What makes CZs so great (an honest question)

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Quoheleth

Quoheleth

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No flames intended here, for all CZ fans. This is an honest question from someone who has never held, fired, or even knew of them until reading of them on this board.

What makes the CZs so wunderbar? To me - and again, I am uneducated & unlightened when it comes to this Czech pistol - it looks like a Browning Hi-Power. Granted, BHPs are very nice. If that's what a CZ is, it should also be nice. But folks here make it sound like it's the all-in-all-end-all in pistols.

-Need a CCW? Get a CZ.
-Need a full-size service gun? Get a CZ.
-Got the shanks? Get a CZ
-Need your blood pressure lowered? Get a CZ.
-Constipated, Diahreah, runny nose, cough? Get a CZ. Four of 'em.

Is it REALLY that great of a pistol?

Help enlighten me so I too can jump on the bandwagon and sing its praises.

Q
 
I have on old Excam TA 90 that is a CZ clone .It's big ,heavy but has a very nice double action trigger.It also is a good shooter,however the mag keeps falling out every 5 or so rounds for some reason.I think it is a mag problem.Excam was bought out by EEA? I believe and they now call it the witness.
 
Constipated, Diahreah, runny nose, cough? Get a CZ. Four of 'em.
Click to expand...

That is awesome. Can I use that in my sig?

IMHO, the things about a CZ are, in order:
-Reliability.
-Reliability.
-Ergonomics.
-Value.
 
It's A CZ Thing

I bought my CZ by mistake I was looking for a .40 ( preferably a S&W 410 ). I couldn't find one so I "settled" for a CZ , I was actually a little disapointed , until I got to the range . I'm was a machinist for 7 years and I can see that CZs are well machined. Basically CZs WORK they (IMO) are well made( which to me equals reliable). they last, they feel right in the hand. They're very "pointable". The accuracy is excellent. & CZ customer service is second to none . I also find my 75B very concealable.
 
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-Need a CCW? Get a CZ.
-Need a full-size service gun? Get a CZ.
-Got the shanks? Get a CZ
-Need your blood pressure lowered? Get a CZ.
-Constipated, Diahreah, runny nose, cough? Get a CZ. Four of 'em.
Click to expand...

I thought the answer to all those problems was Glock? :neener: :D

I think CZ has a loyal following because of what you get for your money. I have shot a few and liked them. I will be picking up my first one tomorrow and let you know if it helps my blood pressure. :cool:
 
I can't speak of all CZ pistols, but I can tell you why the CZ 75B is a great pistol:

1) It's very accurate.
Maybe it's because the slide rides inside the frame instead of outside the frame, or maybe it's because the trigger is so nice and crisp....but for whatever reason, the CZ is one of the most accurate straight-out-of-the-box pistols that I have fired.

2) The all steel construction, while too heavy for all day carry IMO, really does reduce felt recoil and muzzle-flip.

3) The handle is one of the most comfortable designs found on any pistol.
Just like a beautiful woman, not too fat, nor too skinny, and with curves in just the right places.:)

4) Variety....you can get the 75B in single-action with a manual safety, or DA/SA with a decocker.
And you can get it in a variety of calibers too.

5) It's extremely easy to field strip for cleaning.

6) It's affordable to the average working guy!
With out spending more than $500.00 dollars, you get a pistol that will compete and often even surpass pistols costing twice as much.

What's not to like?

Well...

1) It's heavy.

2) Aftermarket accessories are not exactly "Glock plentiful".

3) The sights are rather small and dim.

4) Only 10 rounds of .40 per magazine (15 for a Glock 22).:(
 
Untill you hold one, you won't know what your missing. Then shoot one, oh man!!! Now ya gotta get one! Ya get one, now ya want more:D They are truly under rated, and shoot as well, and are as reliable, as guns costing much more.
 
Accurate, as ANY pistol out there.
Reliable as ANY pistol made.
VERY reasonable priced.

I have owned, or shot, almost everything made. Fitst time I shot a CZ I thought "WOW. How did I become a great shot overnight.
Do a search on CZ. 99.9% of people love them.
 
I have never owned a CZ, but rented one a while back. I was not overly impressed with it. But, the is MY personal opinion. I didn't think that it is a bad pistol by any means. It just doesn't do anything for me.
 
-Competetively priced
-Reliable
-Durable
-Accurate
-Well Balanced
-Great Trigger

All around, an easy gun to shoot well. When a gun fits your hand nicely, is not too heavy nor too light, has a great DA/SA trigger, is accurate as anything, and built to last 10 lifetimes, you know you've got a winner. Something addictive about hitting what you aim at, and with a gun with enough heft to absorb a lot of the recoil.

One thing that stands out to me is the fit between barrel and slide.....my buddy's Sig 226 has a significantly larger gap. I don't know if that really means anything, but it gives me the "warm and fuzzies" for sure.
 
Have to add a ditto to what's been said. Exemplary ergos, fine accuracy, stellar reliability, and great value for your money. Can't speak for CS, as I've never had to deal with them. Mine've run perfectly OTB and haven't broken or worn out anything yet.

I consider the CZ-97B .45 ACP to be one of the greatest unsung values out there in a full-sized service pistol. Mine has proven to be every bit as accurate and reliable right OTB as a custom-made 1911 from a Big Name outfit that I paid more than 3X as much for, and it ain't all that much bigger that I can't conceal it just as well with a good IWB rig.

My Italian-made full sized CZ 75 clone (EAA Witness) in 9x19 may be the most reliable semiauto pistol I've ever owned. In well over 8K rounds I've yet to experience a single malf which wasn't entirely due to bad ammo, and there've only been a handful (literally) of them.

It ought to tell you something (IMO) that the CZ-75 is second only to the 1911 in the number of knock-offs, copycats and adaptations it's design has generated. While I can't substantiate it, I've been told that it's the most widely issued and used military service pistol design in the world. Some might argue that this could be attributed to price alone, but I don't believe that that could be the case if it didn't deliver a heckuva lot for the money, too.
 
I am uneducated & unlightened when it comes to this Czech pistol - it looks like a Browning Hi-Power. Granted, BHPs are very nice. If that's what a CZ is, it should also be nice.
Click to expand...

The only real similarities of a BHP and CZ75 are that they are both steel framed automatics with double stack magazines and use a cam to lock the barrel.

Stephen Camp has a nice comparison here:

http://hipowersandhandguns.com/Browning and CZ.htm
 
I didn't fall in love with my CZ75B over night. It seemed heavy and bulky compared to my fairly light, and very comfortable S&W SW9VE.

But once I got to the range, Ohhh baby!!

One thing a lot of people don't know is, the rifling ratio is tighter. "more spin"

If you like to shoot holes in holes, and show off at the range, the CZ75 is a great ego gun.

The longer I own this gun, the more I love it. Although it's a little heavy, that stabilizes it.

I own a CZ Rami Subcompact. That gun has been a little more challenging for me.

I also have a few old CZ52 military surplus pistol's. Cool guns, just plain cool.
 
i too was uneducated on CZ, went to the show, to buy a glock, picked up a CZ75 compact and fell in love -I have 11 handguns and this is my number one favorite
once you own one it feels good -all steel- well made- reliable and accurrate
on the down side accessories are hard to find, so ill just look harder
 
schmeky, nice retro 75:). I have a 75b that I got 7 years ago. It still runs like a top and is super accurate. Just picked up 75 single action. I did a little trigger work and it's my new favorite cz. The single action version comes with extended mag release, it has ambi paddle safeties, the mags drop free and it has a nicer beavertail for higher grip. It's going to be my new match gun. Cz's are easy to shoot and the weight really tames the recoil. Here's a pic of the single action from the cz-usa website.
main033.png


Mark
 
I'll echo what others have said and add....its just a very cool Combloc pistol that was virtually unattainable in the West until the early to mid 90's. With the advent of the lightweight, alloy PCR, P-01 and RAMI, its become an excellent CCW platform. Their line goes from accurate range toys, competion models to excellent defensive carry pistols. Their rifles are wonderfull also. I think they have one of the most comprehensive lines of firearms going. Plus they are just a darn good value, but I'd buy them even if they were priced like HK's and Sigs.
 
At a time when wondernines were just coming on to the scene and the Beretta 92 series and the S&W 59 Series were struggling with grip size and ergonomics (and some would say they still are) the Czech's had it nailed.

When Browning refused to create a double action hi power, the Czech's and the Hungarians (FEG) did it for them.

Well made, comfortable, and shoot well. What's not to like.

They also used to be a great value and in some cases still are but their prices are going up into a range where they may not be a good deal anylonger.
 
I just purchased one a month or so back and the main reason (other than reading the praises people sing for CZs) was the value. I paid $425 for a steel gun NIB. That's less than I paid for my two XD9s and they have to be less expensive to make, or at least I would think so.

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"Phydeaux, bad dog....no biscuit!"
 
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