CZ50

[giggitygiggity]

Hi, what can you tell me about the CZ50? I want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am thinking about buying one. Please don't make this one of the ".32ACP is not a defensive round" threads. I am interested in function, reliability, and history. I have my FFL03 and would use it to buy the pistol if I decide I'd like to add it to my collection. I just don't really know anything about them. Thanks.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

A good enough little pistol. The CZ50 was the first generation of a small .32 acp pistol designed for military/police use. The later CZ70 was basically the same gun with minor mag-related changes incorporated and, it seems, better metallurgy. I had one and it was OK.

Magazines are almost impossible to find, but springs are now available from Wolff Springs. Mine was more accurate than a friends Walther PPK.

It's a novelty, and most of us who get a C&R FFL will spring for one early on. You'll probably play with it a while, and once the novelty has worn off, let it set in the gun safe.

It's small and heavy. If you are considering it for carry or personal defense, the Kel-Tec P32 is probably cheaper, smaller, lighter, and more reliable. If it's just to play with, have fun.

Note: many CZ-50s, if fired a lot will begin to show galling on the slide and frame where the slide pushes back the hammer with each shot. The raised metal can be sanded or filed off, but eventually, the gun might just quit functioning. That said, I doubt that you'll ever shoot one THAT much.

Note: for a just a bit more money, you can probably find a nice CZ-82 which is a larger, more sophisticated, more powerful, and more attractive weapon -- and one that arguably is a good candidate for a self-defense application. (It's 9x18.) I'd recommend the CZ-82, but would NOT buy another CZ-50/70. The CZ-82 is a serious weapon, and generally VERY accurate.

 

[Monac]

I happened to be on Ebay looking for Colt 25 firing pins (see the Colt 1908 25 ACP thread), so I looked up CZ50 magazines too. There were four Buy-It-Now sellers, with prices ranging from $45 to $60. Those were all for factory mags - there were several others with Triple K mags.

For myself, I've never found any reason to be interested in a CZ50 for collecting.

With FMJ, they should be a decent shooter, but they don't have the sights, the grips, the caliber, or the trigger to be a gun to shoot for pleasure, IMO.

They were a police pistol, not a military one, back when 32 ACP was the European police equivalent of 38 Special.

They were one of those guns that were almost never seen in the West until Communism collapsed...and then they were everywhere, for dirt cheap. I think I saw them as low as $165, retail.

The CZ50 was replaced in production by the CZ70. If I ever heard the specific differences between the two models, I don't remember. For all I know, it was just a cosmetic make-over. The magazines seem to be interchangeable.

 

[PabloJ]

Hi, what can you tell me about the CZ50? I want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am thinking about buying one. Please don't make this one of the ".32ACP is not a defensive round" threads. I am interested in function, reliability, and history. I have my FFL03 and would use it to buy the pistol if I decide I'd like to add it to my collection. I just don't really know anything about them. Thanks.

These look ok to me. It's typical weapon designed to be carried by undercover criminal police or high ranking military officers. The Soviet version before appearance of PM was 7,65mm TOZ TK pistol. Low rank comrades would have to settle for TT or Nagant revolver. Lower rank and file Czech comrades had to settle for CZ52.

 

[lincen]

I had one of the CZ70 pistols for couple years. It had a very hard double action trigger that can be reduced with a aftermarket spring kit. Even though I sold it I must say that it was accurate and never had a failure of any kind. I use European made 32 ammo in all of my 32's. For some reason I like that round for a little range fun. Still have two FEG's and an Astra Constable in that caliber.