CZ75B Omega 9mm for $399... how'd I do?

I picked one up at Cabela's some years ago for, maybe four hundred and a half new I think. I like it okay, but unfortunately that extremely heavy unpleasant double action trigger pull means that I never really shoot it any. I was going to use it in competition sometimes but just decided I didn't like it after a few months trial.

The Omega trigger was designed to be easily swapped between different modes. It comes set up as a traditional CZ DA/SA which can be carried cocked and locked. Supposedly you can get a decocker lever to swap in there instead of the safety, so I don't know if that's still available.

I did a bunch of careful stoning of parts and a little fluff and buff inside, and swapped to some lighter springs, but never really got the trigger to where I felt happy with it.

Unfortunately none of the Omega trigger system parts are compatible with traditional CZ 75 parts, so it isn't easy to swap in competition grade bits and pieces to get a nicer trigger pull.

I think I remember seeing that somebody is making Omega trigger upgrade parts but I don't remember who.

Congrats, that was a decent deal. They go for around $480 new when they can be found. Good pistol and glad you like it. CZ owners often use a lighter hammer spring to improve DA pull. I noticed at my Cabelas that they have some decent prices in the gun library once in a while. They also have 10% off used guns fairly often.

I recently traded my CZ75B Omega away. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the gun. I sort of enjoyed shooting it and it never gave me any problems.

I'm just one of those strange people that doesn't care for CZ's all that much. At one point I had 5. Now I'm down to a CZ82, which I doubt I'll ever get rid of.

Sam1911 said:

like it okay, but unfortunately that extremely heavy unpleasant double action trigger pull means that I never really shoot it any.

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Have you tried a lighter hammer spring? (I don't have an Omega CZ, but think they use the same hammer springs as other models -- someone will correct me if that's not right. Wolff has a wide variety of hammer spring availble, and if you get a pack of different weights, you'll probably find one that is just right... while still making the primer go bang.)

That, generally, is the quickest, cheapest, and most effective response to complaints about the heavy CZ double-action trigger.

You can also check out Cajun Gun Works, or call David Milam, the owner, about the best way to make that too-heavy just right. His shop and the CZ Custom Shop has upgrade kits.

1KPerDay said:

I'll have to switch to the pinch/slingshot method for running the slide, I think, as there's not much to hold onto in the overhand/powerstroke method. But man what a smooth, sweet shooter. Feels great in the hand also.

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Real problem, but probably not the best solution. Try using the handover method -- with your hand placed in front of or on top of the rear of the slide (near or ON the rear sight) and push to the rear.

This slide-handling approach, if you aren't used to it, takes some practice, but means you can keep the gun pointed at or near the target and you don't have to pull the gun out of position (or as far out of position) away from the target. This is important if you shoot competitively -- as all of that extra movement (doing slingshot and getting back on target) takes time -- but it works if you don't shoot competitively.

1KPerDay said:

Pics later if I can get my phone to cooperate with this forum. Meanwhile tell me more about the Omega trigger, why it was implemented, benefits, downsides, etc.

I'll have to switch to the pinch/slingshot method for running the slide, I think, as there's not much to hold onto in the overhand/powerstroke method. But man what a smooth, sweet shooter. Feels great in the hand also.

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Downside to the omega trigger is not as much support from the big two aftermarket CZ companies.

Simple solution to the slide problem is cock the hammer, then rack the slide.

My 75 omega is just plain stupid accurate. My benchmark for figuring out accuracy is giving a pistol to my wife, if she's as close to being as accurate as she is with her MKII it's a good shooter. The 75 is her second favorite handgun. It's just an awesome pistol.

ritepath said:

My 75 omega is just plain stupid accurate. My benchmark for figuring out accuracy is giving a pistol to my wife, if she's as close to being as accurate as she is with her MKII it's a good shooter. The 75 is her second favorite handgun. It's just an awesome pistol.

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That pretty much matches my experience with my 75 b omega... one of my carries is the 75 d pcr and i like it a lot....

1KperDay said:

...Meanwhile tell me more about the Omega trigger, why it was implemented, benefits, downsides, etc.

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Why the Omega system? I've never heard an official explanation, but the system offers at least two obvious advantages: 1) the Omega assembly has noticeably fewer components in the fire control assembly, 2) the assembly can be user-swapped from decocker to safety (and back) which, arguably, improves marketability and reduces the cost of production if both modes are offered by the company. The gun, otherwise, remains the same ergonomic gun that is so popular. I get the impression from the comment's I've read, that the new design might break in a little more quickly than the older design -- but that's anecdotal.

The ability to offer both/either safety or decocker in the same gun is a UNIQUE CZ marketing approach, and it was a technical move of some brilliance. The Omega system, I suspect, will eventually be THE used with all new hammer-fired guns, and I'd expect some of the older design to fade away. (The P-07 and P-09 use the Omega system -- and they're pretty successful polymer-framed guns!)

While it's true that there's not as much after-market support for these new CZ models, that's true of most guns out there not made by S&W, Glock, or SIG. It it took YEARS for the traditional CZs to get any after-market support, and now that they're becoming more popular, that should pick up. (Sights, grips, and holsters haven't been a problem for years.) There's got to be a LOT of guns in user hands before after-market vendors get interested. The CZ Custom Shop and Cajun Gun Works offers parts kits, trigger pull length reduction kits, gunsmithing work, and you can even buy the guns new (from those sources) with the parts already installed.

I like them. Pachmayr makes wood grips that make it thinner than a 1911. The DA trigger gets a whole lot lighter after a few hundred rounds. Mine dropped about 10lbs off. The single action trigger still sucks a whole lot, and thats the only complaint people seem to have. The 75B has a trigger that hits your finger on reset hard enough to cut after a while, so I never got one, until the Omega came out, without the trigger slap. Once the after market come out with a less creepy trigger it will be excellent.

Walt Sherrill said:

Why the Omega system? I've never heard an official explanation, but the system offers at least two obvious advantages: 1) the Omega assembly has noticeably fewer components in the fire control assembly, 2) the assembly can be user-swapped from decocker to safety (and back) which, arguably, improves marketability and reduces the cost of production if both modes are offered by the company. The gun, otherwise, remains the same ergonomic gun that is so popular. I get the impression from the comment's I've read, that the new design might break in a little more quickly than the older design -- but that's anecdotal.

The ability to offer both/either safety or decocker in the same gun is a UNIQUE CZ marketing approach, and it was a technical move of some brilliance. The Omega system, I suspect, will eventually be THE used with all new hammer-fired guns, and I'd expect some of the older design to fade away. (The P-07 and P-09 use the Omega system -- and they're pretty successful polymer-framed guns!)

While it's true that there's not as much after-market support for these new CZ models, that's true of most guns out there not made by S&W, Glock, or SIG. It it took YEARS for the traditional CZs to get any after-market support, and now that they're becoming more popular, that should pick up. (Sights, grips, and holsters haven't been a problem for years.) There's got to be a LOT of guns in user hands before after-market vendors get interested. The CZ Custom Shop and Cajun Gun Works offers parts kits, trigger pull length reduction kits, gunsmithing work, and you can even buy the guns new (from those sources) with the parts already installed.

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a common complaint is the original trigger had slap, and some people just hated it. I know I liked all them I tried, but would never get one because after 20 rounds my finger was getting shaky, and after 40, starting to cut through. I heard this is a hit or miss problem, and even when present, some never notice it. Its my understanding CZ does not have a solution to this problem, and the best option is an after market trigger. The Omega addresses this, as well as drops the price about 70$

I've never heard a good technical explanation for WHY some (a few) CZs have trigger slap (and most don't.) I've never experienced it myself, despite the fact that I've had maybe 20-25 CZs, nor have any of my shooting friends. I've read about it on forums like this, and on the original CZ Forum (where I once worked as a moderator. I suspect an action job would fix it.

That same sort of unpleasant "feedback" or "resonance" also happens unpredictably with other individual metal-framed guns, but as is the case with CZs, it's not a wide-spread issue/problem..

1KPerDay

For $399 I think you got a great 9mm. at a fantastic price! My brother has one of the original CZ75s back when they were only being imported into Canada and weren't readily available in the U.S. I liked the grip design but had too long of a reach to the trigger in DA mode. Found the P01 much more to my liking.

Have you tried a lighter hammer spring?

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As I said, yes, lighter springs, stoning some surfaces, the general fluff and buff. Mine never had any trigger slap. Just an awful heavy DA pull, a sloppy (though light) SA pull, and a safety lever that didn't work as comfortably and intuitively as a 1911.

After 4-5 k rounds of competition, it just wasn't anything I liked so I want back to my xDM. And then after that IDPA fixed the rules so I could shoot that xDM in SSP division and I no longer had any need for the DA/SA gun.

If Cajun gun works or CZ custom shop are making kits for the Omega now, maybe someday I'll give it another go.

bannockburn said:

...My brother has one of the original CZ75s back when they were only being imported into Canada and weren't readily available in the U.S. I liked the grip design but had too long of a reach to the trigger in DA mode. Found the P01 much more to my liking.

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The trigger pull length of the original CZ-75 and the P-01 are actually the same ... the difference is that the P-01, because it is a decocker model, starts from the half-cock notch (which is the position to which it decocks.) You can start nearly any DA/SA CZ-75 model that way (except the very oldest pre-B CZs, which don't have a half-cock notch.) If you shoot things like IDPA, they don't let you start from the half-cock notch unless that is where the gun is designed to start from (ala the CZ decocker models.)

Walt Sherrill

Actually Walt it wasn't the length of the trigger pull; it was more like the shape and forward position of the trigger on the original CZ75 that made it hard for me to reach it in DA mode. The trigger on my P01 has a more sweeping rearward curve to it that seems to be easier to reach and use.

Walt Sherrill said:

I've never heard a good technical explanation for WHY some (a few) CZs have trigger slap (and most don't.) I've never experienced it myself, despite the fact that I've had maybe 20-25 CZs, nor have any of my shooting friends. I've read about it on forums like this, and on the original CZ Forum (where I once worked as a moderator. I suspect an action job would fix it.

That same sort of unpleasant "feedback" or "resonance" also happens unpredictably with other individual metal-framed guns, but as is the case with CZs, it's not a wide-spread issue/problem..

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I dont know, the few Ive tried did it badly. That said, the owners had no problems with it. It may be more about follow through. It seems to be the 1911/DA revolver crowd that has the CZ problem, so it may have something to do with single action trigger habits. I can only say the Omega has reduced the issue significantly, and while I wish the SA trigger was less drawn out, I prefer it by far. The 75B trigger pull was 10x better though, and If I was only going to shoot 1 or 2 mags at a time, It would be a much better option.

Looks like you have the same first gen 75B Omega I have. Unfortunately the first gen 75B omegas were not convertible from safety/decocker. Cz has since offered the convertible model in the last year or so. Why Cz didn’t originally make the omega 75B’s to be convertible to match the whole omega system the p07/09 starting is beyond me. However if you don’t mind the safety it’s all good and you will love the gun, especially if yours is as accurate as mine. I think I paid about $480 or so for mine new about 4 years ago, buds had them on sale w/free shipping

bannockburn said:

Actually Walt it wasn't the length of the trigger pull; it was more like the shape and forward position of the trigger on the original CZ75 that made it hard for me to reach it in DA mode. The trigger on my P01 has a more sweeping rearward curve to it that seems to be easier to reach and use.

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You're right -- and it does make a difference. I focused on the internal mechanism when I replied, and just forgot/ignored the effect of the trigger's shape.

That "recurved" trigger was first introduced with the PCR and a lot of CZ owners installed the more-curved version. It shorten the trigger pull REACH, but not the distance the trigger must be pulled -- but the LENGTH is the critical issue, as folks who have issues with the distance to the trigger find the recurved trigger easier to deal with. (I'd just do cocked & locked, but with the early CZs may not be "drop safe" -- having no firing pin block.

It's a shame that the STRAIGHT SA trigger doesn't work in the DA/SA models -- as that trigger (the one that is adjustable for both overtravel and takeup) is imply outstanding. When CZ first introduced the SA models, they offered it with a plastic trigger, and you can still find new ones (new old stock?) that have that. The plastic trigger isn't adjustable for take up. (I have an old plastic one, and it MIGHT work if shortened. I may try that one of these days.)

One of my first CZs was a pre-B 75. I sold it years ago. Afterwards, when I had learned more about CZs, I realized that CZ-75 may have been one of the early "short rail" models, which have collector value. (It had some of the the key features, which included no half-cock notch, the oldest-style safety, and the factory "waffle-pattern" grips. I refinished it (nasty enamel finish), so collector value was much less than it might have been had it truly have been one of the rare ones...

Rolling break describes the omega sa trigger break perfectly. No wall, just smooth rolling break straight through

Depending on when the gun was made, dry-firing can be a problem. Check the firing pin retention pin in (in cocking grooves at the rear of the slide). If you see a single roll pin, do something to protect the roll pin, which CAN break with repeated dry-fire strokes. (You can find a replacement roll pin at a local hardware store, but it's a hassle.) A snap cap is one solution, but you can also use a rubber o-ring in the notch at the end of the slide to keep the hammer for slamming the firing pin.

That done, dry fire it several hundred strokes each night for a week or two. (A lot cheaper than actually firing the gun). You should feel it smoothing up quickly. It may seem a bit lighter, too, but that's probably due to less friction.

Then consider installing a lighter hammer spring. (Don't go too light or it might not ignite all primers.) Wollf Springs has all sorts of hammer springs for the gun including kits with diferent weights, and you can try to see which works best. Too light and it might not ignite the primer. A lighter hammer spring will lighten the trigger in DA mode notieably.. (Gunsprings.com)

When removing the hammer spring -- it's a challenge the first time -- you can break off the bottom tab of the mag brake (the long piece that keeps the magazine from hitting the hammer spring) and that will make reinstalling the mag brake much easier. If the mags don't drop free, you can bend the brake it while it's out, so that it doesn't press against the magazine.

One more possibility is a performance hammer from CZ Custom or Cajun Gun Works. It'll make the SA trigger much better, with a much cleaner, sharper drop. Cajun Gun works also has other spring kits.

Walt Sherrill said:

The ability to offer both/either safety or decocker in the same gun is a UNIQUE CZ marketing approach,

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Unless I'm misunderstanding what you are alleging, the HK USP series of pistols offer the same unique configuration (both/either safety-"cocked and locked" or decocker in the same pistol).

SwampWolf said:

Unless I'm misunderstanding what you are alleging, the HK USP series of pistols offer the same unique configuration (both/either safety-"cocked and locked" or decocker in the same pistol).

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Fn with the fnp/fnx offered the same as the usp, except it couldn’t be made to be dao (lem) or safety only (variant x) like the hk’s