CZ 75B firing pin safety

[Walt Sherrill]

With CZs, they use a roll pin to retain the firing pin. With older models, before they "doubled" the roll pins, the pins could be broken with repeated dry firing. (I had it happen once.) While not a common problem, CZ advised against dry-firing without snap caps.

In the past couple of years, CZ began "doubling" the roll pin, putting another inside it, and the problem seems to have solved itself. If you've got a newer CZ, there is probably no need for a snap cap. For older ones, breaking the firing pin retention roll pin is an inexpensive thing to repair, but aggravating.

You can ask CZ for a replacement pin, if you've got an older gun, and dry-fire away -- or pick up a pin that you can cut length at a local hardware store (which is what I did.)

For most centerfire pistols, snap caps are unnecessary, but they never hurt.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Walt, is it a roll pin or a spring pin?
Size?
I want to pick up a spare ahead of time.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

It's a roll pin. (I'm not talking about the firing pin spring, itself, but the piece that keeps the firing pin from coming out the back of the slide.)

I don't know the size, but it's pretty common. Ask CZ-USA, and also ask them for a spare -- or for one of the doubled pins -- and they may send you a free one... (Otherwise, wait until one breaks and get a replacement, locally.) I found mine at the local ACE Hardware, by taking my broken one with me. If it breaks, as CZ-USA for a doubled replacement.

On the standard 75B or 40B, you'll see the pin located in the slide, in the serrations, above the safety. (The one I broke was in my 40B. I had dry-fired my 75Bs thousands of times without problem, but it took only about 200 dry-fires with the 40B to have a break. Same pin, same design.)

Looking for that spot (the end of the roll pin) on the slide is the quickest way to identify a pre-B 75. If it's not there, it's a pre-B.

 

[1SOW]

I believe the CZ Custom Shop is offering a 'new' Solid pin to replace the older roll pins. It is supposed to be a 'forever' pin.

Cajun Gun Works also offers a solid pin.

Same for the trigger pin, except the CGW trigger pin is retained by the trigger spring 'tang' which makes it simple to replace. Both will last a lifetime.