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Old May 30, 2000, 09:16 PM   #1
Pilate
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Where, on the web, can I see Sphinx pistols? Do they, or their distributer have a website? If not, does anyone know who the distributer is so I can contact them for for any available literature? Thanks again!
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Old May 30, 2000, 11:25 PM   #2
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I don't know Pilate, after seeing MI2, I searched the whole web for a tidbit of info. on Sphinx pistols, and could not a find anything on them. I'm just guessing that they don't have a website.

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Old May 31, 2000, 01:52 AM   #3
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Are you sure than Sphinx pistols are still manufactured?
The only ones I saw were competition pistols in the mid 90s...

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Old May 31, 2000, 12:30 PM   #4
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Sphinx pistols are manufactured in Switzerland. One of the retailers handling them can be found at this link: http://www.a-1firearms.com/Html/A-1PISTOL.html . They are expensive, in the $900 range.


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Old May 31, 2000, 12:38 PM   #5
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Last I saw of these was in the mid-90's. There was a whole line of compact to full size to competition pistols imported, I think Sile out of New York City handled the line. I remember having a catalog. I also remember CDNN blowing out the remnants of the supply. Their main claim to fame was a very high quality version of the basic CZ-75 design, made in Switzerland, supposedly like a "Swiss watch". They were pretty tight and nicely detailed when I handled them but I do not own one.
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Old May 31, 2000, 08:40 PM   #6
Pilate
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Thanks guys.

Silver Bullet - Didn't know the Sphinx made a cameo in M:I2... How did it look?

Prof - I emailed A-1 at the link you provided and prodded them for more info. Thanks for the link.

P-35 - That's the most anyone has been able to tell me. I do remember someone mentioning Sile a couple years ago when I was asking around but could not find them.

So what's my fascination with the Sphinx? Simply this thread. Nobody has one, and only few even know of them. In the two and a half years I have owned my car, I have seen maybe 6 or 8 others on the road. I like that, and I'd appreciate the same kind of rarity in a pistol... Just a little eccentric I guess.
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Old May 31, 2000, 09:33 PM   #7
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I think the 'Spinx' was a CZ-75 clone - as was the BRITISH 'Sitfire' as well.

Why not try the real thing first before ordering the swiss copy ? Undoubtedly the Swiss article will be superbly crafted and a collector's piece.

They hads more of a market when the Cold War was on and inport into the USA was banned/severely restricted. The 1975 design was never patented.

I bet they wish they had now

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Old May 31, 2000, 09:36 PM   #8
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Sorry folks -that should have been 'SPITFIRE' and 'SPHINX' for the 1970s CZ-75 clones.
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Old May 31, 2000, 09:42 PM   #9
Walt Sherrill
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Big Bunny:
I think the 'Spinx' was a CZ-75 clone - as was the BRITISH 'Sitfire' as well.

Why not try the real thing first before ordering the swiss copy ? Undoubtedly the Swiss article will be superbly crafted and a collector's piece.

[/quote]

Indeed. Gun Tests Magazine tested all of the available CZ-75 clones several years back and gave the Sphinx the best in class rating. Said it was a superb gun -- just pricey.

Interestingly, they liked the CZ-75 but didn't like the CZ-85 as much. I have both and think they are outstanding weapons; among best I've got. Only my SIG P-210 and S&W Model 52-2 shoot better.
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Old June 1, 2000, 09:49 PM   #10
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Look at www.sphinx-systems.ch
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Old June 1, 2000, 09:58 PM   #11
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I knew I should have bought one from CDNN when they were selling them for $600. Now they go close to $1000 for a used one. Someone kick me.
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Old June 1, 2000, 10:19 PM   #12
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Ah ...the S&W M52, a truly great pistol indeed and terrific in target/wadcutter trim, we have several well used examples in our club all still shooting very well.

Pity about the current shooter/consumer ban on S&W new ones though.....

Interesting facts about the CZ-75 too ...to my knowledge the .40S&W is not handled by the CZ-85 model -only the former.

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Old June 2, 2000, 07:01 PM   #13
Pilate
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Thanks, Ramon, That's exactly what I was looking for... $1000 used, eh? I don't mind paying that much for a quality gun with some extras, but I don't pay for collector value alone. I'll have to keep in the lookout for a deal. Are they being imported?
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Old October 27, 2001, 07:17 PM   #14
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Cigars to all.....my newest baby is a girl ! Just purchased a NIB Sphinx AT 2000 Police Special (stainless). What a fantastic looking gun and a very intriguing design. Flawless shooter right out of the box. Came with two 15 round mags.
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Old October 27, 2001, 07:32 PM   #15
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Hey Harley, why don't you tell us about it? So, where did you get it, how much, and can you discribe the model? Your post was rather sparse on the details!
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Old October 27, 2001, 08:12 PM   #16
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Stumbled across it at my gun shop while getting some ammo. A guy had put on consignment several "safe" guns that he had purchased for his collection. It was absolutely NIB/unfired. It is an AT 2000 Police Special, all stainless, 2 hi-caps, all paperwork & original box. It has a manual safety only...no decocker. Although I was only concerned with breaking in the gun, I managed to shoot approx a 3 inch group at 15 yards, which is pretty good for me with a gun that I'm unfamiliar with. I paid $900....out the door. I might have paid too much, but I would have paid more to get this gun. It was love at first sight!! I went to the Sphinx website and they don't have a picture of a full stainless that I could find. I'll post one as soon as I can.

Going to the range again tomorrow....can't wait. Thanx for the reply.
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Old October 27, 2001, 08:37 PM   #17
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to Pilate:

Not to dampen your enthusiasm for the Spinx but I remember reading that some of the first models had funtioning problems. This company had never ever made firearms before and had some teething problems when they first went to market. It has been so long since I read about this I cannot remember what the problems were.

If you cannot find a sphinx why don't you consider the Sig-Nuehausen P210 9mm. They are the most accurate 9mm's in the world and the workmanship is absolutely breathtaking. Mine is made of all forgings , no cheap pot metal or plastic or aluminum.

Most of them will acutally shoot 1/2" groups out of a machine rest and 1" held in the human hand with about any good ammo including lead reloads that you choose to put throught it. They have an excellent resale value.

They just recently imported some once again and should be availble now if you act fast.

People will think nothing of spending big bucks on a factory custom or hand built custom .45 and they absolutely do not shoot any better than the Sig which believe it or not can be bought both new and used for far less. And of course you do not have the bothersome recoil of the .45 either.
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Old October 27, 2001, 09:04 PM   #18
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Mine's just a baby

Here's mine, but she's only a baby. She currently lives on my wife's left hip. Without a doubt the prettiest, tightest, most reliable and accurate .380 I've ever owned.
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File Type: jpg sphinx at.380-m.jpg (29.5 KB, 682 views)
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Old October 27, 2001, 10:14 PM   #19
Harley
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Hey guys. One more thing about my newest baby....the Sphinx. The factory 15-round mags are Meggar...blue mags with the baseplate being the same finish as the gun. She has a tight fit and was accurate today with no malfunctions using Gecco, Winchester, PMC & Blazer ammo.
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Old October 27, 2001, 10:19 PM   #20
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CLONING TANFOGLIO?

Might get EAA Witness or CZ75 mags to fit (I believe that Tanfoglio made the rough slide and/or frame forgings for Sphinx).
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Old October 27, 2001, 10:25 PM   #21
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Some people just have all the luck!!! I've been looking for a Sphinx for quite a while.

Congratulations on your "find". Let us know how she continues to perform. 9mms are just plain FUN to shoot and the ammo is cheap.

I'm glad you bought the Sphinx to actually "shoot" and not just sit in a safe. Although "collecting" is nice, I also shoot all my guns and might just ask that they be buried with me when I go to the great gun range in the sky (although that request is probably illegal)!!!!!!

Good luck with "The Sphinx".
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Old October 28, 2001, 06:28 AM   #22
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We had a Sphinx AT2000S 9mm as a range gun in our club with the threaded barrel. 100% swiss quality, very tight slide and frame fit, very reliable, very comfortable grip. It was a beautiful piece but I never liked the "feel" of the SA trigger...

WESHOOT2:The Tanfoglio, the EAA Witness (=Tanfoglio), the IMI Jericho (Baby/UZI Eagle), and the Sphinx are all CZ75 copies. Only the Sphinx has SIG-Browning locking system.



Last edited by Gunhead; October 28, 2001 at 03:27 PM.
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Old February 10, 2010, 12:35 AM   #23
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**About to buy my first Firearm**

Just put a deposit on a mint condition pre-owned Sphinx 2000P. Paid $800.
Any thoughts on the gun. This is my first firearm.
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Old February 10, 2010, 08:46 AM   #24
Walt Sherrill
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I've got a 2000P, too. Mine is a compact model. One of the best shooting 9mms I've owned. (I also had the DAO full-size version of the gun; great gun, but didn't care for the DAO trigger. I've also had an ASAI One Pro, too -- almost as well made and the smoothest, lightest double-action factory trigger I've ever experienced.)

I have a custom AT-84s, a semi-custom 75B SA, and the Sphinx. I think about selling them periodically, until I take them back to the range. All three of them are superb shooters. I then put them back in the safe, reminded of why I keep them.

$800 is a bit more than I would have paid, but they aren't cheap and aren't likely to go down in price much. They are finely made weapons that do the "CZ-thing" better than CZ does.

Quote:
The Tanfoglio, the EAA Witness (=Tanfoglio), the IMI Jericho (Baby/UZI Eagle), and the Sphinx are all CZ75 copies. Only the Sphinx has SIG-Browning locking system.
Not all of the CZ-like guns use the same lockup system, but they're all variants of the Browning design. CZ uses at least two different designs, with the CZ-40B's lockup method being very much like the SIG line. (The Jericho is also a Tanfoglio, too -- or was originally: frames made by Tan and assembled by IMI.)

The Tan guns are not copies -- but "based on" on the CZ design with a number of subtle changes that arguably improved and simplified the design for easier production.

the Tan firing pin block is an improvement, for example, that doesn't affect the trigger pull weight. Virtually NOTHING (except magazines) are interchangeable between the CZ and the Tanfoglio guns.)

Last edited by Walt Sherrill; February 10, 2010 at 08:58 AM.
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Old February 10, 2010, 09:41 AM   #25
DimaWins
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There isn't that much literature that I am able to find on the Sphinx. I am purchasing it used and $800 is more than I would like to pay as well, but they are so rare that I saw one and had to have it. It was an impulse buy, but I have a feeling I am going to be very satisfied.

Is there anything I should look for on the gun to make sure it is in perfect condition, it looks mint, but this is going to be my first purchase.

Also, what do you think is a good price to pay for it?
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