Tough choice... upgraded CZ 75 SP-01, or CZ 75 Tactical Sport?

Honestly I would not get either. Both are heavy, particularly nose heavy making them very poorly balanced as a defensive or service pistol. All that nose weight helps to reduce recoil during shooting, but it makes the pistol a poor handler especially in a defensive role. I would only consider either for competition use, but even then I would prefer a standard CZ 75b or bd.

Since you already have a CZ 75b, have you considered getting a CZ 97b? I had one, but sold it because I was more of a decocker fan than a manual safety fan. I would say it was one of the best .45acps I've even owned and definately the most accurate. However, you will need to get a good ramp job on it to reliably feed hollow points. Give it a look, it actually weighs a little less than the SP-01 and is MUCH better balanced. I am going to buy the new 97bd when it is available......I still beat myself every day for selling my old 97b.

I find my SP-01 balance well. Anyways I have the Custom Shop SP-01 with the aluminum grips, it shoots very very well, about the only thing I could ask for would be the extended safeties (that I will be putting on later). I think the Tactical Sport is an IPSC, but it's just not customizable enough for me to go with it for Limited, I'm going with a STI.

I would go with an SP-01 with personal custom attention. Or a Shadow. But I really don't think you could go wrong either way...

I like to dress out my guns myself. If the platform is what suits you I would start there. I usually start at the frame. Do I need to modify it to suit my needs? Then the slide: Do I have to get someone to cut new dovetails for the sights I like?

Fill in your requisites. Look at what you are buying and where you would like to end up.

Personally, I'd probably go with the SP. By the time I got done building it out I'd have a second gun made mostly of parts.

One thing I've learned about custom shop guns is that they aren't my custom shop. You buy things you aren't sure you want, then find out you can't backtrack. If you do it one piece at a time you can always undo it. It also makes the end product more rewarding.

Do what you want. I like to start with a frame and slide that suit me and go from there.

BTW, don't pay attention to issues regarding balance. Front-end heavy means faster follow up shots. In competition or in real life that is a good thing.

There are some people I shoot with who would swear I'm cheating when a second popper falls before the first one hits the ground. I even had to lock my slide back to prove I wasn't using a ported barrel recently.

Caused much consternation among the custom 1911 crowd.

You might want to consider the cz75b SA. I just got one and with a little trigger work and a lighter hammer spring it has turned out to be a real shooter. It has the better beavertail and extended mag release of the SP01 and the ambi mag safeties like the the tactical. I got mine for about $450 shipped plus transfer from Whittaker guns. That leaves you plenty room money wise for a trigger job if you wish. I just took mine apart did some polishing and installed a 15lb. hammer spring. Mark

I have the Standard IPSC, predecessor to the Tactical Sport. I use it mainly for range/target shooting. Might do some USPSA this year. It has one of the best triggers out of the box. As good as or better than my Les Baer PII or Ed Brown Exec Target. If the tactical sport trigger is the same and you want a great SA trigger, that is a good choice.

I do not find the balance bad at all. My only criticism of it and my 97Bis that I have small hands and the single stacks fit better. The CZ is the last .40 I own. I've gone away from .40 and over to .45 and 9mm. I just can't let the CZ go.

I have upgraded a 75BD. With the new Bar Sto barrel it is a real shooter.

I have owned, or currentlly own, both guns and I still have the SP-01. As indicated, both have similar qualities but I found the Tactical Sport trigger too light, if that makes any sense, and the SP-01 trigger more predictable. I shot both about the same and both are fantastic guns in terms of quality, accuracy, and reliability. I also preferred the grips on the SP-01, as the rubber grips cling to my hands better. Enjoy, regardless of choice, as both are great guns.

Kent