What is your opinion and experience with the CZ97B?

I think the bushing was 190 and the trigger was 400 something.

It was worth every penny, it's become my most enjoyable pistol to shoot and am not a big 45 fan.

Also, Henning Tanfoglio makes a +2 mag extension that fits.

 

One of these days I'll get a used 97B, but in the meantime, I have a Witness .45, and the SAR K245, both great guns.

 

I have a 97B and I wouldn't give it up for anything - it was way too hard to find in the first place. The one I got was bought used from an individual. It had the old style checkered wooden grips on, which I replaced with the new style aluminum grips. My Springfield 1911 would probably just barely win a shoot-off between the two, mainly just because of its trigger, but I wouldn't want to have to choose between keeping only one or the other.

 

Well kind of.....they still make the 97B for California. The only difference is wood grips and the absence of a fiber optic FS.

I'm not a fan of LOK grips either but we are clearly in a minority.

The first 97B I bought was in 2012 for $645 new (a blued model).
I bought another in April 2020 for $650 new.
And the last one was in January for $725 new.

 

https://cz-usa.com/product-category/handguns/cz-full-size-45s/

According to a friend I made while living in Kansas City who happens to be a CZ rep, the 97 and newly released P10 in 45 is dead.

 

i am not sure what it is about the company's name that bothers you. it seems like a fairly bland and unremarkable name but there's VZ grips and the grips appear to be similar. I went with lok grips as it was cheaper and the reviews were good. in the vz grips reviews it was mentioned that the grips shape are different from the aluminum factory grips but still fit well. if yours comes with the aluminum grips maybe you'll like it.

 

oooh kay.... as i scratch my head.

if you have medium hands i would probably stay away from replacement grips with a palm swell.

 

That's hearsay. CZ still makes the 97B but only for the California market.

Read the last sentence on their page.......https://cz-usa.com/product/cz-97-b/

 

As much as I like the 97b the SAR K2 45c won out when it came time to buy. Similar ergos, more capacity (which is a moot point for the OP), and a couple hundred dollars less. Turns out the SAR also cycles semiwadcutters, a plus for me.

 

i wonder what they mean by an older version. i doubt they mean the bulkier grips.

 

Buy it. It's a great pistol. My EDC for cold weather months. I used it for LEOSA qualification last year and let some of the other guy's shoot it. Two offers to buy. I'm not selling.

 

My 97B cycles semiwadcutters just fine!

 

the video i posted was with wadcutters although there was one Failure to feed. so still happens occasionally.

 

What's in a name, one might ask?

 

Over time, I have read many accounts of the Model 97 pistol being very "ammunition particular" in terms of reliable functioning. If that ever was a factor, has it ever been "fixed"?

 

vz grips is more expensive.

 

I have a 2010 model. It has seen two broken barrels, two barrel bushing snaps and now a slide break.

Also the leade on CZ's in general are absurdly short so the proper bullet shape and OAL are critical. It was ONLY designed to use RN FMJ ammo when introduced.