I bought a CZ-75 thirty years ago when Brno was still firmly behind the iron curtain, and aside from paying a somewhat inflated price for it, I have been well pleased with the pistol. I recently visited the CZ website and discovered that the 75 is now the 75b. My question is what was changed other than the shape of the trigger guard? A second question is: will the magazines for the 75b function in my old 75?
Some help please from the CZ-75 fans
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JT-AR-MG42
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You'll probably have to buy one of the brand you are looking at to find out.
I gave my '86 Com-bloc 75 to a friend, but I do recall buying two Mec-Gars for spares as the gun only had one magazine when I bought it (no box).
I do remember the magazines were sold as CZ75 magazines with no mention of any model differences or changes.
They would not hardly begin to go in the butt.
Too wide in the body and too long in length for my CZ75.(I had no access to a 75B to see if the Mec-Gars would fit it.)
I'm not one to send stuff back and I did want those spare mags, so I put the new magazines to a belt sander (taking metal off both sides equally) until they did fit.
Warmed them up and slapped on the Oxpho-Blue.
They looked nice with a fire blued sort of finish.
Took off all of the logo BS, but it was not like the magazines were wafer thin when I finished and they still function perfectly.
Have always been pleased with Mec-Gars and those magazines were no exception. They just can't make a one size fits all.
My experience, JT
I gave my '86 Com-bloc 75 to a friend, but I do recall buying two Mec-Gars for spares as the gun only had one magazine when I bought it (no box).
I do remember the magazines were sold as CZ75 magazines with no mention of any model differences or changes.
They would not hardly begin to go in the butt.
Too wide in the body and too long in length for my CZ75.(I had no access to a 75B to see if the Mec-Gars would fit it.)
I'm not one to send stuff back and I did want those spare mags, so I put the new magazines to a belt sander (taking metal off both sides equally) until they did fit.
Warmed them up and slapped on the Oxpho-Blue.
They looked nice with a fire blued sort of finish.
Took off all of the logo BS, but it was not like the magazines were wafer thin when I finished and they still function perfectly.
Have always been pleased with Mec-Gars and those magazines were no exception. They just can't make a one size fits all.
My experience, JT
Thompsoncustom
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Things that were changed.
Firing pin block was added
Front sight is now removable
Safety internals were improved
The frames magwell was changed
Disconnector was changed.
Drop free mag break.
Trigger guard
There's probably more little things but that's all I can remember off the top of my head. Your Pre B frame would need to be opened up to take the new style mags, pretty simple to do and the gun will still take the old mags as well.
Firing pin block was added
Front sight is now removable
Safety internals were improved
The frames magwell was changed
Disconnector was changed.
Drop free mag break.
Trigger guard
There's probably more little things but that's all I can remember off the top of my head. Your Pre B frame would need to be opened up to take the new style mags, pretty simple to do and the gun will still take the old mags as well.
railroader
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You can still get pre B mags at cz-usa. http://shop.cz-usa.com/ProductDetail/11114_Cz-75-Preb-Full-Size-16-Round-9mm-Mag
bannockburn
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My brother has a pre B CZ75 that he picked up probably 30 years ago. There are no import markings anywhere on the gun. The only mags he could find for it at the time were for the Tanfoglio TZ75. Fit and function were great with no extra fitting or modifications needed.
Walt Sherrill
Member
Typically, only mags made for older CZs (and some of the newer factory 10-round and 15-round mags) will work in the older pre-B CZ-75s. CZ offers mags for the older CZs on their website... they're pricey, but they are available.
The problem is in the top of the inside of the grip, which is slightly tighter on older CZs than the newer models. Newer mags won't always insert all the way. None of newer CZ 16 or 17 round mags will work, and most Mec-Gar mags for CZ (the 75B line) will NOT work in the older guns. Some of the oldest Tanfoglio mags will fit, as noted above, but it's a hit and miss -- and they're hard to find, too.
A different approach: you can have a local gunsmith open up that mag channel a bit at the top, or you can do it yourself, using a flat file. Either way, it'll save you a good bit of money on mags, over time. (The process isn't brain surgery, and it can be done pretty quickly.) If you have it done, take one of the newer (too tight) mags with the gun, so the gunsmith can figure out how much to take off.
The problem is in the top of the inside of the grip, which is slightly tighter on older CZs than the newer models. Newer mags won't always insert all the way. None of newer CZ 16 or 17 round mags will work, and most Mec-Gar mags for CZ (the 75B line) will NOT work in the older guns. Some of the oldest Tanfoglio mags will fit, as noted above, but it's a hit and miss -- and they're hard to find, too.
A different approach: you can have a local gunsmith open up that mag channel a bit at the top, or you can do it yourself, using a flat file. Either way, it'll save you a good bit of money on mags, over time. (The process isn't brain surgery, and it can be done pretty quickly.) If you have it done, take one of the newer (too tight) mags with the gun, so the gunsmith can figure out how much to take off.
Walt Sherrill
Member
The hammer changed, both in shape and width. (Because of that change, the Kadet Kit won't work on many of the older pre-Bs: because the hammer is too wide to fit into the slot on the back of the kit, and can't reach the firing pin.
The firing pin stop (a plate) was replaced by the firing pin retention roll pin, which has had several versions.
Expanding on the point, above, the safety mechanism changed from the earliest models. (The oldest ones had a pin hole through which you had to insert a pin or nail to capture the internal spring -- if you didn't, it could go walkabout upon disassembly, and there are no replacements easily found.)
Grips changed in appearance. (If you've got old-style grips in good shape, they have a pretty good resale value -- which would allow you buy some nice wood ones. I've gotten $45 for some older ones. (They all fit the same regardless of model.) I prefer the factory soft-rubber grips.
The shape of the slide release changed - pre-B and B slide releases look different, but should work the same..
Some of the other pins are now different in the newer models.
The rear sight has a different dovetail than the newer guns.
The old front sight is removable -- but not easily. It was STAKED (the underside of the stake was expanded on the inside of the slide.) Trying to find sights for a pre-B can be a challenge, if you want to do it yourself.
If you want mags to drop free, you can get the flat (straight) CZ-85 Combat mag brake, or simply straighten the one in the gun....
If you haven't done so, you should visit the CZ Forum http://www.czfirearms.us/ People there have forgotten more than I ever learned and still know a lot more than I do...
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