CZ-70

[EchoZebra]

Anyone else here have a CZ-70 pistol? If so, what are your experiences with it? Have you done anything to it(grips etc). I love mine but it does have a long trigger pull. Lastly like everything else, .32acp is getting hard to find.

while I am at it...anyone know where one could pick up a magazine or two for these? They are impossible to find.

 

[jmace57]

I have one. It is functional. Not ergonomically great. That honor (surprisingly) goes to my French MAB D. You are correct that magazines are virtually impossible to find, and when you do, they are expensive. I was fortunate enough to buy some of the last of the Widener's $10.50/box stuff in mid-December. However, I am seeing it around even on-line - S&B and PMC at around $14/box.

 

[MikeJackmin]

I have a CZ-50, the earlier version of the same gun. I was surprised to find that it often failed to fire when the trigger was pulled through the double-action stroke, but it fired every time in single-action. If you look closely, you can see that the hammer does not come all the way back in double-action mode. I don't know if this was one of the things they fixed when they upgraded the design to the CZ70, but if you intend to carry, test it carefully beforehand.

That said, it's not a bad little gun.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I have a CZ-50, the earlier version of the same gun. I was surprised to find that it often failed to fire when the trigger was pulled through the double-action stroke, but it fired every time in single-action. If you look closely, you can see that the hammer does not come all the way back in double-action mode. I don't know if this was one of the things they fixed when they upgraded the design to the CZ70, but if you intend to carry, test it carefully beforehand.

The hammer not going fully back is not necessarily a defect, as you'll see the same behavior in most (all?) guns capable of SA/DA modes, including revolvers. (That doesn't mean there's NOT something wrong with yours such that the DA mode doesn't work properly... It could be something as simple as yours needing a new hammer spring.)

The CZ-70 has a slightly different slide catch mechanism, if I remember correctly, and they did a better job with the metallurgy -- but it's very close to the CZ-50. (The CZ-50 slide could "gaul" against from contact with the hammer as the slide cocks the hammer during recoil, and a few had to have the slide replaced.) That gauling happened with my CZ-50: a lump formed on the rear of the underside of the slide; I simply filed it off with a flat file, and polished it.

Nice little gun, but the gun is heavy for its size and caliber. The ammo is more expensive than 9mm (and generally harder to find). Keep an eye open on CDNN, as they have mags once in a while. (Don't try now, as they're sold out on almost everything!!)

I suspect the springs from one of the small compact guns (like the Walther PPS) would work, if the springs die in your current mags.

.

 

[EchoZebra]

Thanks for the info guys. I don't ever plan on carrying the CZ-70. I agree it is a little heavy for a .32, but it seems to make it comfortable to shoot....nice balance and heft to it. What the Czechs (like most ex Com-Bloc nations) lack in "style", they sure make up for it in ruggedness.Although I must admit I do find the complete CZ line stylish even though crude in some areas, but they are built like tanks.

 

[EchoZebra]

Dupe messages....doh!

 

[Walt Sherrill]

These older CZs were designed and built in a different CZ factory by different engineers and technicians than the folks who designed and built the CZ-75. Not much relationship between the old and new -- just a common name, and some shared "corporate" history. They built great long guns up through WWII, and that was their claim to fame.

The CZ-50 was apparently designed for police use; the Czech military used the CZ-52, with a much more potent round.

 

[EchoZebra]

Yeah I had three of those CZ-52's at one time or another. One was converted to 9mm and the others were 7.62x25. Nothing that great about them but now I kinda wish I had hung on to one or two of them. This was probably ten years or so ago....picked up Cz-52's back then for about 140-150 bucks. Now I see them for up to 325 dollars.

 

[DMK]

I picked up a CZ-70 for $120 at a gun show a few years back. It was kind of painful to shoot and the corner bit me. So I softened the hard edges, refinished it and modified the grip panels so they wouldn't slip in your hand. Now it's a pleasure to shoot and shoots very accurately actually. It's always functioned well too. Never a problem. I had a CZ-50 too, but I gave it to my Dad. It's all original and he still enjoys it.


The CZ-70's at the bottom right. (the two on the left are Manhurin/Walther PPs, one in 32ACP and one in 22LR, at the top right is an East German Makarov, S&W 642 in the center)

 

[EchoZebra]

Beautiful collection there DMK. I like what you did with the CZ-70, care to do mine next? All of those guns are cool, but I envy your East German Mak the most, always wanted one of those. Thank you very much for sharing.

 

[bigfatdave]

I like my CZ70, it sort of complements the other .32acp guns on that shelf.

Mine has some trigger slap, which counters the slide bite from the Manurhin PP, and the unpleasant recoil of the NAA32. [strike]The nicest .32 to shoot is the KelTec p32, but it isn't pretty.[/strike]
Forgot about the Colt 1903, that's nicer to shoot than the KT and doesn't do unpleasant things to my hands, it is just too big to be a .32 in the carry scheme, as it is the same size as my smaller 9x19 singlestack guns. It is really nice to shoot on the range, though. I may put it in rotation as a "new shooter" gun, as a step up from target pistols.


I managed to find a second CZ70 mag at a local show, and learned that a Walther PP mag will almost fit, I think they could be modified as a last resort.

 

[DMK]

Thanks EchoZebra.

I also always wanted an EG Mak before I got that one. I actually bought it from someone on the board here a while back. It was well worth the wait. It's like the little Porsche Boxter of my gun collection.