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Thread: CZ 75 bd

  1. #1
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    CZ 75 bd

    Various recent threads have had me thinking about TDA pistols again; it's been perhaps six years since I've really spent much time on a DA/SA trigger. A little time on Glocks, then a lot of time on HK LEM. I did recently acquire a longslide USP 45 which is currently my most accurate pistol, a good reminder of what a long sight radius and a match DA/SA trigger is capable of. The ambidextrous HK decocker doesn't work for me though, it interferes with my hand. No big thing since that's strictly a target pistol at this time and it can be swapped out for a single lever if ever desired, but it rekindled the wish to have a more functional TDA setup in 9mm to practice with.

    The P-07 thread helped make it happen. Those newer CZ models aren't an option here in California though, they aren't on the roster. In fact the only duty-sized CZ that's both on the roster and has a decocker is the CZ 75 bd. There's more choice in the compact models including the P-01 and the 75 D PCR but I wanted the longer barrel this time. So today I picked up a 75 bd, field stripped and wiped it down, and then took it straight to the range.

    First impressions: It fits my hand nicely and balances well. At 35 oz it's five ounces lighter than the SP-01 (which isn't available here anyway) which is enough to dampen recoil without being excessively heavy. It's solidly built, the polycoat finish seems to be quite durable, and the factory plastic grips feel better than I expected, although eventually I'll replace them. The position of the decocker is ideal and it's easy to use without any shifting of the hand.

    My only major complaint is the sights. Maybe these were considered fine in 1975, maybe they're still marginally OK for young eyes but they're not OK for me. The front sight is .125 wide and .125 high, it's tight in the rear notch, the white dots aren't very helpful, and I had trouble picking it up in the not exceptionally good light of the local pistol range. The sights will be the first thing to be replaced, and very soon; I really don't feel I can even get a true picture of accuracy with these things and certainly not at anything faster than a very deliberate pace.

    It fed 100 rounds of 124 gr American Eagle and 115 gr Remington range fodder flawlessly. For the most part I did DA/SA pairs to get re-familiarized with the transition and to get solidly back in the decocking habit. Interestingly, often I was more accurate DA (knew there was a reason for all that recent revolver shooting). Most of the time 15 yard accuracy was acceptable, the 10-ring was quickly obliterated but there were scattered holes around it which I attribute at least sometimes to the sights; it took a conscious effort to tuck the stubby front sight all the way down in that little tiny notch and not shoot a little high. The trigger wasn't too bad for brand new and the DA pull was not especially heavy, there is still a little grittyness, a little softness in the SA pull, and a long takeup on both DA and SA. These triggers allegedly lighten and smooth out fairly quickly so I won't rush to judgement just yet. Once I've got a baseline then I'll decide about any further trigger tuning, a little pre-purchase research determined that anything from minor work to full race job is possible with parts from Cajun Gun Works and some bench time and patience.

    The 10-round CA-legal magazines are a strange design, metal above with a polymer "foot" on the bottom not quite an inch, and stiff; I was barely able to get the tenth round in each of the two mags. Will load them tonight and let them sit for a day or two and see if they loosen up a bit.

    So if California won't let us have the newest toys, then I'll just have to play with classics. Updates after I've got some more range time in, that's at least a week away.

    Note that this is not intended to be a carry gun anytime soon and maybe not ever, it's just something to play with because it's interesting and fun.
    Last edited by Salamander; 10-09-2018 at 12:46 AM.

  2. #2
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    The CZ I used to run cane with those sights, and those magazines. Never had a bit of trouble with the magazines, and the sights were fine for younger eyes. Eventually, I wanted something else, and better sights were part of that. I had a B SA. SA got to be not my thing. If I’d had a BD, I’d probably still have that gun. With better sights.

    Enjoy your new gun!

  3. #3
    Site Supporter Mjolnir's Avatar
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    Couldn’t you purchase a used P-07?


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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mjolnir View Post
    Couldn’t you purchase a used P-07?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    In theory yes. In practice, because only full time LE can purchase brand new off roster firearms, the supply of newer models is severely constrained. Browse the handguns for sale subforum on Calguns.net and you’ll quickly see lots of off roster gen 4 and 5 Glocks and VP9s at exorbitant prices, often $1,000+. It takes patience to even find anything but the most popular models. If someone wants something badly enough and is willing to pay the price gouge going rate, then it means driving to the seller for a FTF transaction at a FFL and then returning in 10 days to pickup.

    Since this is a just for fun project and the intent is to keep carrying my HKs, no way am I chasing anything off roster. In a way it’s good because I get to play with an all steel bit of recent history with character which seems perfectly adept at reliably firing 9mm downrange.

    Here’s the history of the roster https://www.calgunsfoundation.org/roster

    Hopefully we will ultimately prevail in court. It’s a classic example of bureaucrats abusing an originally well intentioned law meant to keep Saturday night specials off the street... that interpretation is from a friend who was in the general assembly at the time of passage.
    Last edited by Salamander; 10-09-2018 at 02:00 PM.

  5. #5
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    Dawson sights ordered.

  6. #6
    I have a clone version, the Tanfoglio Witness, also all steel but with safety vs. decocker. I recently acquired a P07 that I'm already in love with, and I have a compact 75D PCR on the way. Oh, and I'm trying to trade my Colt 1911 for a 97BD, gotta have at least one .45 Auto . So I'm pretty much all in with CZ's, and happy to be so.

    Yes, your trigger should smooth out nicely with use, although a detail strip and some judicious polishing will speed up the process considerably. One warning, in case you're not familiar with CZ's. Be careful dry firing, either use snap caps, or put a small oring in the slide for the hammer to drop on. Frequent dry firing causes accelerated wear to the firing pin retaining pin, and in extreme cases, can lock up the pistol and require a trip to a gunsmith. CGW sells a better quality pin, but dry firing Cz's unprotected is still not a good idea. The only other common part failure is the trigger return spring, also available from CGW. Good luck with your CZ, and enjoy.

    Dave

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by daved20319 View Post
    I have a clone version, the Tanfoglio Witness, also all steel but with safety vs. decocker. I recently acquired a P07 that I'm already in love with, and I have a compact 75D PCR on the way. Oh, and I'm trying to trade my Colt 1911 for a 97BD, gotta have at least one .45 Auto . So I'm pretty much all in with CZ's, and happy to be so.

    Yes, your trigger should smooth out nicely with use, although a detail strip and some judicious polishing will speed up the process considerably. One warning, in case you're not familiar with CZ's. Be careful dry firing, either use snap caps, or put a small oring in the slide for the hammer to drop on. Frequent dry firing causes accelerated wear to the firing pin retaining pin, and in extreme cases, can lock up the pistol and require a trip to a gunsmith. CGW sells a better quality pin, but dry firing Cz's unprotected is still not a good idea. The only other common part failure is the trigger return spring, also available from CGW. Good luck with your CZ, and enjoy.

    Dave
    Thanks. Have heard that about dry fire, I always use snap caps in everything but also picked up a couple of O-rings earlier today, if anyone else needs to do that #83 works well, .49 cents at the local Ace Hardware in the plumbing department.

    Now that I have them you did encourage me to work on smoothing out that trigger and sure enough a couple hundred dry fires later the SA is starting to feel a little better... it was distinctly soft/gritty at first but is improving to the point that I'll be able to live with it for now. Later I may work on that, but not right away. Sights should be here tomorrow and am hoping to get to the range within a couple days after that.

  8. #8
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    The manual safety SP-01 and the SP-01 Tactical/Decocker are both California legal.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dexter45308 View Post
    The manual safety SP-01 and the SP-01 Tactical/Decocker are both California legal.
    Manual safety SP-01 is on roster, yes, but I wanted the decocker version. The SP-01 tactical shows as SKU 01100 on the roster, and there is no such number currently in the CZ catalog. Just checked both in print and online, the SP-01 tactical 10-round mag is 01153 and could not find any 01100. So either there's a mistake on the roster, or as one person has theorized it was a limited run. That wouldn't make much sense because CZ needs to pay every year to stay on the roster so why list something and then not sell it?

    For me it doesn't really matter, because I don't need the rail and the SP-01 doesn't get me much else over the 75 bd except five extra ounces and slightly better sights. And I just installed the Dawson's on mine and it is much improved. Sometimes older works just fine.

    The CZ's on roster are here https://www.oag.ca.gov/firearms/cert...rojovka+Fox%29

  10. #10
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    The sights did the trick, much easier to see now. These are Dawsons, black serrated rear and a .170 high fiber optic front. POA/POI is pretty close to dead on with 115 gr Remington, and POI is about an inch high with AE 124. Since I mostly shoot 124, at some point I may go to a very slightly taller front sight but no rush. For me, I'd say that better sights are the one essential upgrade on this pistol. Everything else is a choice rather than a requirement and depends on the goal.

    I shot the CZ along with my HK USP 45 Elite tonight, perhaps that's not a fair comparison since the USP has a match trigger and adjustable rear sights and a longer sight radius... and there's no free lunch, buy a less expensive pistol and that cost needs to be shaved off someplace by the manufacturer. In this case the obvious difference is in the trigger. The USP was shooting consistent very small groups, the CZ was typically giving me four out of five rounds in a very respectable group and usually with a flyer opening it up to 3-3.5 inches at 15 yards. More importantly, the USP was fun and easy to shoot well, the CZ took a little more effort and was less forgiving of anything less than a flawless pull.

    The USP match trigger has a relatively short light SA takeup and then a crisp, clean break and almost no overtravel. The CZ has a longer light takeup as the trigger bar moves rearward, then as the sear engages there's kind of a mushy soft drag for a very short bit of additional trigger travel, and then the SA break. Pull slowly, and three distinct elements. Pull through it more quickly and it's hard to notice the middle part. A little web crawling suggests that the bulk of the solution is a competition hammer, which has differently configured hooks and is supposed to give a crisp break (the USP already has a match hammer, for the CZ it's another $68-88 depending on the source and configuration). Of course if I'm going to take it that far apart, pulling the sear cage etc., then I probably won't stop there. So, something to think about for a bit... a few select parts, or a full CGW pro package. decisions, decisions.

    The full deal would bring the investment up to... close to the cost of a USP Elite. As usual, one gets what one is willing to pay for?

    It's important to reiterate that none of that, beyond the sights, is essential (and maybe not even those for someone under 40 or 45). With the stock hammer and trigger system, it will hit the A-zone every time if the shooter does their job. Overall it's a good pistol and I'm thinking of refining it mostly because mine is intended for range use. That frees up the possibility of tinkering, and if I'm honest I'll admit that I enjoy tinkering with guns not intended for everyday carry.

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