CZ-75B: Polycoat, etc.

[Lone Star]

I have to buy an auto to take my Texas CCW class, as they won't certify me to carry an auto if I don't test with one. (I have owned a number of Colt .45's and a couple of Browning 9mm's over the years, but now have only revolvers.)

The best buy in a full size 9mm that I could carry on duty in my security job
is likely the CZ-75. Local dealers' stock seems to be all polycoat CZ-75B's.

How well does this finish withstand holster wear? I should mention that all my holsters are top quality items with leather lining, not abusive to gun finishes. The holster for the CZ would be the same.

I've read that CZ's "normal" blue finish wears off much sooner than Colt or Browning blue jobs. That polycoat might be the best bet...

What is the collective experience of forum members with this finish? I'm interested in those who own the gun with defense and small game shooting/backpacking in mind. I don't plan to fire thousands of rounds a month in some action pistol sport, with a lot of draw-and-fire wear on the gun.

Has the CZ-75B pleased you as an owner? How is the accuracy, compared to the Mk. III Browning, with which I am familiar? Would you trust your life to your CZ? This is not a recreational item I'm discussing; the gun would be carried in harm's way.

Thanks,

Lone Star

 

[Wildalaska]

If you are going in harms way, why not get the BHP?

WildbettergunAlaska

 

[Lone Star]

I want the DA trigger; I don't want to have to carry cocked-and-locked all the time. Some employers won't even allow that.

Also, there is a considerable price difference.

Finally, I like the long slide rails, and I've just wanted to try a CZ.

Lone Star

 

[Tony S45]

Lone Star--

The CZ polycoat you refer to is, I assume, the black finish. I bought a CZ75B some years ago and must tell you that the finish is a tough as nails. As a matter of fact, it was the most durable finish that I have ever had on a handgun.

The gun itself is an EXCELLENT value. It is very accurate, strips quickly for cleaning, and mine always went "bang" when at the range. I never had a single problem with it and after a few thousand rounds I sold it for almost what I paid for it to finance another gun purchase. DUMB of me!

 

[nonquixote]

I carry my CZ PCR almost every day. I own several other CZs as well. (Not the 75B though, although I do have an ITM at84s CZ 75 clone.) Accuracy is about as good as you'll find with any SA/DA service pistol, and better than most. The polycoat finish has been very durable and wear resistant for me.

Not all CZs are perfect out of the box though, a couple of mine needed some minor tweaking before they would function perfectly, i.e. some new springs and fluff and buff.

All in all I'm a big fan of CZ for the same reasons you're considering one, the quality for the price. Plus the ergonomics of most CZs fit me very well.

Nonq

 

[clipse]

I have a CZ 75B in Satin Nickle finish. It is the toughest of the finishes CZ offers. The Polycoat is not to far behind. I have a CZ 75 P-01 in polycoat. I have had it for alittle over 1/2 a year and it has been in and out of a holst alot with absolutely no noticable where. One plus on the polycoat finish also is that it is highly chemical resistant. Maybe just a marketing ploy but either way the polycoat finish is tough as nails. I would get the CZ. If you don't like the trigger then dryfire it alot with the included snap caps and the trigger with smooth out considerably. Mine did and it is a sweeeet trigger now.


clipse

 

[Trebor]

The current Polycoat finish has a good reputation. I have a '96 Turkish Mil model with that finish and it's held up very well, althought I have not used it as a daily carry weapon.

The old painted-on black finishes from the early '90's didn't hold up as well, but that was the generation of guns before the current generation and you won't see them NIB at retail stores or distributers anymore.

 

[Black Snowman]

I saw a CZ-97B with the polycoat at a gun show that had the coating scraped off over the serial # on the frame but whoever had done it had dug into the metal in order to get it all off. Looked like they may have used a knife.

The poly coat was quite thick and dispite all of the scraping didn't flake or wear strangely around the scraped areas. Looked like a pretty good finish to me, but the guns history was more than a bit suspect. The people selling it seemed to be less than social when I inqured about it.

 

[yayarx7]

Where in Texas are you?

You can shoot mine if you are close to Abilene or DFW. (Oshmans sells WWB for $6 a pop.)

The CZ is the best DA/SA 9mm IMNHO. It is certainly the best gun for the money.

I have not had mine long but I got it well used and it has appeared to stand up to the use/abuse. (The thing was the dirtiest firearm I have seen, and I am in the Military!)

The Polycoat seems to be the toughest finish I have seen. Fairly deep scratches do not even seem go all the way to the metal. I even dropped the thing the other day, half on my sandled foot and half on the asphalt. I cannot see anywhere I damaged the finish. (My foot was a different matter.)

 

[Ky Larry]

I have a CZ-75B 9mm with the black polycoat finish. It's my "beater" gun. It goes fishing, hiking,and anywhere I don't want to carry my Kimber. I carry it in a nylon convertable holster and the gun shows no wear after 5 years. Accuracy is as good as any DA/SA 9mm I've shot and a lot better than most. I've fed it everything including Russian steel cased junk, WWB ,Blazers, NATO milspec,etc, and it hasn't skipped a beat. The trigger may be a little funky at first but it will improve greatly with use. Yes,I would trust any of my CZ's with my life. Good luck.

 

[Berg01]

Has the CZ-75B pleased you as an owner? How is the accuracy, compared to the Mk. III Browning, with which I am familiar? Would you trust your life to your CZ? This is not a recreational item I'm discussing; the gun would be carried in harm's way.

I have a CZ 75B in .40 S&W, and I can recommend it as a really good range gun, and a decent CCW. A lot of people think it is a bit big to carry, but I have never had a problem carrying it occaisionally. The accuracy is very good, at least as good as the BHPs I have tried, which are also very good, although some of the newer ones have a very heavy S/A trigger pull out of the box, which can be fixed by a good piistolsmith.

Another one that I own and really like is my Sig P228 9mm, frankly, if I had to choose between my CZ and Sig, I'd take the Sig. In general, I'd take a Sig over a CZ.

 

[powertoast]

< I have a CZ 75B in Satin Nickle finish. It is the toughest of the finishes CZ offers.

Ditto. BTW, if have any extraction issues, spend $10 and get a Wolff extractor spring.

CZ-75B nickel .40 and dual-tone 9mm

 

[Lone Star]

Y7-

I live in the D-FW "metroplex", but will pass on your kind offer to shoot your gun. But thanks!

A brother has a CZ, I just learned. He's visiting from out of town, and I handled his gun, which works and shoots fine, he says. No finish wear, but he doesn't carry it in a holster. It's more of a bedside gun.

By the way, I passed on the Colt style guns because the plunger tube can come unstaked; I've had it happen with an old GI Lend Lease gun, and read this week of a guy who had it happen to his Springfield .45. The Colt hammer has also been a rust problem area for me in the past, in spite of top care. The hammer sides are polished bright on those postwar guns I've owned, and they should blue that area. I'm pretty sure that the poly finish on the CZ is more rust resistant, overall.

Lone Star

 

[CZ52GUY]

I have 14 Autoloaders in a variety of calibers from .380 to .45ACP...the CZ-75B in 9mm is my "alpha" autoloader. I can hit what I aim at with it. It's been stone cold reliable, and the polycoat finish looks pretty much like it did the day I bought it.

Now autoloaders are like shoes...either they fit you or they don't...try one on...if it fits, you won't be sorry...if it doesn't, look elsewhere.

Safe shooting,

CZ52'

 

[yayarx7]

Along the lines of what CZ52 said, since you are in the Metroplex do yourself a favor and get to the Bullet Trap in Plano and rent all the guns you are considering buying, and maybe a couple you are not. That is the most foolproof way I can think of to choose a sidearm.

I did this at one time and out of all the compactish 9mms I chose the CZ compact. Which led to my eventual purchase of the CZ75b. Turned out to be a good choice.

YMMV