts from companies like Magpul, as well as smaller companies like Yeti Wurks, HBI, and many more. You make your Micro Scorpion yours and deck it out the best way you see fit. 

If you are on the fence about the Micro Scorpion I give it a hearty recommendation for whatever that is worth to you. It’s an excellent weapon and a ton of fun at the range.

By

Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine gunner who served with 2nd BN 2nd Marines for 5 years. He deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan and again in 2011 with the 22nd MEU(SOC) during a record setting 11 months at sea. He’s trained with the Romanian Army, the Spanish Marines, the Emirate Marines and the Afghan National Army. He serves as an NRA certified pistol instructor and works as a firearms writer.

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