CZ 75 SA...Opinions

Just my opinion. I liked the one I had. If it is stock, there will be a slightrocking back/camming action at the end of the trigger pull right before it breaks. I did not have trouble with that but some people say they do. I like the flat trigger much better than the SA/DA curved trigger.

Mine was fixed sights and I had it changed out to adjustable sights with a front fiber optic by Cajun gun works. It was really nice!

I think the SC 75B SA is a really nice affordable pistol! If you want you can have the trigger tuned too and end up with something extra special.

Not a bad price on the SA if it is in good shape. The factory trigger is no where close to a tuned 1911, but with some CGW parts, it could be.

As far as weight, it should be about the same as a regular 75. They are basically the same gun, just with a different trigger.

I bought a 75B, a Cold War, a few years ago. From reading all the comments from owners I was expecting a great trigger pull, wrong. The trigger was one of the worst auto trigger I own, the only one worse is a Ruger P95. As mentioned the hammer moved back before the hammer fell, it was heavy and very gritty.
After buying some parts the trigger is now good, not as good as my 1911's, but good.
I polished parts, new bushing, new grips, went to SAO, and worked on the stock hammer. I kept the spur hammer, that and the rounded trigger guard is why I wanted the Cold War model.
That looks like a good price for a great pistol.

I think I read somewhere (this forum?) CZ is dropping the CZ 75b SA model. It would seem like a good time to get one, and the price seems good.

RodII said:

I bought a 75B, a Cold War, a few years ago. From reading all the comments from owners I was expecting a great trigger pull, wrong.

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CZ's, particularly the non-gamer-specialized ones, seem to have a huge degree of variability in the sear/hammer interface. Try 3 of them out of the box - one will be very, very good, one will be decent, and one will be a total creep-fest. They'll all ultimately clean up the same, though. Same thing with the Tanfo's.

ATLDave said:

CZ's, particularly the non-gamer-specialized ones, seem to have a huge degree of variability in the sear/hammer interface. Try 3 of them out of the box - one will be very, very good, one will be decent, and one will be a total creep-fest. They'll all ultimately clean up the same, though. Same thing with the Tanfo's.

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Hammer camming, where the hammer rocks back (in SA) before it drops is a common complaint, but as noted in ATLDave's reply, triggers vary -- some are better than others. The easiest and least expensive fix is to get an after-market hammer from CZ Custom or Cajun Gun Works -- the camming disappears and the trigger is great.

The SA model comes with ambidextrous safety levers which are larger and more easily used than the standard safety levers, and with a two-way adjustable trigger (for both over-travel and takeup); except for that, they pretty much standard CZ-75s. But there are models with quite a bit of upgrading already done. Anyone interested should examine the guns at CZ-USA.COM to get a better understanding about what's available. Some of the "gamer" guns are simply outstanding, and while more expensive than the base models, not costly enough to need a second mortgage on your house.

Redcoat3340: before you jump into buying a new CZ SA model (and yes, they have been discontinued), join the CZ Forum and find out what you need to do to make almost any CZ an outstanding gun. Or buy one already tuned from the CZ Custom Shop or Cajun Gun Works. Here's a link to the CZ forum: https://www.czfirearms.us/

Bums me out to think they are going to discontinue the 75 SA. It is a nice firearm, especially for the money.

John G C 1 said:

Bums me out to think they are going to discontinue the 75 SA. It is a nice firearm, especially for the money.

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You have a bunch of options -- including other (but a bit pricier) SA guns from CZ. Check out the CZ-USA website for the many different models available. They've also discontinued the CZ-85 Combat which is also a nice gun -- one that comes without a firing pin safety (which offers a potentially better trigger.)

You can convert any DA/SA CZ with a safety to SA by simply removing the disconnector. To make it more like the SA model, you can add a two-way adjustable (flat) trigger that lets you adjust for both over-travel and takeup.

The SA models (9mm and .40) have a slightly different slides and frames, but the differences are mostly cosmetic. The SA guns have ambidextrous safeties, and those can be added to the 85B model (which also has ambi-safeties), or the stainless models (ditto). The beavertail is extended on the SA model, and on the Stainless models.

• There are now safety levers available that work with the non-ambi models, or with the ambi-models, and they are much better than the small lever that is standard on the safety-equipped DA/SA models. Internally, the differences are trivial.

A change to an after-market competition hammer greatly improves the SA trigger function, making it crisper, with no "camming" -- the hammer on some SA and DA/DA models moves a bit to the rear before it drops.

If you still feel the need for a SA CZ, just buy one from the CZ Custom Shop or Cajun Gun Works with some of the work already done, and you might even feel less compelled to shoot a 1911. (They may start with a different DA/SA frame, but the results will be almost identical to the factory SA guns.

Thanks. Great suggestions!

<i>CZ 75b SA model</i>

Happy with mine. (Modified the trigger and it is an easy shooter.)

Accuracy came more with changing the grips to something more substantial. Whodathunkit.

Mines served me very well. The SA trigger pull is the same as the DA/SA models, just flat faced and with an over travel screw.

It does get the larger ambi safeties and upgraded beavertail. They also get a heavier slide than normal.

With a little work, I think they're the best of the "basic" models. The sport models are in a class by themselves.

I have a CZ75B and a CZ P-01 and I do plan on getting a 75B SA soon. IMHO these guns are possibly the best new gun values on the market, the triggers on the new guns tend to break in and improve the more that you dry and live fire them.

Cajun Gun Works does amazing work on these guns, particularly trigger work. If you’ve ever had the chance to shoot a gun that has been worked on by CGW you know what I’m talking about!

A CZ 75B SA was a candidate for a 9 mm pistol until I handled one at my LGS. There were two issues:

• It was a bit too big for my rather small hand. (I ended up with an S&W M&P 9 from their Performance Center that I shoot with the smallest backstrap.)
• The trigger had a fair amount of creep before breaking. (There is take up with the M&P due to the hinged trigger safety but the actual break is quite crisp.)

Mendahl: said:

A CZ 75B SA was a candidate for a 9 mm pistol until I handled one at my LGS. There were two issues:

• It was a bit too big for my rather small hand. (I ended up with an S&W M&P 9 from their Performance Center that I shoot with the smallest backstrap.)
• The trigger had a fair amount of creep before breaking. (There is take up with the M&P due to the hinged trigger safety but the actual break is quite crisp.)

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“IMHO”, I think that a CZ 75B DA/SA or a SAO is one of those guns that deserves more than just a touchy-freely at the LGS counter. First impressions don’t always tell you the whole story, you should get one that preferably has a few thousand rounds through it already & then shoot a few hundred additional rounds through it. These are very nice shooting guns that are as accurate & reliable as the day is long.

The only major objection I have had with mine after a few years & several thousand round through it was the sights, and the CZ Custom FO front & blind battlesight rear set fixed it up but nicely: And I know that if I ever want a lighter trigger with a shorter take up & reset, I can send I to CGW or CZ Custom & get that done sometime.

• It was a bit too big for my rather small hand. (I ended up with an S&W M&P 9 from their Performance Center that I shoot with the smallest backstrap.)

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JDR said:

“IMHO”, I think that a CZ 75B DA/SA or a SAO is one of those guns that deserves more than just a touchy-freely at the LGS counter. First impressions don’t always tell you the whole story, you should get one that preferably has a few thousand rounds through it already & then shoot a few hundred additional rounds through it. These are very nice shooting guns that are as accurate & reliable as the day is long.

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A few thousand rounds isn't going to make the trigger reach shorter.

The CZ75B family of guns are very comfortable in the hand, but they have a fairly long trigger reach, and the reach to the thumb safety is also fairly long. I'm making no claims about which is a better gun, but the S&W M&P is more small hand friendly than the CZ75B

JTQ said:

A few thousand rounds isn't going to make the trigger reach shorter.

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Quite a few folks have avoided CZ-75-based guns because of the longer-than-usual length of the double action trigger pull. It's the nature of the beast. But there are options:

• Start from cocked & Locked. (Then every trigger pull is shorter and the same.)

• Start from the half-cocked position. (The first trigger pull is shorter and lighter, because the hammer spring is partially tensioned by the different starting position.) All subsequent pulls are from the SA position, with the hammer cocked (typical DA/SA function.)

• Get a kit from CZ-Custom or Cajun Gun Works which noticeably shortens the trigger pull.

All three of these options are safe, as the B models come with a firing pin safety which won't allow the gun to fire unless the trigger is pulled fully to the rear. A drop or slam against the hammer won't make it fire.

All of the decocker models start from the half-cock notch, so those trigger pulls are shorter and lighter for the first pull, and SA for all subsequent pulls. Only the Double Action Only models, which are quite rare, force the long trigger pull for each shot.

You can order new guns from CZ-Custom or Cajun Gun Works with these modifications already made, and have them shipped to a local FFL for pickup.

Walt Sherrill said:

Quite a few folks have avoided CZ-75-based guns because of the longer-than-usual length of the double action trigger pull. It's the nature of the beast. But there are options:

• Start from cocked & Locked. (Then every trigger pull is shorter and the same.)

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It doesn't move the thumb safety, though.

I get that some folks can comfortably reach the CZ thumb safety (or trigger), but I'm pretty sure you have experience with CZ75B, 1911, and Browning Hi-Power, and the CZ has a greater reach to the thumb safety (and trigger) than either the 1911 or Hi-Power. While most can comfortably reach the trigger and thumb safety and trigger on a 1911 or Hi-Power, the controls on a CZ75B family of guns are out of reach of many potential users.

JTQ said:

It doesn't move the thumb safety, though.

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It does, sort of... If you're shooting a SA model, or change the levers on the standard 75B DA/SA model (equipped with a safety.) Maybe not enough for you to be comfortable, but the lever sets lower and there's MORE of the lever to press against.

The SA thumb safety is larger and easier to move than the smaller safety lever on the standard (safety-equipped) DA/SA CZ-75B.

If you still have a "reach" problem with the SA version's safety, then you're SOL. But until you've tried it, you won't really know. That safety lever is now available (as an after-market part) for the standard (single-safety) DA/SA 75B.

These images show the different beavertails and the slightly different slides, too.

I've seriously considered getting the ambi-version of the safety levers (for the SA model) for use on my 85 Combat, but keep putting it off.

You can see the differences in the following images (both from the CZ-USA website):

When I saw the 75B SA was being discontinued, I decided to buy one at the recommendations on this board. I totally love this gun

I've posted this before, but I can't say enough about some of the CGW mods for the 75-based guns. I'm also a fan of the 85 Combat, and think that the reason the 85 Combat didn't far outsell the 75B was because people didn't know what the differences were. I liked the 85 Combat stock, but then I made it really outstanding with the following changes:

CGW 54460 Ultra-Lite Kit using the range hammer spring (very noticeable improvement in DA and also SA trigger, plus very easy to rack the slide (the latter wasn't a problem, but now it's just much lighter)
CZ Pre-B short trigger reset
CGW 6-SAO trigger
CGW Race Hammer Kit
CGW floating trigger pin

Amazing light and creep-free trigger, essentially no camming back before firing, and super-short trigger reset (the trigger operates within the thickness of the trigger, seen below)



Last weekend I checked out a new CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Orange. The gun felt great, I'd love to have one, I'm sure it's a great shooter, but the action and the trigger are NOT as nice as my 85 Combat configured as described above. The Shadow trigger has about 3 or 4x the amount of camming back that the CGW-equipped 85 Combat does. And the Combat trigger is lighter, and resets shorter.

All that said, I someday want to get an SP-01 because I want a rail for a CT Green Laser on a full-size, metal, CZ 75-based gun.

Walt Sherrill

You can convert any DA/SA CZ with a safety to SA by simply removing the disconnector.

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I know that the P01 Convertible, P02, and the P07 (I already converted mine), can swap out parts from using a decocker to having a manual safety. My question is can an older P01 with a decocker be converted to a manual safety like the other pistols I listed.

bannockburn said:

Walt Sherrill



I know that the P01 Convertible, P02, and the P07 (I already converted mine), can swap out parts from using a decocker to having a manual safety. My question is can an older P01 with a decocker be converted to a manual safety like the other pistols I listed.

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No, it can not be converted.

viking499

Thanks for the info though I would loved to have been able to swap out parts and change it to a SA set-up.

I'm baffled by the comments about the "reach" to the safety (trigger reach, sure). I don't have any kind of orangutan thumbs and there's not the tiniest bit of difficulty reaching the safety on a CZ-pattern gun. Now, the angle of the thumb is probably higher than on a 1911... is that what we're talking about?