CZ-75 Kadet .22lr : Does anything else compare?

[OSS]

After buying a .357 and a 9mm, I've finally decided I *need* a .22lr hand gun. I think I've settled on the CZ-75 Kadet.

Why?

-It is a "real" gun - you can buy a gun identical to the Kadet in larger calibers.

-CZ has a great reputation for quality.

-It's damn cool that you can use it in either DA/SA mode or carry it cocked and locked (yes, I know it's only a .22 - but its still awesome).

Before I go ahead and buy this gun, I just wanted to make sure there aren't any other guns similar to the CZ-75 that I've overlooked. I can't really find any.

I've pretty much eliminated the Ruger line and Browning line of .22lr's, so don't waste your time posting about them!

If I do go for the CZ, I just gotta decide if I want to buy a dedicated Kadet, or if I should buy a 9mm or .40 along with the conversion kit.......

 

[Pilot]

You will love the Kadet Kit. Get the CZ-75B, then add the Kadet Kit. You won't be able to find any 9MM or .40 slides in the get the dedicated Kadet .22.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Why by the Kadet? Why not just get the CZ-75B and later add the Kadet Kit (which is the interchangeable .22 conversion kit.)

If you don't have a CZ-75B in 9mm, get that. Or get a .40. The kit works on either of them. (Or on any of the 75B-based guns: PCR, P-01, 75B, 75BSA, 85B, 85Combat, 75B Retro, SP-01, CZ-75 Compact [9mm], CZ-75 Compact [.40]. A few have even got the Kadet Kit to work on the 40P (but I don't think, as a general rule, it'll work with all of them.)

My Kadet Kit was so much fun and so accurate, I traded away a Ruger Target Competition slab-side (long barrel). The Conversion Kit shot right with it.

If you get a hankering for a 1911, the Marvel Conversion Kit (about $300 - $350) offers match-grade/competition accuracy, and it just slips right on a 1911 frame. That's the only thing I can think of that might offer consistently better accuracy.

There may be a Ciener kit for your 9mm...

 

[neil minor]

What is the cost of this pistol? I picked up a Walther P22 for $260. The Sig was about $100 more. I have been very satisfied with my P22 (but I've never handled a CZ).

 

[Caseless]

The Kadet kit with 2 mags was $225 a few years ago.
The complete gun is in the high $300s.
Most "venerable" designs like Beretta 92, Taurus PT-92, and 1911s have factory 22LR kits available. But the CZ kit is the least expensive and very reliable.

 

[Michael Zeleny]

Good .22 l.r. autoloaders have their barrels rigidly fixed to their frames. The best of them also have their sights rigidly mounted on their barrels. A locked breech, short-recoil centerfire pistol fitted with a rimfire conversion kit is suitable primarily for low cost preparation for defensive shooting. A dedicated rimfire platform is a much more satisfactory all-around solution.

N.B. I write as a satisfied owner of two SIG P210-6 pistols accompanied by rimfire conversion kits fitted to a much greater standard of quality and precision than the CZ-75/Cadet dual caliber system.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

N.B. I write as a satisfied owner of two SIG P210-6 pistols accompanied by rimfire conversion kits fitted to a much greater standard of quality and precision than the CZ-75/Cadet dual caliber system.

Of course, that SIG combo is also about $1500-$2000 more expensive than the CZ-75 Kadet combination. You'd be hard-pressed to cost-justify the improvement in performance on anything but bragging rights. If you can find a new one, you're talking about $2500 for the pair, with a matched set running higher.

On the other hand, a good, well tuned 1911 with the Marvel .22 Conversion kit will give the SIG P-210-6 some seriouis competition. And, believe it or not, the Marvel .22 may be more accurate than the 210-6 .22 conversion. And that combo could still be well under $1500. Lots of folks use the Marvel conversion in Bullseye Competition. Its that good.

(I've had a 210-6, and they're great guns... but very expensive, even used. That's probably why they've finally been discontinued.)

For the money, the standard 75B, with a trigger job, and the Kadet Kit is hard to beat. Been there, done that, and really like it. I traded away a real nice Ruger Target Competition Slabside with the long barrel after I got the Kadet Kit, for while the Ruger was more accurate than the Kadet, it was just too darned close to worry about.

 

[Michael Zeleny]

To clarify, I would not recommend a rimfire conversion kit for any service-type pistol, as a primary .22 l.r. handgun. (We are not considering Walther GSP or P240.) Bob Simpson has listed several handfuls of FN Medalists, priced between #325 and $550. That would be my recommendation for a budget banger. As for cost-justification of preferences, I gladly leave it to parties better versed in the dismal science. Anyone unable to tell the difference, leaves the world so much the better for his successors in the finer things in life.

 

[armoredman]

I have considered a Kadet Kit, and might do that this year. The only 22 auto I would look at other than that would be the Ruger MKII, but why do that when the CZ grip already fits me like a glove?

 

[Pilot]

To clarify, I would not recommend a rimfire conversion kit for any service-type pistol, as a primary .22 l.r. handgun.

As an owner of four dedicated .22's, including a Benelli target pistol, I would have to disagree with the above when it comes ot the Kadet Kit or Marvel 1911 conversion. Both are easily as accurate as my Ruger MK II's and also give the feel of a defense caliber pistol for training purposes. The Kadet Kit has a fixed barrel as does the Marvel and both are capable .22's.

 

[XLMiguel]

I have a CZ75 PCR that I added a Kadet kit to. It's a lot of fun, accurate, and inexpensve to practice with. Though the trigger in .22 mode isn't exactly like the 9 mm, it's close enough to be insignificant and it has that real gun feeling you don't get from some .22's.

 

[Michael Zeleny]

To clarify, I would not recommend a rimfire conversion kit for any service-type pistol, as a primary .22 l.r. handgun.

As an owner of four dedicated .22's, including a Benelli target pistol, I would have to disagree with the above when it comes ot the Kadet Kit or Marvel 1911 conversion. Both are easily as accurate as my Ruger MK II's and also give the feel of a defense caliber pistol for training purposes. The Kadet Kit has a fixed barrel as does the Marvel and both are capable .22's.

We are talking at cross-purposes. I was referring to a fixed barrel that is rigidly attached to the frame. The conversion kit that fixes the barrel to the frame with the slide stop pin is a poor substitute fcor this arrangement. Furthermore, rimmed .22 l.r. cartridges feed best from steeply angled magazines that ride the bullet nose on the forward edge of their body, in the manner of the P08. Conversion kits have their place, but they will never perform as well as even a moderately sophisticated target rimfire pistol such as a S&W M41 or an FN/Browning Medalist.

 

[Pilot]

Conversion kits have their place, but they will never perform as well as even a moderately sophisticated target rimfire pistol such as a S&W M41 or an FN/Browning Medalist.

Agreed! The conversion get will not be as accurate as a high dollar target .22like an M41. The Kadet Kit is not as accurate as my Benelli MP95E either, but it is as accurate as my Ruger MK II with 5.5 in bull barrel and volquartsen trigger.

 

[12 Volt Man]

I second, getting a CZ75 9mm then adding the Kadet kit. Perfect combination.

 

[chickenfried]

Marvel unit 1 conversion kits ship with test targets, under an inch at 50 yards. Most purchasers I've heard from have test targets in the .6-.8 range.

From the marvel site, "And the target we ship with that unit is not the smallest one it shot - it is an average group from that individual Unit."
http://www.marvelprod.com/testtargets.htm

Conversion kits have their place, but they will never perform as well as even a moderately sophisticated target rimfire pistol such as a S&W M41 or an FN/Browning Medalist.

 

[farscott]

In my experience, a Marvel Unit 1 on top of any of my Colt 1911's outshoots my S&W M41 in Bullseye competition. The Marvel Unit 1 uses a screw as well as the slide stop pin to affix the barrel to the frame. Others must have found the same result as I see a lot of Marvel Unit 1 kits on the line. The CZ Kadet kit, in my hands, does not perform as well as either the Marvel Unit 1 or the M41.

 

[Michael Zeleny]

Conversion kits have their place, but they will never perform as well as even a moderately sophisticated target rimfire pistol such as a S&W M41 or an FN/Browning Medalist.

Agreed! The conversion get will not be as accurate as a high dollar target .22like an M41. The Kadet Kit is not as accurate as my Benelli MP95E either, but it is as accurate as my Ruger MK II with 5.5 in bull barrel and volquartsen trigger.

If I had $500 to spend on a Ruger with a Volquartsen trigger, I would rather put it into something like this;

 

[asiparks]

another vote for the CZ + Kadet kit, I got both fairly recently and the 22 is a hoot. If you get the Kadet pistol, you'll miss out on having a very, very fine service pistol that you'll enjoy shooting in 9 or 40.
As far as the "barrel rigidly attached to frame" argument, i'm sure that's a nice thing to have, but aside from maybe assisting feeding, i don't see how it affects accuracy. The Kadet barrel is rigidly attached to the slide, as are the sights, so I'd be curious to learn on how that is inferior, accuracy wise, to the above. Equating how the cartridges sit in the magazine with inferiority seems to be reaching. Both my Ceiner and Kadet kits feed rather nicely and I don't believe that they're in any way exceptional. Either way, for 99.364% of people, the versatility gained from the kits far outweighs those weeny concerns....

 

[asiparks]

double post-sorry...

 

[Walt Sherrill]

We are talking at cross-purposes. I was referring to a fixed barrel that is rigidly attached to the frame. The conversion kit that fixes the barrel to the frame with the slide stop pin is a poor substitute fcor this arrangement. Furthermore, rimmed .22 l.r. cartridges feed best from steeply angled magazines that ride the bullet nose on the forward edge of their body, in the manner of the P08. Conversion kits have their place, but they will never perform as well as even a moderately sophisticated target rimfire pistol such as a S&W M41 or an FN/Browning Medalist.

You continue to address issues that are basically irrelevant. Feed angles and other such details are nice subtleties and make for a pleasant, reliable weapon, but do little to aid accuracy. Conversion kits do have their place, and for most of us, that place is in the gun safe. As for accuracy -- its not as you say, and the proof is in results -- on paper.

Contrary to your assertions, the Marvel kit (which is designed to work with a SERVICE PISTOL) will compete VERY favorably with many moderately sophisticated target rimfire pistols -- and also with some VERY (not moderately) sophisticated target rimfire pistols, too. I'd argue that most of those "moderately sophisticated target rimfires" will be hard pressed to better the 1/2" to 1" groups (at 50 yards) that seems to be the standard for the Marvel kit.

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

I'd gladly use my CZ75B with Kadet kit in competition against guns like the M41. I used to lust after an M41 but no longer--I'm amazed by the accuracy of the Kadet. I'm not even crazy about CZ in general and don't really like the grungy trigger of the 75B when shooting 9mm, but the trigger works perfectly for me in .22lr mode.

 

[Furncliff]

I have a cz75b, and want one of the Kadet kits, who has the best price?

 

[huaco]

Yet another vote for the Kadet Kit and a CZ 75 of a larger caliber. A few months ago I bought a 9mm PCR that's now my favorite handgun and my new carry gun. A few weeks ago I came across a NIB Kadet Kit with only one mag for $149 that I couldn't pass up because of the price. It went on the PCR without any fitting as described in the manual and has been as totally reliable as the 9mm PCR so far. I seem to shoot about the same groups and do about as well on the pistol silhouette range with it as I do with my Buckmark which is a very pleasant surprise. Being able to practice handling and trigger control with my carry gun at 22 ammo prices is really nice and a lot more fun than dry firing.

Before I got to fire it I was a bit worried about some posts I had seen about stovepipes, light strikes, and the slide not locking back on the last round. I have yet to see any of these problems.

 

[OSS]

Thanks for all the input. I bought the CZ-75 Kadet, and I must say it is a fantastic gun. I've only shot a hundred or so rounds though it, but I enjoyed every second of it. Very accurate from the factory, didn't even have to adjust my sights. I'm a CZ Believer now.

 

[tatertot]

Will the Kadet kit work with the CZ 85b? I don't see why it wouldn't.