In praise of the CZ75 40

Rogervzv · May 24, 2016, 09:44 AM

I have two (2) identical CZ75B 40 S&Ws, and just thought I would post my impressions after putting about 500 rounds through each of them.

Had a trigger job done to them by West Coast Gunworks and the difference was remarkable. I will shortly post the poundage after the work.

I also replaced the stock sights with the Meprolight Tritium sight. I don't know why CZ does not make this standard as it really is much better.

This adds maybe $175 to the price of the gun. However, I defy you to find another quality all-steel semi-auto as inexpensive as the CZ75B, so you are starting at a low price base and ending up with a heck of a good pistol.

Two noteworthy traits of these guns: accuracy and reliability. Neither gun has ever had the slightest malfunction. Both always lock back after the last round, and neither has ever had a FTF, stovepipe, or anything like that. I mainly shoot range ammo sold by FT3 tactical although I put a box or two of Federal through each of them too. The design of this gun seems to be hyper-reliable.

Accuracy is great. These guns will shoot as accurately as the shooter allows. I do not own a pistol rest such as a Ransom, but at ten yards I can mostly hit the Bull's Eye or near it most of the time. The Range Officer at FT3 (my local range) came up to me and asked what I was shooting last Sunday when he saw my ten yard groups. All flyers were strictly due to the shooter (me). I'm not saying that this gun will equal say, a Wilson Combat 1911, but it will shoot very accurately.

Lastly, disassembly and reassembly. The easiest of any semi-auto I own.

One downside: detail stripping a CZ is *much* more difficult than with a 1911 and is not for the faint of heart. Generally it is considered not necessary by CZ aficionados over at the CZ forum.

Anyway, these are my impressions after owning these guys for awhile.

Nathan · May 24, 2016, 10:41 AM

Good to hear...Do you know what was done? <-Trigger Job

JDBerg · May 24, 2016, 11:21 AM

My CZ75B Tutone in .40S&W was one of the prettiest guns I ever owned but it never ran right for me, just a horrible gun where it really counted. My plain Jane 75B 9mm is the exact opposite, as reliable & accurate as the day is long. I'm sure mine was just a bad apple, I'm glad to hear that your .40 S&W 75B is working out for you, though.

rock185 · May 24, 2016, 12:02 PM

Nice pistol. I've had two Pre-Bs and a Retro B model. I've always thought the CZ75s are a very good value for the money. I did not find my CZs to be especially accurate, but they did demonstrate flawless reliability with any factory or reloaded ammo I used. One of the few guns with a grip that fits me more comfortably than the FN/Browning Hi Power.

SIGSHR · May 24, 2016, 02:49 PM

Get the Kadet unit and you'll really have fun.

Pilot · May 25, 2016, 07:24 AM

CZ's are very accurate, and reliable pistols. I have a 75B, 75 pre-B, 75D PCR, 97B, Kadet pistol, and Kadet Kit. All have good, stock triggers, and are among my favorites, even beating out my venerable MK III Browning Hi Power.

Rogervzv · May 26, 2016, 02:51 PM

How does the CZ75 "Pre B" differ from the B?

larryf1952 · May 26, 2016, 05:28 PM

I've got 2 75B's, a stainless 9mm and a duotone .40. I'm very fond of the guns, and I can shoot them well so long as I am slow and deliberate. I can understand why the OP had a trigger job done on his 75B, though, because the OEM triggers on both of these guns stink to high heaven. They are easily the worst triggers of any semiauto of any caliber that I own, and that's quite a few. They have an exorbitantly long and gritty takeup, and the hammers visibly "cam" backwards before they break.

I have learned to adapt to them only because I have a distaste for spending money to fiddle with new guns (with the exception of undesirable finishes), so long as they work. I have no intention of selling them, though, because they are well made and accurate, the controls are in the right place, and they fit my hand perfectly.

I have detail stripped them, but, as the OP said, it is not for the faint of heart or the impatient.

Pilot · May 28, 2016, 06:59 AM

Quote:

How does the CZ75 "Pre B" differ from the B?

The Pre-B has no firing pin block, a rounded trigger guard, no dovetailed front sight, and spur hammer. It will also say made in Czechoslovakia, not Czech Republic.

I slightly prefer my Pre-B over my 75B, mostly due to aesthetics. They are both great shooters.

Walt Sherrill · May 29, 2016, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilot

The Pre-B has no firing pin block, a rounded trigger guard, no dovetailed front sight, and spur hammer. It will also say made in Czechoslovakia, not Czech Republic.

I slightly prefer my Pre-B over my 75B, mostly due to aesthetics. They are both great shooters.

There are other minor differences, including how the safety mechanism works (and the two designs are not compatible if the pre-B is an early pre-B.) Some of the earliest pre-B had a spring inside the safety lever, and that spring must be controlled when removing the safety (use a pin to control it.) Those spring are made of unobtanium -- and you may not be able to find a replacement, so be careful. (You can't use the newer design safeties in these older guns.)

The pre-B uses a firing pin STOP (a plate that slides into the rear of the slide) to retain the firing pin, and the B uses a firing pin retention roll pin -- a less expensive approach.

More importantly, the firing pin block mechanism adds some extra springs and levers to the trigger pull process, and it changes the feel a little. (Many serious enthusiasts remove the firing pin block mechanism, but that requires some adjustments in the mechanism.) Polishing the firing pin mechanism may offer enough improvement that the firing pin block can be retained; the 75B SA I once owned had that improvement, you couldn't really tell that the firing pin block mechanism was still installed when pulling the trigger.

The Tanfoglio firing pin block design is an improvement and seems to have less effect on the trigger pull.

Most untuned pre-Bs have better triggers than most untuned B models, but they all smooth out with use. The B series, at least the newer ones, have a "camming" motion in the single action hammer, in which the hammer moves a bit to the rear before it drops.

Rogervzv · May 29, 2016, 10:36 AM

Great info on the "pre B" CZ75. Thanks! I am going to guess that the pre-B use of a firing pin STOP makes it easier to detail strip the gun, at least to remove the firing pin. Like a 1911?

Walt Sherrill · May 29, 2016, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogervzv

I am going to guess that the pre-B use of a firing pin STOP makes it easier to detail strip the gun, at least to remove the firing pin. Like a 1911?

Yes. But everything else about the CZ is a bit more complicated than a 1911.

It arguably comes from the fact that it's a DA/SA weapon that can also be started from cocked and locked. (The decocker models are almost the same, but slightly more difficult to detail strip.)

Rogervzv · May 29, 2016, 08:22 PM

Good info, Walt. Makes sense and thank you.

May 24, 2016, 09:44 AM	#1
Rogervzv Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2011 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 1,075	In praise of the CZ75 40 I have two (2) identical CZ75B 40 S&Ws, and just thought I would post my impressions after putting about 500 rounds through each of them. Had a trigger job done to them by West Coast Gunworks and the difference was remarkable. I will shortly post the poundage after the work. I also replaced the stock sights with the Meprolight Tritium sight. I don't know why CZ does not make this standard as it really is much better. This adds maybe $175 to the price of the gun. However, I defy you to find another quality all-steel semi-auto as inexpensive as the CZ75B, so you are starting at a low price base and ending up with a heck of a good pistol. Two noteworthy traits of these guns: accuracy and reliability. Neither gun has ever had the slightest malfunction. Both always lock back after the last round, and neither has ever had a FTF, stovepipe, or anything like that. I mainly shoot range ammo sold by FT3 tactical although I put a box or two of Federal through each of them too. The design of this gun seems to be hyper-reliable. Accuracy is great. These guns will shoot as accurately as the shooter allows. I do not own a pistol rest such as a Ransom, but at ten yards I can mostly hit the Bull's Eye or near it most of the time. The Range Officer at FT3 (my local range) came up to me and asked what I was shooting last Sunday when he saw my ten yard groups. All flyers were strictly due to the shooter (me). I'm not saying that this gun will equal say, a Wilson Combat 1911, but it will shoot very accurately. Lastly, disassembly and reassembly. The easiest of any semi-auto I own. One downside: detail stripping a CZ is much more difficult than with a 1911 and is not for the faint of heart. Generally it is considered not necessary by CZ aficionados over at the CZ forum. Anyway, these are my impressions after owning these guys for awhile. __________________ The difference between a citizen and a civilian is that the citizen makes the safety of the body politic his personal responsibility, protecting it with his life. The civilian does not.

May 24, 2016, 11:21 AM	#3
JDBerg Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2015 Location: PA Posts: 1,835	My CZ75B Tutone in .40S&W was one of the prettiest guns I ever owned but it never ran right for me, just a horrible gun where it really counted. My plain Jane 75B 9mm is the exact opposite, as reliable & accurate as the day is long. I'm sure mine was just a bad apple, I'm glad to hear that your .40 S&W 75B is working out for you, though. __________________ Words to Live By: Before You Pray - Believe; Before You Speak - Listen; Before You Spend - Earn; Before You Write - Think; Before You Quit - Try; Before You Die - Live

May 24, 2016, 12:02 PM	#4
rock185 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2001 Location: Out West in Rim Country Posts: 1,093	Nice pistol. I've had two Pre-Bs and a Retro B model. I've always thought the CZ75s are a very good value for the money. I did not find my CZs to be especially accurate, but they did demonstrate flawless reliability with any factory or reloaded ammo I used. One of the few guns with a grip that fits me more comfortably than the FN/Browning Hi Power. __________________ COTEP 640, NRA Life

May 25, 2016, 07:24 AM	#6
Pilot Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2000 Posts: 4,193	CZ's are very accurate, and reliable pistols. I have a 75B, 75 pre-B, 75D PCR, 97B, Kadet pistol, and Kadet Kit. All have good, stock triggers, and are among my favorites, even beating out my venerable MK III Browning Hi Power. __________________ Pilot

May 26, 2016, 02:51 PM	#7
Rogervzv Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2011 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 1,075	How does the CZ75 "Pre B" differ from the B? __________________ The difference between a citizen and a civilian is that the citizen makes the safety of the body politic his personal responsibility, protecting it with his life. The civilian does not.

May 24, 2016, 10:41 AM	#2
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,331	Good to hear...Do you know what was done? <-Trigger Job

May 24, 2016, 02:49 PM	#5
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	Get the Kadet unit and you'll really have fun.

May 26, 2016, 05:28 PM	#8
larryf1952 Senior Member Join Date: July 17, 2004 Location: KCMO Posts: 615	I've got 2 75B's, a stainless 9mm and a duotone .40. I'm very fond of the guns, and I can shoot them well so long as I am slow and deliberate. I can understand why the OP had a trigger job done on his 75B, though, because the OEM triggers on both of these guns stink to high heaven. They are easily the worst triggers of any semiauto of any caliber that I own, and that's quite a few. They have an exorbitantly long and gritty takeup, and the hammers visibly "cam" backwards before they break. I have learned to adapt to them only because I have a distaste for spending money to fiddle with new guns (with the exception of undesirable finishes), so long as they work. I have no intention of selling them, though, because they are well made and accurate, the controls are in the right place, and they fit my hand perfectly. I have detail stripped them, but, as the OP said, it is not for the faint of heart or the impatient.

May 29, 2016, 10:36 AM	#11
Rogervzv Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2011 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 1,075	Great info on the "pre B" CZ75. Thanks! I am going to guess that the pre-B use of a firing pin STOP makes it easier to detail strip the gun, at least to remove the firing pin. Like a 1911? __________________ The difference between a citizen and a civilian is that the citizen makes the safety of the body politic his personal responsibility, protecting it with his life. The civilian does not.

May 29, 2016, 08:22 PM	#13
Rogervzv Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2011 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 1,075	Good info, Walt. Makes sense and thank you. __________________ The difference between a citizen and a civilian is that the citizen makes the safety of the body politic his personal responsibility, protecting it with his life. The civilian does not.