My CZ's First Malfunction Ever

[P. Plainsman]

Sigh - end of an era. Right about round # 2,250.

My CZ 75B pistol is two years old. It has gradually ascended higher and higher in my esteem, to the point where I think of it as "my sidearm" even though I own several nice handguns. It is accurate, graceful, fits my hand perfectly, has a fine weight and balance, and the black polycoat finish is most durable. As a little bonus, for no apparent reason (since I keep it cocked and locked and shoot it single-action), it has developed a wonderful, smooth double action trigger with use. For around $450 new, it is one of the best bargains I ever bought, in firearms or otherwise.

And above all, reliable. So it was with some sadness that I dropped the hammer in the middle of a plate-shooting string the other day and got a failure to fire. After a moment of shock, I pulled the trigger again (DA) and fired the round. Rest of the magazine, and the rest of the day's shooting, went fine. Round was Federal AE "nontoxic" 124 gr TMJ ball.

Pretty mild malf as these things go. I suppose one could blame the ammo. Since I fired the errant round, I couldn't identify the case to check the primer strike. The pistol leaves solid primer imprints generally. But American Eagle 9mm is good stuff in my experience. I'm content to count the malfunction and pronounce the 75B's out-of-the-box streak over after 2250 rounds.[*]

My other CZ is a P-01 that I bought a few months ago. It is up to a little over 800 rounds without a flaw - hollowpoints, ball, +P+ stuff, whatever. I have the same high hopes for it as the 75B.

* Once or twice I had a failure to lock back at the end of a magazine with lightly loaded 115 gr ball ammo. For some reason I didn't count that as a "malfunction" that would end a streak. Perhaps it's because I use 124 grain ammo exclusively for defense and serious practice. Others could take a different view.

 

[Matt Dillon]

I wouldn't blame the pistol for that FTF. I'd look at the Ammo. Perhaps a hard primer, not seated precisely, or other issue. All I ever shoot is my own loaded ammo, and I know that it is well made, but you never know about how consistently made a primer might be.
Put that CZ75 back up on the pedestal, where it belongs!

 

[RNB65]

Sounds like a bad primer. Or maybe your mainspring is too light. CZ 75's do have a bit of a rep for less than perfect stock springs.

If it's a spring problem, you should see more light hits in the future. If it was just a bad primer, you may not have another malf for the next 20,000+ rounds. Let us know if anything else happens.

 

[P. Plainsman]

Hi Matt Dillon - it's still on the pedestal, believe me! Splendid pistols.

Folks, buy CZs now before they make massive inroads in the U.S. handgun market and start charging SIG prices. They've already crept up from the crazy $375-$395 bargains you saw not so long ago.

RNB65 -- good advice. The one thing I'm keeping an eye on, long term, is possible spring replacement. As you note, CZs don't have the mightiest stock springs.

I use about a half-dozen full-capacity CZ and Mec-Gar (the OEM) 9mm magazines. Never a problem with them yet.

 

[Gila Jorge]

Suspect the ammo as it was not Federal's best...but their version of White Box stuff to compete with Winchester white box...not the gun...it still belongs
on its pedestal...as my two are...a 40 and a 9mm compact...now my 1911s
well they are another story...

 

[daysleeprx]

The fact that it fired after the second strike (and the rest of the ammo was fine; I assume you were using the same ammo throughout) really makes me suspect the ammo, not the gun.

 

[P. Plainsman]

I don't wish to derail my own thread, but re: your last comment, Gila Jorge, I have to admit that the "culture" of reliablity expectation among 1911 buyers sometimes seems very different from the one among CZ users. For example, browse the threads on THR about the sexy little Springfield EMP (new compact 1911-pattern pistol in 9mm) sometime.

And you can buy two new P-01s for the same price as that finicky Springer! Or a P-01 and 2,500 rounds of quality practice ammo.

... but like I said, not wanting to get off-topic. 1911s are charismatic and I will buy one someday.

 

[briang2ad]

CZ's are great guns...

But not perfect. The 9mms are basically rock solid. The 40s sometimes have feeding and extracting problems. (Read the CZ forum threads). My 40 and my Compact have had issues out of the box, but the last range session SEEMS to have had that work out. 40 needed a new slide stop and extractor spring.

CZs generally don't have great triggers OTB - they either need a job, or can break in. I had problems with P01 triggers, and after breaking two trigger return springs, and trips to CZ, I got rid of my P01. I have broken 4 trigger springs on two different CZs - it can be done. I generally think the P01s are the most reliable OTB CZ, ut generally have the worst DA triggers.

But, if you pic up a CZ, and it has a decent trigger - buy it.

BTW: I think your problem was ammo also. Same thing happened to me some time ago - but be happy it is a DA with second strike capability - you just pull it again. In a gunfight - this is a good thing.

 

[Gary G23]

Interesting. I have fired tens of thousands of rounds of Federal American Eagle ammo. It has worked fine until Sunday. I had one that wouldn't fire. There must be a few bad primers out there.

 

[schmeky]

Plainsman,

As a reloader with 25 years of experience, you're "blame" is misplaced. There is an easy answer to your question.

The primer was not fully seated. Your first hammer fall moderately indented the primer, with the majority of the hammer fall actually fully seating the primer. The fact that you fired the round with a DA pull is testament to this fact.

The gun performed perfectly, the culprit was the ammo. Manufacturers cannot make hundreds of millions of rounds without a snafu.

Be thankful you had a CZ that allowed you a second chance. You would have been out of gas with a Glock. (I love Glocks too).

Now apologize to your CZ for your temporary lack of faith.

 

[270Win]

Agreed with the rest; not the gun, but the ammo is to blame.

 

[RP86]

Round was Federal AE "nontoxic" 124 gr TMJ ball.

It would use lead free primers, which are harder and sometimes require second strikes.

 

[P. Plainsman]

Interesting to read the above feedback, folks. Thanks. I keep detailed shooting records for the CZ and my other guns, so we'll see whether the ignition failure repeats with any other ammo.

Also appreciated briang2ad's perspective. I can agree to some extent: so far the only thing less than ideal on my P-01 is the DA trigger for the first shot. It's tolerable, and it's improved a bit since I got the gun, but I do miss cocked-&-locked. But it's such an ergonomic and solid little pistol -- extremely well fitted -- and such a nice weight, that I am impressed with it. Mechanical accuracy is also great, and the gun shoots to the sights. I might pick up a "regular" SA/DA CZ 75 Compact for my third CZ. Or my fourth, as I also want a Kadet .22.

 

[Tecolote]

The more you use something the greater the likelihood of a failure. But 1 in 2250 is amazing for any brand.

CZs have gone up price, but you can still find bargains. I remember in '97 a local shop was clearing out CZ75s at $329 plus tax, but just last year a dealer at a show had CZ85s at $349. I got a deal on a CZ75B recently at $442 OTD. Comparing local prices that still puts me at $90 less than a Glock 17 and $287 than a P226, and that's not adding tax to the Glock and SIG. CZs are still a bargain if you don't mind a little extra machining marks and a little ding here and there on the finish. I don't care about those things. I rather save money and spend it on other things, like more CZs!

 

[briang2ad]

P01

Here is what CZ needs to do - make a P01 with a manual safety This is EASY for them to do, but CZ could care less about the market or what consumers want. They could also do well to go back to the indented and straight slide serrations, and round trigger guards. Then, they would have THE most beautiful autolaoder OTB. Also - if they spent 10 minutes on each gun with a stone and a Czeck worker who makes $6000 a year, they would come with GREAT triggers - but again, they don't really think like we do. (I've been there).