[Taisho]

I think I want a CZ-52, something about 1600fps+ that makes my heart go aflutter.

If you have one, had one or have shot one, please tell me about your experiences, before I buy.

Tia,
T

[BowStreetRunner]

mmmm i want one too
big boom, cheap $
:D

[George Hill]

Go to Makarov.com and study the subject in detail.
Then buy one that you have checked out to make sure it's in good shape.
Then buy a stiffer spring for it and a new firing pin.
Clean it really good and install the new parts.

Enjoy shooting.

[P95Carry]

Taisho ....... you gotta get one!!!

http://www.patriotnetwork.net/cb_gun2/cz52_s.jpg

I got this from AIM Surplus recently for $109 (tho someone said SOG does them for $99 ..... IIRC) ...... and ordered a #16.5 spring and a new fire pin and rollers from makarov.com ... i am all ready and just need the ammo ..... hopefully that'll come along tomorrow (from ammunitionstore.com).

I have shot with one before and .... well ....... feels GOOD!!! Mine is, like many it seems, re-arsenaled ... it's in great shape and tho ugly as sin ... feels not so different in size and weight from a 1911. Lots of mod's one can make but ... apart from spring change this one will stay ''as is'', even if an 8 lb trigger.

As everyone will say .. DON'T dry fire .. the std cast fire pin is brittle and can bust.

[Zer000]

Sounds like we've got something in common! I've been lusting after one recently as well. I wish there was a (decent) gun show soon.

[WonderNine]

I saw two rearsenalled ones with a little holster blueing wear on the tips. Both tables wanted $199 :rolleyes:

At the gunshow last March it was the same story. :rolleyes:

And they wonder why they don't sell anything. :rolleyes:

[firestar]

I have one and it is a blast to shoot.;) It will go right through almost 1/4" thick peices of angle iron. It will penetrate like a rifle. It is fast and flat shooting. Many people report excellent accuracy from their CZ-52s but mine has a worn bbl and I only get decent accuracy from mine. It will do 3" groups at 25 yards but some have claimed that they get 4" groups at 100 yards!

The best deal I have seen was from AIM. They had a special on them for $99 and they shipped for free! I think the deal is over now. I was going to get another one just because but I really have no use for one of them, let alone two of them. :D $100-150 is all you should have to pay. $199 is too much.

[Pilot]

They are interesting, but the grip angle is too severe for me. I just never could get used to it. But, big bang, big flash, combloc weapon, rolling block action, so I keep it around as a novelty.

[George Hill]

I thought that as well, until I actually went shooting with it.
You get used to it really quick and then it's not deal at all.

I'm still wanting to do a full house redo of one of these.

[444]

"I'm still wanting to do a full house redo of one of these."

Me too.
There was a thread a year or two ago about an article in a magazine (American Handgunner ?) where someone tricked one of these out. I ran out to get a copy but the new issue had already come out. I would have loved to read it.
I have two of them. They are ok. Nothing to write home about, but a terrific deal for the price.

[firestar]

I guess I should say what I do and don't like about them.

Do likes:

1. Inexpensive to buy.

2. Built well.

3. Reliable.

4. Accurate enough.

5. Oddness factor is cool.

6. Will out penertrate any other pistol cartridge I can think of.

7. 1600 fps out of a handgun with very little recoil.

8. Slim.

9. Light for it's size.

10. It is super fun to shoot.

Don't Likes:

1. The grip does feel weird. I put grip tape on and that helped.

2. No slide release lever.

3. The safety/de-cock is not located in a good place and it is not positive.

4. Grip angle is bad for me.

5. Ammo is expensive and hard to get sometimes.

6. Throws empty brass about 30' away, makes it hard to find.

[George Hill]

That article had something about a fabricated slide release. It's possible to do. No, it's not the perfect gun, but then again there are no "Perfect" guns when it comes to automatics. Every autopistol is a series of compromises.
The CZ-52, for all its faults, remains one of the most interesting autopistols out there. And best yet, its ludicrously inexpensive as is the ammo. It’s also simple and easy to use… and devastating to soft armor. It’s the Volkspistolen… everyone should have one.
I want two of them.

[JohnKSa]

The firing pins will last indefinitely under normal use. Just don't dryfire the gun.

There's a survey on the milsurplus forum and with over 7 pages of responses, only 1 CZ-52 owners has had a firing pin break and he admits to dryfiring.

Going to a slightly heavier recoil spring is recommended since you're going to replace the 50 year old spring anyway (right? ;) ) and that will help to reduce the "rocket launched brass" problem a bit.

[DMK]

I have these two, the black one is an arsenal refurb from Century Arms and the grey one from AIM Surplus is in the original park finish.

I've only shot the black one so far. It certainly has a healthy report and a sharp recoil, but it's not unpleasant to shoot. It's a big, heavy pistol and absorbs the recoil well. These are about the size of a 1911 Govt. model.

I've only a few complaints about the '52. One is the mag release at the base of the grip. It's very awkward to reload a fresh magazine. The straight grip angle is another annoyance. Also, typical to milsurp guns the sights are rather crude. However, none of those kept be from buying a second one!

http://www.gunsnet.net/album/data/500/17971CZ-52s.JPG

[DMK]

Do not trust the decocker on these guns.

Take a pencil and drop it down the barrel of the *unloaded* pistol. Now point the muzzle up (and in a safe direction) and decock it by pushing the safety all the way up until the hammer drops. The pencil should not move.

See that gey one up there? The pencil jumps when I try that. That's because the firing pin is hitting it.

The black one had an improved safety/decocker installed at the time of refurb. There's a little "Z" stamped on the left side of the trigger guard to indicate that. Plus, it passes the pencil test.

Personally, I don't understand the utility of a decocker on an SA only pistol anyway. If there's a round in the chamber, it should be cocked and locked IMO. Otherwise unload it.

[Min]

How does the CZ-52 round compare to the modern .357 Sig?

[George Hill]

Blows it away in terms of velocity.
The .357 Sig has a much bigger advantage in terms of guns and loads available for it. This is why the 52's round 7.62X25MM is not considered a self defense round. But the potential is there... in spades.

[444]

What bullet does the 7.62x25 shoot ? I seem to remember loading an 85 grain bullet ?
You can load the .357 SIG with a 90 grain bullet and get 1715 fps out of a 4" barrel.
http://recipes.alliantpowder.com/rg.taf?_function=pistolrevolver&step=2&bulletID=58&cartridgeID=1021&caliber=%2E357&cartridgedescr=Sig%2E&bulletdescr=90%20JHP

[wardog]

Just picked up my CZ 52 from AIM today. :D
It's in pretty good shape, looks like a great gun, 2 mags & holster for about $100.

Can't wait to shoot it.

[444]

For $100, it absolutely can't be beat.
You are gonna have fun.

[Tamara]

DMK speaks wisdom.

[KeysBear]

Thanks for the info everyone. I bought my Makarovs after reading reviews here, but so far I'm not convinced about the CZ 52. I examined one at the last gun show, but bought the Mak next to it for $129 instead. As for bullet performance I'm sure the CZ 52 rocks, but I'm not much into stocking 1000 rounds of yet another caliber. It would help if it wasn't so ugly!:uhoh: Then if I bought one, I'd have to buy another one because you can't just have one of something, especially in a specialty caliber............ Who am I kidding? I'm sure I'll own one soon enough. :)

Regards, Keys :cool:

[Kestrel]

What are some of the upgrades some are referring to? Is the replacement firing pin machined, instead of cast? I don't need something like this thing, but it does sound fun. I bet it wouldn't be hard to hit things at 100 yards with that round.

Is the ammo corrosive?

What all can be done this gun?

Thanks,
Steve

[George Hill]

"I bet it wouldn't be hard to hit things at 100 yards with that round."

With the round, no.
With the gun, yup.

The sights and the trigger are a challenge to good shooting. These guns are not the most accurate to begin with. Add the two together and you get a lot of 100 yard misses.
I'd love to see some other guns chambered for this round... It's the civilian answer to the .224BOZ and the FN Five-seveN and the HK MP7's round.

I'd like to see any of these chambered for this round:
Glock
HK USP
Para LDA
CZ-97
Beretta 92

[Kestrel]

George - interesting points. It would be interesting to see a better gun chambered in this round and then for there to be commercial Gold Dots or some such available. Wow. That might be a scorcher.

Probably very shallow penetration, though.

Steve

[mephisto]

Why dont more gun makers make a gun in this cal.?

[CZ52GUY]

Downside
- Brittle firing pin - DON'T DRY FIRE, use snap caps

- short but stiff trigger, ~12#

- Overpenetration risks

- Spare mag's are expensive compared to the price of the gun.

- Fixed military sights aren't easy for many to pick up

- Overhaul, takes some discipline to shoot well (I'm not there yet).


Upside
- Acquisition price (mine was like new - except for cheesy plastic grip - for $125)

- Big bang

- Very big bang and flash

- Attention getter/conversation piece at the range

- Ammo' price isn't that bad on-line, ~$7.50 a box from CTD + shipping

- Very reliable

- www.makarov.com has some great stuff to go with it (see pic')


Bottom line, you probably do want one.

Good luck,

CZ52'

[CZ52GUY]

Better pic's attached this time...

[JohnKSa]

Spare mag's are expensive compared to the price of the gun.
CDNN is selling CZ-52 used mags for $15 apiece.

For all you 7.62x25 owners who think the ammo is cheap now--before Clinton stopped the Chinese ammo imports, you could buy a case of 2100 rounds for less than $170--that INCLUDED shipping.

Also, did you ever wonder why Wolf doesn't sell this brand? The same law banned imports from Russia of certain types of ammo--7.62x25 was one of them.

So every time you buy a box of 7.62x25 for $7.50 remember--if we hadn't gotten complacent and allowed the dems to take power, that box of ammo would only cost $4.00--maybe less...

[wardog]

Got a chance to shoot my new (to me) CZ 52 today. It didn't miss a beat. Trigger sucks though. Very hard to hit anything with that trigger. Guess I'll be doing some shopping at makarov.com.

Decocker works ok, and doesn't discharge the gun. (Although I won't be using it anyway, just glad it's not defective.)

[CZ52GUY]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spare mag's are expensive compared to the price of the gun.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


CDNN is selling CZ-52 used mags for $15 apiece.

$15 used mag' against acquisition price of ~$125.

For my Used Glock, I just got a $15 New Mag' against an acquisition price of $400.

For my Mak, I just got New Mag's for $7 ea against acquisition price of $175.

It's all based on perspective I guess.


CZ52'

[444]

Some people would complain if they were hung with a new rope.

[JohnKSa]

Lets see...

$400 Glock plus five $15.00 magazines-->$475
$175 Mak plus five $7.00 magazines-->$210
$125 CZ-52 plus five $15.00 magazines-->$200

I guess I'm just not getting the hang of this "perspective" thing... ;)

[444]

I am always curious about posts like this. What does the price of the gun have to do with the price of a magazine ? What does the price of a gun have to do with the price of a scope ? Why do some people think that the price of a gun should vary with caliber (a K-Frame .22 should cost less than a K-Frame .357 since it is a lessor caliber) ?
Do you get cheaper gas if your drive a cheap car ?
If you have a Winchester Model 70 in .223 Rem and a Winchester Model 70 in .458 Win Mag should the price of the ammo be the same since the gun is the same or is it Ok since the .458 is a safari grade and cost more ?

The price of guns is one thing. Accessories are a totally different market and have no bearing on the price of the gun.


Sorry for the rant, this is a post reflecting a lot of different posts I have read over the years.

[CZ52GUY]

...for different folks.

1) I love my CZ52, I have great fun with it.

2) When comparing acquisition costs, I consider the "total cost of ownership". CZ52's come out quite well in the end.

I didn't intend to cause such a stir over the % price of a mag'.

Bottom line, a CZ52 is a fine addition to any collection.

Best wishes,

CZ52'

[denfoote]

Yeah, I want one too, but I'm tapped out from the purchase of a Springfield 1911A1 loaded!! :D

[45R]

I had a chance to shoot on of these over the weekend!!!!

They are soooooo fun!!!!