CZ or Tanfoglio: Which do you prefer and why for competition?

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Yes a shot timer is likely one of the best investments in the shooting world. That way you have verified results instead of seat of the pants feel.


All the apps pretty much suck and cannot compare.
 
100% agreed. My reference to an app was to practiscore to do the HF calculations. Not a timer app.

Timers teach all kinds of wonderful stuff. I constantly hear/read people making statements that clearly reveal that they have never worked with a timer.
 
After considering finances and what I really want to achieve, I really only find myself interested in the production or limited divisions.

The range in closest proximity to my home has several events between now and October.

I think the thing to do first is just head to a scheduled event and observe. I can maybe make contact with someone and check out the facility. It never hurts to introduce yourself first.

Quick question for @ATLDave, you shoot your 10mm Witness Limited for Limited Division, correct?

If so, is 10mm a pretty common cartridge in Limited? Seems given my enjoyment it’d be ideal for that reason alone, and I can load it how I want within the rules of course. Or do you typically see more 40 S&W shooters? Just wondering.

I’d have to get used to the notion of losing a lot of 10mm brass.
 
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Canik's are poly-framed, striker-fired guns with Glock-ish triggers - pretty darn different than CZ Shadows and Tanfoglio competition guns. They're getting some use in carry optics because some of their models are basically set up that way from the factory. Two of the guys at my club have them, both with iron sights. I've shot them a couple of times. The main thing I would say about getting one for competition is that they are very reasonably priced. In terms of actual shooting, the main thing I would say about them is that they are very reasonably priced. In terms of what I have observed of reliability from those 2 guns, the main thing I would say about them is that they are very reasonably priced.

It is possible I have seen two individual examples best characterized by their price.


The OP is only "thinking" about competition. Actually he doesn't even need a new gun. He can shoot what he has. (HK or WC whatever)

Opinions on firearms are just that, opinions.

Once he is sponsored and makes big money he can shoot some $5,000 race gun.

"Start low and work up".
 
Oh boy! [rubs hands in glee at topic/question]
Short version: Either brand is extremely suitable for these purposes. The most important thing is figuring out which of the equipment divisions you want to play in, and then buying an appropriate model - but both makers have highly competitive and comparable offerings for each division where they are relevant.

Long version
: Is long. You've been warned.............
Dave, thank you for taking the time to write that outstanding post above. I'm a big fan of the CZ 75 platform and derivatives and appreciate the details you provide. I don't shoot competition but I keep inching my way toward better and better setups by tweaking my base CZs (like the 85 Combat, SP-01, and 97B) with CGW and CZC parts to suit my preferences. But, I keep wondering if I should bite the bullet and buy a higher level factory gun, wondering if it'd be a lot more satisfying for me than what I can achieve tinkering with the base guns....
 
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Nothing wrong with looking for a reason to buy a new gun, but I'd think your S&W 1911, HK VP 9, and Wilson Beretta 92 would all be competitive in their respective divisions.

BJ Norris with a Wilson Beretta


460 shooter, just practice and get to where you can pull off that BJ Norris move with your Beretta and you may not need a new CZ. :D
 
Quick question for @ATLDave, you shoot your 10mm Witness Limited for Limited Division, correct?

If so, is 10mm a pretty common cartridge in Limited? Seems given my enjoyment it’d be ideal for that reason alone, and I can load it how I want within the rules of course. Or do you typically see more 40 S&W shooters? Just wondering.

I’d have to get used to the notion of losing a lot of 10mm brass.

I do that and I am an IDIOT for doing it. There’s no good way to justify it. I mean, being able to use 220’s is cool, but, no, if you’re not insane get a .40 for USPSA limited. I can’t in good conscience recommend my particular flavor of insanity to others, although I enjoy it.

Now, that said, I shoot more indoor than outdoor matches, and do manage to get 80+% of my brass back. And I mark those cases, so they’re a little easier to find.

But when I had an open gun built this year, I got it in 9mm Major so I could just leave brass. I shot a match today and picked up zero brass. That’s kind of nice, too.
 
The OP is only "thinking" about competition. Actually he doesn't even need a new gun. He can shoot what he has. (HK or WC whatever).

Of course, but if you read the rest of his post, he’s thinking of a competition grade gun ANYWAY. His question was which of those tier of guns to get.

You’re quite right that several of his existing guns would work fine.
 
I do that and I am an IDIOT for doing it. There’s no good way to justify it. I mean, being able to use 220’s is cool, but, no, if you’re not insane get a .40 for USPSA limited. I can’t in good conscience recommend my particular flavor of insanity to others, although I enjoy it.

Now, that said, I shoot more indoor than outdoor matches, and do manage to get 80+% of my brass back. And I mark those cases, so they’re a little easier to find.

But when I had an open gun built this year, I got it in 9mm Major so I could just leave brass. I shot a match today and picked up zero brass. That’s kind of nice, too.
I see. You can only download them so far I suppose.
 
Oh, no, you can download them highly effectively. You can get them below major PF if you want. 4.4 grains of N320 under a 220 makes major while being very soft in my guns.

I’m just saying the extra expense of the brass is pointless.
 
This.. you will be "running and gunning". I generally come home with a paltry sum of the brass I went to the event with.
Ah. I see.

Your Tac Sport is a .40 S&W I take it, not a 9mm?
 
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Oh, no, you can download them highly effectively. You can get them below major PF if you want. 4.4 grains of N320 under a 220 makes major while being very soft in my guns.

I’m just saying the extra expense of the brass is pointless.
Correct. No way Id ever leave points on the table shooting minor when I have a choice.
So gents, can you explain something to me?

The CZ Tactical Sport was designed for competition. Based on the requirements and major PF requirements of 40 caliber and higher, what role would the 9mm tactical sport play in any of these divisions? It seems like a bastard child that would logically fit nowhere.

Did they just produce it in 9mm because people wanted them for giggles?

The shadow 2 and its variants make sense. The tactical sport in 9mm not so much. What am I missing?
 
So gents, can you explain something to me?

The CZ Tactical Sport was designed for competition. Based on the requirements and major PF requirements of 40 caliber and higher, what role would the 9mm tactical sport play in any of these divisions? It seems like a bastard child that would logically fit nowhere.

Did they just produce it in 9mm because people wanted them for giggles?

The shadow 2 and its variants make sense. The tactical sport in 9mm not so much. What am I missing?

Games other than USPSA. For instance, 3gun. Outside of some "heavy metal" division requiring a 45, 9mm scores the same as everything else.

It would also be fine, I think, in Steel Challenge limited division (all steel targets, everything is either a hit or a miss, no power factor).
 
Fwiw, I have a medium/large sized skinny hand, and the large framed tanfoglio guns are too big. I have an elite match, and I can run it fine with the thin grips I got from Henning, but the small frame or cz75 guns fit me better.
 
I think the Tanfoglio Limited Elite models are a heckuva bang for the buck, they're significantly less money than the CZ Tactical Sport and you can swap slides for different calibers on them. That said, an STI 2011 is the best tool for limited class IMO, you can buy used ones and STI will cover them under warranty no matter how many owners the firearm has had.
 
I think the Tanfoglio Limited Elite models are a heckuva bang for the buck, they're significantly less money than the CZ Tactical Sport and you can swap slides for different calibers on them. That said, an STI 2011 is the best tool for limited class IMO, you can buy used ones and STI will cover them under warranty no matter how many owners the firearm has had.
I find myself wanting a a CZ TSO now, but I’m considering a Witness Limited as an alternative. I don’t have any Tanfoglio guns yet.
 
Correct. No way Id ever leave points on the table shooting minor when I have a choice.
I handled a Tactical Sport Orange today. I’m still drooling. I see why you like the Tactical Sport in general. Felt great in the hand and that trigger was pretty special.

I almost put it on layaway but something else caught my attention, and it was a 9mm. Since I still don’t know for sure if Limited Division is a direction I want to go, without it being a 40 S&W, I thought jumping on it now would be a poorly thought out decision.

But dang. I see why you like your two tone.
 
I handled a Tactical Sport Orange today. I’m still drooling. I see why you like the Tactical Sport in general. Felt great in the hand and that trigger was pretty special.

I almost put it on layaway but something else caught my attention, and it was a 9mm. Since I still don’t know for sure if Limited Division is a direction I want to go, without it being a 40 S&W, I thought jumping on it now would be a poorly thought out decision.

But dang. I see why you like your two tone.


Yes it is a hell of a gun.. Mine will outshoot my guns that cost 5x its asking price making it a bargain for sure..
 
If it helps any, I just won a small match with a VP-9. There were some fancy guns there. I say start with whatever gun you shoot best and move up after you get some experience. I have other guns that should be better but it fits just right and I can control it better. Just a thought as I am not an expert.
 
CZ vs Tanfoglio is probably a tie game. General opinion is that the CZ Shadow has a better out-of-the-box trigger than the Tanfoglio counterparts because the Shadow doesn't have the firing pin safety. If I remember well, CZ have casted slides and frames while Tanfoglio have casted frames and forged slides. Some Tanfoglio can have Lothar Walther barrels; the CZ have cold hammer forged barrels which is also great. They both don't have weak points; the only part that breaks from time to time is the slide stop pin (no surprise here). Italian competitive shooters seem to prefere Tanfoglio pistols mainly because of the better customer support and more special parts available from the factory (again, no surprise here).
I personally prefere the hard chrome Tanfoglio finish better than the CZ black finish.
 
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