Now I did it. I went and got a CZ.

[scoobysnacker]

Huh?
Plenty of fine Czech steel here:
CZ USA
27 Metal pistols.

No more 85 series (gives you the ambidextrous safety and slide stop on a black gun), no more 82/83 series (gives you .380, 9 Mak, .32 acp), no full Kadet anymore.
What they have, they've had around awhile, and the selection is less than it used to be.

And it wasn't that long ago that they didn't have ANY polymer guns, now they have 10.
And they've added in 3 "pistols" that aren't true handguns; the Scorpions and the Bren.

Yeah, I know, being an old fuddy duddy, "get off my lawn" fella here, but I like the aesthetics of a nice steel pistol. As good as the P10C, the Sig 320, the Beretta APX might be, I don't get excited about them the way I do the 75, the 226, or the 92.

 

[scoobysnacker]

Next came a blued CZ75 Pre-B from CDI Sales on Gunbroker. It's a recent Israeli surplus gun, and its far nicer than you'd expect for something coming out of the Middle East. I usually mount a .22LR Kadet kit on it, but I shoot the gun with it's original slide and barrel regularly. I may send this out for trigger work, and possibly refinishing, but that's a ways off now that CHP 4006TSWs are hitting the surplus market and sucking up my spare cash.

You found a blued one from CDI, not the polycoat? That's a great deal. Most of the hard work is done now, if you move to refinish it.

 

[TAROMAN]

That Israeli looks perfect.
Here's mine before a bunch of work:

 

[scoobysnacker]

That Israeli looks perfect.
Here's mine before a bunch of work:

While I greatly prefer blued guns, it makes you respect the durability of the polycoat finish, seeing one like yours

Mine look basically the same as les.b's, a smooth (if nicked under closer examination) matte black

Hmm- I think I said it was a 91, my bad. Mine's a 92.

I do have a scuff on the rear backstrap, about the size of a thumbprint.
Got mine used, with box, from Robertson's Trading Post, I think it was from Czech police. Had the wonky "ergonomic" grips, which I have kept in the box. I did have some wooden grips (I think meant for a Springfield P9, I had to fit them), but have since settled on the factory rubber as seen in the picture. My Star 30MI came with grips like that, and they look right (not like Hogue wraparounds) and feel great... I've since done the same with the Beretta (Hogue rubber panels), and the Sig (Uncle Mike's).

 

[scoobysnacker]

I think the best thing about the CZ's, to me at least, is that they point so well. If you are dry-firing, and just point the gun at a small target, and then look down the sights... it's on target. The grip is a huge factor in that, it's so comfortable and natural.

You add in the great balance and silky trigger of the full size pre B's, and that combines to make it a wonderful shooter. There's little flip, and it's very manageable. It's heavy, but most of the weight is centered on the hand, the barrel is tapered and light. The gun feels lighter than it is, easily moved.

To compare it to some similar guns- my Sig feels better than it looks, but it's a bit blocky. The slide feels a bit higher.
The Beretta is another solid gun, seems like the weight is more equally spread over the barrel and slide, not as much at the hand.
My Smith (the 915) has a shorter barrel and slide, seems to flip just a bit more.
None seem to point quite as well, although all are good.

 

[lgjhn]

I, too, am a big fan of the CZs. I've got a PO1, 75BD and a 97BD.
I also have the .22LR Kadet and wanting to add a .22 Hornet CZ rifle to the collection. My wife liked the PO1 so much that she's kinda confiscated it for her bedside and EDC pistol. The 75BD is one of my best shooters and the 97BD is also a nice .45ACP shooter.

 

[lgjhn]

Anyone try the CZ Kadet .22 LR adapter kit? I'm thinking about getting one for my new 9mm SP-01 and would like to here any comments on it.

Yep. I have the Kadet .22LR Kit and use it on my 75BD every once in awhile. It's not cheap, nor is it easy to find one, but if you do, it makes for a pretty nice .22 conversion. It's accurate and works great. Mine was a little tight fit at first, but use over time, it's freed up nicely. The Kadet has the same great quality as the CZ guns themselves. You may want to do a double-check and make sure it will work on that SP-01 before you invest in one....as I said, they aren't cheap.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Before anything else, I had CZs. Before I got the guns, I had the motorcycles. From the way they are made, I knew I would like the guns. CZ52, vz.50, and most recently, a 75BD. If I have a grail gun, it would be the 82.

 

[singleshotcajun]

I've shot my friends BD..Nice..I would have bought a CZ if they had one in 10mm.. got an EAA witness instead..

Handles and shoots like a CZ...

Nothing at all wrong with Tanfoglios. I have several Tanfoglio 75 clones, my Tanfoglio Bullseye pistol is as consistent as many custom made 1911 Bullseye pistols.I bought a Tanfoglio .22 conversion kit from Bud's , it fits all my large frame Tanfoglios, shoots great with CCI MM. I also own a Armalite AR 24/15 TC and it may be overall my favorite pistol. The 24-15 is sized exactly like an original CZ-75 but has a hump at the rear of the slide under a LPA sight, kinds looks like a SIG 210. These Armalite pistols were made in Turkey by Sarlimaz and are completely forged.
Bullseye with .22 upper.

 

[TWEAKD4]

My first handgun (M&P9) doesn't get shot much anymore once I discovered CZ. I have a Rami and SP-01. I wish I could have gotten a surplus pre-B when they flooded the market. I am happy with mine and looking to get them cajunized.

 

[StickShift]

You found a blued one from CDI, not the polycoat? That's a great deal. Most of the hard work is done now, if you move to refinish it.

I bought it in early 2016 when the most recent wave of imports started. CDI had one or two mint blued guns listed that sold for $500+, so when that gun came up for $425 I jumped on it. No one else bid on it, so it was mine. Since the phosphated and painted guns frequently go for $400+ these days, I think I did good.

The gun photographs well, but it has a bunch of scratches and nicks. There's also some discoloration on the front strap, back strap, and there's a spot on the slide (which you can barely see in the picture). Its nice, but if I decide to do trigger work I'm going to make it perfect. I'm thinking reblue the slide and hard chrome the frame and controls, but we'll see.

No more 85 series (gives you the ambidextrous safety and slide stop on a black gun), no more 82/83 series (gives you .380, 9 Mak, .32 acp), no full Kadet anymore.
What they have, they've had around awhile, and the selection is less than it used to be.

And it wasn't that long ago that they didn't have ANY polymer guns, now they have 10.
And they've added in 3 "pistols" that aren't true handguns; the Scorpions and the Bren.

I'd kill for a .32ACP CZ83, but the age of good sized pistol chambered in mouse gun cartridges is long past. Even European police departments are going for locked breech 9mms. It's a wonder that Beretta still makes the Cheetah new. On the bright side, they're common on the surplus market for now.

Also, the 'pistol' Scorpion and Bren are a ploy to get around the stupidity of the NFA. It's easier to SBR a pistol by adding a stock then it is to chop the barrel on a rifle, so they're 'pistols' only as long as it takes for the stamp to process.

 

[Jebus35745]

Just a the Kadet from GB last Monday. Shot it once and will take it this Tuesday morning again to try different ammo. Nice gun, always liked the look of the CZ 75's. The grip is very comfortable. Have a Drulov model 75 single shot made by CZ. It's simple, rugged and accurate. Has a set trigger, it's a basic free pistol that's fun to shoot. Slows down the ammo consumption and gets you back to the basics of sight alignment and trigger control. It's for sale because I bought a Hammerli 100 free pistol and don't need two single shots. Larry

 

[ladder13]

After you own a CZ, glocks become kind of Meh.....

I don't own a CZ yet, and Glops are meh.

 

[Raven312]

I never did post a pic of the finished product (with grips). I recently took it to the range and the RO came over to see what I had now (seems I always have a new gun when I go there). He handled it, shook his head and handed it back to me. He came back a few minutes later and said he had to shoot it, and I was glad to let him. He put three holes in the smallest space on the target, put it down and said "I'm serious - don't ever sell this gun!". I wouldn't - as much as I love my higher dollar guns, this would be the very last to go.

 

[LVSteve]

I recently took it to the range and the RO came over to see what I had now (seems I always have a new gun when I go there). He handled it, shook his head and handed it back to me.

Why would he shake his head. 1911 or Glock snob?

 

[Irn-Bru]

I never did post a pic of the finished product (with grips). I recently took it to the range and the RO came over to see what I had now (seems I always have a new gun when I go there). He handled it, shook his head and handed it back to me. He came back a few minutes later and said he had to shoot it, and I was glad to let him. He put three holes in the smallest space on the target, put it down and said "I'm serious - don't ever sell this gun!". I wouldn't - as much as I love my higher dollar guns, this would be the very last to go.

I feel the same way. If forced to keep one it's my CZ 75 Compact. Take my safe queens, this bad boy does exactly what it says on the tin!

 

[C J]

CZ makes some mighty fine pistols for sure. But the best I've ever shot were made by Sig. The early P220's were exceptional. The ones that say "Made In W. Germany" are as solid as they come. And CZ got the idea for the slide being inside the frame from Sig. The P210 has the reputation of being the best pistol ever made. It carries a price tag to match though. But that's the first pistol with the slide inside the frame. The P220 is a mighty fine pistol too.

 

[TAROMAN]

Actually, the P210 is a development of the French Modele 35A which Sig licensed from the French developer.
The 35A had slide rails inside the frame.
The first to do so? Probably not..

 

[Richard Simmons]

CZ makes great firearms. I've got one of the 75B's from the Turkish Army over run contract from years ago as well as a matte 97B. Looking to add a 75B Tactical Sport in the near future as well as one of the Skorpion carbines or pistol with the arm brace.

 

[Raven312]

CZ makes some mighty fine pistols for sure. But the best I've ever shot were made by Sig. The early P220's were exceptional. The ones that say "Made In W. Germany" are as solid as they come. And CZ got the idea for the slide being inside the frame from Sig. The P210 has the reputation of being the best pistol ever made. It carries a price tag to match though. But that's the first pistol with the slide inside the frame. The P220 is a mighty fine pistol too.

I went through a bunch of Sigs (P229, P226, P239, P290RS, P938, M11-A1 (my favorite), P229 Legion, Nightmare Carry)... I loved something about them all but I eventually sold or traded them. I will buy another M11-A1, soon. That pistol was butter smooth...

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