CZ 75 Pre B

I recently inherited my late father's CZ 75 that he bought in 1979 (I have the original stamped license) - the serial number is numbers only and I'm trying to figure out year of manufacture. For an old weapon it is incredible, way more accurate than my Glock 17 and extremely sturdy.

Ok, you have a very rare early production model. It has what is called "short rails". There is a two digit number above the extractor. That is the year of proofing, which is considered the year of production.
The " short rail" early production model had a reputation of not being as sturdy as the later model, although there were issues with metallurgy so which one is the culprit is opinion.
Your gun is more valuable than one of the long rail guns, so keep that in mind.
Look at the two guns in post #16 and you will see the difference in the slide/frame rails that I am talking about.
 
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"LOK" Thin Bogie grips are available for that gun too, VZ type materials and a perfect fit if you want something different. Being a 10mm double stack mag this gun needs very thin grips so I have them on my DA/SA Tangfoglio Witness Elite 10mm Compact. CZ was their motivation for this pistol too. Pictured here in their "Wonder" finish.
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I sent my new production CZ 75B to Cajun Gun Works a year or 2 ago. What they do borders on magic.

Single action pull is 2 pounds, 8 ounces. DA is 6 pounds, 10 ounces. Their sights are a lot better as well.

I put the grips on.
 

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"LOK" Thin Bogie grips are available for that gun too, VZ type materials and a perfect fit if you want something different. Being a 10mm double stack mag this gun needs very thin grips so I have them on my DA/SA Tangfoglio Witness Elite 10mm Compact. CZ was their motivation for this pistol too. Pictured here in their "Wonder" finish.
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So how is 10mm in that compact? I was looking hard for a 10mm a couple of years ago and the compact version of the Witness seemed to be my choice. My big concern was how much velocity loss from the short barrel and it negating the benefit of the 10.
And I am also a big fan of LOK grips.
 
The CZ75 design is one of the best semiautomatic out there. I took the long way around to get into the 75. When it came to pistols I was always partial to revolvers. Then the wonder nine took the market and I bought Walther PPQ, great gun no doubt about it but its plastic. Sorry, but I like the feel of steel. So I picked up a Kimber 45, 1911. Another fine piece, loved the feel in my hand and good shooter. Could shoot better than I can. Problem, the grip safety. I have large skinny hands. It's was my EDC and I found I couldn't consistently draw the gun get the grip safety depressed. Not acceptable for an EDC gun. So I started looking at the market, I wanted a 1911 w/o a grip safety and a friend had an EAA Witness. I tried it and the rest is history. Pictured, my EDC the CZ 75B, the Shadow 2 is a cool range/house gun and then I went whole hog with the Tanfoglio 10mm.
 

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My CZ75 is probably still my favorite semi-automatic pistol, as well as being the one I have had (and enjoyed thoroughly) the longest..?;)

Cheers!
 
So how is 10mm in that compact? I was looking hard for a 10mm a couple of years ago and the compact version of the Witness seemed to be my choice. My big concern was how much velocity loss from the short barrel and it negating the benefit of the 10.
And I am also a big fan of LOK grips.
Their Compact has the same size barrel as the S&W 10mm 1066, 4.25" and actually, other than being slightly snappy like the 1066, it's not that bad. I like it a little better because it's not as heavy and has a double stacked mag, but you do have to put the Bogies on it, here it is with the original grips and it's just too fat. If you reconsider the Witness Compact, make sure to get the new model without the "scallops" cut out on the slide sides for appearences only, those can crack back to the ejection port so they did away with them and it cured the problem. Also notice how the slide rides inside the frame rail unlike most autos that ride just the opposite, giving it less reciprocal mass, supposedly resulting in less recoil. It's still snappy.
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Notice the scallops that can crack
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Thanks for the heads up about the slide! You're getting my interest stirred.
 
CZ75/85 is built like a tank.

The early slides had a front sight that was installed like the old 1911s. Post on the bottom that protruded through the slide and into the barrel bushing before being staked. Kept the barrel bushing in place.

Spur hammer. I like the look. A lot. Mine is a pre B CZ85. It has the ambidextrous thumb safeties and slide release levers.

Sadly CZ stopped making the 85 models several years ago.

Mine was carried a lot and maybe shot a lot. Ragged finish/exterior an dirty as sin inside. Trigger is nothing special and neither is accuracy. I just sent the slide/frame off for refinishing (two tone cerkote) and replaced the springs, the grips, the barrel, modified the slide to accept the new barrel and modified the inside of the frame to run modern magazines and shot it some. I'd have shot it more if it shot better groups. I carried it a few weeks before going back to my P07.

Had a case failure one day at the range. The slide came back, ejected the base section of the case and left the case walls in the chamber. I found out when it failed to chamber the next round. Had to drop the magazine and field strip it to get the case walls out of the chamber. Lost of powder burn on the top two or three rounds in the magazine and down into the frame but no damage. Put it all back together and kept on shooting it. I shudder to think what that might have done to one of the plastic framed pistols.

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Here are pictures of my CZ 75, purchased new in 1986. It was the first one I had seen. I have shot it a lot, and could not care less about the flaws I have put on the finish. This is still one of my favorite pistols.
 

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Still more pics. Original box, and Ross brand South African holster I purchased in Vienna, Austria...
 

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