CZ Owners

[DangerDanJD]

I am considering purchasing a CZ in 9mm. I am specifically leaning towards a CZ 75 SP-01 or SP-01 tactical and am looking for input from current and former owners as well as anyone with knowledge or experience regarding CZ's.

 

Purpose will be occasional open carry (around the farm, hiking, etc.) and primarily range and plinking use as well as perhaps home defense. I would be replacing a glock 19 which was used for the same purpose and while it has functioned flawlessly, the glock just doesn't do it for me. The glock in turn replaced a HK USP 9 which replaced a Baretta 92. I have a smaller 9mm for CCW and rarely carried the glock so the extra weight and size isn't really an issue. 

 

I have never fired a CZ but have picked up and handled an SP-01 and like the feel of it. I am also expecting better accuracy with the CZ over the glock. I prefer the looks of the SP01 over say the 75 B SA and prefer both over glocks. I also shoot a lot of 22 rimfire and the potentially of the CZ Kadet 22 conversion is enticing. Finally, I like having something a little different and a CZ seems to be a good choice. 

 

For those with experience, what are the pro's and con's of the CZ's as you see them and what has your experience been with the pistols? Is there anything I am missing or should I stop posting on forums and start trying to find one as soon as possible? Thanks. 

 

 

 

 

 

[BigK]

Too bad you aren't in the Nashville area, I have 5 CZs I'd let you try out.

 

They are fantastic guns, especially for the purpose you named. I was drawn to CZ by the ergonomics, but I stayed for the accuracy. No other handgun I've tried feels as good in my hand as a CZ. I hear this often too from people holding one for the first time.

 

I doubt a CZ is any more inherently accurate than any other handgun, but there are lots of accounts of people who say they picked up a CZ and they just shot it better than they do other handguns. Their triggers break clean. They fit your hand and are very controllable. Their bore axis is very low and their slides run inside the frame rails. Put all those things together and you increase the shooter's ability to break the shot clean without disturbing the sight picture. I believe that's why many shooters say they are more accurate.

 

On the downside, many, including myself, find that the trigger is a little gritty out of the box. Don't let that scare you off, though. After a couple hundred rounds and some dry firing practice, the trigger becomes very smooth very quickly. The end result is a buttery smooth trigger that has fairly even resistance throughout the pull.

[Jonnin]

I have a cz rami (their smallest 9mm) and a 75 clone (eaa witness). 

 

Pros..

They are very, very accurate.  They are unique (or rareish design anyway) in that it is a DA/SA gun that can be carried cocked and locked.  You can also get a SAO trigger kit and make them into a poor man's 1911ish thing.  Reliable and they really fit my hand well.   Very easy to clean.  The CZ custom shop here in the states can do a lot of neat things and they do great work.  You can get a .22 conversion kit for some models.

 

The cons, and I am digging hard here so you know everything I can think of...

- like most DA/SA triggers, its not awesome.  It has a longish reset and even hammer back there is some pretravel.  Its on par with anything else of the type though, about like a beretta 92 or ruger 89/9x/etc series or the like.

 

- the rifling starts a little early.  IN both the cz and the clone, a small number of brands of ammo will not chamber as the bullet hits rifling early and the slide won't close.  This is almost always a JHP in a very heavy weight, and not common enough to be a problem (try another brand if it does not work, or stick to 120ish grain weights and under).

 

- cocked and locked is not as easy to use as a 1911 and not really highly recommended.  Most folks just tolerate the heavy first DA shot instead.

 

- they are internally complicated, and probably not the best choice for a lot of modifications if you are not already somewhat skilled at messing with guns.

 

- many models are not left hand friendly at all. 

 

Also let me highly recommend the witness.  Coming in at 100-150 less than the CZ for the same gun, they are every bit as good. 

[dcloudy777]

The CZ75 "family" is the best service-size 9mm made so far, hands down.

 

The SP-01 is absolutely incredible.

[DWARREN123]

I have a CZ75BD Police and CZ75D Compact. Both have been more accurate for me than Glocks.

Tighter/shorter chambers? Some reloads for the Glocks had to be reworked to fit the CZ's.

Mine shoot straighter and tighter than the Glocks did.

More complicated than Glocks and less aftermarket items.

For holsters I am using Tagau IWB holsters made for a 5" and a 4" 1911's.

I think they have  a good  trigger for carry purposes.

[DangerDanJD]

Thanks for the quick responses. I guess I will be in the begin my search for a SP-01. If anyone of you CZ guys wants to unload one, lemme know!

[Spiffy]

 Most folks just tolerate the heavy first DA shot instead.

 

 

 

 

Im sure some of the guys in the comp sub forum or over on BEnos can point ya in a good direction to get a lightened 1st DA shot with sacrificing safety and reliability. 

[RWF]

the CZ 75B-SA to me is a what I called a poor man's 1911 we had one for a few years. the lock up is just like a 1911 and works from the lock and cocked position. the reason I called it a poor man's1911 is because it cost about half as much. and yes as long as you use brass ammo, 100%

[SonnyCrockett]

I own 4 CZs and regard them as my best shooters I own,tack drivers every one of them

and all  100% reliable for me any ammo 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jonnin]

Im sure some of the guys in the comp sub forum or over on BEnos can point ya in a good direction to get a lightened 1st DA shot with sacrificing safety and reliability. 

 

Mine is SAO converted now.  Which really gave it a meh glockish trigger instead of the expected 1911ish trigger -- long spongy pull on a spring before anything happens to the sear, and the reset is fairly long as well.  And the goofball working on it swapped the mag drop to left handed ... and NOTHING ELSE.  We had words about that, but time I sent it back and paid shipping both ways a second time, it was not worth it, so now I have a weird gun.  Its a great platform, just a little wonky.  I need to straighten it out, its on my to-do list. 

[three5seven]

I have a CZ75BD Police and CZ75D Compact. Both have been more accurate for me than Glocks.

Tighter/shorter chambers? Some reloads for the Glocks had to be reworked to fit the CZ's.

Mine shoot straighter and tighter than the Glocks did.

More complicated than Glocks and less aftermarket items.

For holsters I am using Tagau IWB holsters made for a 5" and a 4" 1911's.

I think they have  a good  trigger for carry purposes.

 

I agree with all of this statement. As noted here on this thread, you'll find a lot of CZ fanboys on every internet forum you search. So far as comparable 9mm service pistols, IMO, the 75 Series is rivaled only by the Sig P226 and Browning Hi-Powers and is about 2/3 the cost. I own a CZ 75BD Police and it's my favorite semi-auto. However, for your stated purpose, even for open carry, you may want to look at a P-01. Size-wise, it is more comparable to a G19. It will take 16, 18, and 26 round magazines made by CZ and Mec Gar in addition to the 14-rounders and weighs much less than a full-size duty pistol. If I had to buy my first CZ over again, I'd lean towards the P-01 for it's versatility and rail.      

 

So far as cons are concerned, there are less aftermarket items than other brands. A more important consideration is the cost of those items and availability of the items that are on the market. Earlier this year during the scare buying I purchased several factory mags at MSRP. I got a "good" deal all things considered and bought two (18) round mags for $120 out the door and was lucky I could find them. (Think about how many Glock mags that would have bought.) I've been to nearly every large gun shop in the lower Midwest and Mid-South. I've only been in two brick and mortar stores that regularly carry CZ magazines: the physical Buds GunShop in Lexington, KY and in TN at Nashville Armory.

 

I think you'll be more than satisfied with whatever CZ 75 you choose. But be prepared to do all of you shopping for the weapon, i.e, holsters, grips, magazines, small parts, etc., online.            

[frankmako]

cz is a good gun.  i like them but i still keep coming back to glock. 

[Steelharp]

I have three handguns that are in the "absolutely never sell" category. A pre-lock S&W 681 .357, my first Glock 19, and my CZ 75 Compact. The CZ is such a natural pointer, extremely accurate, and just feels excellent. I don't really care as much for the newer CZ offerings. This older style 75 type is just perfect.

[SonnyCrockett]

they are sexy also

 

Edited October 30, 2013 by SonnyCrockett

[Volzfan]

My choice was the CZ 75D PCR 9mm which has a decocker rather than a safety. I hate safeties. My was perfect straight from the box and have NEVER had any issues while at the range. CZ's are a great weapon!

[A.J. Holst]

I've got a 75B Omega and it is the bomb.

 

It was my EDC for last few years.

 

As far as accuracy, because it fits my hand better and feels more comfortable, I shoot it better than my wife's Glock 17.

 

99.982% reliable, lost my round count over 10k. I've never had a failure due to ammo, the only failure I experienced was the the trigger bar spring broke.

 

Parts readily available for DIY stuff at CZ-USA. 3 very reputable custom shops depending on what you want to do.

 

Aside from the de-cocker on the tactical, they are identical.

 

I just closed a deal on my second CZ, a Matt Mink-tuned P-01, which is a de-cocker model.

 

Sexy? I thought they were CZexy...

[SonnyCrockett]

Have you shot your CZ today ?

[1gewehr]

My primary handgun is a CZ-75B I bought new in '94 and has over 40,000rds through it.  I've worn out several magazines, the grip checkering is pretty smooth in places, and the safety is starting to get loose.  I fire mostly 124gr NATO-spec, and have not had any issues.  The rifling is still good, but the throat is showing wear.

We have several other CZs, including a 1979 pre-model 'B', a compact, and a BD.

My wife's 1998 CZ-75B broke the firing pin within a couple of hundred rounds after we got it.  CZ replaced the firing pin, no questions asked.  Apparently, they had a bad lot of brittle firing pins in '98.  There were comments for a couple of years after that, but I have not heard of anyone having that problem since then.

 

Even now, there is no higher-quality handgun on the market for the price.  Ten years ago when the dollar still had value overseas, the CZ was an incredible bargain.

 

Stick to Mecgar and factory magazines.  Most others aren't worth it unless you want to practice malfunction drills.

[Defender]

I have a CZ P-01.  Great gun.  Im anxious to see a CZ P-09 that i just read about.  Full size version of the P-07 with 19 plus rounds.  http://cz-usa.com/products/view/P-09Duty/

[gun sane]

Also let me highly recommend the witness.  Coming in at 100-150 less than the CZ for the same gun, they are every bit as good. 

 

Since you opened the door of discussion to CZ 75 copies, allow me to say that the IWI Baby Desert Eagle imported by Magnum Research fills the bill very well, too.  I've got a 9mm all-steel model and have never had a handgun that shoots better.  It's assembled in Israel with Italian Tanfoglio parts and used by several government security agencies under the name, Jericho 941.  Believe me, nobody depends upon firearms more than the Israelis. 

Edited November 4, 2013 by gun sane

[NoBanStan]

P-07 here, as usual, I harp on about how much i love it.....

[giggidy]

Don't have an SP-01, but I've had a P-01 for about a year.  It is my main gun, have fired a bunch of rounds through it (factory and reloads) and have never had a failure or problem of any kind.