I was finally able to take my new CZs (75 Compact and PCR) to the range

C

chaim

New member
It is no secret that I'm a big CZ fan. I had a CZ 40B some time ago. My CZ 75B probably has about 15K rounds (I stopped counting at 10K a long time ago) and is incredibly accurate and quite reliable. I didn't warm to my P01 right away, but once I got the PCR I always wanted, I started liking my P01 more, and once I started carrying it (when I could) I really started liking it. However, today's post isn't about those guns...

I've had my CZ 75 Compact and PCR for 2-3 months and only today managed to get to the range with them. I've often thought about getting a 75 Compact, and I've wanted a PCR for about 15 years. I was really looking forward to shooting them, and I did enjoy them (with a few surprises).

Between the two, I shot 50 rounds of Fiocchi JHP (30 through the PCR and 20 through the Compact). I also shot 50 rounds of UMC 115gr FMJ, 20 rounds of SIG 115gr JHP, and 50 rounds of 115gr Speer Gold Dot through each. Each gun got a total of 90-100 rounds of JHP and 50 rounds of FMJ. I also shot 50 rounds of FMJ through my Ruger LCP.

Both proved very accurate. I haven't been shooting in a few months so I was rusty the first few mags (especially given it was my first time shooting these two guns). However, I was pretty happy with my shooting with them at 8-11 yards, and a few mags out to 15 yards. Even though I hadn't been shooting in a while, I was getting decent groups (for me) that were comparable to those I get with a full sized gun. At first I was shooting a bit to the left with them, but once I slowed down and concentrated on my trigger pull, the guns were great. I need to be sure to get to the range more often, and one or the other of these guns (plus the P01) will need to come each time since the PCR/P01/75 Compact will be my main carry guns.

One of the reasons my P01 never really grew on me was trigger bite. I did get a little by the end of my 340 round session. It didn't start to be noticeable until I got to the end of my night's shooting, so I don't know if it was more from the PCR or the Compact, but it wasn't bad. Overall, I enjoyed shooting both guns.

The one negative surprise, the PCR wasn't 100% reliable. It shot all 100 rounds of JHP reliably. However, it didn't like the cheap UMC FMJ, with several FTFs. I didn't count the jams, some mags went through all 15 rounds no problem, while others jammed more than once. I'd guess that out of the 50 rounds of UMC I shot from it I had 4-6 FTFs. It was 100% with defensive ammo and with the cheap Fiocchi JHP, but it really didn't like the UMC. Though, the Compact was 100% with everything I shot, including the UMC. Well, they both need more rounds of defensive ammo before I will carry them anyway, but I definitely need to try to find a few brands of cheap FMJ that will work with the PCR. Heck, I may even try another box of UMC (I've had this 100 round box on a shelf for a year or two) and see if there is a difference.

Overall, they are both keepers. If the PCR turns out to be ammo sensitive, but works with defensive ammo, I'll be OK with it (and the Fiocchi JHP isn't too terribly expensive to shoot regularly). I really enjoyed the Compact, and I can see carrying it as well even though it is a little heavier (I originally thought I'd probably end up using the PCR for carry and the Compact would be primarily a range gun, but I really liked the Compact).
 
Oh, a quick report on the fun factor...

I was surprised at how much fun I had shooting my LCP. I haven't shot it in years. The laser was way off, shot nearly 2ft low at 7-8.5 yards, though the nearly non-existent sight worked a lot better than I remembered. With the Hogue wrap around grip it was very comfortable to shoot (I may try it again without it, but bring it in case). The extended mags were only 1 extra round (7+1), but it was a noticeable difference when shooting (but not really all that much in the hand). I will have to adjust the laser (I didn't think to bring the adjustment tool) and I'll bet it will really be a blast next time. This gun I used to hate, well, my tastes have changed I guess because I loved shooting this little gun.

Both CZs were fun to shoot. The CZ 75 Compact, being 100% reliable with all ammo was of course a bit more fun. However, when shooting the PCR with JHP, it was fun too. It was a little lighter, and it was just barely noticeable. Not enough to be uncomfortable by any means, but enough to add a little more kick/fun.

As for the ammo, in each gun, I first shot the UMC, then the SIG, then the Fiocchi and finished with the Gold Dot. The UMC was fun in the Compact, but of course, less so when it didn't work 100% in the PCR. It was mild in recoil as expected of a range ammo, and surprisingly accurate for a cheap ammo. Shooting the SIG defensive ammo, it was even easier to hit my targets where I wanted to, but was much louder and had a bit of a kick. The Fiocchi JHP was between the two in recoil, but had a TON of muzzle blast, even out of these mid-sized guns (they have 3.75" barrels). I wonder how it would be out of a full sized. Anyway, it looked and sounded like I was shooting a 3" .357mag as far as its bark, though that just contributed it its fun (I'd never consider it for a defensive ammo, it would blind you right away). Even though it is about $3 per box of 50 more than Fiocchi FMJ, or a little more than $0.05 more a round, it was so much fun to shoot, it may become my main round to shoot out of these guns when shooting just for the fun of it. The Gold Dots were very mild in comparison. Nearly no recoil out of these mid-sized guns (especially out of the nearly 33oz Compact), very quiet, and no visible muzzle blast. Still, accuracy is fun as well, so it was fun to shoot (though that wasn't my main purpose when shooting this ammo, as I intend it to be my main defensive ammo in all of my 9mms that it proves to be reliable in- while I've made some changes over the years, I keep coming back to Gold Dot in 9mm).
 
Last edited:
Hello Chaim,
You & me are a lot a like. I am a big CZ fan also & have a CZ,75BD,75,compact,P-01 97B & 40B. I never found a PCR would like to get that one. Like the P-01 just don't like the rail. The 1st thing I did with all my CZ'S was dump the plastic guide rod's & spring's. I got all my CZ'S new so I put in steel guide rod's in all but the P-01. That one you have to put in a aluminum guide rod(as per cz) because of it's alloy frame. I upped the guide rod spring's by 1 LB on all of them. CZ stock spring's are on the week side so this is what I did. CZ.75BD,stock 14LB,put in 15LB,75,compact & P-01 are 17LB put in 18LB etc. They are all 100% jam free from day one with any ammo I use in them. They all shoot great also & like you are my carry gun's. But some times I even carry my 97B. It's big but I can do it. Or the 40B. I would try that & I bet you will be fine. I also put night sights on all of them. CZ stock sights suck.IMO.(to small) I don't know how many rounds you have in them but none of my CZ needed any brake in where 100% right out of the box. Good luck.
 
volkstrm, I know what you mean about the P01's rail. I wanted a PCR since I got my first CZ (at least 15 years). They aren't always available, and at least once in that time they actually discontinued it, and they were never around at the same time I had the money. So, a couple years ago I finally caved and got a P01. Not loving the rail, and it not being a PCR, are the main reasons I never warmed to it, until I finally bought my PCR.

My CZ 75B did get a stronger Wolff spring. I've replaced it quite a few times since I'm well over 10K rounds, but I haven't done so in a few years so I don't remember what strength the current one is. It has a metal guide rod, I don't remember if I changed it at some time or if 15 years ago they came with a metal guide rod. I plan to stay with the original strength spring on my P01 and Compact since they seem to work with all ammo so far (I'll reconsider if I find that isn't the case with other loads). If the PCR has issues with other range strength ammo, I'll probably go with a stronger spring and see if that helps, but if it works with other cheaper ammo I may not. I doubt I'll replace any other guide rods unless one breaks since they seem to work (then again, it is a cheap thing to change so you never know).

I agree that CZ sights are way too small (though they work). As I'm getting older, my eyes are deteriorating and with diabetes, will likely continue getting worse. I'll probably see which of the three gets the most carry time and replace those sights first (while the sights work for accuracy, they do slow me down), but I'll probably eventually put night sights on all three (my range only 75B is fine with the small sights- it is one of the guns on which I am most accurate).

As for carrying the 40B, I bought it with that in mind. However, I sold it after about a year and before I ever got a chance to carry it (I sold it right around the time they discontinued it). Unfortunately, while I liked the gun, I hadn't yet warmed to .40S&W and decided to get rid of the gun. Within a year or two later, I decided I liked .40S&W. I'd love to find a nice used one, but they only pop up occasionally, and they are always more than I want to spend on one.

Round count:
CZ 75B: I stopped counting at 10K rounds many years ago (10 or so). I don't shoot as much as I used to so I'm estimating at somewhere between 15-20K now. In that time, I may have had 5-10 hiccups, and none in years (I forget which brand, but there was a brand of cheap ammo it didn't like- I think it was either Remington UMC or Federal American Eagle - I mostly feed it WWB, Fiocchi and S&B, and I'm sure I'd be fine with even the ammo it didn't like since there have been no problems since the Wolff springs).
P01: A few hundred. I no longer do an exact round count, but I've had it a couple years and it has quite a few boxes through it now. No problems.
75 Compact: Yesterday was its first range trip. It got 140 rounds (90 of JHP, 50 FMJ). No problems so far.
PCR: Yesterday was its first trip to the range. It got 150 rounds (100 JHP, 50 FMJ). Perfect with the stronger JHPs, a number of FTF with the 50 rounds of FMJ. Need to see if it is just the UMC, or if the PCR is ammo sensitive, and if the latter, I'll probably get some stronger Wolff springs.
40B: I went to the range a lot more when I owned it than I do now (and I had much fewer guns). I had probably 1-2K rounds through it. I don't remember it ever having a hiccup of any kind.
 
Last edited:
Wow you are just like me & my CZ'S. Same thing as I got older the sights where harder to see so I had to go with the night sights. Best thing I did. Yea I know what you mean I could never find a PCR. For me it went like this,My 1st CZ was the 75BD. I loved it so tried to get the PCR. No deal.(Looked all over also) I said ok then can you order me a P-01.,could not get that also but they could get me the75, compact. I said ok. I really liked it. I got the P-01 at a gun show. I was looking for a P-06(a P-01 in 40s&w) could not find one. But I see this P-01 in army green new in CZ oily bag & all for like $200.00 under msrp! I looked & looked and then the guy said to me you really want it I will take $10.00 more off plus two box's of this ammo and it's your. Well I had to take it! Now for the best part. At the next show I see him again. Go over to say hello and guess what? He has a new in CZ oily bag CZ,75BD in army green! For the same price!:eek: But I already have my 75Bd. I can't buy the same gun just because its in a different color? Can I?? I was buying a lot of guns at the time and had to slow down some you know? I kept going back to look at it. Finely I just left so I would not buy it. But you know what? I do wish I got it. When do you see an army green CZ,75BD? Like never! I just love my CZ'S. I just now went from my 75BD to the 75,compact for carry. But I do like the decocker better. Maybe one day I will fine me that PCR? A P-01 with no rail. Nice talking with you pal.:)
P.S. One more thing you may like to do for your CZ's that I did to mine. I took off the stock plastic grips and but on CZ stock rubber grips. Much better IMO. Funny I never did fined a PCR or a P-06. I think that P-06 would be a nice gun. Even nicer if they made a 357sig barrel to go with it.
 
Last edited:
I like my CZs and they are very dependable! But, for range fun, a 1911 chambered in 9mm is Way better! You just can’t beat a 1911 trigger!
 
Volks, that's funny, my P01 is in green.

As for the grips, I've had some nice wood grips on my 75B since a couple months after I bought it. I got some nice G10 grips for the P01 that would make it almost as narrow as a polymer pistol. I never put them on because I really like the rubber CZ grips. I may put them on now that I have the PCR and leave the rubber on the PCR (or the other way around), and I'll probably get wood grips for the Compact, though I also may look for something a bit different than you usually see on CZs (elk, bone or fake ivory)
 
Quadsport, I do love my 1911s, but I don't really want one in 9mm. I want .45 and 10mm in my 1911s.

Winny, I'd have to shoot them back to back to be sure, but both the PCR and Compact felt very familiar (I was hoping they would when I bought them). The Compact really does feel like a slightly smaller version of the 75B, which of course, is exactly what it is.
 
I would like a CZ P01 stainless non-polished please. Better yet, a SIG P365, stainless, non-polished but yes I would also score a P01 in same! And sig could charge an additional fifty bucks and I'd trip over my shoelaces gettin to the gun store no doubt but I can tell you I wouldn't be postponing the purchase!

I don't mean to commit severe thread drift but would it even be possible to create the Sig P365 in stainless?
 
Love CZ ... have a
CZ Scorpion evo
CZ 75b SA
CZ Shadow 2

All really good shooters.. points naturally great ergonomics
Shadow 2 is just unbelievable
 
I have the p07, p09, sp01 phantom

Love the p07 and phantom. Haver over 45k round thru the phantom (i reload and use 124 grain bullets)
The p09 always had ftf issues. Sent it once to cz, supposdly they fixed it but im still have problems with it so it just sit in the box.
I had tge 75 tactical but sold it a few months later, too heavy to conceal carry.

Sent from my LG-LS998 using Tapatalk
 
Chaim: I had a problem with the trigger on my pcr. It was trigger slap. You might have the same problem. I bought a trigger from cz custom for the cz85. It was what they recommended. It solved my problem. YMMV.
 
I would like a CZ P01 stainless non-polished please. Better yet, a SIG P365, stainless, non-polished but yes I would also score a P01 in same
Click to expand...

Have you thought about a CeraKote finish? They can be done in just about any color scheme you want, and I'm pretty sure you can use it over polymer (it will definitely work on the P01 and the metal parts of the P365).

I had a problem with the trigger on my pcr. It was trigger slap. You might have the same problem. I bought a trigger from cz custom for the cz85
Click to expand...

I definitely have trigger slap from my P01, I'm not sure which of the PCR or the Compact did it this last time (though not as bad, and it was after a pretty good number of rounds). I will probably either get a C85 trigger from CZ Custom or a trigger from Cajun Gun Works. In the meantime, for whenever I shoot more than 100 rounds from them, I bought a pair of shooting gloves.

That’s odd, Pictures of Chaim’s CZ75 are not loading for me.
Click to expand...

If I have a chance, I'll do a "family photo" soon.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top