Would you feel comfortable with a CZ-85B – Do I really need a G17/P226???

Status
Not open for further replies.
I

Irfan

Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2006
Messages
73
I’ve had my CZ-85B 9mm pistol for 7 years. For those who don’t know it’s an ambidextrous version of the CZ-75B. I have to say I really like the pistol! It has great ergonomics, low bore axis, a steel frame, can be carried cocked & locked, hi-cap etc.

Today, I bought an excellent leather Italian VEGA shoulder holster for my CZ! My question for you guys (especially for those of you who are member of law enforcement agencies) would you feel comfortable to carry a CZ85B? I know it weighs too much, (I’m probably going to buy some smaller handgun, maybe a G26 or M&P340 revolver, but not so sure) but I speak here about its reliability and dependability. This is SHTF, go to war pistol. Do I really need a more “tactical” and popular Glock 17 or a SIG Sauer P226 for this purpose???
 
CZ pistols and clones are used worldwide by a wide variety of nations, both military and police duty. Generally they aren't nations that are heavy into open warfare, but few are.

Personally Glock and CZ are the two pistol manufacturers I have the most experience with, I've owned I believe three CZ pistols (PCR, 40B, and 97B) they are great, durable, reliable, fit the hand of any non-cretin perfectly, gotta knock them on trigger a little bit, but otherwise they are pretty much incredible.

No you don't need to worry about it as far as being a superlative duty pistol, though I would gladly take a subcompact Glock for hot weather carry over the CZs I've had.

And that's no reason not to buy other pistols if you can. Or just spend the money on tons of 9mm.
 
Being a shoulder holster I suspect that it'll distribute the weight to a better degree than putting the same gun on a floppy and stretchy old belt on your pants. Since you have the gun and the holster wear it around the house for a few days. It'll take a while for it to become "invisible". Sort of like if you're not used to wearing a watch it takes a week or so for it to become forgotten. If you don't get to where it achieves "forgotten" status after a week of casual wear while doing stuff around the house then it's quite possible that it'll never get to that point. Adjust the holster a few times to try things if it seems to be annoying. But give it a week to two weeks of wearing around the house to size it up.

PS; Wanna mess up your mind big time? If you wear a watch consistently put it on the other wrist for a few days. It'll throw you off at first so badly that you'll swear that it is now impossible to walk a straight line. But after a couple of days it's entirely natural and normal. When you switch back it'll again feel totally wrong but this time, because you've got so many years of background with it on the "proper" wrist, things will get back to normal sooner. It was only a few hours in my case to get back to normal but almost three days when I had to move it due to a wrist bruise to get used to having it on the "wrong" wrist.
 
Oh yeah- If you constantly wear a suit than a nice shoulder holster is sweet.

If you don't, I would strongly recommend that you give a good gunbelt and IWB holster a shot. Along with a spare magazine carrier (the leather one from FIST I had for my CZ PCR, I had a fullszie one though so I could carry the 16 rounders as a spare, it really tucks the mag in tight to your side, and keeps it up out of sight as well.) on the other side, you will find that it is not that big a deal. Two and a half pounds on the strong side, another half pound roughly on the other side, thirty three rounds of 9mm, you will have plenty of gun for any forseeable and many unforseeable events, and it is comfortable, quick to draw and ready, and won't beat up your ribs if you have to run.



Though you will spend about $150-200 to get there, it is worth it.
 
Your cZ85 will last a very long time. When you are done with it, pass it on to your grandchildren. It feels heavy when you are concious of its presence, but after carrying it for a period of time, the weight will become less of a factor.
 
I would feel very comfortable with a CZ full time - I do it every day. :) My CZ P01 is my authorized off duty sidearm, and I sometime supplement it with a PCR. I would love to have an 85B, but I would go IWB, not a shoulder rig, but that's just me.
 
It's the balance of the gun that will make it or break it. I have an all stainless steel 4 "1911 that is very uncomfortable to wear in my sholder holster. But I do not know it is there on my belt in a OWB. Now my PT-92 I can carry all day in the sholder holster without any problems, go figure.
 
I can't tell you anything about shoulder holster carry, not having done it; but I can comment on CZ's. I am a LEO and carry a .45 cal 1911. But IF I had to carry a 9mm on duty, the CZ is the one I would choose (mine is a 75B), and I've shot Glocks (and own/owned several), Sigs, S&Ws, H&Ks, and a few I'm sure I'm forgetting. The CZ has quality to make me trust it, along with fit and feel that make it a pleasure to shoot and handle; and I want my go-to gun to be the one I want to take to the range every time.

I don't think switching to a Glock or anything else can really be called a move up (unless you wanna give up a mess of capacity and go with a 9mm 1911! ;-) As long as you have enough experience with your CZ to trust it (and I assume you do after 7 years) and shoot it well, use it to show the Glocks how it's done.

Do get night sights if you don't have them.
 
If you want something more "tactical" you could just get the SP-01 model, that comes with an accessory rail, high capacity mags, and night sites by default.
 
I carry my 85b in a Bianchi IWB generic holster occassionally, although it is not my primary CCW. It was not expensive, and it is one of the very few times not spending a lot worked out. I have tried a dozen different ways to carry this gun, and this is by far the most comfortable. I had to cut the snaps of of it, so it is ugly as a mud fence. Works, though.
 
The CZ75 series is one of the best and most copied platforms out there. I own two and they are my favorite 9mm. I would take a steel cz75 over a plastic block any day.
 
Rhodesian

I have a compact and a full size CZ75 as well as three sigs and they are generally very acurate. I love my Sig's, BUT the CZ's are sweeter, more comfortable and more accurate to shoot. I can shoot my compact CZ equally well one handed (that's how we shot in Rhodesia), in either my left or right hand.
 
You don't need either of those. Buy a smaller Glock or P-01 and you will be all set but keep the 85.
 
I have tried to get my PCR to malfunction so many times, and it never worked.


Never failed I should say.
 
I can't speak about shoulder holsters, but I can talk about the CZ platform: I own quite a few of them for a reason, which is they are super reliable and accurate enough for SD / CCW.

Would I feel comfortable carrying your CZ-85B? Absolutely. Then again I'm also comfortable carrying a Browning Hi-Power.

Unless you have some burning desire to buy another pistol you're well served with your CZ.
 
During the winter I carried the CZ75B in a Galco summer comfort IWB holster (made for my Sig P220) in the appendix area over a fleece vest. It was very comfortable to carry.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

I
  • Locked
How many rounds through your CZ-85B???
Replies
10
Views
869
burningsquirrels
B
I
  • Locked
Beretta's locking block vs. CZ's slide stop (Beretta 92 vs. CZ-75/85)
Replies
14
Views
2K
PCRCCW
P
I
  • Locked
Please help! What would you do?
Replies
8
Views
416
Don357
Don357
A
  • Locked
Which 9mm? 92F, P226, CZ-75 or S&W 910
2
Replies
41
Views
2K
robertbank
R
I
  • Locked
Carry a full-size pistol?
2
Replies
29
Views
1K
Paints
P
Back
Top