Dedicated Kadet Conversion

J

johnwilliamson062

Moderator
I asked this question a wile back:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=564222

And was lead to two of my favorite pistols I've not owned. The Hipower and CZ75. The CZ RAMI BD seems like it would be the best pistol for me. One of the great things about the CZ has, in my mind, always been the Kadet 22lr kit. It doesn't work for the RAMI, but it does work for the PCR which isn't such a bad option either.

I've tried a number of switch barrel systems and none of them ever worked all that great IMO. I still mess around with my Encore, but every time I think I have a great idea I end up spendin enough I wish I'd just bought a dedicted gun. In my last foray I bought a 45/70 pro hunter barrel and I am quickly reaching the point where a nice used Ruger #1 wouldn't have been much more.

Back to the point, to utilize the kadet I would want it to be a dedicated gun. The kit itself is $400. The cheapest CZ brand guns are about $400. BUT, EAA sells some clones not much over $200. Are EAA clones, specifically any of the compacts,compatible with the Kadet? I can dea with a safety on the 22lr which will only be fired at the range.

I still can't believe EAA does not offer a compact clone with a decocker. Have they ever heard of market research? No, I don't want to decock manually on a regular basis in my home.
 
Conversion units...

I had a bad experience with the Colt .22LR Conversion unit for a 1911. To say the least it was 'quirky'.

That and a marvelous Ruger Mark Whatever had led me to believe conversion units are a crap shoot at best.

That said I had a friend shooting bullseye competition with a Cierner unit on his 1911 that did VERY well so (shrug) it can be done but I'd still say a Ruger Mark or Ruger 22/45 or a Browning Buckmark or, if you have the money a S&W Model 41-that would REALLY be nice.
 
I've got a Kadet kit for my CZ75B, and it works flawlessly. There was a slight adjustment that needed to be made to the Kadet slide when I first got the kit. I think this is pretty standard to make the kit run smoothly. After I got the slide to fit right (took about 30 minutes of careful adjustment.......Instructions came with the kit), it has run perfectly with 1000s of rounds through it.

I'm pretty certain the kit will not work with CZ clones, at least not without significant modification. I would highly recommend just getting a CZ and the Kadet kit. This is one of the few multiple caliber conversions that really works well, and the CZ75B is one of, if not the favorite guns I have. Great shooter that just feels perfect in the hand, and super reliable.

CZ%2075b_70-L.jpg
 
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I have a Kimber .22 conversion kit for 1911's. Easy to convert any 1911 to shoot .22lr. Has been flawless. One direction to consider.
 
My Kadet kit on my CZ75B has been reliable as the sunrise since day-one, no fitting needed.

And I see that the complete Kadet pistol is no longer on the CZ-USA website. As hard as the kits are to find, it's no surprise that they don't offer the pistol.
 
Ciener sells .22 conversions for the Hi-Power as well as for the 1911. Considering the popularity of the CZ-75B, it's a little surprising (to me, anyway) that he hasn't come out with a conversion for the CZ-75B.
 
Little time, but some quick replies.

No interest in 1911 for carry. Want a double 9.

I already own a Ruger MKII and several other 22lr pistols. I own a minimum of centerfire pistols, if I buy a CZ or Hipower for carry the Glock will go for instance, but enjoy the 22lr pistols.

I really don't want to be switching back and forth. Everytime I select some switch back and forth option it ends poorly. The CZ Kadet probably has the best reputation as far as conversions, but I am still hesitant.
 
No CZ does not make the dedicated Kadet Pistol any longer, or at least they don't sell it here. The still make the Kadet Kit. I have a Kit for my 75B, but it has also been on my PCR with no mods. Recently, I was also able to buy a used Kadet Pistol. It shoots exactly the same as my 75B with the Kadet Kit, because that's exactly what it is. The Kadet Kit is one of the better, if not best conversion units on the market.
 
FITASC,
Looking to ditch the glock as it does not fit my hands well. Looking for thinner doublestack. Those two pistols and their clones seem to top the list.
 
The Kadet Kit is a good basic design: the barrel, slide, and sights are a single unit with components that move as a single piece. The single unit itself can move a bit when mounted on the frame if it's not tightly fit -- but that's irrelevant aAs long as you use the sights when you shoot. Most of them seem to be real tack drivers.

Some folks worry about fitting it. No reason to worry -- as you just want to get it on the frame. Some adjustment to the kit is needed for some CZ models. If you have more than one CZ, it will fit one, but not necessarily all, until you take some extra metal off the kit. Taking metal off to fit one gun won't really harm it's accuracy for other "looser" guns -- as long as you use the sights. The upper assembly (which fits on the frame like the slide, is generally held firmly in place by the slide stop pin.)

A newer version of the Kadet Kit was released, to work with some changes in other CZs...I don't remember the details.

Other CZ "clones" (which aren't clones, but guns built using the same general design) won't accept the Kadet Kit, and their slides won't work on a CZ frame. The Kadet Kit won't work on the old or new Sphinx models, either. They're all DIFFERENT guns that share some design traits. The Kadet Kit also won't work on some of the older pre-B model 75s -- the hammer on the old one is too wide to fit the notch on the slide of the Kit.

I used to have a stainless MKII Target Competition with the long barrel. After I got a Kadet Kit, I traded the TC away, because -- surprisingly-- the Kadet Kit was just as accurate. (I got a nice Witness Sport Long Slide .45 in trade for the Ruger...)
 
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