What Police Depts / Military Units Actually Carry CZ Products?

[Treo]

I've heard several times that more Police departments and military units use CZs than any other pistol.

Obviously the Czech army used CZ-82s & I saw the Brevard County Sheriff's dept. carrying 75Bs on C.O.P.S once.

Other than that I am unaware of any other agency/ military that carries CZs. Can someone plz enlighten me?

 

[atblis]

It's more of a marketing thing from CZ.

I think it refers more to international LE/Mil rather than domestic. I would wager that if you did the number of individuals carrying CZs, it wouldn't be the "most widely" issued side arm in the world.

Not sure why it matters. Still my favorite pistols because I shoot them the best, they're durable, accurate, reliable, and affordable (not as much as they used to be ).

 

[falnovice]

It's more of a marketing thing from CZ.

Big +1

It seems to me that they have changed the marketing a bit over the last year to make it a little less over the top. If I recall correctly they were stating for a while that hte CZ75 was the most widely used police and military pistol in the world. Keep in mind that they just hit the one millionth CZ75 pistol produced back in October of 2007.
Compare this to...........
2+ Million Glocks. (Though I believe it has only been adopted by five armies)
8+ Million Hi Powers (not including all of the clones, copies, or licensed manufacture by other countries which may take it over 11 Million.)
????? Million Makarovs
????? Million Tokes and knockoffs.
I'm willing to bet there are more P226 Sigs kicking around than one million.

They have a looooong way to go to catch up with the Hi-Power, and in all likelihood the Glock will beat them there.

And in the interest of full disclosure, I do have a CZ75 and love it. Great pistol, probably the best bang for the buck I have ever purchased.

 

[burningsquirrels]

probably a marketing thing. that, and if it was issued anywhere, it's probably not in the USA... we're not the only gun market around. probably more like eastern europe and such.

 

[BlindJustice]

Turkey has a copy for their Armed Forces as well as it being
imported as the Armalite 24.

Didn't the Israeli D.F. issue some of thier copy the Jericho?
Could be a real mix in thier militias.

How Many Colt 1911s something like just under
3 Million at the end of WWII.

 

[JohnBT]

"Compare this to...........
2+ Million Glocks."

Half of those must be owned by Glocktalk members.

Turkey bought some CZ's - I have one of the so-called Military models with the Turkish marks on it. It really is a long list of countries that have purchased CZs. Then you add in the police department orders and it adds up.

Now, I don't know of a large country that ordered one for every member of its' military, but that doesn't mean they didn't buy some at some point and aren't using them. The CZ-75 has seen use all over the world.

John

 

[JohnBT]

A little googling turns up quotes like this...

"A number of elite units, including U.S. Special Forces and the Soviet Spetnatz, bought and used CZ-75s, and the legend was born -

GUNS Magazine July 1995."

 

[armoredman]

Polands Special Forces issue the CZ. The CZ was the number one pistol in Israel for years, and also in South Africa. There are a few smaller agencies in the US that issue the CZ, mostly the PO1, a Texas police dept comes to mind, but I don't remember the name. I have tried to get my Dept to switch, but the budget year is too fried for them to even look.
I know there are more who use them, in one capacity or another, but I can't name them, sorry. Jason at CZ-USA might have more info.

 

[atblis]

Well sure

Turkey also used CZ75s. IIRC, maybe 5 years ago CZ was selling surplus from that contract for well under $300.

 

[Samuel Adams]

I watched the new National Treasure movie last night for the first time. The English Bobbies appeared to be carrying P-01s. Can anyone confirm this? It was my understanding that the Bobbies that carried weapons either had Glocks or Sigs.

 

[Thin Black Line]

Didn't the Israeli D.F. issue some of thier copy the Jericho?

Yes, this has some very strong CZ elements. I think the Jerichos were made
in Israel and later Baby Eagles were Italian. I'm not sure if the mags between
the CZ and Israeli/Italians interchange --never tried. The trigger on the CZ
seems far better than the Isr and It copies. The mags interchange between
the Jer and the BEs.

 

[armoredman]

Jericho and BE are both primarily manufactured by Tanfoglio of Italy, then finished in Israel. Thier mags will interchange. The originial CZ pre B mags should work in original Tan made sidearms, but after the B model, and Tan went to the two differant frame sizes, no more interchange.

 

[FEG]

http://czechpistols82792.yuku.com/topic/14703/t/Who-uses-what-Police-and-Military-handguns.html

This will take you to lists by type (Military, LEO, etc.). A lot of agencies and nations have bought some pistols. No really large nation has ever primarily issued CZ handguns. The African and Middle Eastern sales do add up, though.

 

[SDDL-UP]

I'm not sure why it matters to tell you the truth, unless you're just curious.

I'm sure CZ's are used by many agencies and militaries around the world, but they may not have the sheer volume of some others. Would it make the CZ a better weapon if they had more numbers than a Glock or a Sig? No!

I use CZ's because they are better for me, and I really don't care who else uses them. The fact is that most people really aren't good consumers, they don't put in the effort needed to really make good purchasing decisions. I do! I also own 1911's, HK's, Hi-Power, Glock, etc., but the CZ-75/85 series is the best IMO.

Lots of people have found what I've found - the CZ-75 is superior design but that doesn't mean I can't like my other guns too.

In the end the only list that matters is YOU , and for most of us that's a pretty short list!

 

[CZF]

Glocks have rapidly replaced CZs in S.Africa.

Something like the P-01 would have been great 10 years ago
for the varied police forces there, but Glocks seem to rule.

Much cheaper to buy in quantity and easier to train
police recruits.

However, some still think the CZ75 is superior to any other pistol
for African conditions.

 

[JohnBT]

"IIRC, maybe 5 years ago CZ was selling surplus from that contract for well under $300."

I bought my Military model in 1999. Paid $349 at a local sort-of-high-end retail shop and thought it was a steal since it came with 2 15-round mags and a glowing reputation.

Here's my How I Got To Shoot A P-210 story: A few weeks later I was shooting the CZ at an indoor range when I was approached by an older gentleman (I was only 49 then) who wanted to look at it. He was stunned at the price. He ended up going over the lower half with the range owner back in the office while I shot his Sig P-210. They didn't detail strip it, but they pretty much went over it with a magnifying glass looking at the machining and the fitting of the parts. The last time I saw him he was headed up the road to buy his own Military model. I've been meaning to buy a P-210 ever since.

John

 

[FEG]

Just to clarify, I believe that CZ-UB was accurate in their claims, but somewhat unclear.

Example:

Huge Developed Nation buys 1 million of Model X for their primary service siderarm. No one else ever orders Model X in significant quantities.

Meanwhile, ten (10) Small Undeveloped Nations scattered over three continents each order ten thousand units of Model Y for a total of one hundred thousand units.

Which is more widely distributed: Model X or Model Y? I wouldn't feel like I was lying or dissembling if I said Model Y. Model X got one order, it just happened to be huge. Ten nations are using Model Y as opposed to one. To me, that qualifies as "more widely distributed."

Is it misleading? Probably. On the other hand, reasonable people should be able to pick up on this. That is, I think it should be pretty obvious that more High Powers have been produced than CZ 75/85 series pistols, at least to date.

As someone who knows CZs pretty well, I also knew that many of their customers are in fact smaller, undeveloped nations without much, if any, domestic military industrial complex. This is actually a pretty strong endorsement. These countries cannot afford to spend money on something that won't work.

 

[BlindJustice]

I went through the links where there are lists for
US Police, US Military US Fed agencies as well as
Non-USA Millitary/police. It seems to be a poll of the ones
who responded.

CZ 75 - Poland, SLovakia and others in the ex-eastern bloc
& Hungary imports the Israeli Jericho

Interesting observations

The USA seems to be the only country with .40 S&W aka 10 x 21
in widespread use but most SMGs remain 9mm Luger aka 9x19

A lot of Non-USA Spec. forces//SWAT teams allow for a 11.43x23
aka .45 ACP.

Honolulu Police have two 1921 Thompsons - never fired.

Danish - issue the '49 Sig P210

French use the MAS G9? 9x19 but SPec. Forrces
also use the S&W 686, the Gendarmes have quite an
assortment of handguns.

Italy - besides the Beretta 92 SWAT also issue
S&W 28 - Paratroopers have a Colt Python option.

Lots of Glocks, Browning Hi Powers, but the H&K USP
is popular with many.

R-

 

[BlindJustice]

Googling I found...

Clones
* JSL(Hereford) Ltd Spitfire
* Dornaus and Dixon Bren Ten
* IMI Jericho 941
* ITM AT-88
* Tanfoglio TZ-75, T-90, and T-95
* Norinco NZ-75
* Sphinx Systems M2000
* Springfield P9
* Sarsilmaz M2000
* Renato Gamba G90
* EAA Witness Elite Gold
* Canik55 Pirhana, Shark
* ArmaLite AR-24

Service use

Česká Zbrojovka claims the CZ 75 and variants are in service with "more Governments, Militaries, Police and Security agencies than any other pistol in the world". It is known to be in service with:

* Czech Republic: Police (P-01 variant introduced in 1999)
* Chile: Army (manufactured locally by FAMAE as the FN-750, bearing great resemblance with the Chinese-made Norinco clones and with the early Italian Tanfoglio TA-90)
* Finland: Customs authorities
* Honduras: Policia Nacional Preventiva
* Lithuania: Police
* Turkey: Police (several clones manufactured locally by factories affiliated with MKEK)
* United States: various Police forces
* Poland: Military Police (Żandarmeria Wojskowa)
* Slovenia: Police
* Iran: Army (possibly clones made in China by Norinco)
* Democratic People's Republic of Korea: (백두산권총, "Baek-Du San pistol", named after the "White-Headed Mountain" on the borders with China)
* Sudan: Army and Police (manufactured locally under license by the Military Industries Corporation, as the full-size "Marra" in 9mm and the compact-size "Lado" in .32 ACP caliber)

Randall

 

[MAKster]

The gimmick is that they say "more government agencies" not total number of guns. Lots of small agencies might issue the CZ but their size doesn't come close to large organizations like the U.S. Armed Forces issuing the Beretta 92 or the NYPD issuing the Glock 19.

 

[FEG]

The gimmick is that they say "more government agencies" not total number of guns. Lots of small agencies might issue the CZ but their size doesn't come close to large organizations like the U.S. Armed Forces issuing the Beretta 92 or the NYPD issuing the Glock 19.

Well said.

Some of this is also semantics. "Glocks" covers several models. When you are talking about "CZs" in the arena of modern service pistols, you are basically talking about the CZ 75. As Blind Justice pointed out (good work, by the way), other CZs and clones are also issued, but the vast majority are the standard 75.

What's that mean? Heck if I know. It's easy to monkey with numbers and definitions, though.

 

[kentucky_smith]

I was at the Alamo last week and I swear one of the security guys there had a CZ. Other two I saw had Glocks.