CZ 75 PCR review

J

JimmyR

New member
Ok folks, so after buying this gun in July, i have finally spent enough time with this guin to give a full report. Thus far, I have 250 rounds of FMJ ammo, and another 30 of hollow point defense ammo. I have carried this gun around town, and most recently on my trip to Atlanta.

If you aren't familiar with the PCR, it is approximately the size of a Glock 19, has an alloy frame and a steel slide, 3 white dot sights, and uses a decocker instead of a manual safety. The gun comes standard with 2 14rd magazines and rubber stocks, which I replaced immediately with VZ Tactical Diamond grips. With the rubber grips, the gun feels fat, but the VZ grips give a smooth, comfortable grip perfect for concealed carry.

At the range, I had 0 failures of any kind with both types of ammo. Point felt natural, and it was very similar to my full size CZ 75 BD. My only complaint is that the grip feels a little short, especially with the metal baseplate that extend in front of the grip. It makes firing the gun slightly uncomfortable, but still very shootable. The gun functions perfectly with both the 14 round compact mags as well as with standard 16 rd CZ 75B mags.

I carried this gun in an Alien Gear Cloak 2.0 holster for most of my trip to Atlanta through Alabama to visit family. While in the car, I kept the gun in my map pocket, but the holster stayed on my hip for most of the trip, except when entering places that posted "No Gun" signs. It carries well in this style holster, and I have no complaints about how it rides. I can typically carry in either a 3 o'clock or 4 o'clock position, and the gun conceals well.

If you like the CZ 75B, and you want a gun you can conceal and carry on a daily basis, I encourage you to give this gun a try. I paid $520 from Buds Gun Shop plus transfer at my FFL, and $75 for the VZ grips (with free shipping if you buy them from Amazon with Prime). This gun is worth your time to try, and at Bud's price, and their limited availability on the secondary market, makes this a low risk/ high reward type of weapon.

TL;DR Verson

Pros:
Concealable size
Ergonomics
Reliable
Good capacity
Good resale value

Cons:
Tight fit between baseplate and trigger guard.
Somewhat limited holster options
No manual safety version (not a con for me, but might be for others).

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I have owned an carried the 75D PCR since 2000. It is one of my favorite guns, and can do it all. Range, CCW, and home defense. It is very accurate, and very reliable. It also accepts the excellent Kadet Kit .22lr conversion unit.

I find holsters that are designed for the Sig P228/229 fir the PCR well, and I use a Galco Sig holster for carry.
 
Tight fit between baseplate and trigger guard.
Click to expand...

??? Was that the wrong choice of words? In my CZs, the baseplate doesn't get anywhere near the trigger guard. :)

Did you mean snug fit against the base of the grip, perhaps? It may depend on which mags you use. Some with the think rubber/plastic bases are a problem from some compact CZs. Others, with a think metal base are not.

There is an alloy-framed Compact available, called the P-02. It uses the new Omega trigger. I think the CZ Custom shop can also get something similar with the stard 75B inner works, too.

That combination of light frame and cocked and locked carry seems almost ideal. I've had the steel-framed compacts, and they just aren't that much lighter than the full-size 75B, and not a LOT lighter.
 
Mine is a cramped fit for my fingers between baseplate & triggerguard.
There are aftermarket baseplate options that fix that.

Mine also won't chamber one of the Gold Dots reliably, chamber's too short.
Ran into this same problem a few years back with an earlier version of the compact.

The thing that removed both the PCR & the full-sized 75 as carry guns for me, despite liking just about everything else about 'em, was the narrow slides riding inside the frames.

Not as conducive to quick slide manipulations as conventional designs with thicker slides.

Otherwise, great pistols.
Denis
 
My guess is JimmyR means he has a hard time getting all his fingers on the grip and the flat baseplate of his magazines, which extends just a tad, exacerbates this. To the OP I'd say look for the compact mags with the rubber extended baseplates. They'll give you more space and prevent the cramping.
 
I suspect I misinterpreted his comment the first time through -- after reading some of the others....

Some of the OLDER mags, which had a tab on the front that curled downward, made the "squeeze" less of an issue.

I think the semi-compact models, a few of which are floating around, are a nice option, too: full-size frame with compact slide. (I haven't seen one of those with a decocker, however.)

I also haven't seen a full-size alloy-framed gun and that's one variant that I'm suprized CZ hasn't tried!!
 
The metal baseplate is what turned me off to the (then) new P01. My little finger rode right on that edge.

The newer models have that wonderful rubber pad.
 
Yeah, if the magazine baseplate is an issue, it is easily swapped out, or just get more mags! I feel well armed with my PCR.
 
Here is a pic of how my hand fits on the grip. It really wouldn't bother me except for the baseplate, but I really like the baseplate, as it makes the mag easier to grab when either loading or unloading from the magwell. I think I will give the rubber basepads a shot, but only on this one. I'm not messing with the mags for my full size baby.

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My PCR has the rubber mag floor plates (P-01 style) rather than the metal base (CZ Compact style). Get some of those mags and you won't have a problem.

The VZ grips are great, they really improve upon the already legendary CZ ergonomics, however, the tactical diamond pattern is kind of aggressive for a carry gun. I swapped mine out for the 'Frag' pattern and it's a much more comfortable carry.
 
Love my PCR, put wood grips on her and they fit my hand perfectly.
Only complaint is the serrated trigger, consistently puts a blister on my trigger finger after a couple hundred rounds.
 
re: CZ's, you'll get nothing but praise from me. Have had the Compact 75 in nickel, the P-07 Duty, still have the Rami in my house (BEST feeling gun in the world, especially with the 14 rd mag) and the PCR D, which is now in my daughter's possession. She shoots the snot out of that gun! Now, if CZ would just make a .45 in the Compact 75 size or even the little Rami, I would run right out and buy one and gladly enter into my wife's doghouse. EAA Witness makes a Compact .45 that is tempting, but if I'm going to the dog pound, I'm going due to the real thang!
 
"My only complaint is that the grip feels a little short, especially with the metal baseplate that extend in front of the grip. It makes firing the gun slightly uncomfortable ... ."

CZ-USA sells rubber magazine bases for $9 each:

http://shop.cz-usa.com/ProductDetail/273199000850_7585--Rubber-Mag-Base-Pad.

The metal base is easily removed and replaced, and the extra length will accomodate your pinky finger nicely. The rubber is hard and does not grip on clothing, and the extra length has not impaired concealment. These bases fit all 75s (except 10-round mags), including compacts, and the 85, 83, and 82.
 
Have had my PCR for five or more years. Put custom birdseye maple grips on it and it fits my hand perfectly. Shoots great. CZ makes great guns - both handguns and long guns.
 
Great post on a great autopistol. IMHO, I think the CZ PCR and the CZ P-01 rank right up there with the Sig M11-A1 and the HK P30, as excellent EDC guns that (with sufficient practice) you can shoot just as well as their full-size counterparts at the range.
 
Love my PCR. The mag base plate doesn't bother me and I actually like the stock rubber grips. My only complaint is that the grips do grab cover garments, but I like the feel so much that I'm hesitant to change them. It isn't that bad... Even in just shorts and a tee shirt it conceals well. I do enjoy shooting it at the range, but my favorite range toy (at the moment) is my 75BD.
 
Yes, I'm necroposting, but I wanted to update on this thread. I finally got my rubber base pads for the PCR, and ended up getting enough for my both my PCR and my CZ 75 BD.

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The rubber base pad is ok on my full size CZ 75 (a lot easier on the fat rolls when carrying the spare mag), but on the PCR, it's perfect. It makes the gun so much better for my hands, compared to the picture above, and would reccomend it to anyone with a PCR/ compact CZ 75.
 

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