Star Z70

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	Weapon: Star Z70 Type: Submachine Gun Country of Origin: Spain Caliber: 9mm Luger Action: Blow Back Fully Automatic

The Star Z70 is a Spanish submachine gun developed in the early 1970s by the Star Bonifacio Echeverria company. Designed as a modernized successor to earlier Star submachine guns, the Z70 combined elements of classic firearm engineering with more contemporary features. It is a blowback-operated weapon chambered for the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge, and it features a simple, robust design with a stamped steel receiver. The Z70 is equipped with a retractable wire stock, which provides better handling in close quarters, and uses a 30-round detachable magazine. Its controls are straightforward, including a selector switch for semi-automatic and fully automatic fire.

The Z70 was produced primarily for military and law enforcement use, with production running from the 1970s into the 1980s. Though exact production figures are unclear, it was adopted by the Spanish Armed Forces and various police agencies, cementing its role as a reliable tool for internal security and military operations. The Z70 performed well in urban environments, where its compact design and controllable rate of fire made it effective. Despite its utility, it was gradually replaced by more modern submachine guns as newer designs became available, offering improved ergonomics and lighter materials.

While not widely exported or as globally recognized as some of its contemporaries, the Star Z70 remains an important part of Spain's firearm history. Its reliability and practicality earned it respect among its users, and it is remembered as a workhorse weapon of its time. Although overshadowed by more prolific designs like the Uzi or the MP5, the Z70 is still notable for its robust construction and its service in maintaining public order and military readiness during a critical period in Spain's history.