Is this a daft idea?

[Walt Sherrill]

The decocker was a nice feature, but I feel like perhaps the trigger did not feel like the standard version. It is hard to describe. The safety model's trigger felt nicer. None were as nice as the Shadowline's. It has had smoothed parts from the factory and it shows. The trigger was like an oiled ice-cube. Very smooth! And the break was very crisp. Fabulous!! But never worth an extra €300 over the standard.

I'm unfamliar with the "shadowline." Looking at on the CZ-UB site, it's similar to some of the CZ-USA Custom Shop guns. The difference you felt is hundreds of €'s worth of gun-smithing.

As for the other differences seen and felt between the more "common" CZs -- it's all been explained in the series of responses to your questions about the various CZ models in this and other discussion topics. But until you internalize all the details, it's like so much gibberish. It takes a while for everything to fall into place and be understood.

Internally, all of the 75B-based guns are functionally very, very similar when working the trigger (as when firing the guns) the differences are subtle, so I'll repeat them here:

• The Compact model has a safety, a steel frame, and a trigger like that found in the full-size models (i.e. ,the trigger itself is physically less curved than the decocker models.) The gun is typically carried and started from either hammer fully down, or from fully cocked, with the safety on.) An alloy-framed Compact would be almost ideal -- if you can find one on your side of the Atlantic. (These are available in the U.S. through the CZ-USA Custom Shop.)
  
• The Compact is noticeably heavier than the decocker/alloy guns, and recoil will be slightly less.
  
• The PCR and P-01 have decockers, alloy frames, and triggers with a greater curve. These decock to and start from the half-cock notch. Unless you dry-fire the gun, it'll never end up fully hammer down. The half-cock notch shortens the pull a bit (and pre-tensions the hammer spring a bit); the curved trigger shortens the trigger pull just a bit more than the standard (full-size and Compact trigger).
  
• The Compact and the decocker models should feel very much the same when the slide has cocked the hammer, but the curved trigger of the PCR and P-01 might FEEL different to some shooters.
  
• Because the RAMI comes in "safety" or "decocker versions," the decocker model starts from the half-cock notch, too. (I think the trigger is physically the same in either model.)

Shooting any of the "compact" CZs should be a bit more comfortable and a bit easier to shoot well than the sub-compact RAMI.

 

[Pond James Pond]

Thanks again for the low-down, Walt.

I'm sure the Shadowline is worth the money, but it is not money I have so I'd have to discount that one, unless there are big changes.

The difference in weight is certainly noticeable between the steel safety compact and, indeed, all the other compacts I handled.
Having said that, the weight of the all-steel model didn't bother me. Perhaps the SP-01 and carrying a Redhawk on occassion has desensitized me!! In fact, I think I prefer the weight of the steel version.

I did notice that the safety catches on all these models were a bit stiffer than my SP-01 and given how easily I accidentally nudged mine one, mid stage, that might not e a bad thing to have either: still easy enough to engage/disengage with a thumb knuckle.