CZ82 moves up to my #2 slot

[christcorp]

In my life, I've owned and/or shot close to 100 different hand guns. Literally. I've shot some really sweet guns. Both semi's and revolvers. And there's no doubt that my current SigSauer P220 W. Germany 45acp date: 1989; is definitely my #1 handgun of all time. Even if I went on welfare and had to sell most everything I have, I doubt I would ever part with the P220. Th balance; accuracy; reliability; and dependability is out of this world. You could load a case with sand and rocks and the damn thing would shoot it. And in my revolver world, nothing beats my S&W model 13-1 4" date: 1975; 357 magnum. It has the smoothest action and awesome accuracy.

But for the times when the P220 isn't practical for carrying, I always used my FEG AP-MBP 7.65 (32 auto). (Walther PPK Clone). As long as you fed it european ammo, (I prefer Fiocchi or S&B); the gun was as reliable and dependable as could be. I never had 2nd thoughts about trusting it as a tool to protect my life. But I never really had a #2 gun behind my SigSauer P220. The S&W 13-1 is a great primary home defense gun. (Along with the remington model 870 12 gauge). The P220 is a great personal carry gun for about 6-8 months out of the year. And the AP-MBP is a fantastic carry gun for those warmer months. But they weren't the ultimate standout. Then came along the CZ-82 9mm Makarov.

I bought this at a gun show about a month ago. Been researching a long time and just had to get one. The dealer I bought it from NEEDED items I had more than he needed this gun. So I got it for a very decent price. It's an older 5 digit serial number model that is in VG condition. I had a chance to shoot a couple of rounds (Literally), after buying and cleaning it. Just to make sure it worked. But I didn't get a real good chance to shoot it until today. IMPRESSED is not even coming close to what I think. I ran a box of Silver bear through it. A box of Brown bear through it. A box of Hornady XTP through it. And a box of Federal American Eagle. The only ones I didn't try but would have liked to was some S&B and some Fiocchi. (I'm a firm believer in Euro ammo for Euro guns; and USA ammo for USA guns). Anyhow; 175 rounds may not be a torture test, but there were no jams, misfires, feeding problems, or anything. The balance on the gun is amazing. With a magazine in, I can balance the gun with 1 finger. Muzzle jump is almost non-existent. And because of that; I could do practice maneuvers of shooting while I was moving, and still hit the paper plates (I like those as targets for defense practicing. It the right size of a chest cavity.) But most of all, the CZ-82 is one hell of an accurate pistol. In the old days we referred to it as "DOBA". (Dead-On Balls-Accurate). And this thing. It was one of the smoothest shooting guns I've ever shot. I could have stayed there and shot 500 rounds and I don't think it ever would have phased me. This is one of the sweetest guns I have ever shot. I would say that the only drawback with it, compared to a true Makarov, is it doesn't have a de-cocker. But because it does have a POSITIVE Trigger safety, which means the trigger MUST be continually pulled to fire; lowering the safety to put it back into double action mode is a very SAFE process. "It has a safety for (Cocked and Locked) but I have never been a fan of that. Especially with my 1911A1. But that's a different story). Anyway; lowering to double action is safe; and double action pull is so smooth on this. I don't even need to think about any Wolf spring kits for this baby.

Anyway; I have just made this pistol my #2 favorite. When the P220 is not used, the CZ-82 definitely will be the carry gun of choice. No gun can be an "All Around" gun for everything, so it's not replacing anything. But with the right ammo, it performs similar to low end 9mm's. I'm not a big believer that smaller calibers aren't affective. They definitely are if you LEARN how to shoot. But I bring it up because anyone interested in such a gun might try and discount it because they THINK it's too small. Definitely look into these guns. They are inexpensive. The ammo is one of the cheapest and AVAILABLE anywhere. (Gun stores and similar are expensive: $18-$24 a box. However; just about any place online has silver bear ammo for $9-$10 a box). Obviously nothing can really compare to the quality and craftsmanship of my Sig P220; and I won't compare the CZ-82 9mm makarov or the FEG AP-MBP 32auto to it. Different guns for different times. But when the czechs declined using the Russian Makarov in favor of developing their own version for the same caliber; believing that they could IMPROVE on the design and performance; they were dead on. Anyway; if anyone is interested in the CZ-82, it's a great gun and investment. My opinion doesn't mean squat; but I definitely recommend this gun. And am very excited and glad that I bought it.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Yeah, that happens, I have an XD 40, love it, nice shooting, accurate

Then the 82 came along, Of course it could be the couple thousand rounds I got, just can't really part with the last couple boxes of .40, not at these prices. Funny thing is that I can't find 9, 45 is starting to show up again locally, I was present when the last .380 in state was sold, may have some more now. But at least half the gun shops (not the big stores) have 9 mak.

 

[christcorp]

I've always been attracted to military weapons first; police/LE second; and then the rest whenever. That's why even though there are a lot of fans of the Secamp and Rugers in the 32auto pocket guns, I refer the Walther PPK or the Hungarian FEG AP-MBP. Their military and police used them and the reliability factor is simply unbelievable. Same with my Springfield Armory 1911A1 mid 1980's mil spec. and my W. German Sig P220. I think the CZ-82 is more proof of good quality workmanship when building a weapon for soldiers and police to protect life and country with. Are there some bad military and/or police/LE weapons out there? Most definitely. But most of them are much better. I know most of the weapon manufacturers have police/military contracts. Glock, SW, Beretta, etc... But it seems like the weapons that were made PRIMARILY for military or police use; and later sold as surplus; are of a much better quality.

And the CZ-82 is no exception. Steel frame; reliable; shoots everything; etc... Granted, the military doesn't use hand guns as a primary weapon, but the czechs made a handgun that people could rely on if needed. And one hell of a carry weapon. (I love small calibers, but I prefer larger guns). I.e. Walther PPK/FEG 32auto over a mousegun pocket pistol. While I hope more people find the value in the CZ-82; I hope not so many that the bear type ammo goes from $9-$10 a box to $20 a box.

 

[krs]

Well, I have two CZ-82's.

One of them, serial number 078815 WILL NOT feed any of the hollow point ammo of the 'bear' maker. (I was able to widen and polish the bullet path a little and that got me pretty good feeding with the narrower bullet that they have but that type with the great big hollow still won't feed through that pistol). It's fine with FMJ ammo. I've tried this pistol with four different mags with same result.

The other later pistol, serial number 082022 has not had any problems feeding whatever type of ammo I have, either brown, silver, or cuddly baby whatever bear, and would merit the sort of enthusiasm you're displaying.

Both of them have +5% Wolff recoil springs installed.

So, what happened? I don't KNOW of course, but it seems to me that there was a transition or change in the design of the pistol between my two serial numbers that was done to facilitate feeding HP ammo.

The area that I worked is the ramp in the frame. Just to the sides, and less than .010" per side, done evenly and then polished to about a 400 grit. I might go into it a little more but to tell the truth I don't use the older one. The newer one is better looking - in fact it appears to be near new, a couple of tiny paint chips but otherwise good.

I gave the numbers above because I've been curious as to whether the change could be narrowed down, or to find whether my older pistol is something else, like maybe there was a different replacement frame, or maybe a step left out, or some reason. Is it some kind of 'factory second" that wasn't meant to be in service at all? I've never seen any sort of related explanation or verification that there was a "Gen I" and a "Gen II".

 

[CZF]

Those surplus guns are an economical way for people to experience CZ ergonomics and quality.


You can't beat the price of the CZ82 or the Hornady XTP in those guns.

Add some Nites and wooden grips, and you will have an even better shooter!

I've owned a blued CZ83 and a Satin Nik 83 in 9mm Mak, back in the old days when CCI offered cheap MAK ammo.



Now I'm lured into getting a VZ82 at a decent price sometime this Summer or fall.

-I don't really need to add another caliber to my 9mm/10mm lineup, but they are such sweet guns.

-I'll probably pick up a spare barrel in .380 (CZ-USA) for it, too.

 

[christcorp]

kras: My cz-82 is a 1985 serial number of 010xxx; so it's one of the original productions. They started in 1982 through 1993. So I assume they were producing about 4000-5000 per year. They might have beefed up production later on. But 10xxx in 1985 would show that many. Anyway; it definitely fed everything I through at it. Also; my cz-82 is as VG condition as it could possibly be. It's easy to see that it hasn't been re-painted. I know blow-back guns have limits; but it seems that some of the ammo manufacturers use to have 115 and 120 grain bullets. Seems like all there is currently is the 94/95 grain bear, wolf, hornady, winchester, S&B, Fiocchi, and american eagle. There's probably something else out there, just can't seem to find anything hotter. Most all of the ammo is around 1000-1033 fps and between 205-210 ft/lbs. However, the silver bear hollow points do claim a 255 ft/lbs. Whether they're as good a hollow point as the hornady xtp, I don't know. Usually, ft/lbs (energy) seems to be a mathematical formula of velocity and bullet weight. So I'm not sure how 2 bullets of 94-95 grains; both doing 1000 fps can vary in energy with one being 205 and the other 255 ft/lbs. Unless they are measuring them from different weapons. But velocity and mass still equals energy. Oh well.

I'd still like to find some fiocchi. The FMJ is rated at 1100 fps and 265 ft/lbs. That's about the hottest I think I'll find. But for hollow points, I guess the silver bear is the hottest. (If the claims are true). And with nato 9mm luger in the 300-350 ft/lbs area, and the 380 auto in the 190 ft/lb area, I'm quite happy with the performance of the 9mm makarov in the cz-82.

 

[nathan]

My daily carry is the Glock 23. if i go biking , I prefer a smaller package . the russian IJ 18 makarov is my choice . Sometimes ai carry the Cz 82 loaded with Barnaul HPs.

 

[krs]

christcorp,

The ammo that gave me problems is/was Barnaul from "JSC Barnaul Machine-Tool Plant, Made in Russia". It's a 95 grain hollow point. It has and does feed well through all of my Makarov pistols, four EG guns, and through the later of my two CZ82's. Only the one gun with issues, so maybe it is a symptom of age. If I didn't have 12 boxes, 600 rounds of it left I probably never would have thought much about it's feeding in that pistol.

I still have three boxes of 120 grain Silver Bear hollow points. I've shot up a ton of that but slowed down when I realized that it isn't being offered anymore - at least not from my usual places.

The pistol with issues has never bothered me much. It's just been a curiousity, as I said. Now knowing that there were plenty that preceded it shoots down the idea that there might have been a production change to explain this oddity, so thanks for that.

 

[christcorp]

Definitely strange. One thing I would try (Because I like experimenting. It to SWAP slides between the two guns. See if it's an extractor/ejector/etc... issue. Might not fix a thing; but it's a 20 Second experiment. And if it does appear to be something in the slide, you can experiment with changing out some of the parts. If it's not in the slide, it would have to be either where the magazine reaches the feed; or the ramp/barrel itself.

By chance, have you ever done any experimenting to determine if the 120 grain Silver Bear was any stouter or more potent than the current stuff? Mike.....

 

[christcorp]

I went out again today to test a pistol a friend was having problems feeding (AMT Backup 380); "Duh, that's half the problem". Anyway; I decided to take a few handguns with me to play while I was there.

I decided to give the CZ-82 some real accuracy tests. Let's just say I got bored and frustrated because by the time I was done with 12 rounds (1 magazine); I had to replace the target. (ALL I HAD WAS ONE BIG HOLE). My SigSauer P220 can come close to that, but with only 7 rounds in the magazine, it's usually pretty easy to count 7 holes. 20-30 feet is where I normally practice defensive handgun firing. The CZ-82 is definitely one of the most consistent pistols I've ever shot. As with all fixed site pistols; you have to figure out your aim. But once you do, this pistol hits the same spot every time. With my friend's AMT backup I was testing, no matter where I aimed, it was still more point than aim. Yes, the entire clip would be on the target, so Center of Mass would be good; but I love the way the CZ-82 places the round where I aim. It's not a Sig, but it sure is a fine weapon.

 

[colt1903]

Just received my Marschal grips turning my 82 from this:

To this:

 

[MrFox]

My daily carry is a CZ82 in a Cross Breed Super Tuck. With a the Beltman belt. I have tried and tried to replace it, but it isn't going anywhere.

 

[christcorp]

Colt; them there some fine lookin grips. Eventually I might get some marschals. Even the $50 isn't that bad. But I really do prefer hogue/pac type rubber grips. No one seems to have any for the CZ82. I was actually thinking of getting a spare set of the original plastics and do some experimenting with so liquid electrical tape. They have a spray on and brush on version. There's also a type that was intended for dipping the metal handles of tools into; like needle nose pliers; to make them rubberized and safe around electricity. It's a thin enough coat to not affect the handling too much. Might be worth a try with a spare set of grips. My other thought is a sheet of "Heat Sync" and melted onto the plastic grips. But those are definitely beautiful looking grips.

Fox; I've definitely made my CZ-82 my primary carry weapon this time of the year. In winter, I'll probably go back to my Sig P220 45acp. Partly because I love the gun, part because with more and thicker clothes on, I think the 45acp would be a better choice. But in the summer when everyone; including the bad guys are wearing mainly a normal thin shirt and no jacket, the cz-82 is perfect.

Oh, and for those who carry; if you get a Levi's Denim Jacket; possibly a few other denim jacket manufacturers; the jacket has 2 large and deep inside pockets. With a little velcro on my holster and some sewn on the inside of the inside pocket, the jacket makes for a PERFECT concealed weapon jacket. The CZ-82 as well as many other guns adapt perfectly. And because there's 2 pockets, one on each side, even left handed tarts like myself can have a decent casual concealed weapons jacket.

 

[Pyzon]

Ditto all the positive 82 opinions.

MrFox-did you order the supertuck as listed for the model 83 ?

And Colt1903-what wood and finish are those grips ? I will put in the order as soon as I read your reply. I've been ogilng them for long enough.

 

[Dr_2_B]

Man I gotta get me one of them. I go back and forth on the caliber though. Seems some days I feel like it's enough and others I don't.

Still, sounds like the deal right now is unbeatable.

 

[colt1903]

They are the checkered Walnut with the red finish.

 

[christcorp]

Dr 2 B. Here's the deal on the CZ-82 and more specifically the caliber. It stronger than a 380 (Which is considered a respectable carry caliber). It's on the lower end of traditional 9mm parabellum. It is definitely a good caliber. Especially with some nice Hornady or Silver Bear Hollow Points.

Second. The price of the gun is around $200. (Might be going up a little in some places, but can still be found for around $200). The ammo is plentiful. There are at least 3 places online currently that you can get the ammo for around $10 a box. (Don't buy it at the local shop unless it's for the hornady XT hollow points. FMJ winchesters will cost over $20. The reason I bring up the price, is because if for NO OTHER REASON; if for every box of 9mm makarov silver bear that you shoot INSTEAD OF 45acp, 357mag, 380, etc... You will be saving $10-$15 a box over those other calibers. Around 15 boxes of ammo later; YOU'VE PAID FOR THE GUN!!!! You maintain proficiency. You keep on practicing. You have a lot of fun. And you don't go broke trying to pay to feed your 45acp, 357, 45lc, 380, 40sw, etc... So financially, it's actually a fantastic investment. The ONLY better deal is to buy a Tokarev in the 7.62x25 caliber. The gun is about the same price but the ammo is only about $6 for a box of 50. (1200 rounds is = to 24 boxes of 50; at $130; = $5.42 a box of 50; add s/h and it's about $6 a box. Plus, the 7.62x25 can LITERALLY go through car doors. Except for the 357 mag and 44 mag, just about nothing else can touch it.

Here is the warning however. I am warning you that if you get the CZ-82; not the PA63, P64, or Makarov; (Even though these are all fine guns); but the CZ-82 that we are speaking of; you WILL NOT WANT TO PUT IT DOWN!!!!! You will want to carry it. You will feel quite comfortable making it your carry gun. You will realize how good a quality military guns can be. Especially this one. Don't get me wrong. It's not my Sig P220 and it's not a 45acp. But I've always believed that shot placement is more important than caliber. I have no problem carrying a 32acp, this 9mm mak, or my 45acp. But even though this is not my P220, the accuracy is so damn good on it; and the ALL STEEL frame takes away all kick. It is truly one of the best guns I've ever shot. And that I can shoot it for $9.50 a box of 50 makes it that much better. You've been warned. If you buy it and are able to shoot weekly again or more than you use to because you fell in love with the gun and the ammo is cheap and available; that's NOT MY FAULT!!!! I warned you.

 

[GZOh_Jr]

Christcorp, you and I are thinking exactly alike on preference for rubber grips. I, too, was thinking about toying with some of that liquid tool handle rubber--so let us all know how it works out if you try it.

My dream is that someone will make a fully knurled and molded rubber CZ82 grip, modeled after those on the CZ75 Stainless. One can hope...

 

[CZF]

The nice thing about the CZ83/82 is that it is high capacity for a .380.
low recoil makes it easy to get rapid hits on targets.

Those guns would RULE if they were in 9mm.
That said"


As for caliber:

I personally don't trust .380 or 9mm Mak unless I have a lot of
bullets in the mag. 13 is enough for me.

Having carried my Cz83 and the MAK 83 for a few summers
before the RAMI came along.

I felt a bit under-gunned, but not by much with the Hornady XTP
in 9 MAK.

However, I was pretty much seduced by the 9mm RAMI by first look and
wed to it by first touch.

Haven't carried anything else for any longer than a couple days (for review) since!

Still, the surplus Vz82s are a great way to get into CZs!

 

[christcorp]

OUCH!!!!

Sorry CZF, but you hit the 2 areas that I'm passionate about. And that's OK, because we all have opinions, and neither is better than the other. I personally believe in "Shot Placement". Not counting the CZ-82, I have absolutely no problem carrying a 32auto as a concealed carry in the summer months. I feel just as comfortable as I do with my SigSauer P220 45acp. Yes, BIGGER calibers mean a bigger hole and damage, but in the smaller calibers, I see no significant difference in the 32, 380, 9mm mak, or 9mm luger. Yes, with more powder and power, you get more penetration with the 9mm luger; but with proper ammo and shot placement, even the 32auto is perfectly acceptable. But again, just my opinion.

As for the "Higher Magazine Capacity" of the CZ-82; I find that to be a totally NON-ISSUE. I feel just as comfortable with a 7-8 shot Walther/FEG 32acp or a 7-8 shot P220 45acp. We are not police officers or similar LE. We don't engage in "Offensive" shooting encounters like law enforcement does. We aren't breaking down drug dealers front doors; walking into a gang situation; aggressively confronting an armed robbery; etc... For self/home defense, the 6-8 rounds in a traditional revolver/semi-auto is quite sufficient. If you can't defend with the 6-8 rounds, then you should have used one of your other tools and you shouldn't even be there. You should find the gun that feels the most comfortable; shoots the most comfortable; shoots the most accurate; and easiest to handle. Then, figure out if you can afford it. (For the gun enthusiast, we have MANY guns, so certain variables aren't important). But for the person with only 1-2 guns for self/home defense, the gun that's right for you and is comfortable and accurate is what's important. If it happens to have 12, 15, of 18 rounds; fine. If it only has 6-8 rounds; that's fine too. Then again, if a person only had 1 or 2 guns for self/home defense, I'd be recommending the MOST VERSATILE caliber of ALL handguns. That would be a 357 magnum revolver. Then you can be as light as a 380 or heavier than a 45acp. But for capacity or caliber; shot placement is more important. Which means practice and proficiency. And the 9mm mak is definitely a suitable caliber for defensive. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I had an 83, sort of regret selling it but I got 30$ more than I paid for it and I had a line on a BDA. later I got a Makarov at a pawn for 120$ with a spare mag I carry when lightly dressed. they are both good shooters.

 

[Doug Barclay]

My own experience with the CZ 82

Purchased three CZ 82's awhile back and haven't been disappointed. All were in VG condition, but have made them even better looking by relacquering the slide portion in black. Wasn't up to going beyond field stripping with my limited expertise. Fired two of them last week and was pleased not to experience any hang ups or misfires while going through three magazines. As others have stated, these are extremely well made. Among the three two were manufactured in 1987 and the third in 1984. I've noticed lately that the supply of these fine military firearms seems to be drying up?

 

[christcorp]

I've heard of many people refinishing these guns. Like you, I am totally uncomfortable doing a complete strip down so I can parkerize or coat it. I saw one picture of one a person did. All they did was strip it all the way down to bare metal. He liked it so well that he left it like that. I was thinking of doing the same thing. I took one of the grips off so I could take some fine sandpaper to the metal and take off the black paint. It looked pretty good. I'm just trying to decide if I want to take down the entire gun to shiny steel. Any thoughts?????

 

[Hammerhead6814]

To everyone here: Once you get a CZ82, hang onto it. Trust me, you will miss it horribly. I sold mine and used the money to purchase a 1911 awhile back, and I've been longing for it ever since.

Read to next bold if you don't want to read a story:

The 1911 is nice, only it's been twice as expensive. Buying either foreign or domestic 9x18 ammunition for the 82 was a joy, I never payed more than thirteen dollars. The 1911 is averaging $29 a box right now, I can't find a box under $23, anywhere.

It recoils much harder, and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it's "aftermarket" Novak sights. The recoil issue I haven't the slightest idea, but the sight's have been nothing but a chore and a drain in my wallet. I spent ten bucks buying some tools to adjust them, and no matter what I couldn't seem to find a "sweet spot". A shop owner explained the problem: whoever installed the Novak's didn't install the recommended front sight to go with the rear, the front is simply to short to line up with the rear sights! It's finally broken me and I'm taking it to a professional smith this weekend to get the sight's either replaced or adjusted, whichever comes cheapest. Cheapest, because I had to sink $80 for new bushings for the damn grip screws! Removing the screws only a few times to change out a set or grips I bought, because I liked the look of wood better than wrap-around rubber, destroyed the threading. So I tried to remove them, and then I couldn't get them back in. Once removed, a smith found that not only were the bushing's bad, but apparently they had been cutting their way in and out of the magazine well. So in went new, oversized stainless steel bushings that had to be loc-tight'ed into place.

Magazines for the 82 were impossible to find in a store, and hard to top-off. I finally did figure out I had some Socialist State Compliant 10 rounders, the 12's were not anymore friendly trying to top-off, but hey, I paid $15 per magainze. My 1911 simply does not like G.I. magazines, so I paid $20 a piece for two 8-round mech-gar magazines, and $30 for a ten-round McCormicks. But compared to how the Armscor 1911 tends to double feed with any magazine, or fail to feed properly, I loved those damn 10 rounders.


In short: Just because a design is a classic, like the 1911, doesn't mean I should have given up a good thing (the 82) for this pain-in-the-ass money-sink I'm dealing with now. The 82 had missing paint, it was uglier than sin, and no-one makes new rubber or plastic grips for it, and it can't mount a rail for a laser or light, but you know what? It worked and it didn't bitch, I never spent a penny to make it work properly, and removing the grips doesn't strip anything or require a gunsmith to make it function. The 1911 is just pissing me off.

Money spent buying the CZ-82 with FFL Transfer: $220
Amount spent since purchase including ammunition: $50

Money spent buying the 1911 without FFL Transfer: $400
Amount spent since: $170. NOT INCLUDING AMMUNITION, which brings the total since to around $290.

 

[Doug Barclay]

CC: It didn't seem to impact the finished job by lacquering right over the existing lacquer. I did use some 00 gauge steel wool in places and again between two or three spray coats, but the color and finish matched well with the bottom half of the gun. If the finished gloss is excessive you can use some very light steel wool action to improve the match....On another matter I found a dandy mag loader in UpLULA's Universal Pistol Loader. Dumb me took a while to figure it out, but now I can pop rounds in about the same time it takes to talk about it. A bit pricey at $25.00, but I think you could even load sea shells with it. It came from MidwayUSA who had them back ordered last I heard.