CZ75 - Can it be beat for the $$?

[col_tapiocca]

No, unless you manually lower the hammer(something I don't suggest) after you chamber the first round.

Why not? If you show the muzzle in a safe direction, it's no problem to lower the hammer manually. I shoot IPSC production class with a Sphinx AT-2000S, a exactly CZ-75 clone. (Just better in quality and finish)
Here are my 9mm's, a glock 17, SigSauer P226 and a Sphinx AT2000S
It's very accurate and reliable.

 

[Steelharp]

No, unless you manually lower the hammer(something I don't suggest) after you chamber the first round.

Actually, the owner's manual tells how to do this quite safely, and it is recommended for carry mode. I love the C&L option, however.

To answer the original question: no. I have two, best I have.

 

[thesandman]

wait a minute, you're saying the gun can only be fired in SA mode by manually lowering the hammer? That doesn't sound quite right. I figured the slide would manually cock the hammer after each shot and you could fire in SA...like a Makarov. No??

 

[MikeRussell]

No, can't beat it for the money.

 

[Steelharp]

Hammer back, SA, lower hammer, DA... ya d.a.

 

[glassman]

Fine Gun

I have a CZ75 Compact and like it a lot. It feels great in the hand, is very accurate and is easy to break down for cleaning. After several hundred rounds down range, it has never had a failure of any kind. The double stack mag holds 14 and obviously, you can put one in the pipe and have a 15 round capacity. By 'carefully' lowering the hammer on the chambered round, your first shot becomes double action. I like that as carrying cocked and locked makes me uneasy. I don't think you can buy a better 9mm pistol for the money.

 

[Glockorama]

In my humble opinion, the CZ-75 is the best fullsize 9mm regardless of price.

 

[SamColorado]

Love mine. At first I was gentle on the slide. That was a mistake. Don't be. Let it slide as hard it will. Mine was used and it probably had some work done on the trigger. Not sure. Despite protects from some one I love very much, I will likely get a second CZ-75 BD just to have two. That will be followed by either the CZ - 75 PCR or the RAMI with the de-cocker this due in the next year or so (per the people at CZ).

You may want to consider the CZ-75 BD - That will give you SA/DA and the decocker. I like that feature.

 

[thesandman]

DA first shot is ok with me, but I want to be able to reel off SA shots rapidly without manually cocking the hammer. Which model is for me? I figured the 75B would operate in this manner.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Quote:
The CZ75B..these are DA on first shot and SA on all remaining, correct?

No, unless you manually lower the hammer(something I don't suggest) after you chamber the first round.

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Depends on the model.

The standard 75B can be started from hammer down, from half-cock (which shortens the trigger pull and lightens it, or from cocked and locked. Note: from half-cocked is safe -- the guns have firing pin blocks that won't allow discharges unless the trigger is pulled fully to the rear.

A DAO model has been available in the past.

The PCR and "D" models have decockers, and normally start from half-cock (which is the normal start position on those models.)

The SA models start from cocked and locked.

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The Rugers are just as good, but don't feel as good, can't be tuned as well, and don't point as well. But for plain, unadulterated reliability and durability, the Rugers are every bit as good, and customer service, if you need it, is a bit better. (CZ isn't bad). I like CZs, better

The Witnesses are good value, but just hope you don't have problems (You probably won't). Customer Service isn't confidence inspiring -- or hasn't been in the past.

A factory reocnditioned Glock, which is generally available for under $500, and the SIG reconditioned guns, are also good buys. They are the same as new, and great values.

Some "new" Browning Hi-Powers have been available (FN-made) for under $500, too.

The Keltec P-11 is also a great gun, but takes some getting used to. And even less expensive.

 

[thesandman]

thanks for the replies. I guess I'm still a bit confused (and ignorant). Let me put it like this..with my Makarov, the first trigger pull is DA. Each and every remaining shot is SA as the slide coming back to the rear cocks the hammer and puts it in SA mode. so it is DA on the first shot and SA on all other shots with no manual manipulation of the hammer whatsoever, as the action of the slide does this automatically. Is this how the 75B operates? To me, I see no purpose in a DA/SA gun if, to fire in SA, I have to manually cock the hammer.

 

[Victor Romen]

The standard CZ 75B DA/SA version is a default SA, unless you manually decock the hammer (it has no decocker, except for the above mentioned versions). It is like a 1911, but with an optional DA mode. When you load the weapon the hammer stays back and you can either thumb decock the hammer or simply put the safety on.

ETA: Can't beat the price. Yes, it is a little rough in the finish department when compared to HK, Sig, Glock, but it shoots like a dream. I've had a few problems with mine (detailed below), but customer service was excellent. I called them and told them what the problem was and they sent me new parts free of charge.

Problem 1: Firing pin cracked due to excessive dry firing with no snap cap. Replaced free of charge.
Problem 2: Slide stop cracked in half internally after I failed to replace the recoil spring every 3000 rounds. Replaced spring after 6000 rounds. You can tell the recoil spring needs replacing when you get a tingling sensation in your wrist due to the slide hammering the frame. Also replaced free of charge. I did have to pay for the new recoil spring though.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Problem 2: Slide stop cracked in half internally after I failed to replace the recoil spring every 3000 rounds. Replaced spring after 6000 rounds. You can tell the recoil spring needs replacing when you get a tingling sensation in your wrist due to the slide hammering the frame. Also replaced free of charge. I did have to pay for the new recoil spring though.

That may be a false indicator.

The slide stop breaks, alright, but not in all guns, and not as a function of a weak recoil spring. Think about it: if the spring is weak, less recoil energy is stored, and the excess is moved through the frame to the shooter's hand.

The slide stop takes the force of the slide on the RETURN part of the cycle, when the slide slams forward. A weaker spring means less force was retained and less is available for when the slide returns and the slide is "stopped" by the slide stop..

I think slide stops break because of 1) parts that are not innately as strong as they should be, and, on the guns -- there are afew -- where they break a lot, because of misaligned (out-of-spec) holes in the frame. (I know of two CZs that were replaced by the factory after they continued to break slide stops. This is very rare -- and many, many go to 15-20K rounds without problems.

I've got CZs with 10K+ rounds through them, and all have their original slide stops. (I broke one stop, once, but that was because I accidentally -- after comparing slides on different frames -- put the slide stop for a ambi model in a non-ambi frame. [and 85 Combat ambi slide stop in a Compact frame.] The ends of the stops are different, and the ambi-stop in a non-ambi frame isn't supported properly.)

thesandman:

I think you misunderstand what's being said about DA/SA.

Nearly all semi-autos, except DAO models, are SA after the first shot. The slide slams back and cocks the hammer for the next shot. Glock slides semi-cock the striker.

With CZs, if you start from hammer down, the first shot is DA. If you want to start from SA, you cock the hammer and put the safety on. All subsequent shots are SA with either model. None of these are single-shot guns. (That's why they're called semi-automatics!) The DA/SA models give you the option of SA start or DA start. The decocker models only allow a SA start.

Most of them are like your Mak. Except the SA models, which MUST start with a SA first shot, but that models is designed to be started from "cocked and locked" -- hammer back with the safet on.

 

[CraigJS]

I have both a Sig P226 and a CZ75D Compact PCR. Guess which one I stake my life on every day (CCW). It DOESN'T start with an "S". The CZ feels better, is lighter (not fair I know), as reliable as, more accurate then, and costs FAR less than, my Sig. Sigs are great guns, I can't deny that. But for ME, the above reasons make it a better choice. Adding a set of CT grips and I'm just STARTING to aproach the sigs cost.. If things were to ever get to that point the Sig would get sold before the CZ.
Take or leave the advice, these are my opinions.
Be safe.

 

[Golddog]

A close friend is a dealer and collector, so I've shot many, many kinds of semi-autos, and I've owned a bunch, too. Today I own only six - all of them CZ's. There's nothing near their price range as ergonomic, accurate, and easy to shoot well. Get the standard 75B or 75B Compact. You can shoot it DA for the first shot or carry it cocked and locked for an excellent trigger pull on every shot.

Whoever badly explained the DA/SA mechanism needlessly screwed things up. The CZ works like every other semi: It automatically recocks itself every time a round is fired.

 

[Victor Romen]

Mr. Sherrill,

Didn't think of it that way. I understand what you are saying though.

I do think the slide stop is a little under built, but since I've only had the one break I really don't worry about it.

 

[MaterDei]

No

 

[tnieto2004]

thanks for the replies. I guess I'm still a bit confused (and ignorant). Let me put it like this..with my Makarov, the first trigger pull is DA. Each and every remaining shot is SA as the slide coming back to the rear cocks the hammer and puts it in SA mode. so it is DA on the first shot and SA on all other shots with no manual manipulation of the hammer whatsoever, as the action of the slide does this automatically. Is this how the 75B operates? To me, I see no purpose in a DA/SA gun if, to fire in SA, I have to manually cock the hammer.

Yes it is how it operates.

 

[SheB61]

The CZ 75 is an awesome, reliable handgun.

I own an P-01 and absolutely love it! You will not regret the purchase......

 

[Rob96]

If there are no plans on carrying the CZ single action, cocked and locked, you are better off getting the BD model that has the decocker. No sense in getting the model that allows cocked and locked and have to manually lower the hammer. Get the decocker model to reduce the chances of Murphy showing up.

 

[jmr40]

I had 2 CZ pistols and all of the positive comments above are true. I guess I am one of those rare individuals who did not like how it felt in my hand. The beavertail on a CZ is too narrow and curved downward biting into the web between my thumb and trigger finger. If it weren't for that I would still have mine.

 

[briang2ad]

Lowering the hammer

isn't that hard to do safely - the CZ Forum site has instructions. Granted - a Decocker is easy, but the DA/SA gun gives you more options in the long run, and is a SIMPLER gun to do gunsmithing on - either for yourself OR a gunsmith. Some smiths will not work on the decocker models. The frame on the DA/SA model is easy to deal with once you learn how.

 

[DMK]

Heard from a dealer that they are "rough" he said expect it to be a project gun because it will not shoot well right out of the box! Anyone who has one care to contribute?

I have a CZ-75B 9x19 ($300 NIB), a CZ-40B 40S&W ($275 NIB) and a CZ-70 32ACP ($120 used), plus a surplus CZ-82 9x18 ($200 used). All these guns have always been 100% reliable and very accurate from day one.

As far as 'rough', they look, feel and function great to me. I've read on the Interweb that there are tool marks or some such visible on the inside of these guns, but I've never noticed or even looked for such insignificant things.

 

[usp9]

Is there any other DA/SA semi auto 9 to consider in the 400-450 range? thanks.

Yes definitely, the Stoeger Couger.

 

[skers69]

Criag...Im not sure I could say it better. I have a p226 and a CZ PCR. The PCR is out of the safe much more often than the 226...not that the 226 is not a great gun.

I got some snap caps and did lots of dry fire runs. The trigger has come in nicely after several range sessions and dry fires. As far as accuracy...watch out...one of the most accurate out of the box guns I have ever run across. They even provide you a target from a test. Mine had three in and arround the little x..cant recall how far out.

I did the research..spent some quality time at my range trying several different guns for CCW. In the end the PCR had everything I was looking for. Loaded chamber indicator, decocker, and 14 rounds were just some of the things that sold me. I added nite sites to top it off..and some extra mags.