Is CZ the best available for price/function?

Depends on the model range. Their 50-series pistols and the CZ-70 are Makarov clones, and rather low power. Some of their later pistols have a good reputation, though.

CZ50/70 are based partially on the PPK, no relation to Makarov at all. Had two of them, the 50 is softer metal, the 70 a nice little pistol with a lot of features, but hobbled by a horrible trigger and the .32 ACP caliber. BUT, neither have any connection to CZ-UB or CZ-USA, both are surplusguns that went out of production years before either modern company was in place. Same with the CZ-52 series pistols.

75 compact for me!

Are CZ's, especially the 75B series the best auto on the market for the price -- yes

armored, you do know that a large number of CZ-70s are merely refurbed 50's, right? The CZ-50 was not based on the PP as the ONLY two things they have in common are that they are blow back and double action. There is a mild similarity in appearance, but this is shared by most blow-back pistols with the recoil spring around the barrel.

The CZ-70 does have relation to the current company, so does the CZ-50, as both pistols were built at the Uhersky Brod location. Indeed, following the ending of CZ-52 production at Strakonice, CZ-50 production started back up again, but this time at Uhersky Brod (a few were made at CZ-Praha). Therefore, the very first pistols produced by the factory where current CZ's are produced was the CZ-50, followed by the CZ-70 (any 6-digit CZ-70 is a rebuilt CZ-50, by the way). The first pistol designed there, however, was the CZ-75 (it even had CZ-70 style grips), followed by the VZ-82 and CZ-83 (there are very slight differences in the pins as well as markings, but that is all).

The CZ-52 has nothing to do with the Uhersky Brod factory, as they were all produced at Strakonice, nor were the early CZ-50s.

As for autos, I do consider the CZ-75 to be one of the absolute greatest 9mm's ever made.

Ash

My P-06 is accurate and reliable. The HK mentioned is rather more expensive.
The local gun store has a 75B for $470.

New CZ 75Bs go for $479.00 at the one gunshop I go to that stocks new ones. I paid $350.00 for a duo-tone 75B in .40S&W about five years ago, which I no longer have. One other new gun that (IMHO) roughly compares to the CZ at a lower price is the Stoeger Cougar which I saw in .40S&W for $359.00, and they wanted $30.00 more to back order a 9mm version. - skeeter_08

I had a 83 - the .380acp sort of regret selling it. reliable and handled well. fairly accurate.
I shot a 75 sometime back, very favorably impressed. accurate and handled great. but thanks I'll take my 5906.

for a lower price, the EAA guns are the closest match. even some parts interchange.

Not anymore... they used to be a steal... I can remember 75Bs all over the place from $350 to $400 NIB... Now with pricing going into the $500 range they are now in the middle of the pack with a lot of other mid range guns.... I like my CZs but in the end their day of being the value king is over.

i've got the Rami 9mm, and to me perfect fit, accurate and with hi cap, 14+1 rds or 10rd with standard mags. I've not had any problems with it. Little bulky but still a decent CC gun, love the little sucker

Nice guns, to be sure. But the best out there? In a word, no. At least a half-dozen manufacturers produce equally fine pistols: just tick off the usual suspects, including Sig, Walther, HK, etc.

Dealer cost on recent CZ variants has risen significantly since Oct. '08 (over $100), according to a local Mom & Pop store. They sure are popular.

Don't you love free enterprise?

Agree with some of the posts above. Two years ago, there were 75's available for less than $400 for new guns. Now, these same guns are pushing $550 in some places.

They are still fine guns, but definitely not the value they once were.

Angry---no. Overrated IMO----yes. Cost is subjective.

No....FNP-9...40...45 are the best value.

Back when the 75B Military model was running $310 to $350 with 2 hi-cap mags they were a screaming steal and the best deal going on a $600 gun. Now that they're $500 or whatever, well, they're still fine pistols.

I still want a nice, old P210. I've shot them and I want one. But I'm cheap.

John

The CZ-75 is a great firearm - no doubt about it. Are they a "great value".... good question. They once were a "great value", now I would say they are a fair value, the EAA Witness and Ruger P series I think have surpassed CZ in the "value" category IMO. I actually don't own either, but if "value" were an overriding factor I'd give the EAA Witness and Ruger P series serious consideration.

I'm no fan of CZ. Had a CZ-75 (80's era) that could not function without at least one failure out of every magazine. I could not get rid of it quickly enough.

Perhaps I should give them another chance, but once bitten... I guess I feel as vehemently as some of the Taurus bashers, who had bad product and won't try again.

CZ 75's are fabulous pistols, not if the pistol doesn't fit your hand. When the CZ 75 first came here, in the early 80's, they had a factory test target in the box(no mention of the ammo used. Don't remember the distance either). None of 'em had groups larger than 2". Would have bought one in a heart beat, but they're too big for my hand.

Click to expand...

+1

For me, they are like GLocks in that I respect them and admire their reputation, but they just do not fit me. I must admire them from afar...

Q

"best" is such a worn-can opener around here. We're all biased by our own objective physical characteristics (fit) & our subjective preferences (feel). As far as the CZ75 goes (my only CZ experience), it's a well-designed, well-respected, durable, reliable 9mm autoloader. It was a fine pistol when it was relatively inexpensive. It still is all those things as the price goes up. "Best", like "beauty" is in the eye of the beholder. But I DO have the best dog in the state.

Like others have said, CZs were great on the bang for the buck quotient. With the escalation in their prices, FNH and S&W M&Ps are better values for the amount of performance versus the amount of dollars demanded. This is especially true when the CZ-75 is viewed as the aging, oversized, overweight, flagship from the disco era that it is. CZ's polymer efforts to date have ranged from gawdawful (CZ-100) to the wait and see, (the ugly new one that is coming out.) Even so, the "secret" is out and no longer is CZ a great value, but just another mid-market competitor.

Rugers are also values if one likes them. For me, they could be even a $100 cheaper and I'd blow right by them to something else.

it sure is a good one

BEST = is a strong word

BEST what? Looking, best price, best value, best performer ??