CZ 9MM Auto Pistols;Why I Love Um And Can't Wait To Get Another One

Amen. While I had the full size CZ 75B for a short period of time and enjoyed shooting it, I like their polymer pistols better. My favorite gun to shoot now is the P07. Accurate, reliable, good double action trigger and reasonable single action pull. The gun is cheap too.

flyingtiger85 said:

I replaced the plastic guide-rod with a steel one.When I pulled the old one out after 100 rounds it looked like a bent banana.It would probably be just fine but steel felt like it would be permanent and built to last for years to come.

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They're both built to last forever. Keep an eye on the frame of your polymer CZ, as the gun was designed to use a plastic guide rod, and metal rubbing against polymer might lead to some wear, eventually. (The guide rod does tilt a bit as the slide moves back. You may see some wear at the front of the slide, too, where the guide rod extends through the front of the slide.)

Guide rods are NOT a high stress part, so either steel or plastic should work fine. (With the alloy-framed CZs there has been some evidence of wear when metal guide rods are used -- I don't know whether that will be a problem with the polymer-framed guns, or not... so watch it.) I doubt that a metal guide rod will change the gun's performance, as there is little way that it can...

I picked up a used P-07 recently. (I got it for a sinfully-low price!) It's a first generation P-07, which doesn't have grip inserts; this one came without the decocker parts... which I may get later. [No rush, though as I'm not crazy about decockers.] It's a great shooting gun with a marvelously light and clean-breaking single-action trigger; the pull is a bit longer than I'd like. I have only shot it a little.

I now have three compact 9s: a Sphinx SDP, a Gray Guns-tuned SIG P-228, and the used (but new to me) P-07. I like the SDP best, but all three are surprisingly close in performance. The P228 and SDP fit my hand a little better because the grips are wider, but except for that, its almost a toss-up. For the money (and without regard to the money) the P-07 is hard to beat.

I found that the P228 mags work in the P-07 -- but don't lock the slide back. (I wonder if CZ followers in the P-228 mags will fix that?) If so, it may be cheaper to get Mec-Gar P228 mags and CZ followers. (One less round, however, as the Mec-Gars hold 15.)

UPDATE: CZ P-07 followers in a SIG mag DO lock it back. and you can get 18-round Mec-Gar P228 mags for $33 from CDNN (and may more cheaply elsewhere.) The followers are $4.75 on the CZ Custom Shop website, so there a point where it's just not worth it. I'll try standard CZ followers next.)

Once you go Canik you never go back.

The ONLY reason I'd be hesitant about getting a CANIK has to do with warranty service -- I simply don't know how that firm (or the othe Turkish gun makers) will do. But, if their guns are like most of the CZ-pattern guns, it's probably a trivial concern.

Most of the Turkish-made guns now seem to be rock-solid. When the guns from Turkey first came out some years ago, there were some teething problems -- but I don't think those guns were CANIK-made, and those problems are mostly memories.

I already have a perfectly good CZ 75B 9mm. Last weekend I found a LN 85 Combat 9mm at an LGS for $425.00; without the "B" this has a trigger you'd dream about. Not crazy about the day-glow adjustable sights, but I could live with them until I could swap them out. I was really holding out for a 97B since I've always wanted a CZ in .45 ACP that isn't a Dan Wesson, I already have a Valor. But that 85 Combat is haunting me - LOL, what to do?

hmmm if it's in good shape I'd go back and get it

JDR said:

I already have a perfectly good CZ 75B 9mm. Last weekend I found a LN 85 Combat 9mm at an LGS for $425.00; without the "B" this has a trigger you'd dream about. Not crazy about the day-glow adjustable sights, but I could live with them until I could swap them out. I was really holding out for a 97B since I've always wanted a CZ in .45 ACP that isn't a Dan Wesson, I already have a Valor. But that 85 Combat is haunting me - LOL, what to do?

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That is a good price. Don't let it pass you by......

My first cf handgun was a used CZ75b. Since then I have been buying different 9mm handguns mostly due to curiosity. I should stop, the CZ does everything I need it to do and well. I have the Kadet conversion for it and last year I treated myself to new sights and a trigger job by the folks down in La..

I'm a big fan of the CZ75B. The Canik pistols are pretty great guns too from my experience. I like the ergonomics, capacities, and the comfortable recoil that is common on the CZ75 and it's clones.

Still though, as far as holding value, the CZ brand will do it better than Tristar/Canik.

I'm hoping to get my Canik S-120 to the range this weekend. I have owned several Beretta 92's, Sigs, Glocks, HK's, S&W autos, etc., but the overall feel of the CZ platform fits my hand like few other pistols have (the Browning Hi Power comes to mind). If this S-120 shoots as well as I hope it does, my next purchase will be the compact version, the C-100. I also have a full size steel EAA Witness in 10mm and I like it as well.

My one and only CZ: my P 01 (a.k.a. CZ 75 D Compact). Great pistol that feels as good in my hand as my Browning HI-Power.

I've got a few older CZ's. But my favorite shooter is my CZ P-09

The ONLY reason I'd be hesitant about getting a CANIK has to do with warranty service -- I simply don't know how that firm (or the othe Turkish gun makers) will do. But, if their guns are like most of the CZ-pattern guns, it's probably a trivial concern.

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Tristar markets the Canik-55 guns in the USA. I have a C100 in 380 Auto which developed a problem after a few hundred rounds. It got to the point of not cycling the action but when it worked, it was a tack driver. I sent the gun back to Tristar who received the gun, removed a spur on the slide, replaced the slide stop and returned it to me in ONE week. The gun has fired several thousand flawless rounds since, in fact, I'm close to acquiring another C100 in either 9mm or 40 S&W.

That's my experience with a Canik-55 and warranty. The C100 in 9mm is going for $349.99 locally and to me is the bargain of all times. I also have the CZ75BD which has a better finish but at a much higher price.

Walt Sherrill said:

They're both built to last forever. Keep an eye on the frame of your polymer CZ, as the gun was designed to use a plastic guide rod, and metal rubbing against polymer might lead to some wear, eventually.


I picked up a used P-07 recently. (I got it for a sinfully-low price!) It's a first generation P-07, which doesn't have grip inserts; this one came without the decocker parts... which I may get later. [No rush, though as I'm not crazy about decockers.] It's a great shooting gun with a marvelously light and clean-breaking single-action trigger; the pull is a bit longer than I'd like. I have only shot it a little.


I found that the P228 mags work in the P-07 -- but don't lock the slide back.

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The original poster's gun is all metal.

I didn't know that a Sig 228's magazines work in the 07. I also have the first generation 07 aka the P07 Duty. Paid $375 for it. In addition to the factory magazines, I use the Mecgar magazines for the CZ 75B. They work fine, sticks out the bottom about 1/2", lock the slide back everytime. They work great in practice and training classes.

I've fired over 1000 rounds through the 07, 850 of those in an Ernest Langdon two days pistol class and some in a Ken Hackathorn class. Both of those gentlemen were impressed with the little gun.

As for the decocker, I love that configuration. Having shot the Beretta in the G configuration for many years, it's an easy transition.

Ricky T said:

The original poster's gun is all metal.

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My error -- but the warning still applies.

There have been conflicting reports of whether CZ says steel guide rods are OK with alloy-framed guns. At one time it was enough to void the warranty if there was "receiver stop" wear [the place the guide rod rests when the barrel starts to move back]. I've seen warnings and concerns from CZ-USA -- including one I got from CZ's head gunsmith some years ago -- but nothing more recently.

Recently I've heard other comments, i.e., that's it's OK, but have not heard that from CZ. It bears watching until you get a DEFINITIVE answer from CZ. (They would NOT sell a steel guide rod, in the past, to someone who had an alloy-framed gun and asked for a steel guide rod. They did have them for the Compact modeL (steel frame).

I did try the P-07 followers in the SIG mags, and they worked like a charge. But they're not cheap ($4.75 each!) I'll have to try some standard CZ followers (I've got a BUNCH of CZ mags) in the SIG mag and see if they lock the slide back. I could've done it earlier today when I was installed a P-07 follower in the SIG mag (it worked), but didn't think about it. Everything is put away now, and locked in the gun safe, and I'm too lazy to pull them out. As noted above SIG also makes a 18-round mag for the P228, and that available for LESS than the CZ mag, and you could install the CZ follower and get 18 rounds, and still be cheaper than a factory mag. (CDNN has the 18-round SIG mag for $33.)

UPDATE: I tried the standard CZ followers in the SIG mag, and THEY lock back fine. I haven't tried those followers at the range. j

I carry a PCR every day, but just found a BNIB PCR for a decent price and am picking it up tomorrow. Don't need two, but I'll have two.

BTW... I am fascinated by CZ not really caring about consistency with nomenclature. I've seen that same gun (pictured) with P-01 stamped on the side. One of my PCR has "75D Compact" on the side and "PCR" on the box, while I've seen others with "PCR" on the slide. I once saw a blurb from CZ essentially saying that they make different names for different markets and don't really care if they have to pull one from a different market to meet a demand.

I really love these guns. Thousands of rounds and hasn't had a single failure...aims incredibly well...$22 magazines....just great guns!

I love my CZ75B with the Omega Trigger.

flyingtiger85 said:

My CZ-75compact is all steel but I know some of the compacts have alloy frames. I think I will be OK. And being all steel the gun is not that heavy.

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I've had several Compacts. Steel guide rods should not be an issue with them. It may not be an issue with alloy-framed guns, but that's not been made absolutely clear by anyone from CZ, as far as I know. (When talking about a steel compact CZ, the model is officially called the Compact. The alloy-framed guns are compacts (referring to their size.) CZ is offering an alloy-framed Compact, which is a first. I've only seen them on the CZ Custom Shop site. Here's the last Compact I had -- Satin Nickel with a Witness Extended slide release. (Wish I had kept that release, as they're hard to find!)



I found the steel Compacts almost as heavy as the full-size guns and wanted an alloy gun with safety.

Preach on Brothers,,,

Several years back I decided that I wanted one hi capacity Wonder Nine.

I rented several different pistols,,,
People at my Rifle & Pistol club let me shoot their guns,,,
And I handled every gun in every gun shop for miles around me.

Then one fine day I was plinking at my range,,,
A gentleman had a CZ-75B in 9mm,,,
I let him fire my S&W model 29,,,
He let me fire his Czech lady.

When he placed the pistol in my outstretched hand,,,
The clouds parted and I was bathed in a warm ray of sunshine.

I heard an angelic choir echoing from the heavens,,,
The pistol lifted itself to perfect firing grip,,,
It launched 16 rounds into the 9 ring.

I wept tears of ecstasy!

The very next day I ordered one,,,
The bonus was that they were so inexpensive,,,
I used the money I had saved for a Sig or Beretta,,,
And was able to buy the 9mm and the .22 Kadet for just a hair more.



It's difficult to beat super quality,,,
Coupled with an affordable price tag.

But seriously,,,
I have smaller hands,,,
Most of the wonder 9's don't fit me.

I can't grip a Beretta,,,
The Sig-Sauer pistols didn't fit,,,
Plastic-fantastics like the Glock just felt funny.

But that CZ on the other hand,,,
It felt like it was made for my K-frame paws.

I buy 9mm ammo in 1,000 round lots,,,
I'm into my 7th lot and I can't remember a malfunction.

So add me to the people who believe,,,
The CZ-75B is the finest of the Wonder Nines.

Aarond

.

Walt Sherrill, I very much like that CZ Compact. Very nice pistol.

Walt Sherrill:

Do you have a holster for your P07? If so, what do you have?

I'm having a lot of problem finding off the shelf compatible OWB holster for it.

I'm wondering if there is another existing popular pistol that have the same dimension as the 07 that can stand in.

Thanks.