New Sphinx AT84S (CZ clone)

[Marko Kloos]

This critter followed me home from the local GunHaus today. It's a Sphinx AT84S, a Swiss clone of the CZ-75.

These are the nicest CZ variant I have seen so far. The fit and finish are flawless, and the pistol has a very smooth and solid feel to the action. I've been looking for a decent CZ for a while, so this fits the bill nicely. Price over the curb was $375 including a 15-round preban mag.

 

[Tamara]

Gosh, that's a pretty tasty piece at that price; must've been part of a pretty hella package deal...

 

[Handy]

Nice! Great at that price. Was it new? It would be my CZ choice.

What mag is it supposed to work in it, CZ or Tanfoglio? I had once heard Tanfoglio made some of the parts, but never got that rumor nailed down.

Since CZ mags won't work in a Italian clone and Sphinx mags are rare, mag compatability could be an issue.

 

[Tamara]

Baby Eagle hi-caps seem to fit fine, although they hang about .01" out the bottom. They lock the slide back and drop free; I'm anxiously awaiting a feed reliability report myself...

 

[Handy]

I checked around. These things are normally pushing the $600 mark.

Tamara, nice to hear from you. Don't you like moderating autoloader boards anymore?

 

[Tamara]

Handy,

Shooters of round-in-the-middle guns are normally so much less contentious, and less likely to be hung up on the quest for The One True Sword...

 

[Handy]

Yeah, that's probably true, but revolvers suck.








(You know I'm kidding, right?)

 

[CZF]

ExCzellent Find! i'm sure it will shoot even better than it looks.

 

[PCRCCW]

Way nice on a way nicer gun.....the only clone that out classes the teacher....LOL
I found a Gorgeous Tanfoglio Compact 9mm....driven to church on sunday type condition yesterday for around 225$ With a hi cap.
Needless to say I put it on layaway.....
Shoot well.....

 

[rufe-snow]

Sir, I have a pistol identical to yours that I purchased new in 1987. The name is "ACTION ARMS AT-84" .
This pistol is a CZ 75 clone assembled in Switzerland from "EARLY" production parts manufactured by Tanfoglio in Italy.
The Swiss Government stopped the assembly/manufacture of these pistols by ITM of Solothurn Switzerland because they were being marketed in various 3rd world countries for paramilitary use.
The SPHINX is also CZ clone produced in Switzerland, after the demise of the ITM company at the hands of the Swiss Government. There not the same pistols!
Unfortunately my experience with the AT-84 hasn't been positive. I have found over the years that some of the parts are on the soft side, and have learned that Tanfoglio had brought out a upgrade in 1988 to remedy this.
Hopefully you won't experience the same problems I have.

 

[arinvolvo]

I have always thought that the CZs were 1911/hi power clones...and now I see there is a clone of a clone....

Regardless, that thing looks like a real excellent piece of work, and the price is amazing!!

Congrats on your new purchase! Let us know how well it cuts the paper!

 

[Handy]

Since a HiPower and a 1911 have little in common, how could you have a clone of both of them?

The CZ shares more lineage with the Sig 210 than any other single pistol. It is no more a clone of anything than any other post 1911 pistol design is.

 

[arinvolvo]

I was not saying that they are a clone in function....just in form...the CZ looks a bit like the bastard son of a Hi power, and a 1911.

But still a wonderful looking gun.

 

[Tamara]

Handy,

The CZ shares more lineage with the Sig 210 than any other single pistol. It is no more a clone of anything than any other post 1911 pistol design is.

Oh, I dunno... Given its overall lines and mechanical form, those who call it "a double-action High Power" don't seem too crazy to me...

 

[Handy]

Well then so is every other Browning lock up auto.

S&W, Ruger, Star, Tokarev, Radom, Ruger, Bernadelli, Glock, Sig, USP, etc, etc.

Accept all of those are actually mechanically more similar to a Browning design in the frame rails.


An AK47 would then be a Garand clone.

 

[Tamara]

Handy,

Oh, come on! I ain't talking about the fact that it's short-recoil operated with a tilting barrel, I'm talking about its slim slide, deeply-scooped backstrap, general lines, hammer shape, trigger linkage, sillhouette (especially with the old 1st gen CZ75s).

The fact that the two pistols can use the same holsters ain't coincidence...

(BTW, Glock, Ruger and USP use the SIG [or modified Browning, if you prefer] lockup. See why I prefer hanging in the revolver forum? You kids... )

 

[Handy]

I guess I can't get over the frame being wider than the slide. But I'm getting counseling.

 

[Tamara]

There is that.

Inside rails, outside rails, toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe.

 

[WESHOOT2]

MAGS IN WITNESSES

I run CZ mags in my two small-frame Witnesses.
Perfect.

Your results may vary.

 

[dairycreek]

lendringser!

Would much appreciate a range report after you have had the chance to put a decent number of rounds throught it. Good shooting

 

[hansolo]

Clone wars

I wonder which group has more body-piercings?

A.) Wheelgunners
B.) Autoloaders

 

[modifiedbrowning]

Did I hear(see?) my name?

 

[Marko Kloos]

You're right...it's not a Sphinx. ITM Solothurn was later absorbed into Sphinx, but the AT-84S came out way before the demise of ITM.

I had one 15-rounder with it, and I bought two Baby Eagle pre-bans which fit fine. The Baby Eagle mags stick out of the magwell just a tiny bit...seems they are about 1/10th of an inch taller than AT-84 mags. They do lock the slide back, and I can cycle rounds by hand just fine. Tomorrow is range day for me, and I'll test the function for all three mags.

Two nice things about the AT-84S...it fits my hand extremely well, and it fits into just about every pistol holster I own (except for 1911 rigs). The slim slide profile makes it compatible with a whole lot of pistol rigs...I tried my Galco Miami Classic for a P226, and the Mitch Rosen ARG for a S&W auto, and they both hold the AT-84 without excess play.

The low bore axis and relatively hefty weight should make it very pleasant to shoot, and I've heard nothing but good things about the accuracy of most CZ-75 pattern guns. It's like my beloved Browning HP with the added convenience of a DA trigger. If this thing turns out reliable tomorrow, it probably has a glowing future as a carry piece.

 

[CZ-75]

A man to ask would be Stephen Camp.

Try looking over on the CZ forums for more info.

I own one of these in hard chrome and I paid about what you did.

I've heard that extractors can break on these, but haven't fired mine enough to tell.

Tanfoglio mags don't seem to work. The difference in the placement of the mag catch notch is 1mm lower on Tangfoglio and current CZ mags.

I own Sphinx mags, and even they aren't a perfect fit, but are workable. The ITM mags, of which I own several, are available, if you look, for around $60 each.

Coincidentaly, this gun is a ringer for a pre-B CZ-75 and the ITM mags are a perfect fit for a pre-B, but not vice versa.

Standard CZ made mags stick out several mm, but do lock the slide back. They jam frequently, though.

Should you ever decide that the sights aren't for you (that ugly Millet rear), CZ sights can be made to fit, but require a good deal of stoning to fit. Tangfolio sights require less work. Front is a millet dual crimp, but shorter than anything Millet lists currently. I ditched the front sight, b/c it was hard chromed and difficult to see. It had to be replaced with a .185 for a 1911.