The CZ52 - Do you love yours? Why?

[dust_101]

So, my day of birth is coming up (bleh) and I've convinced anyone who wants to purchase something for me to just offer up a donation to the 'gun fund'. I don't expect much in the way of bills, but I figure I should have enough to purchase a pistol I've been eyeing for a long time. The CZ-52 in 7.62x25.

Now, I'm well aware of the possible firing pin issues, and to watch out for a 'blued' model that has most likely been refinished (I'd prefer a nice park'd finish anways) but other than that, what do you enjoy about your CZ and if you don't like them, why?

I'll also add that seeing ammo in sealed tins for $0.09/round makes this a much more attractive new purchase!

 

[atblis]

You'll need to do something about the firing pins. They do break.

My dad purchased an armorer's pack of pins. They were pretty cheap that way. Maybe a couple bucks a piece (10 for $20 or something like that). I doubt you'll be able to find that now a days though.

Your other option for the firing pin is to get the harrington pin. If you get the comp. pin, that also serves to improve the trigger (no firing pin safety). It did improve the trigger considerably on my dad's pistol.

They are very amusing pistols. They are also one of the crappiest issued military pistol in recent history.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

They are a great Cold War relic. That enough is good for me.

However, throw in cheap ammo and a quality build and I think they are even a better buy! Especially at the price that you can have them at now.

 

[Rmac58]

I have two, enjoy both. I'm told they have a strong recoil spring, so using lower power ammo will result in a failure to load the next round.
Look on the top, you will probably see a round "ding", that was done by the factory when it was refurbished.
One of mine has two dings, the trigger on that one is notchy.

 

[Funderb]

I bought one that was arsenal refurbished in blue.
it's great. The firing pin only breaks if you dryfire it.
they don't "just break"

might as well buy one while they are cheap. but you should make sure you aren't going to be picky about ergos. because you will hate the pistol. I am not picky, and it shoots great for me.

Clark will tell you that every one you buy will explode in your face, even if you use under powered ammo, and that they are inherently unsafe deathtraps from hell.

My experience teaches me otherwise.

look at the TT33 too, those are neat pistols.

 

[Funderb]

double tap.

 

[Glock-IT]

I have one and I can't anything wrong with it. You shouldn't have any firing pin issues unless you dry fire it. I've been shooting mine for several years and it is accurate and cheap to shoot (no firing pin issues). It is still my preferred side arm while I'm hunting hogs. Mine is parkerized with ugly grips. I put a Hogue Hand All on it and it's better now. Mine has two dots on top but whatever they mean doesn't mean anything to me. They are fun and I would own another. Numerich has firing pins if the are ever needed.

 

[Funderb]

triple tap

 

[Glock-IT]

***double tap***

 

[Ron James]

Love?????,I love my wife and kids, my dogs not bad, but love a gun. The CZ 52's are cheap, fun to tinker with without worrying about messing up too much value. Ammo is still cheap and it is a nice Cold War collectible. I have one and also have a 9 MM barrel for it,takes about 30 seconds to change. I changed the firing pin to a good one and have different grips. NOTE: Do not use the de-cocker on a live round, they are notorious for firing. You should get a spare set of rollers also. My opinion, it is not a defensive firearm for home or carry, Yes, I know it can be used for that but there are a lot better choices on the market places. Too big, bulky and too powerfull, Now befor someone jumps on me, that's my opinion only, based on a long life of learning. BTW, slides have been known to crack on these, but it won't blow up in your face.

 

[MachIVshooter]

The 52 is a very unique pistol. Accurate, powerful and robust. Ergonomic? Not so much. I only have one at present, but have been keeping an eye out for the hard chromed ones (Classic arms used to do them).

 

[jughead2]

my son loves his. he is amazing out to 100 yards. dont want to be on the muzzle end of him

 

[Flash!]

I really like my CZ 52.... it shoots great! but the Tokarev fits my hand better and I'm more accurate with it...... but both are very accurate handguns......it's just that one is more ergonomic than the other...

 

[dust_101]

Love?????,I love my wife and kids, my dogs not bad, but love a gun.

But if you don't show them love and keep them in a good home, what is to stop them from going out on the streets, turning to violence and become what those liberals call 'bad guns'. C'mon, do your part, love a gun!

So from what I've read here and on the web, the decocker is not a 'good' idea to use (personally don't like decockers but that IS just my opinion) - the firing pins are cast steel and will break if you dry fire them (but there are good aftermarket replacements) - the 7.62x25 round is a helluva fast and powerful round (box-o-truth) - and it is quite possible the ergonomics may be just terrible.

So it seems most of those items can be resolved to my own satisfaction. As for ergonomics, that of course is each to their own liking. I am primarily a 1911 guy myself, but I have seen that there are replacement grip options out there for the CZ-52, including the ones at Omega that look like they add a bit of grip swell AND a thumbrest!

By no means will this be a CCW, in fact I intend to pickup one of the old leather holsters from Numrich with a lanyard and cleaning rod just for the heck of it. Of course, once I saw a photo in an old post right here on THR of a hard chromed CZ-52 I almost flipped in jealous envy. Beauty that was.

So I'll need to do some digging to find one that is park'd but other than that, just need to get an order in for a case or two of ammo while the buying is good!

 

[makarovnik]

I do "love" my gun. Take good care of it and it will take care of you. They do have feelings you know. I also love the round they fire.

 

[RPCVYemen]

Love?????,I love my wife and kids, my dogs not bad, but love a gun.

I like that.

I grew considerably less fond of mine when the slide cracked - on a steady diet of S&B - no mil surp. When I asked, a number of other folks complained that they had theirs crack in the same place. Interesting and unusual weapon.

Mike

 

[eatont9999]

How much are these going for now? Last time I heard they were $120. I am waiting for my C&R application to be approved so I want to know how much to set aside. Who is the best vendor online?

 

[dominojay]

$225 at century arms excellent condition, VG 10 bucks cheaper.

 

[Keeterbird]

I would certainly recommend the Hogue rubber grip. As the cheap hand grip is terrible. However, the gun is great. I would like to get a aftermarke grip, but they cost more than the gun.
I was advised early not to dry fire and I haven't. I have put two 1225 spam cans and three 800 cans of mil surplus. A few of the mil surp need a second tap to send them down the tube. but that is all
I love the gun. I test the decocker every now and then and they work well, I wouldn't trust it, and I wouldn't carry it, but I take it to the range once a month and have a great time.

 

[jon_in_wv]

I love mine because it shoot 2 1/4 inch groups at 50 yards with surplus ammo. It is ridiculously accurate. It shoots flat and I've even shot it at 200 yards. (didn't hit much mind you) It shoots a hot fast round and its a blast to shoot. I really wish the 7.62X25 was offered in a more modern platform, I think that would be cool.

 

[SCPigpen]

I like mine. Buy an extra firing pin & a wolf recoil spring and you will be good to go. Mine is accurate with most surplus plus the bullets go real fast, 1500-1600fps. The Romainian & Czeck surplus is about the best.

 

[mgregg85]

I really enjoy shooting mine, ammo is cheap and it is pretty damn accurate. It makes a mess out of water jugs when I can manage to hit them at 50 yards or so.

 

[fiddleharp]

I've been extremely impressed with how accurate and flat-shooting it is. I routinely pop balloons out to a hundred yards. I never dreamed I could do that with a handgun before!
I solved the milsurp ammo double-tap issue by shimming the hammer spring. There are many things you can use in this simple operation. I used two little aluminum nuts with the sharp corners ground off.
Now, I almost never have a milsurp round fail to fire the first time. It still happens occasionally, but nothing like it used to.

 

[NC-Mike]

I had two and sold them. It is a crude, spartan military blaster and I have nothing against that except I want a more accurate, modern, safer and ergonomic pistol.

I found I like steel, single action pistols and shoot a CZ-75, a High-Power and a Beretta FS, all satisfy everything I want in a handgun. I realize the 52 also fits that description and it can be fun to shoot but it is just too crude a weapon for my taste. The trigger is absolutely horrible for a single action pistol. I kinda miss mine a little bit but the enjoyment of shooting a 52 doesn't compare to the other pistols I mentioned. I also had a mag come apart on me and dump the floor-plate, spring and a bunch of rounds all over the place. Took me 5 minutes to find the floor-plate, that was about the time I started thinking a modern pistol might be more enjoyable.

SO... I don't think I will be replacing mine. I had both a blued and a parked model. Sometimes I think the blued gun was better as all the pins were staked in. They did that for a good reason...

 

[Deer Hunter]

It's the most beautiful pistol ever created.

Yes, I have weird tastes. One day I will own one.