Tell me about CZ-82s.

[toivo]

I had been thinking about a CZ-83 in .380--I really like the look of those pistols, and everything I've read has been good. Two problems, though: prices have taken a big jump, and there don't seem to be very many of them out there.

I had originally ruled out the milsurp 82 version because of the difficulty of finding ammo. I know that 9x18 is available online, but generally I like to be able to just pop into a Wal-Mart or a Dick's and pick up a box or two if I have to. Well, that doesn't seem like a valid concern anymore, given the (non) availablilty of .380. So I've moved the 82 back onto the front burner. A case of ammo in the cabinet trumps an empty shelf at the Megalomart any day.

I'd like to hear about anybody's experiences with this pistol and any suggestions you all may have: how well they work, the best place to buy one, what kind of ammo they like (and where to buy it), and maybe some good options for having it Duracoated. I'd be willing to pay a bit to get a first-class Duracoat job, because I'd still be coming in for less than a new 83 would cost.

Any CZ-82 owners out there?

 

[nalioth]

Not sure where you live, but in Houston, you can't throw a dead cat w/o hitting a sporting goods store with 9x18 Makarov ammo.

Our experiences are found here, here, and here.

Long story short - it's a fine little Czech pistol at a steal of a price.

 

[toivo]

Thanks, Nalioth--lots of good reading there. Thanks for the reminder that Google is my friend.

I'm in upstate New York. Around here, the pickings are slim for 9x18 Makarov. Gander Mountain has it at insane prices. There's a sporting goods store about 45 minutes away that sometimes has it, but the prices are hardly any better. The big-box stores like Dick's and W-M are most convenient for my daily routine, and they don't carry it.

I've been looking at the 82s online--AIM, CDNN, Centerfire, and J&G all have them. I bought a rifle from CDNN once, and that was a pretty good experience overall. I have no firsthand experience with those other sellers.

Time to do some more research.

 

[PAPACHUCK]

I bought a CZ82 and loved it so much, that I bought another. What's not to like?

 

[jackinil]

+1 on This:

I bought a CZ82 and loved it so much, that I bought another. What's not to like?

 

[loneviking]

Having had a CZ 82, I can think of several things not to like:

1. Very tough to find a holster that fits and is well made. In fact, I couldn't and wound up with an unsafe holster.

2. Heavy little gun for the small caliber. You can pick up a gun weighing the same or less and have .40 or .45 caliber which is far more effective in a gunfight.

3. It can be very tough to find ammo for this gun. Nobody in my town stocks this caliber, and I would have to order online or drive to Reno, and even there the ammo was scarce.

4. Since the finish is painted, and not blued, the finish looks like hell in short order.

Good things:

1. Accurate, with a very fast rate of fire.
2. Inexpensive
3. Durable, and I do like the polygonal barrels.

 

[jackinil]

I got 10 boxes of 9x18 from AIM for $9.75 a box plus freight=$107 delivered. Can't touch that at any gunstore near here,even with the freight added in. Holster is not an issue here[Illiannoy],no CCW. Stripped the slide on one of mine and blued it,added new grips and fiber optic sight.I like them because they fit my hand really great.
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[RonAMOK]

I have both an 82 and 83

I have both an 82 and 83. I like both and would highly recommend either. with a slight node to the 82. I believe the CZ 82 is one of the best gun deals and values around, inexpensive but not cheap, also because I’m lazy. Its polygonal rifled barrel is much easer to clean. Right now ammo availability is a wash.

At this time I would like to take the opportunity to ramble on about my experiences with the “small 9mm” class of pistols, 380CAP and 9mm makarov. Some of it is even relevant.

First a quote from an old post. “I got one of J&G’s CZ83s and when I cleaned it I found three cotton threads stuck in pinch spots after I removed the grip. Looks like they got left when the gun was being prepared for export shipping. They had started to cause some surface rust. No big deal, because I caught it early enough. So I’d advise you to check, clean and lube that “new” gun before you put it away.” That CZ83 was police surplus and not a new commercial model.

A comment on CZ 82-83 magazines, they are NOT the same, despite what some retailers may say. They are VERY similar and can be easily be made to work in either gun. The lips are a different width, as one might expect, and I had a lot of double feeds, in my 83 before I adjusted the lips on the surplus 82 mags. They now work 100% and I would buy more.

The grips on the CZ 82 and 83s shroud the magazine release to the point I find it difficult to use with the thumb of my gun hand to drop the mag and I don’t have small hands. I believe this is intentional. It feels “right” to place my off hand under the mag well, reach up with that thumb and drop the mag into my left hand, magazine retention. It seem the Europeans have an exaggerated fear of losing magazines. SO if you are going to use one as an SD gun you might think about different grips.

The price of a new CZ83 is around $600 out the door here in Phoenix. My range had one at that price yesterday, up $50 from last month, and the $550 cost 83 didn’t spend a week in the case. This indicates there are people who think this is a fair price but I think it is to close to the price of some of the subcompact 9mm paras, and at about the same size, I think they are a better SD choice.

As a fun gun, and I consider/considered all of my “small 9mms” as fun guns, they are second only to my Sig 232 and a close second at that. They have better sites than the Russian Makarov, Bersa, and Beretta 84fs and are easy for me to shoot well.

A store I frequent has several 82s which have been Duracoated. They have a more consistent finish but in my opinion only the all black look right. I think the paint finish is ok, but I haven’t banged mine up much yet. I don’t think it’s worth almost doubling the cost of the gun. I think they are beautiful in the way a gun should be beautiful. They put beautiful little holes where I want them.

In closing: I like um, want one, got one. It’s mine. You can’t have it.

 

[toivo]

Thanks, RonAMOK. Yeah, a new 83 used to cost about double what a surplus 82 costs. Now it's getting closer to triple. What I don't understand about these $600 83s is that the list price is $499. I guess it's a question of what the market will bear.

My goal is to try to get one that's in as good shape as possible and then eventually Duracoat it as the finish starts to wear. I agree that the all-black Duracoat is the one that looks best.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I have an 82 that I'm going to high polish and reblue. I REALLY like the after-market grip panels on jackinil's 82 above. Where did you get 'em, jackinil?

 

[jackinil]

The same guy sells them on both Gunbroker and Ebay.Got them in about 5 days.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Found 'em! Thanks,beautiful grips and reasonably priced.

 

[CZF]

The weather is warming up across the nation.

CZ83 and CZ82 buying is only starting to pick up.

Same for the RAMI.

 

[sadp40]

6 wild shots of .45 or 12 rounds well placed of 9x18

hmm, weight stops being an issue now doesn't it?

besides with 2 12 round mags i have 3 times more ammo

than a guy with a small .45 or .40 thats ammo i might or

might not need, sure would suck to be wrong.

i used to drive my shooting buddy crazy, he always carried

a smith 696 5 rounds of .44spl fine but i could put 12 in a

pie plate as fast as he could put his 5 and while his were

all on the plate the group wasnt nearly as tight

and don't even talk about multiple targets,