Those of you wanting to buy a CZ

In the last several months, I've bought and shot several CZs, including a 75B mil and three 85 Combats. Never had a problem, and I don't expect any.

Jrf's comments apply only to the Compact model. Historically, when manufacturers have chopped supremely reliable full-sized combat-proven handguns into compact handguns, problems have occasionally surfaced until designs can be altered to compensate for shorter and lighter slides, etc. This might be one of those situations. But I've never shot a Compact CZ and I haven't researched the issue here, so I don't know either way.
 
OK, I have both a CZ-75B and a PCR and no problems. Zero. If you think the gun has a design flaw, sell it and get something else or send it back to CZ until you get one that works. There is no perfect firearm, but the CZ's have worked well for me and I trust my life with them. Good luck.
 
From my dealings with CZ, they've bent over backwards to be helpful. I've spoken with Mike Eagleshield, the head gunsmith, several times, and he explained to me the exact procedure for detail stripping a 75B, including what to watch out for in reassembly because of the pins. He also courteously answered all of my questions regarding the 85 Combat and CZs in general. These are good people who spend a great deal of time talking to weapons enthusiasts like us.

Still, I can understand jrf's concern over a handgun that doesn't work 100%. Been there. It's frustrating. If the handgun still fails to extract after installation of the new extractor, send it back to CZ for repair. I'd be extremely suprised if it wasn't returned to you in perfect working condition. If you give CZ a reasonable chance to make it right, I'm sure that they will.

As to the terms "design flaw," even if CZ brought it up, let's not take it out of context. An extractor that gets dirty after shooting isn't even a mild issue. As to this particular CZ Compact's failing to extract, name any of the best handguns in the world, and I'm sure that I could find someone somewhere that got one that didn't work perfectly. In fact, any handgun in the world could be changed in some way to make it a little "better" ....... gunsmiths are our friends.

Last, I'd like to thank jrf for sharing the information with us. Let's not shoot the messenger. Everyone here, including jrf, has an extremely high opinion of CZ firearms. We can take and evaluate the information as provided. My conclusion is that it's an anomaly that that CZ will fix it.

Good luck! :p
 
I agree with Ledbetter, CZ didn`t admit to any "design flaw",they just told you to clean behind the extractor if you were having problems. Until the Glock (and some would say after too) the CZ-75 was the benchmark for reliable service autos. It`s been adopted by more militaries worldwide than any other auto. Not exactly the resume of a "flawed design". FWIW my own CZ-75 has also been rock solid reliable for several thousand rounds ranging from Wolf hardball to 115gr.+P Quickshoks. Marcus
 
Thank you milcaztra for an educated reply. Again, I was not saying "don't buy a CZ" simply relaying my problems and what I was TOLD. Once again Mike at CZ on the phone TOLD me that it was a design flaw. I did not say this myself. Maybe it is just with the compact. One of my reasons for posting this here was to see if others had the same problem or to see if there was something else I could do.

I "felt" as if me being told it was a design flaw was somehow supposed to disuade me from wanting a 100% reliable gun. BTW after cleaning behind the first extractor I went to the range and had 2 failures within the first 25 rounds. Somehow I hope it didn't get "dirty" enough after that.

I have since gotten a new extractor and installed it. It did look like it was made much better as did the extractor spring. However I have not yet had a chance to shoot it. It should be getting a good workout this weekend.

Guys I know you like your CZs and are defending them till death. Some of us DON'T have 100% guns and would like to find out why and fix it.
 
I have tried a few different brands. I mostly use S&B which is Czech made also. I also tried Winchester 115gr fmj. white box. A Federal loading that I can't remember. It was a JHP ammo. UMC and some Wincester Ranger Ts. I had the problems with all of the ammo I used.

However I do think the Winchester stuff was much more dirty than the rest.
 
My M40 will not chamber a round with ammo from 2 boxes of S + B that I purchased. Even with assistance to close the chamber sliding the slide forward, it was unable to strike the primer sufficiently to even fire. Worked fine in a P99 however. I think S+B is crap for that reason alone.
 
I really like my CZ-75B MIL. I got mine when they were still $310.
I bought two factory standard capacity mags and the factory rubber panel grips to finish it off.
The only possible critiscism I could see coming is the standard capacity mag spring seem a little weak to me. Time will tell.

I'm one of those .45acp in a good 1911 type of guys, but I like this particular pistol. Wolf 115 fmj's and corbons really make this baby sing. Standard 115 fmj's are real pussy cats.
This will be the pistol my daughter cuts her teeth on when she is ready.
;)
 
jrf: For what it's worth, I've seen numerous reports about FTE's with Winchester White Box ammo. Just ask the guys on the HS2000 board what they think of it.

I hope you get things straightened out with your CZ. Not many things more frustrating than having trouble with a traditionally reliable pistol.

Take care. Marko
 
I also have one of the CZ75B military guns and haven't had any problems. The predominant ammo I fire thru it is the Winchester White Box , both the target stuff and the White Box Personal Defense ammo. As a matter of fact it is loaded with the personal defense stuff right now. With ammo selling the way it is around here, it's really hard to get defensive loads.
 
Thanks guys, I'll try some different ammo this weekend. I've had it happen in the past with some different ammo, but it's not like I'm an ammo store with 100s of rounds of each type... (boy do I wish though). I'll bring all the "other" stuff i have this weekend to try out. Hopefully that will help.
 
Marcus:

You wrote that the CZ-75 had been adopted by more militaries around the world than any other firearm... or words to that effect.

Can you list some of them?

Your statement is at odds with what I've been able to find out.

(I think CZs are fine guns -- I have three of them -- but I don't think they're THAT widely used by militaries. Some police forces, maybe...)
 
Walt: As to Marcus' statement, I distinctly recall reading words to that effect in at least two reviews of the CZ75 (although I don't believe any specific countries were mentioned other than Czechoslovakia. I'll see if I can dig up the articles. One such review might have been the CZ75 25th Anniversary feature in Guns & Ammo (one of the summer 2000 issues perhaps?). Or it might have been in the Combat Handguns review of the 97B this past Spring or early Summer. And I think I read a review of the 75B in one of the NRA rags, but I can't recall which one.

I'm curious too. All though it's irrelevant, since CZs are fine weapons regardless of which militaries might carry them.

Take care. Marko
 
I had read many years ago that Soviet special forces used the CZ75. Also the current glut of "military" CZ's are due to Turkey canceling an order. The CZ is my favorite full size handgun. I now have two, with 7 hicaps and 3 more on order.
 
jrf,
What I can't figure out is, why you didn't send the gun back for THEM to fix. I mean after all, if you get an admission that there is a design flaw, that sucker is shipped the next day if it's mine. Why put it on a shelf and not send it back? And why do the work yourself? Was it that far out of warranty? Even so, if it was THEIR problem, they'd be fixing it!!!!
 
The CZ is used by the military's and national security agencies of something like 65 to 70 countries. I'll have to go to another board where I posted a link that showed what countries issue to their spec-op units. Relatively new here, the CZ has been held in high regard in other countries for quite some time.
 
I have one cz ...never even hiccuped. No failures of any kind...
I just bought another. Any make/model of gun will have a
certain rate of failure and it can possibly be several different types of failure. CZ has a success rate that I believe in..I trust
my life every day to my gun.....Even the most expensive and
trusted guns in the world have problems on rare occasions.
Shoot well............just my opinion
 
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