CZ Kadet Kit..my thoughts and review

R

redlightrich

New member
Hello All, I have a few different calibers that I use, but I shoot a lot of 22lr target practice. I have a few different pistols and conversion kits. These include a Ruger Mk III and my CZ Kadet adapter, among others.
First, the Kadet kit is expensive. You can find 1911 kits as low as 200 dollars, but they don't compare. The Kadet kit is all steel, and it fits into the host gun ( most full size 75 or 85 series pistols) If a 75 is excluded, it is due to hammer and or mainspring, due to rimfire needed a solid strike.

I paid 409 dollars, and have seen the kit go as high as 459. I could not find it cheaper than 409 in stock. If I wanted to wait, I probably could have saved up to 30 dollars.

The Kadet kit comes with 2 very high quality magazines. It is an all steel kit, and it requires minor filing of 2 forward lugs to fit it snug into your frame. It took me near 20 minutes, being very careful not to remove too much metal. I fit it for virtually no play. The fitting helps "fix" the barrel portion to the frame. The Kadet comes with LPA sights which are adjustable for windage and elevation. The sights are very nice quality. It also comes with some cheap cleaning tools and a nice case, and full instructions, as if it were a complete firearm. Replacement magazines are expensive at near 43 dollars each, but they are nice quality. The mag springs are very stiff, and this forces me to use a "Lula" tool to load them. The mag capacity is 10, although I am sure they can make them hold more if they wanted to spend some time on it. The slide DOES lock back on the last round.
My host gun, is a 9mm 75SP-01, which in itself is a great gun. My only concern is that the SA trigger is a bit heavy. This SA trigger carries over to the Kadet kit as well. I have 3 different 22 kits for my 1911's and the only thing they do better is allow the use of a terrific 1911 host frame trigger.

After putting over 2 bricks of various ammo thru it, I will say, it may be the best 22lr pistol I have. It is NOT as accurate as my Ruger 5.5 inch bull barrel, and it's trigger in SA is heavier than the Ruger, but overall, it is easier to clean, and so reliable, that even when factoring in the slight handicap for accuracy and price, I will say it is a terrific item. It IS more accurate than any of my 1911 kits, and this includes a "target" kit, which is built on the same principal of only a small portion of the slide moves, and the barrel assembly is "fixed".
Being I have other 9's, I keep this gun as a 22lr most all the time. Yes, occasionally I convert it back to 9, but the bulk of the time, it stays a 22.

In my opinion, this is not a match level target pistol, although maybe in someone else's hands it could be? I feed it 36 grain, 40 grain, RN, HP. The one common thread for the ammo is that it is all over 1200 fps. All ammo ejects and cycles well. One more "negative" is the cost of replacement parts. The wear items are expensive when compared to other alternatives. Ruger charges 2 thru 5 dollars for most items. An extractor for the Kadet is near 35 dollars.

All in all, if you have a CZ 75 or 85 full size, and are considering buying a 22lr pistol, this kit is worth a serious look.

I hope this info can help someone in the future

Have a great day!!!

Rich
 
When I first got my Kadet Kit maybe 15 years back, I also had a Ruger Target Competition (Government Model, in stainless, with the long slab-sided barrel). I usually mounted the Kit on my 85 Combat frame. (The Kit and the Combat have the same sights, and my 85 Combat has had it's action tuned.)

It may be that from Ransom Rest the Ruger would prove to be more accurate, but I didn't shoot that way, and for the type of shooting I did the difference between the two was insignificant. And while the stainless Government Model was gorgeous, the Kadet Ket (on my 85 Combat frame) became my Go-To .22. The Target Competition was eventually traded for a Witness Sport Long Slide in .45; that gun's owner's arthritic hands could no long tolerate larger caliber semi-autos -- and we both went away happy.

I still have a stand-alone MKII with a 6" barrel, but I prefer the Kadet Kit. (That MKII is no slouch, however, in terms of accuracy.)

Like the MKII series (and MKIII) the Kadet Kit upper -- the barrel and the sights are fixed and never move. If the trigger on the frame on which the Kadet Kit is mounted is good, the potential for easy accuracy is great.
 
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I just might have to get a Kadet Kit for my CZ SP01 Shadow which has the 15 LB hammer spring from the factory that supposedly should work well but easy enough to put a slightly heavier spring in if need be.

I have the 22 Conversion kit for my SIG P226 and it works well BUT my P226 feels so strange with an 8 ounce lighter slide on it. I understand the Kadet Kit weighs almost the same as with the center fire slide which I would like much better.
 
The only semi negative thing about the kadet kit would be the mags, if you don't use a mag loader the tab on them is tough on the thumbs when loading.

on my single action 85 combat I can't tell any diffrence between the kadet and a very well tuned ruger target/comp mk 3 with all volquartsen internals. If it is there, it is very slight.

The advantage arms target conversion on a well tuned 1911 is very close to the kadet with mags being easier to load. It works on the same principle as the kadet, fixed barrel, fixed sights. I thought so much of the kadet, and the design, I wanted one like it for a 1911.

I have all these set up to use standard velocity ammo.

so yes, I think they are keepers and worth the price of admission.
Moreso with well tuned triggers in the host frame.
 
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I have a Kadet conversion for my CZ75 "Pre-B."

It shoots as well as I can hold and squeeze the only slightly improved trigger.

The magazines are excellent, a great .22 insert in a 9mm doublestack shell. I don't think I have ever had a misfeed.

Early on, I did have a lot of stovepipe failures to eject. I asked on the CZ board and eventually applied their tip to file the ejector from a 90 deg. L shape to a slight outward and upward angle. Stovepipes ceased.

I shoot a 1911 more, so I bought a complete ACE .22. If I campaigned the CZ more, I would get a Kadet pistol so as to not have to flip flop the upper. Murphy's Law ensures that if you have a caliber convertible gun, you will find it configured for the caliber you did NOT want to shoot today.
 
Jim Watson said:
I shoot a 1911 more, so I bought a complete ACE .22. If I campaigned the CZ more, I would get a Kadet pistol so as to not have to flip flop the upper.
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If you get a Kadet, it'll be a used one -- as CZ has discontinued production of the standalone .22 version and now offers only the KIT (in two forms, as I understand it.)

The fact that you have a Kadet Kit that works with your pre-B was your good luck, as some of the older pre-Bs had hammers that were quite a bit WIDER than later models, and the pre-B hammer wouldn't FIT the space at the rear of the slide where the hammer hits the firing pin.

I've had several pre-Bs and NONE of them would work with my Kadet Kit, which I got in the early 2000's. I suspect the later pre-Bs (which included the squared trigger guard and rounded hammer) would be OK.
 
I just picked up my SP-01 on Friday, but got the Kadet Kit to go with it a month or so ago. NJ requires pistol permits for purchases, so there was a two month wait before I could pick it up.

Out of all the other pistols I have, I could have got a 1911, Beretta 92, or SIG P228 kit. When I decided on the CZ (was between it and a Hi-Power), I was down to either that conversion or the SIG. With the SIG, I could have got bolt hold magazines... but from all reviews I've read, the CZ kit is top notch.
 
Screwball said:
...NJ requires pistol permits for purchases, so there was a two month wait before I could pick it up.
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That's a shame, as the ATF doesn't require it.

Is that unique to NJ? Or did the FFL just get it wrong? By Federal standards and in most states, a conversion KIT is not considered a firearm.
 
Walt Sherrill said:
That's a shame, as the ATF doesn't require it.



Is that unique to NJ? Or did the FFL just get it wrong? By Federal standards and in most states, a conversion KIT is not considered a firearm.
Click to expand...


Two month wait was for the permit to pick up the SP-01. I picked up the kit during the wait. No permit used for the kit.
 
The fact that you have a Kadet Kit that works with your pre-B was your good luck, as some of the older pre-Bs had hammers that were quite a bit WIDER than later models, and the pre-B hammer wouldn't FIT the space at the rear of the slide where the hammer hits the firing pin.

I've had several pre-Bs and NONE of them would work with my Kadet Kit, which I got in the early 2000's. I suspect the later pre-Bs (which included the squared trigger guard and rounded hammer) would be OK.
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My Pre B is a 90's gun, maybe 1997.
It has the round trigger guard and long spur hammer. Narrow enough for the Kadet.
 
I've had a Kadet Kit since 2000. I upgraded it with CZ parts they sent me for free. A beveled firing pin, spring, and retention plate were sent. The Kit performs flawlessly on my 75B, and PCR. I haven't tried it on my Pre-B yet.
 
I've had mine since about 2003. Thousands fired...and I kid you not...zero jams. Zero. I don't know why it's so reliable, but it just works.

Last week I dusted it off and plinked at a steel plate at 30 yards. For the heck of it I tried the 100 yard not expecting much, but darned if it didn't hit the thing 50% of the time. It's only a foot tall so that really impressed me.

This is on my P01 and is quite loose on the frame. Good thing the barrel is fixed in place.
 
chris in va said:
This is on my P01 and is quite loose on the frame. Good thing the barrel is fixed in place.
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We had a number of discussions on this forum in years past about whether it was important that the assembly fit tightly on the frame. I contended at the time that it was a non-issue. I think some of those advocating a tight assembly to frame fit just didn't understand the underlying functionality. Consistent barrel to slide [sight] lockup is the key to accuracy with most guns, and in this case, there is no option but consistent lockup.

The barrel and sights are a UNIT, and how the KIT fits the frame is largely irrelevant as long as you use the sights!! If the assembly is so loose on the frame that the trigger (and/or firing pin block) linkage causes the kit to move around inconsistently when the trigger is pressed, you might have a problem -- but I've never encountered or heard of that.
 
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