CZ P-01 recoil

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

goon

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2003
Messages
7,382
Hey guys,
I've been thinking about this.
One of the things that people often use to recommend CZ is that they have low felt recoil. I've read this in reference to the P-01 several times.
However, this hasn't been my experience. The P-01 seems pretty snappy to me for a 9mm. Others have pointed this out to me as well after shooting this gun, including the friend I bought it from and her boyfriend.
The recoil was bad enough for her to make her want to get rid of it.
I'm not usually a recoil weenie with handguns - I've owned a couple .357's and one of them was a snubby. I shot it alot with full power loads and never thought it was that uncomfortable. Having said that, some guns do rub me the wrong way (like the P3AT).


Anyhow, I'm wondering if anyone else has observed this.
If not, what are the odds that maybe a weak recoil spring got through at the factory?
 
A weak spring could be the culprit. P-01s have STRONG springs. If someone doesn't fit the gun (unlikely but possible with CZs) it will feel snappier.
 
Sounds like maybe a diagnosis then because the slide isn't that hard to pull back. The spring doesn't seem that stout to me at all.
The gun also seems to fit my hand well and it points well for me, but during firing it twists around in my hand. This was my primary motivation for deciding to sell it so soon after buying it.
I thought it just somehow didn't fit my hand quite right. I've experienced something similar with Glocks so it seemed like a natural conclusion.
Now I'm not so sure.
And the gun has literally only seen about 300 rounds, if that, so it would have had to have been that way from the factory.

I had it up for sale but I put it on hold - figured I should check this out before I sell it.
I don't want to stick some poor shmuck with a gun that has something not quite right with it.
And, I might just decide I like it enough to keep it if a replacement recoil spring makes it more comfortable.

I think I'm going to call CZ tomorrow and see how much a replacement spring will cost me.
 
I have a P-01 and my friend has a G19. I found the glock was a lot snappier. The grip you use can affect it a lot. I found the shorter grip on the Glock made it harder for me to put even pressure on the grip compared to the slightly longer and fatter CZ grip.
The spring definately seems to be something to check out too. The spring in mine is pretty stiff. I've also found it to have pretty low recoil.
 
See if you can find one at a shop and see how the tension of the recoil spring compares. Are you used to using wheelguns vs. autos? I'm just wondering what grip you're using on the gun, thumbs forward? I thought the purpose of the slide design on these was supposed to reduce felt recoil. Could the high axis of the slide cause the gun to tip up more than autos with a lower axis making it seem "snappy"?
 
P-01 Recoil....

Although I will agree that the recoil of a P-01 is a bit snappier than that of a larger steel framed pistol (SP-01, full sized CZ75 or similiar). It isn't any more and probably less than most polymer guns. I have a Ruger SR9 that has as much snap, maybe more, in recoil and it is actually slightly heavier with a longer barrel. I have always found that felt recoil has as much to do with how it grips as with any other mechanical aspects.
 
I found the CZ to be a bit less than the G19 I owned. CZ's have a low bore axis, and IMO one needs to shoot a XD or Sig in 9mm to feel the difference between a high and low bore axis.

Yes it will be snappy, but it does not push it up and back like a revolver, sig or XD.

Some people like that feeling over the low bore axis feeling.

The advantage of the low bore axis is quicker follow up shots.
 
Most of the handguns I've owned have been automatics.
My all time favorite was a SIG P-225 that I foolishly sold and for me, it was just about right.
I've also owned and shot a whole lot of others and out of all of those 9mm's, the only one that has more recoil than my P-01 is my Kahr P-9.

Thinking that the recoil spring may be the culprit.
There is one at a local shop that I could probably check the stiffness of the recoil spring on but the odds are good that I'll already have something under way with CZ by then.
 
ususally if there's a complaint, i'll hear people complain about a hard to rack slide on all new CZs. if it's easy to pull back like you say, then heck, that's probably the issue. probably the felt recoil is the frame being smacked by the slide. odd. :-\
 
I've shot thousands of +p+ rounds through Glock 19's and Ruger P95's and alloy framed Sig's and S&W's and never once thought 9 mm has much of any felt recoil. I had 2 9mm P-01's and a 40 P-06 and even the 40 was not as bad as a Glock 23.
 
Something else - with Winchester white box 115 grain FMJ's I've noticed that the brass flies probably fifteen or more feet out to the right and behind me at about 4 o'clock.
Fifteen feet seems like kind of a long distance now that I stop to think about it.
 
Everything you've said (easy to cycle the slide, throwing brass into the next county, excessive recoil) point to a worn or defective recoil spring. You can get a replacement from CZ-USA or Wolff. CZ might even ship you one for free.

Please don't shoot the pistol until you have the new spring installed. Weak recoil springs subject the pistol (and shooter!) to unnecessary forces.

ETA: After the recoil spring replacement, you'll probably find this pistol difficult to part with... just a warning..
 
Go shoot your self a KT-P11, and report back to us on 9mm recoil:evil:

I found my P01 to be a pleasure to shoot.
 
Recoil is a funny thing. I can't tell any real difference in recoil between my heavy, heavy SP-01, and my very light Glock 17, with the same load.

I agree with the recoil spring suggestion given by others.
 
Thanks guys.
I spoke with CZ today. They said that a weak recoil spring could be involved but that since the gun wasn't actually malfunctioning it wouldn't be covered under warranty. I didn't think it would though because I bought the gun used (but I still have the warranty card).
They also said "well the P-01 is an alloy framed 9mm so that's probably why it seems to recoil more". Nevermind that I've been shooting 9mm's and everything else for quite some time now, including alloy and polymer framed guns. :rolleyes:

So I called Wolff and ordered 18 and 20 pound springs to try. They'll probably be here by the end of the week to try out.

And you're right. I may not want to sell it any more after I get this sorted out.
The ergonomics are great and it seems like an accurate little gun. The biggest reason I was looking at selling it is that I was having trouble hanging on to it.

And at the very least, I can't sell it until I do get this sorted out.
 
They said that a weak recoil spring could be involved but that since the gun wasn't actually malfunctioning it wouldn't be covered under warranty.
Click to expand...

Wow. That's a really lame way to treat a customer. To date, all of my interactions with CZ-USA have been handled very well. I had some trouble with an SP-01 a while back and they replaced it with one that had a competition hammer and trigger job. I even got a handwritten note with it.

I called in last year with some P01 ejection problems (inconsistent -- never a failure) and was overnighted an envelope containing various recoil springs to try. No charge.

It's reasons like this that I recommend CZ pistols very frequently. I also continue to purchase them -- my most recent was a Dan Wesson (now owned by CZ-USA) Commander Bobtail just a few days ago. That is one sweet pistol!

Please do keep us posted.
 
I found the CZ to be a bit less than the G19 I owned. CZ's have a low bore axis, and IMO one needs to shoot a XD or Sig in 9mm to feel the difference between a high and low bore axis.

Yes it will be snappy, but it does not push it up and back like a revolver, sig or XD.
Some people like that feeling over the low bore axis feeling.
The advantage of the low bore axis is quicker follow up shots.
Click to expand...

Another great advantage to a low bore axis is a lower slide profile, meaning the gun will be easier to conceal and much more comfortable to carry.
 
My CZ-P01 was a hell of a lot "snappier" than the RAMI that I now carry...probably due to the reasons listed above.
 
P-01 recoil

My P-01 recoils more than several other 9mms that I have. It also has a tendency to twist some while recoiling. The P-01 is the best handling pistol I've ever held. I like the size and the weight. The slide is hard to activate due to it's stiff recoil spring. I manually cock the hammer to facilitate racking the slide.

I haven't shot your pistol so I can't speak for it. But, I don't think any P-01 will be as plesant to shoot as say a full size, all metal Witness or a Hi-Power. Even a Hi-Point C9. That's the price that must be paid for the smaller sized, shorter barreled, alloy frame of the P-01. Maybe you could compare your pistol with another P-01? I hope that the heavier weight recoil springs you've ordered, tames your P-01.
 
Still, my first 9mm was a SIG P-225. They have an aluminum frame and are about the same weight and the recoil of that SIG was way softer than this P-01.
And racking the slide on my P-01 isn't at all hard, eventhough according to everything I read it should be hard. I mean, I'm not a body builder and about the only exercise I get is chopping wood, so if anyone is going to rack the slide on this thing and say "Grrr, this damn thing has a heavy spring!!!" it would probably be me.
Also, I am in the sticks. I'm the only one I know who's ever owned a P-01 and in my area, there isn't any such thing as a range where you can go rent guns. I'm pretty much on my own on this one.

I'm hopeful that the Wolff springs will fix it.
 
Racking the slide

goon, If racking the slide isn't noticeably harder than say a 9mm Sig or a Hi-Power, then the problem might very well be the recoil spring. If you bought it used, the previous owner could have changed the original out. I was just trying to make the point that the P-01 will have more recoil than the 75B. Good luck with the P-01.

Larry
 
I know that the original owner didn't switch anything on the gun. She does shoot but she isn't into guns enough to have mess around with switching parts out. Part of the reason she wanted to get rid of it was that the recoil was too stiff for her. The problem would have had to come from the factory.

DA BULLS -
The 9mm isn't supposed to be a heavy recoil round.
A defective recoil spring can make a difference on any autoloader.
 
I have the similar PCR. Now that I've learned how unpleasant its recoil really is, I will have to get rid of it. :neener:

Seriously, I would like to offer the speculation that perhaps the low bore axis is directing the recoil more straight back into your hand, causing you to feel it more. The up side is that muzzle flip is reduced, enabling you to get it back on target faster for a followup shot.
 
I might buy that explanation...
If the muzzle rise wasn't also freaking nuts for a 9mm.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

C
  • Locked
CZ P-01 internals
Replies
8
Views
964
PCRCCW
P
Q
  • Locked
P-01 on the way
Replies
16
Views
915
quickcanary
Q
P
  • Locked
CZ75 PCR or P-01. Holster Options?
Replies
9
Views
1K
1 old 0311
1
S
  • Locked
Accessories for CZ P-01
2
Replies
25
Views
5K
CZF
CZF
M
  • Locked
CZ P-01 vs. Sig P226
2
Replies
27
Views
5K
Joe_556
J
Back
Top