Vektor Z-88

The Vektor Z-88 is a licensed copy of the Beretta 92M92 that originated from Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW) in Pretoria. The Beretta 92 model was designed in 1975 and only 5000 units of the original prototype were manufactured until it was taken off the market a year later. However, it is being manufactured in three different calibers (92 series in 9 x 19 Parabellum, 96 series in .40 S&W and 98 series in 9 x 21 mm IMI) and four different shooting options (FS, G, D and DS) even now. Apart from Vektor, the Brazilian gun manufacturers Taurus make a copy called the Taurus PT-92.

Vektor is a South African manufacturer of various pistols for military and law enforcement purposes. It was incorporated in 1953 and was privatized in 1997. Vektor exports its products to the US via Vektor USA. The Vektor Z-88 is manufactured under license from the Italian firearm specialists Beretta and is, as already stated, based on one of their most famous handguns. In fact, many of the parts such as the barrel are interchangeable with the Beretta 92. The Vektor Z-88 is presently being used by the South African Military and police. Being locally produced in South Africa, the Vektor Z-88 was not, until recently, for sale in America. However, it is now learnt that this handgun has been made available for civilian use in the US.

It is a double-action handgun that chambers 9 mm Parabellum rounds. It features a magazine that accommodates 15 rounds in staggered format. The magazine is equipped with a reversible release button. The Vektor Z-88 also incorporates the falling block short recoil locking system and has a manually operated safety de-cocking lever and a slide catch. The front and rear sights on this handgun are crafted in titrium and are luminous, facilitating nighttime shooting. Shooters claim that the Vektor Z-88 is superior to the Beretta 92 because it has a better trigger pull and is, generally speaking, of much higher quality than the original.

There is very little information available on the Vektor Z-88, possibly owing to ambiguities as far as its legality in the United States is concerned. The fact that it is an official sidearm for South African armed personnel could also have thrown a political shadow over it, which would certainly make helpful insights into specifications and local availability hard to come by. For further information on availability of the Vektor Z-88 in the United States, it is best to contact the importing and distributing company Vektor USA directly.