CZ question for those with a little experience

It's a simple training matter. I have two CZ-75s and a CZ "clone" with this design, and it took about five minutes to get used to them.

My Baby Eagle was the hardest to get used to, as its slide profile is even lower lower than the CZs, providing less real estate on which to achieve purchase. But again, it's a matter of training oneself.

I wouldn't say that it's necessarily "harder" as much as you just need to get more used to it.

With an outside slide design like the 1911, Sig, etc... you can grab the slide almost with the rear sights touching your palm. With a CZ or clone, you need to use mostly your thumb and index finger to pull the slide. I imagine that if hand strength is an issue, then a CZ slide could be more of an issue.

There is a grain of truth to it, but you quickly become acclimated. I don't have any trouble. I don't find the front serrations on the PCR (my personal gun) or the P-01 to be of any use.

I've had two CZs and currently have two Witnesses and I've honestly never even thought about it. Non issue for me.

No, in ten CZ pistols and at least 7 Witness pistols, never had a problem.

I had my CZ's before I got my first 1911. I guess since I started with the CZ I learned to slingshot it fine and just carryied on with the 1911 with using a minimal slide grip style. I still have no issue either way. Although I use my CZ's for action matches. So far I have not with the 1911.

In my case my reloads tilt the gun slightly outward to allow an easier mag insertion and after the heel of my hand thumps the mag into lock my hand simply continues up to the slide and I "overhand" it with the slide pinched between my four fingers and heel of my hand. It's far faster and more sure than pivoting the gun to let me use my thumb and forefinger.

That is a non-issue with me as well. I use my left thumb and forefinger to slingshot the slide anyway. I read somewhere thar Europeans seldom use a slide release, so the releases are not made to easily release the slide-- never had an issue with that either.

That is one of many reasons I no longer own a CZ. That and the tiny ejection port add up to a gun that is far more difficult to clear jams and to get into operation.

I think CZ's make fine guns for the shooting games, but I wouldn't have one for personal protection.

I had a Springfield XDS and CZ at the same time and I honestly can't remember having trouble with either or finding the CZ more difficult or switching back and forth between the two. As others mentioned, I never thought about it. I now have 5 CZ's and no XDS's so you can figure out which one I liked the most. Supposedly the slide inside the frame is one of the reasons CZ's are noted for their accuracy but I will neither confirm or deny that as most modern pistols are more accurate than I am.

I have not had a problem with gripping the slide nor have I had a problem clearing a round through the ejection port.

I've never had a problem with it, and I have owned CZ's as well as 1911's and other outside frame pistols.

Total non-issue.

I have a 75B, and 75D PCR, and have had them since 1998, and 2000 respectively. Total non-issue for me. Fantastic pistols.

No problems here, either.

Short answer - No, never had a problem with the slide on my 75.

Longer answer - 'Sling shot' is IMO the worst possible way to operate the slide of a pistol, and you need to retrain the way you operate your pistols. That's blunt, but the fact is that no department, agency, or shooting school teaches that for several important reasons.

I read somewhere thar Europeans seldom use a slide release, so the releases are not made to easily release the slide-- never had an issue with that either.

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Then why did the designers incorporate a large slide lock lever, and position it directly above the trigger? Seems they wouldn't go through the trouble to do so if slide lock reloads were not being considered.

I've never had a problem with my current CZ75, or any of the other ones I've owned. My friends P-07 has never given me any trouble either. Honestly it's not that bad, plus you'll try to get better when you realize how wonderful a pistol it is.

Enjoy your new CZ, they're great!

mr. trooper:Longer answer -

'Sling shot' is IMO the worst possible way to operate the slide of a pistol, and you need to retrain the way you operate your pistols. That's blunt, but the fact is that no department, agency, or shooting school teaches that for several important reasons.

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Sir, Maybe we're considering different circumstances. To clear a single jam or double jam malfunction in a 75B or any other semi-auto that I can think of, slingshotting the slide is the only 'effective' and "safe" way.

While I'm just a C-class old guy; it was demonstrated to me using my 75B by a past National Champion shooter (Ted Bonnet) demonstrating how to clear both malfunction conditions-safely. It also uses the full compression of the recoil spring that the pistol always uses when fired.

The 75B has a little less surface area to grasp, but is not a problem that a little practice won't fix.

It hasn't been an issue with my CZ85 Combat.

Never had trouble manipulating the slide, but I don't like the fact that any lubrication on the slide rails is exposed to your hands when you rack the slide, unlike the more common frame inside slide configuration.

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Do you have really fluffy hands?

CZ's have tighter chambers than Glocks. When I first started reloading 9mm I used my Glock chamber as a length guage for seating 9mm bullets. As a result, some bullet profiles that were fine in the Glock were a bit too much for my CZ PCR and would jam. Since the slide is inside of the frame, there isn't as much to grab onto to clear that type of jam as a gun with a larger slide and I found it more difficult in that one type of scenario to clear that type of jam. Manipulating the slide in an other normal operation has never caused an issue for me. Other than my too long reloads, I've never had a jam (that I can think of), and I buy a LOT of used, questionably maintained CZ's.

1SOW said:

mr. trooper:Longer answer -

Sir, Maybe we're considering different circumstances. To clear a single jam or double jam malfunction in a 75B or any other semi-auto that I can think of, slingshotting the slide is the only 'effective' and "safe" way.

While I'm just a C-class old guy; it was demonstrated to me using my 75B by a past National Champion shooter (Ted Bonnet) demonstrating how to clear both malfunction conditions-safely. It also uses the full compression of the recoil spring that the pistol always uses when fired.

The 75B has a little less surface area to grasp, but is not a problem that a little practice won't fix.

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Why is the hands-over-slide "power stroke" method not an effective or safe way to clear a malfunction?

Slide grip is actually one of my pet peeves with today's guns. For me the finish has a lot to do with it
Manufacturers seem obsessed with making slides as slippery as possible I'm guessing because they think it somehow enhances concealed carry.
I even notice a big difference between the current crappy finish on todays Hi Powers versus parkerized.
The Walther PPQ was the worst I ever experienced- slippery finish, goofy slide shape, shallow cocking serrations, and heavy recoil spring.
Best gun I ever handled is my Gen 2 Glock 19.
All this being said I have no problems with my CZ 75's. I was very pleasantly surprised by the grippyness of the polycoat, even my matte SS is not an issue.
Another thing that helps is you're only dealing with a 14lb recoil spring and 20 lb hammer spring on the CZ75.

mr.trooper said:

Then why did the designers incorporate a large slide lock lever, and position it directly above the trigger? Seems they wouldn't go through the trouble to do so if slide lock reloads were not being considered.

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Good question. Here's an article in "Shooting Illustrated" that helps to explain my thoughts: http://www.shootingillustrated.com/index.php/18012/handgun-slide-manipulation/ And a caption under a pic of someone slingshoting a slide reads: "Operating the slide from behind is a popular technique employed by competitive shooters because it is fast. From a tactical standpoint, however, it minimizes your ability to defend against a gun grab."