# CZ Reputation



## Danny

I was just curious if CZ was considered a top-tier mfg, like FNH, Beretta, Sig, etc.? I only became aware of them a few years ago, by accident, while looking into the DW 715 revolvers, and found out that they had been acquired by CZ. 
For the last 6 months or so, while doing exhaustive research on the 1911, I starting seeing overwhelming, positive comments about the DW 1911's, maybe more so than any gun I've ever looked into; you normally don't hear such a high percentage of positive feedback like that. Did CZ retain most of the 'brains' from the DW company, which already had a great reputation, and just let them keep doing what they do best, or was it a takeover in name only, and the current reputation of the DW line, and the other guns they build, come directly from CZ's past expertize in building guns throughout their history?


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## TAPnRACK

I consider them a top-tier firearm as much as Sig, Beretta, Glock, etc. Many competition shooters use CZ and some models are quite expensive. CZ has become more popular in the last 5-10 years in the US... I consider CZ to be one of the best kept secrets in the firearms industry, although more and more people are hearing about them and buying them... dependability and accuracy are what CZ firearms are all about.







My CZ 75 BD-Police with my Beretta.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk


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## hillman

The CZ 75 probably has as many quality clones in Europe and the Middle East as the 1911 and the Browning Hi Power. It is an excellent design. I have owned several of the Tanfoglio clones, all good.


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## Philco

I've got a couple of CZs and I've been very impressed with them. I would consider them a top tier gun maker.


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## berettatoter

CZ is most certainly a "top tier" gun manufacturer. I think it may have a little to do with the fact that they were behind the iron curtain for so long, that they will need more time here to be able to be considered as such. JMHO.


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## Bisley

CZ was top-tier before they bought out Dan Wesson. They were just way behind on outside sales and advertising because they were in a Soviet Bloc country. They have been manufacturing quality firearms, both pistol and rifle, for military and police for decades, in Europe. The American market simply overlooked them for years.


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## Danny

TAPnRACK said:


> I consider them a top-tier firearm as much as Sig, Beretta, Glock, etc. Many competition shooters use CZ and some models are quite expensive. CZ has become more popular in the last 5-10 years in the US... I consider CZ to be one of the best kept secrets in the firearms industry, although more and more people are hearing about them and buying them... dependability and accuracy are what CZ firearms are all about.
> 
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> My CZ 75 BD-Police with my Beretta.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk


The resemblance to the Beretta is undeniable. While shopping for my 1911 (ended up getting a Sig), the guy at the store let me hold a CZ, but I don't remember what model it was; it was an all chrome pistol, and felt quite comfy in my hand. I now have my eyes set on a DW V-Bob 9mm.


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## boatdoc173

I am a HUGE CZ/DW fan. They make great guns, reliable and fun to shoot. CS is wonderful . I have zero issues with them and quite a few of their products

FWIW, I believe both Beretta and CZ(the 75) are based on the browning high power( loosely based at that). LOVE them both but I favor CZ


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## Bisley

boatdoc173 said:


> I am a HUGE CZ/DW fan. They make great guns, reliable and fun to shoot. CS is wonderful . I have zero issues with them and quite a few of their products
> 
> FWIW, I believe both Beretta and CZ(the 75) are based on the browning high power( loosely based at that). LOVE them both but I favor CZ


I agree. The High Power looks great, but I believe the CZ to be a superior shooter, right out of the box, and it looks good, too.


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## pendennis

I own a CZ75B Tactical Sports, and three Hi Powers. The CZ is built like the proverbial tank, not as elegant as the Hi Power, but well-built, accurate, and reliable.

My previous experience is with the CZ83, another solid performer. At first, I thought the CZ75 was way heavier than the Hi Power, but it weighs only 2 ounces more. Now, my Tactical Sports comes in at almost 3lb with an empty magazine. That's one h*** of a buffer.


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## CW

Beretta = CZ..... well.... comparing my PCR to my 96a1

They're both black mirror images....

Except that the take down is quite different,

And the slide is inside the frame on a CZ and outside the frame on a Beretta,

And ... never mind barrel length ...

But despite the slight differences,

They are beautiful, reliable, accurate, excellent firearms - so I guess they are the same. Especially if you get a Cajunized CZ or a Wilsonized Beretta.


As for CZ copies, Tanfoglio, IWI-Jerichos, and Sphinx copies are outstanding as well. There are some Turkish variants that are nice, for the price.


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## berettatoter

Bisley said:


> CZ was top-tier before they bought out Dan Wesson. They were just way behind on outside sales and advertising because they were in a Soviet Bloc country. They have been manufacturing quality firearms, both pistol and rifle, for military and police for decades, in Europe. The American market simply overlooked them for years.


...or simply had no access to them before the fall of the Soviets.


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## Bisley

berettatoter said:


> ...or simply had no access to them before the fall of the Soviets.


Yep, but they were here for several years without being discovered in some places. The gun shops where I lived had either never heard of them, or thought they were just some foreign knock-off. I had to drive 100 miles to find the first one I bought, and that was less than 10 years ago.


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## pendennis

Bisley said:


> Yep, but they were here for several years without being discovered in some places. The gun shops where I lived had either never heard of them, or thought they were just some foreign knock-off. I had to drive 100 miles to find the first one I bought, and that was less than 10 years ago.


To this day, there are a lot of LGS' which give you a blank stare when you ask to see a CZ. Even others who have them in stock, don't always have much of a selection. That's a shame, because the quality is outstanding.


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## dominic135

I found only one small discrepancy with my CZ75b. The finish on the left side of the slide was sloppy toward the front. It was easily corrected by rubbing the finish out with "Brasso", a fine rubbing compound sold for brass cleaning. 15 minutes later, it blended right in with the rest of the finish.
Also you have to consider the design. If the product wasn't top notch or if it had a bad rep in any way... they wouldn't have so many fine quality manufacturers trying to clone it! Even a good design could be lost to history if the original manufacturer was sloppy.
Remember, impersonation is the sincerest form of flattery!


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## dominic135

One more point to remember. The CZ75 was copied years before they went public in 1975. The Russian government would not allow CZ to file a patent because they considered the pistol a national "Secret Weapon". The first clones were made from black market military weapons. I don't think that has happened since the Civil War. That is how impressive this product and CZ are!


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## GAP

One reason it took so long for CZ to catch on in the U.S. is because these weapons were not allowed to be imported until about 2000. I purchased CZ75 (pre-B) and it's CZ85 younger brother from a U.S. Forces Rod & Gun Club in Germany in about 1988 - the salesperson told me at the time that I couldn't take them to the U S. I paid $379.00 ea.


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## GAP

CZ75 is the most copied pistol on the planet...


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## Bisley

The one bad quality control issue I know about was with the RAMI subcompact. It was really a shame, because the RAMI is an outstanding shooter for a double-stack subcompact. But they let a bunch of them get out and on the market with feed/eject problems. Mine was corrected with a factory 'fluff and buff.' That apparently corrected a steep, rough feed ramp. The factory responded slowly and reluctantly, and allowed the issue to damage their sales on the RAMI.


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## berettatoter

pendennis said:


> To this day, there are a lot of LGS' which give you a blank stare when you ask to see a CZ. Even others who have them in stock, don't always have much of a selection. That's a shame, because the quality is outstanding.


I am kinda lucky in that regard. There is one of the local gun stores near me, that the owner is a CZ fan. He keeps a lot of the CZ pistols in stock. :smt1099


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## Philco

Bisley said:


> The one bad quality control issue I know about was with the RAMI subcompact. It was really a shame, because the RAMI is an outstanding shooter for a double-stack subcompact. But they let a bunch of them get out and on the market with feed/eject problems. Mine was corrected with a factory 'fluff and buff.' That apparently corrected a steep, rough feed ramp. The factory responded slowly and reluctantly, and allowed the issue to damage their sales on the RAMI.


Bisley I'm curious as to how long ago that took place. My Rami is a 2013 model and it has been flawless so far. What year was your gun built ?


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## Bisley

Philco said:


> Bisley I'm curious as to how long ago that took place. My Rami is a 2013 model and it has been flawless so far. What year was your gun built ?


This was several years ago. Mine is a 2004 model, if I remember correctly. And yes, I would expect them to have taken care of it by now. My RAMI is by far my favorite short barreled handgun, since the bugs are all fixed, now.


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## Bisley

I bought my RAMI at a good cut-rate price, because the issue was widespread and had become known to most folks who did their homework before purchasing a gun. I believed that I would be able to correct the problems myself, but my smoothing and polishing was too delicate to fix the feed ramp. When I took it apart, after the factory work, it was obvious that they had used a power tool to remove a lot more material from the feed ramp than I would have ever gotten up the nerve to do.


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## Swampguy

I love CZs! I have two and they are my favorites. I would have more if I had found out about them sooner. Mine are accurate as any pistols I have and extremely reliable - as in ZERO failures. You can not go wrong with a CZ pistol IMHO.


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## GAP

How about a 1987 pre-B...


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## Philco

GAP said:


> How about a 1987 pre-B...
> View attachment 8962
> View attachment 8970
> View attachment 8962
> View attachment 8970


Sure, send it on over. :anim_lol:


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## Blackhawkman

I don't own any CZ's just now. Have in the past. Too many mouths to feed.......good pistols!


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## Argon18smith

I am enjoying my CZ. No malfunctions of any kind and it eats all the different reloads I put into it.


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## Tangof

My first CZ was a P-01 I bought for concealed carry when I retired. I did my standard first test. five rounds at 25 yards from a bench rest at a center mass bulls eye. I thought I had missed the target completely. When I walked to the target I found all five shots clustered in the center of the black. Since then, 75b,PCR,82 (many), P-09. I haven't been sorry once. The PCR even wears a Kadet Kit every so often.


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## Philco

I have yet to find a CZ at a local gun shop other than Bud's Gun Shop in Lexington, Ky. Thankfully, I'm less than an hours drive away from Bud's.


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