Refinishing a CZ-75 Pre-B

[Anna's Dad]

I just bought a failrly old, pre-B CZ-75, Made in Czechoslovakia w/ no import marks. The finish on the gun is very worn (especially on one side) and is pretty much gone in a couple of places.

As such, I was considering refinishing and would like some opinions.

If you choose "Other", please let me know what finish and why. Thanks.

(Option 1 should have been "Don't", not "Done"--sorry!)

 

[Kor]

I voted for Duracote/GunKote as one of the "super-paint" finishes will be visually most similar to the original military black lacquer paint, with superior durability.

That said, I dunno what kind of collector value a pre-B CZ75 with no import markings would have(and I own one), so if you're considering later resale instead of carrying & shooting it, you might just want to leave well enough alone...I'd actually be curious to see if there really was enough of a premium for an un-marked pre-B to make it more of a collector's piece than a shooter...

 

[Tecolote]

It sounds like it's pretty worn so any added bonus of not having import marks is lost because of the condition. I've seen some hard chrome CZs that look really sharp.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I voted for Duracote/GunKote as one of the "super-paint" finishes will be visually most similar to the original military black lacquer paint, with superior durability.

The early 75's were deeply blued. My '77 manufacture, bought LNIB last year for $450

 

[chris in va]

Boy, nothing says class like a nice bluing on a handgun. That's beautiful.

 

[Anna's Dad]

I'm surprised that Blue is ahead in the polls! For some reason I thought that more people would say "leave it alone" and "DuraCoat/Gun Kote".

Thanks for the feedback thus far, I'll keep checking back and will try to make up my mind sooner or later.

FYI: As far as I'm concerned, it's a shooter. I only paid $250.00 for it so I can justify spending a little cash to make it look pretty.

 

[briang2ad]

It Depends

on the use. HC is the most durable and CAN look very nice on a PreB. You likely have the cheapo yuk enamel finish which chips off and looks pathetic after only minor use. Unless it is a short rail version and still excellent (which it sounds like yours is not) refinish it. There is little collector value in a PreB. I have used GunKote, and it is nice. It can get polished from contact on sharp edges though. Blue on a PreB also looks very nice, but will wear easily. Again, it depends on your use for the weapon. Look up pics on the CZ 75 Forum, and see whaqt you like.

 

[boogalou]

I picked up a 1984 PreB a few years ago that had the standard enamel chipped up finish. I refinished it with duracoat with a clear matte overcoat.

 

[kle]

The early 75's were deeply blued. My '77 manufacture, bought LNIB last year for $450

(picture)

That's a beautiful piece! I'm jealous!

 

[hso]

Fixed that "Done" for you.

BTW, I'd have to see it to vote, but my basic instinct is to say don't do anything to it.

 

[FEG]

Pre-Bs essentially lost all of their "collectors' value" when CZ-USA flooded the market with Type B Models. Whether or not a Pre-B has import marks does not appear to make any significant difference in value, based on my eight years of collecting them.

A used pre-B often sells for less than a new 75B these days. I have never paid more than $475 for any Type A or Transitional, and that was several years ago. Prices have actually gone down slightly since then.

One caution about bluing an enamel finished CZ from the 1980s: You will have to do some work to polish the underlying carbon steel. The enameled and parkerized CZs do not have the external finish of a blued model, because the enamel or phosphate "fills in" the imperfections.

Personally, I would go Parkerized or blued, as these are "authentic" finishes for the pistol in question.

 

[GunDoctor]

Hard to vote on this one. You really can't beat a good Bluing job. My question is, do you spend much time close to the coast. If so I would probably go with the DuraCoat with the clear coat on top. They have a gun blue color of duracoat. Together with the gloss clear coat it would look very close to bluing and make the pistol more rust resistant. Infact it might be a good idea because of the humidity anyway.

 

[skinewmexico]

I'd send it to Walter Birdsong, where he completely disassembles the gun, and coats Black T on every metal part and spring. Then if you drop it in the ocean for a few days, it will be OK.

 

[steelyblue]

I just like hardchrome on anything!

 

[skinewmexico]

I just like hardchrome on anything!

Apparently Tripp Research is going to stop hardchroning in June, so if you have anything you want done........

 

[steelyblue]

That stinks!! I have no more money, I just bought two new guns::banghead:

 

[Anna's Dad]

Thanks everyone for all of the input.

I think I agree with keeping the look close to original. I think I'm either going to go with Blue or a DuraCoat that resembles Blue.

Bummer about Tripp, by the way. I was seriously considering a chrome finish on one of my other guns and Tripp was supposed to be among the best.

 

[belus]

Here's another preB that was done by Tripp. I've wanted to do this to mine for a while.

Image from [url="http://czechpistols82792.yuku.com/topic/2466/t/Pre-B-done-by-Tripp-Research-56k-warning.html]CZ Forum[/url]

 

[boogalou]

I think I agree with keeping the look close to original. I think I'm either going to go with Blue or a DuraCoat that resembles Blue.

Just be aware that although I've never used the Duracoat gun blue, I've heard from other users that the tint is too "blue" to resemble gun bluing.