help me decide CZ / XD

[Matthew_Q]

So... I have a bonus coming up next month, and I want a new pistol.

I've been itching for a hicap 9mm. I'd really been looking into the CZ 75. I love the look, and the price can't be beat. Hicaps still available for not too much $$. Good reputation.

Well, for some reason this morning, I thought "why not look at an XD?" Buddy had one a while ago, and I got to shoot a few mags with it. I liked the way it feels (same grip angle as 1911, which I'm very familiar with) in my hand. I was fairly accurate with it, too. Kinda strange trigger ( to me), but I liked it. I'm not a fan of Glocks, so I won't consider one anyway. (friend had a G23 and it was a jammomatic, plus when it did work, I didn't like the way the recoil felt) Tactical tupperware had left a bad taste in my mouth, but the XD made me think, "I might have to get one of these one day!"

So I'll be able to afford either. I'll be able to get hicaps for either (for the XD, use Beretta 92 mags with a minor mod).

Can you guys give me some feedback to help me decide? (I know, if I asked this at ar15.com, they'd say 'GET BOTH!'... I'd love to, and maybe eventually I'll have both) I'm sure both are great pistols.

Intended use would be IDPA and backup for carbine matches. Little to no CCW. Possible time in my nightstand for home defense.

Thanks!

 

[George Hill]

Both are solid choices.
In this case... Flip a coin.

 

[SoDFW Jason]

Hard choice. I've never owned a CZ but I only hear good things about them. I do own XDs and I love them.

 

[Futo Inu]

Don't forget, you can also use .40s&w mags in the 9mm XD, and stuff them with 9mm instead - reports are that they work fine and hold about 13-14. Disclaimer - I've seen reports on the web that there's a BATFE letter that says this is not illegal, but I'm no lawyer. Well, OK, I am a lawyer, but not an expert on this legal subject. The CZ75 I briefly had shot like a dream in shootability/accuracy dept, so I'd say, go rent both and see if the XD is as accurate for you.

 

[Matthew_Q]

I heard about the XD40 mags. I could give that a try. I'm really leaning to the XD. I'll have to check out both at the gunshow this weekend. Sadly, I won't have the $$ for maybe a month or so.

 

[CZ52GUY]

CZ is better for high cap...

After reviewing the comments at the XD Forum (www.xdtalk.com), the XD-40 mag's in 9mm are not nearly as reliable as Factory Highcaps or even CTD aftermarkets in a CZ-75B (as reported at the CZ Forum www.czforum.com).

Don't get me wrong, XD is a great pistol, but if High Cap availability and reliability is a priority, you can't go wrong with the CZ-75B (great pistol, one of my favorites).

If you like the XD better, than you can try the XD-40's, but it's not as safe a bet as factory mag's.

Good luck and safe shooting,

CZ52'

 

[Jesse H]

I own both.

CZ I can shoot more accurately, probably because it's better balanced and has a longer sight picture. Very mild recoil.

HS2000(XD) fits my paws better, and it points very naturally.

I don't think you can go wrong with either. I choose the HS for carry and CZ for range use...although I wouldn't hesitate to use either or if it weren't for the larger aftermarket sights on my CZ.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. I prefer the CZ and shoot it better than the XD.

Best.

 

[litework]

The XD40 mags work wonderfully in the XD9. I've not heard of any of these mag problems from the guys/gals on that forum. I think the Beretta mags can cause the ejector to break if you don't make sure there is sufficient clearance. I know that my XD357 mags work wonderfully in the XD9; so much so that I don't use the restricted capacity mags that came with the XD9.

 

[NevadaPistolero]

Dont use other makers mags in the XD, you can get .40 cal XD mags that will load up with 9mm. other peoples mags will break the ejector on the XD, the mag lips stick up to high. I own an XD in 357sig and love it. Its my daily carry gun now.

 

[Ky Larry]

I haven't shot the XD but all I hear about it is positive. I own several CZ's (75B,75BD, PCR, and an 83 on order) and they are all great. Buy the one that feels best first. Then start saving for the other.
Shoot well and often.

 

[CZ52GUY]

From XDTALK Forum FAQ's...

http://www.hs2000talk.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=003013

Q. Someone told me that high capacity magazines are available for the XD/HS pistols. Aren't hi-cap mags illegal to use in a post ban gun?
A. No, but let me explain. There is no such thing as a pre or post ban pistol unless that pistol is otherwise classified as an assault weapon. The assault weapon ban banned the manufacturing of hi-capacity (more than 10 round) magazines except for government/police use and export. Hi-cap pistol magazines made before the manufacturing ban are not illegal to possess or use in any pistol. This of course also depends upon state and local hi-cap laws. But generally you can use any legal hi-cap mag that will fit into the pistol.

Q. So what hi-cap mags will fit in a XD/HS?
A. Forum members here have found that Beretta 92,
Taurus 92/99, Sig 226 and S&W 5900 series mags will fit the 9mm versions of the XD/HS. It is presumed that the 40 cal versions of the above mags will also fit. This includes aftermarket versions of the mentioned mags as well. I have used 17 round aftermarket Taurus mags in my XD40 and they hold 12 rounds which is what the LEO mags hold.

Q. Ok, so I can just slide those bad boys home and I am good to go?
A. Not quite. Most of the mags mentioned have to be modified by cutting or opening up a hole in the front of the mag for the mag release. This can be done by holding the mag up to a factory mag and make the appropriate measurements.

Be aware that other maker's mags do not fit flush with the bottom of the grip so there is some gap. Because they don’t sit flush there is a tendency by idiots and brothers-in-law, to slap them home which has in some cases broken the ejector on some guns if said idiot isn’t paying attention. Also, the follower in these mags are different and may not hold open the slide after the last shot.

Q. Isn't it illegal to use a modified magazine in another pistol?
A. No. The law says you can’t manufacture a hi-cap mag. It also says that as long as the mag is still usable in the original gun then putting an extra hole in it is not considered manufacturing.

Q.It doesn't sound like using aftermarket mags or other mags do much good if they break the gun or don't hold open the slide or function well.
A. Hey, that's not a question! Ok, some members have swapped the followers from the factory mags and have added an “O†ring or inner tube around the mag bottom to fill in the gap. This seems to work well. Use these mags for range use if you are unsure of their reliability.

Q.Isn't there any other way to get hi-cap mags for the HS/XD?
A. As a matter of fact there is another way. Several ways actually. The first is if you are a police officer, you can get police/govt hi-caps directly from Springfield Armory. I understand that cops can swap their 10 rounders even up for 15 round mags 9mm mags or 12 round XD40/357 mags directly from Springfield.

The second way, at least for the 9mm pistols is to load 9mms into the XD40/XD357 mags. They hold 15 rounds. And yes, the 40 and 357 mags are identical except for the markings.

Q. No way! That's got to be illegal. How can you use a post ban mag as a hi-cap?
A. Yes way! It is not illegal. The law is about manufacturing post ban hi-caps not using regular mags as hi-caps. This question has been asked about a zillion times and looked up often enough to recite the law in our sleep. I believe ATF has a whole filing cabinet just on XD owners asking the same friggin’ question over and over. Also be aware that it depends on your state or local government what you are allowed to play with. Here is a link to letter from ATF about this very
subject:http://members.aol.com/hs2000fanatic/letter.pdf

Q. Ok, the good news is that you can use them. What's the bad news?
A. The bad news is that when fully loaded they do not drop free from the grip. Second, the feed lips are made for a .40 (10mm) cartridge and may be a little wide for the 9mm. Forum members have found that sometimes these mags won’t feed the last round in the mag. This because the wider lips allows the thinner 9mm to ride higher in the magazine which allows the follower to contact the slide stop. This can be fixed by squeezing the mag lips a fraction. But don’t fix it if it doesn’t need it. Some mags work fine right off the shelf. Oh, and squeezing the mag lips is not manufacturing either so don't even ask.

Q.I bought some XD40 mags for my XD9 and can only get 12 or 13 rounds of 9mm in them. Are they defective?
A.Probably not. XD/HS mags are notoriously hard to load. Best way is to bang the mag on something firm to seat the rounds. Usually this makes the rounds slip in together which allows the other couple rounds to be loaded.

Good luck, and safe shooting,

CZ52'

 

[OneShot]

My XD has been flawless now for over 5000 rounds. It has become my favorite handgun to shoot.

I haven't shot the CZ so I can't comment on it--Rob

 

[litework]

In all probability, many XD9 owners are using XD40 or XD357 Sig mags in their pistols. There is a member on the XD forum that sells XD40 mags with the modification for "20-something" dollars so there must be some demand for modified mags or the service wouldn't be offered. I don't think you'll be able to find brand new, high capacity (std capacity) mags for that price. I haven't experienced any of the other problems described in the thread, and I use all four of my XD357 mags in my 9mm without modification, and I get a full 15 round capacity. I agree that high capacity mags are better than restricted mags used as high capacity mags; I don't think they're unreliable though. I kind of like being able to tell how many rounds are in the mag with a visual inspection. I will make this sacrifice to get cheap factory mags that work. If we do our part, by this time next year XD40 mags in an XD9 won't be necessary any longer.

 

[.45Ruger]

XD or CZ

I would say get both. It's a little more wxpenive but hey you get two guns.

 

[Josey]

Hey 1 more for XD-9.

 

[12 Volt Man]

Very tough call. I own both, and would recommend either to anyone. Great guns! Because I am a CZ guy at heart, if someone said I could only have one, I would keep the CZ
You might see if there is a range where you can rent and shoot both. See what you shoot better.

 

[chaim]

I own a CZ 75B which I absolutely love. Very reliable and extremely accurate. Great gun.

I've shot a range rental XD9 a few times when it was available (since sold I think). It was an abused range gun and it never failed (I have shot hundreds of rounds through it). I really do like that gun and I found it quite accurate too. I would love to own one eventually (not currently available in MD anymore, no built-in lock, I'd love to find one still around from pre-1/03, otherwise I have to wait until I leave the state).

With those two great choices, I guess it boils down to which you like and shoot the best.

 

[PCRCCW]

You guys know how this is gonna go...dont you Ive , um...er, shot a couple of CZ's. Ive only been exposed to the XD as a rental and finally 12Volts..which is very very nice. Its one of my favorite Poly framed guns. Hands down better than the CZ100.....anyway.

The great thing is both guns are 100 percent in reliability, accuracy, etc.
The CZ is on the more comfy side of things in my hands and I like that alot.
The XD is very blocky in the slide...almost too much so for my taste..but thats just my taste.....

The CZ gets my vote.

Shoot well ..either way youll love the gun

 

[Matthew_Q]

Well guys, thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming!

I think I'm in for a TOUGH decision. I really like both of them, and I'm sure eventually, I'll have both. But I can only afford one in the near future. There are very tangible benefits to either, in my mind. It may just come down to flipping a coin!

However, I may wait to mull it over longer. I have a buddy at work that wants to buy one of my rifles, and I've been thinking about using that money to get a bolt action .308 for hunting and long range paper punching. I'll still have that bonus next month, so I can get the pistol out of that.

I will go this weekend to the local gunshow and see if I can handle both of them. If one is markedly more comfortable to me, then that one will likely win out.

 

[bblmelt]

cz

Love my CZ

 

[CZ52GUY]

re: Comfort...

I went with the Hogues on the CZ'...several guys over at XDTALK have used the Hogue Handalls with some "customizing" required to accommodate the grip safety.

My CZ-75B w/Hogues attached...


Good luck whatever you decide, and safe shooting!

CZ52'

 

[railroader]

I have both and I can say I like them equally. I like the grip better on the XD but the cz is more accurate. Both are very reliable. I use XD 40 mags in my XD9(HS2000 actually). You can get them pre tweeked on the XD forum for $23.50 delivered and they work great and they are legal. Pick either one and you won't be sorry. Mark

 

[Jeff C]

As others have said...you really can't go wrong with either gun.

I had a HS2000 (the original XD) that I enjoyed. I sold it because I just couldn't fall in love with it for some reason. It NEVER failed, but it never impressed me either.

I have owned my PCR for about 18 months and have fallen in love with the way this gun feels, and shoots.

Today I picked up my first full size CZ...a 75B-SA in 9mm for a "range gun". If this thing shoots as good as my PCR I'm sure it will stay with me for my lifetime.

If a gun doesn't fit, doesn't shoot the way I want...I sell it and move on. Life is too short to settle for 2nd best...in my hands. Same thing if it's not reliable...it's gone.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

Jeff C.

 

[Brad Johnson]

XD

After 8000+ rounds through my XD 9 I highly recommend it.

I use XD40 mags. They hold 15 rounds of 9 without a problem. I had to "massage" the feed lips a tad (like .050) to get the last round to feed reliably. The mags have worked without any trouble ever since.

Another goody is the price. I don't know what CZ high-caps sell for, but you can buy XD 40 mags all day long for $20-$22 out the door. Lose or ding one? No big deal. My dealer keeps 'em in stock and he's less than 5 minutes from my front door.

Brad