First trip to the range with new CZ-75 PCR in 9mm and CZ-97 in 45ACP

J

Joe Klug

New member
Last weekend I picked up a couple of new items from the CZ Connection at a local gun show. A CZ-97B in .45ACP that I've wanted since I first saw one about 6 months ago and a CZ-75D PCR in 9mm that my wife has had her eye on. Today was my first chance to try them out and I thought I'd share my impressions with you.

The PCR (as you may know) is an alloy framed version of the CZ-75 Compact with a decocker instead of a safety. Improvements over the Compact include rubber grip panels, snag free sights, lower weight, a loaded chamber indicator, extended magazine release, forward serations on slide and serations on the front & back straps of the grip. With the reduced weight I fully expected this model to have more felt recoil than the standard Compact (which I also have a copy of) but it actually felt like there was -less- recoil. Perhaps it was the rubber grips. Whatever it was, both my wife and I noticed it. Accuracy was very good as was the trigger pull. My wife likes the block style front sight much better than the ramp style front sight on the standard Compact and it showed in her shooting. We experienced no malfunctions of any kind.

Yes Shiro, we did try the Kadet .22LR conversion kit on the PCR.:) It fit on the frame perfectly and functioned just fine. The magazines stuck out the bottom of the frame just a bit but if it weren't for that you wouldn't know the kit wasn't designed for the small pistol. Even the decocker continued to function. One thing I did notice once we got back home is that you can remove the plastic floorplates from the Kadet magazines and replace them with floorplates from the PCR's 10 round magazines and then the mags fit perfectly in the PCR.

The CZ-97B -really- impressed me today. I was expecting a nice pistol (being as impressed as I have been with everything else in the CZ line) but what I got was a very pleasant surprise. This is easily the best shooting .45 I have ever tried. The trigger pull is what I expected from CZ which is to say it is as nice as the full size or compact CZ-75s. The weight from the large steel frame really soaks up the recoil. This pistol has less felt recoil than my HK USP with HK's recoil reduction system and my Beretta Cougar with the rotating barrel. This made the pistol very easy to shoot well. I had one failure to feed. This was the last round of the first magazine I tried. After that it acted normally for the next 90 rounds. Accuracy was excellent. At 25 feet I was shooting one ragged hole that was about 1½ inches in diameter. At 25 yards I ended up with a group that was about 2 - 2½ inches wide and strung vertically about 6 inches tall. I was shooting this offhand so I have no doubt that in a rest this pistol could get 2 inch or smaller groups at 25 yards.

I really like my HK USP and Beretta Cougar but I have fallen in love with this CZ-97 after just one trip to the range. I'd really like to replace the walnut grips with something in rubber (like a Pachmayr grip) to give it a bit more width but I'll have to wait for that since nobody makes anything to fit the 97s yet, not even CZ.

I'm very impressed with both pistols. I doubt I'll get to see the PCR as much as I might like because it was a Valentine's Gift to my wife and I think she likes it even more than I do. That's OK though as now I get to have the regular Compact she used to use. The CZ-97B is -definitely- a keeper. I was smiling from ear to ear after shooting it. Only problem is now I think my high dollar USP and new Tactical barrel I just got for it from Krept are going to sit in the safe and collect dust while the 97 goes to the range every weekend.:)

Joe
 
Joe,

You wrote:
"One thing I did notice once we got back home is that you can remove the plastic floorplates from the Kadet magazines and replace them with floorplates from the PCR's 10 round magazines and then the mags fit perfectly in the PCR"

Do you know if the floorplate can be purchased separately?

How do you get it to come off?

Great write up BTW.

Thanks,
Terry
 
I've seen one of those CZ-97's before... they look like monsters. Congrats on the new purchases. I may have to try that compact-alloy CZ now ;) Sounds like a winner. I love little guns... maybe that's why I like my Jetfire best of all :) I wonder why CZ doesn't have any PCR's listed on their website. Where do you think I can see one?

Sorry I couldn't make it on Saturday. Turns out I had a bad INF file in my videocard software. Shane had to take it directly from the cd and everything works great now. I appreciate the offering of assistance. Shane fixes computers at KSU for a living, so I let him have the first crack at it. I can see why computer people get paid the big-bucks though. I would have NEVER known what to do. I treated him to dinner and a movie with his girlfriend. We saw "Snatch." Strange movie btw; I say save your money. I shoulda gone and seen the one that I wanted to see: "Traffic"

Ben
 
Joe,

Thanks for the detailed report. I recently purchased a CZ-75 PCR model. I haven't even shot it yet, although I've shot a friend's a few times. I'm very impressed with the design and quality. I bought a couple of pre-ban 13-round magazines for it from CDNN (I think that's where I got them- it was about a year and a half ago). I am very pleased to hear that the .22 conversion works with the PCR - I want to get one, but was concerned about it working with this model. I'll probably contact CZ to see if I can get some extra floorplates to put on it.

By the way, my friend has carried his PCR daily, often loose in a small duffle bag with an assortment of other stuff, for about a year. He has also shot it a fair amount. The Polymer finish is holding up great.

Doug

[Edited by DougB on 02-12-2001 at 11:14 PM]
 
Figured out how to swap the floor plate. There's a hole
in the bottom that you need to push in a small punch to
let the floor plate slide back. That's all there is to
it.

I was at G.A.T. guns factory sale and shoot today.
CZ was there with a good variety of their products.
The PCR (Police Czech Republic) model really is noticeably
lighter.

I picked up a new catalog while there. They have the
Firepoint red dot sight listed as an accessory. They didn't
have one there to look at but it looks interesting.
Anybody seen one of these and/or tried one.

Terry
 
tlt,

I'm pretty sure you could get the 10 round compact magazine floorplate seperately from CZ-USA. Mike Eagleshield (CZ-USA's gunsmith) should be able to help you.

I saw one of the firepoint equipped CZ-75B's on the same table where I got my PCR and 97. Looked neat enough but I wasn't interested. I think it was almost $900.

Ben,

The CZ-97B is a bit of a handful but if it fits your hand it's a nice shooter.:)

You can see a PCR at Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna. I've seen more than one at the local gun shows but AO is the only retail location that I know has one in stock.

If you want to try one out you're always welcome out here.:)

Glad you got your computer fixed up.

DougB,

You did good by purchasing the 13 round magazines when you did. They are rare as hen's teeth these days and expensive as hell -if- you can find them.

Joe
 
I went to a local Bay area gun shop, asked for a price on a CZ97b (I am an orthodox believer in 45 ACP,) was quoted $760. The gun sounds great, beautiful reviews all over, yours confirms it. But it seems a bit pricey...I guess I'll update my SGs and have my 1911 tuned in stead
 
Romulus,

Do some shopping around. The best price I can find the CZ-97B for in Atlanta is $479 and I've seen them on the web for around $525. It's a nice pistol but I'd recommend holding off until you can save the extra $250 your local dealer wants in profit.

Joe
 
Romulus - Joe is right. If you pay $760 for a 97B, you can call the police because that dealer used a gun for a robbery. I paid $520 for mine less than a year ago. Like Joe said, it is a great shooter. So continue looking for one, but not from that particular dealer.
 
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