CZ75b frame life?

[LouisianaGunslinger]

I'm more of a revolver guy, but I'm considering buying a CZ75b 9mm. I like the idea of an all steel DA/SA 9mm known for durability and reliability. I've heard of people that shoot old WW2 submachine gun ammo loaded to blistering hot velocities, and their old CZ's seem to hold up just fine.

Despite this, I've been looking into the CZ75b's longterm durability. I know the frame is cast steel, which seems to be okay as they were apparently designed to use that. I did run across a thread though where one was quick to say that the service life of these pistols is lower than others because it doesn't have a barrel bed in the frame to stop the slide and wears on the slide stop and frame, shortening the life of the pistol.





How long will a CZ75b last as far as round count?

 

[LouisianaGunslinger]

removed wall of text.

 

[Pilot]

I've had CZ's since the late 90's, a 75B and PCR, and have lots of rounds through both, and the both look and function like new. I've not heard of any durability issues with modern CZ pistols. If you put a very high round count down range, normal maintenance, and maybe a slide stop (this is overblown imho) and you're good to go.

 

[armoredman]

Only round count I heard was years ago for a steel frame CZ75 Compact, and was told about 75,000 rounds. OK, but I shoot a lot, and haven't had anything fail on a CZ based pistol yet, so I couldn't tell ya for certain.

 

[Bozwell]

I know people with 50,000+ rounds through their CZ 75B and they're still going. In my mind, once you've shot (and paid for) enough rounds to wear out a CZ, you'll have gotten more than your money's worth from your initial $500 firearm purchase.

 

[PabloJ]

I'm more of a revolver guy, but I'm considering buying a CZ75b 9mm. I like the idea of an all steel DA/SA 9mm known for durability and reliability. I've heard of people that shoot old WW2 submachine gun ammo loaded to blistering hot velocities, and their old CZ's seem to hold up just fine.

Despite this, I've been looking into the CZ75b's longterm durability. I know the frame is cast steel, which seems to be okay as they were apparently designed to use that. I did run across a thread though where one was quick to say that the service life of these pistols is lower than others because it doesn't have a barrel bed in the frame to stop the slide and wears on the slide stop and frame, shortening the life of the pistol.





How long will a CZ75b last as far as round count?

WWII vintage sub ammo isn't going to be blistering hot. I would be afraid slug would get stuck in the barrel. I avoid "antique ammo" like the plague.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

When was the last time anyone heard of ANY modern semi-auto frame failing? Some revolvers seems to stretch a bit with hot loads.

Frames don't seem to be the things that fail, nowadays. Barrels and locking blocks die, slides crack, and slide stops give up the ghost.

Even the alloy CZ frames seem to be problem-free.

 

[GZOh]

Wouldn't waste the energy worrying about a CZ's frame...
Take the time to figure out just how many you want in your collection!
Have a bunch of CZs and several from the early 90s, with alot of rounds... ZERO problems!

.

 

[armoredman]

Only major part on a modern semi auto break, (for me personally),was, (wait for the screaming), a Glock 17 slide cracked under the ejection port while firing. To be fair, it was a rental gun with an estimated 100,000 rounds through it, and it did keep working before the shooter realized his POI had shifted rather significantly to the left.

 

[Sam Cade]

I had a mid 80s Sig226 (NIB from Metro Louisville PD) frame crack at somewhere north of 25k rounds. Probably my fault for shooting several cases of L7A1. Ah, the folly of youth.


I've never seen a real CZ have a frame failure but there are several bits that do seem to fail with some regularity IME, namely the slide stop and right hand grip panel (from getting whacked on things while carried).

 

[LouisianaGunslinger]

WWII vintage sub ammo isn't going to be blistering hot. I would be afraid slug would get stuck in the barrel. I avoid "antique ammo" like the plague.

Then maybe it was post-ww2, but I know it was pretty hot stuff. Had some good flash and knocked down the steel plates way harder than the 115 winchester white box we were shooting.

 

[Litlman]

Use the search function. Many CZ threads running here right now. Mostly happy CZ owners.

 

[JohnhenrySTL]

After spending over twenty thousand dollars on ammo, I think the small price for the cz will long be forgoten, but what do I know??? It also seems to me that many revolver people assume automatics are junk and can never be trusted. I have read that many years ago, ammo was not as reliable, poor quality control caused autos not to cycle properly. I think you would love a cz, my CZ-82 shoots more like a revolver than my other pistols. It is also my favorite handgun. Good luck, I cannot imagine you having any regrets.

 

[Overkilll0084]

I'm more of a revolver guy,

I'd be willing to bet that you will get a higher rounds count of a CZ75 than a K-frame S&W shooting full tilt 125 gr ammo.
Seriously though, short of abuse or shooting someone else's ammo everyday for a living, I doubt you will be able to wear it out. If you manage to, it was a fairly inexpensive pistol to start with.

 

[JohnBT]

There was a guy on a CZ board years ago who shot 5000+ rounds of Hirtenberger 9mm L7A1 in a CZ-75B and the gun was just fine. It wasn't handgun ammo and they said so; it was subgun ammo for cold weather, made in the early '90s.

 

[schmeky]

I did run across a thread though where one was quick to say that the service life of these pistols is lower than others because it doesn't have a barrel bed in the frame to stop the slide and wears on the slide stop and frame, shortening the life of the pistol.

That is absolutely incorrect. CZ's utilize a unique recoil energy dispersion system that routes the forces through the barrel bed block(s) then to the frame/slide abutement that is in front of the aforementioned.

Metallurgy is also a major factor in any lifespan of a frame. CZ uses a ductile high carbon cast steel that is extremely durable. Adding to these attributes is the bearing area of the CZ slide and frame, which is one of the most generous and robust of any semi-automatic pistol.

 

[LouisianaGunslinger]

I'd be willing to bet that you will get a higher rounds count of a CZ75 than a K-frame S&W shooting full tilt 125 gr ammo.
Seriously though, short of abuse or shooting someone else's ammo everyday for a living, I doubt you will be able to wear it out. If you manage to, it was a fairly inexpensive pistol to start with.

Yup, though I only shoot full power .357 through my M28 N frame.

 

[needmorecowbell]

These are rock solid built guns. I wouldn't worry about durability at all. Anyone who claims there's an issue must work for Sig or FN or something and is spreading propaganda.

 

[JDGray]

For God sake man, its not a Sig!! Theres no anodizing to wear off, leaving the frame to wear out....Buy one, lube it up, shoot it long time!

 

[dcarch]

Probably longer than I will be alive.

 

[PO2Hammer]

I'm expecting mine to last a lifetime. It seems to be built very well. The Kadet kit is very robust also, very thick steel where the both slides come back and hit the frame.