Sport semiauto choices

[EdShot]

Hi, new member here, looking for a sport semiauto. My uses will be mostly range targets and plinking, but it will serve for home defense. I have a CCW license but have never carried... not an issue where I live. I value in order: reliability, accuracy, shootability, and value. I looked at a lot of polymer frames, and was most impressed by the S&W M&P Pro. Glocks are fine but I'm already accustomed to the 1911 grip angle.

I've shot S&W revolvers from .22 to .44 mag and Colt Gold Cup + Kimber carry .45 1911's. I never felt completely comfy with cocked and locked, so ended up carrying a S&W Model 39 that was a good one: accurate, good single action trigger, comfortable and nicely made. Sold it to a Navy pilot headed overseas: a good sale but I miss that little gun. I liked the hammer drop feature... never felt entirely comfy with dropping the hammer by hand on a loaded chamber.

I've shot a Sig P226: very well made but unnecessarily high bore axis. Pricey, but running neck and neck with the Smith M&P Pro. Then I came across some reviews of the CZ 75 series. Here's where I have some questions.

1. Is the Omega trigger a good step forward from the standard 75B?
2. Decocker vs safety: can the gun be trigger-fired from half-cock, and is so, what is the pull like w/respect to full double action? I like the idea of a decocker, but have read that it makes for a more complicated action that is difficult to tune.
3. There are varied opinions about both the CZ triggers. I've done my share of revolver and 1911 internal smoothing, and know when to stop. Given that skill set, which of the three seems best, the CZ75B, the CZ75BD, or the Omega?

Thanks for your responses!
Ed

 

[Thompsoncustom]

I've own a handful of CZ's now from your basic model the CZ 75 all the way up to the CZ 75 shadow.

I'm not sure exactly what your looking for but there's a CZ for it either way.

The guns with the best triggers are going to be NON-Omega(standard 75 series) with no firing pin block. All the triggers can be made nice but the best of the best is going to be a standard SA only.

Now lets start for the bottom and work up, going to skip a lot of models but you'll get the general idea.

The CZ 75 pre B has a good DA/SA trigger I would say better than the new CZ75b. The biggest difference between the two is the Pre B doesn't have a firing pin block and the Pre b disconnector makes for less SA pre travel. Now if your not competing than you can get aftermarket parts that probably put the 75b ahead of the Pre B.

As far as SA only models the cz 75 SA and Tactical sport are two with great triggers. The TS is about twice as much and has it's benefits over the 75 SA but both are great guns. If you want a 1lb trigger than the TS is probably the way to go but if your happy with anything above 1lb than the 75 SA might be just as good. The TS weights more, recoils less and has a different grip.

In the competition world the CZ sp-01 shadow is very popular it's like the 75 series but with a rail. The shadow is different from the standard model in which it comes with no firing pin block and a overtravel trigger. The cz 75 shadow is build on the cz 75 SA lower and the shadow upper. It is different from the B model as it comes with a upper swept beaver tail, overtravel trigger, full length steel guide rod, and no firing pin block.

If you want to spend over 1200 bucks there even more options like the accu-shadow, protek, CTS, the czechmate and more.

Here's a good place to look at all the models.

http://czcustom.com/

If you can work on a 1911 the CZ safety model's are not that hard to do. The decockers can be a little bit of a pain.

 

[EdShot]

ThompsonCustom, thanks for the informative response. My shopping is coming down to these:

(Givens: $600 or less budget limit, 9mm, must have trigger-fired first shot without cocking or releasing a safety)

Steel frame, traditional: CZ75b: Pluses: low bore axis, useable SA-DA trigger that can be upgraded, reliable, accurate, good ergonomics, solid basis, solid value.

Polymer frame, space age: Walther P99: Pluses: excellent ergonomics, good SA-DA trigger, accurate, good value, frame-top decocker (brilliant!) Minuses: 4" barrel- (I like 4.5 - 5"; purely personal preference).

Close contenders:
SIG P226(bore axis and price are too high)
S&W M&P Pro: all good but the trigger will probably need work or replacement out of the box.

While you're shopping, you can own a Ferrari... until you buy, when you'll be owning something else.

 

[Bovice]

I wouldn't sweat the "grip angle" thing too much. It used to worry me until I got a few Glocks myself. If you regularly shoot both, you won't have a problem. Regardless of the grip, ride it high and hold on tight.

 

[Thompsoncustom]

For $600 bucks for the base gun I would go cz 75b or sp-01. My first CZ was a 75b and with a handful of upgrades it was just as good as my shadow that cost twice as much.