CZ 75C FTE

[Topload]

Spent the day at the range and was caught off guard when my CZ suffered several FTE events. I should mention, while this is a relatively new pistol, I have run ~400 rounds down the tube without any malfunctions. Today, I was shooting WW WB ammo and for some reason it kept refusing to extract fired cases. I looked the gun over but couldn't identify anything that would contribute to the fault. Is this something I need to have CZ look into or is it ammo related?



Thanks for your comments.

[chris in va]

Ah yes, been through this whole thing with my 75BD.

Mine would fire the round, then get hung up on the incoming case rim and not eject the spent shell.

Couple things fixed my glitch. MecGar 16rd magazines (stock mags are notoriously weak) and I taper crimped all my rounds, even factory ones. A new extractor, spring and Wolff magazine spring didn't help any.

CZ had a look and sent it back to me with a nice little "nothing found" letter attached.

The 75 has fairly complicated lockwork and needs to be hosed out occasionally. I recommend PowderBlast, just be sure to remove the plastic grips first as it will turn them white.

[Smaug]

It sounds like it is still relatively new.

WWB uses 115 gr. FMJ, if I'm not mistaken. That's the lightest load for 9mm. Winchester might be doing a bit of cost cutting in the powder charge too.

Can you try some other type of bulk ammo with heavier bullets?

I've found Remington UMC to be more reliable in all my 9mms than WWB. I guess others have found the opposite, but it is worth a try.

My Glock 34 had a couple of FTEs on WWB during its first couple hundred rounds. I lost a bit of faith in the gun after that, but in the end, I chalked it up to cheap ammo.

My Hi-Power also had a couple of FTEs on WWB when it was new.

I think Winchester has calculated exactly the minimum powder charge it takes to cycle a broken in gun and went with that. With some variables added in there (like extra friction or grease due to newness) it can cause jams.

Let us know what you end up doing.

[JohnKSa]

I have seen some reports of issues with extractor springs in the CZ 75 line. You may just need to replace the extractor spring.

[jmr40]

CZ's are notorious for coming from the factory with bad springs. Every CZ I've ever owned started out fine and within a few hundred rounds started causing problems. Replacing all springs got them running again. I would simply replace every spring in the gun and all magazines as soon as I bought any CZ just to be safe.

[Zhillsauditor]

While I've never had it happen to my P01, I have heard a lot of reports of this type of failure in the CZ 75 platform. As was posted above, the extractor spring enclosure seems to pick up a lot of crud. About every third trip to the range (say 200 rounds), I spray it out with powderblast, until it runs clear. It only takes about thirty seconds to do.

However, I probably had 500-1000 rounds through it before I started doing that, and never had a problem.

[schmeky]

To the OP, try a different bullet first. Can't explain why it ran well then didn't, but sure sounds like a bullet, not a gun issue. WWB is not the most consistent ammo in the world.

I was trying to repair a Remington 522 Viper last week, and much to my chagrin, one of the main problems turned out to be faulty .22 bullets.

Bullets first - gun stuff second.

[Topload]

Thanks to everyone - appears that a change is ammunition could be the easiest / quickest approach. To be honest, I normally shoot my own loads but had a couple of boxes of WW that I decided to use and that may be the source of the problem.

I stipped and cleaned the gun last night and couldn't find anything that looked like excessive crud build up - I'll do the Power Blast on the internals just to make sure.....and I'm looking into spring replacement as the next fix if the FTE shows up on the next outing.

Appreciate everyones responses.

[Pilot]

I've been running my 75B and PCR for well over ten years.

Here's what to do to keep them 100% reliable.

1. Replace the mag springs with Wolff +5%.

2. Replace the extractor spring with a Wolff extra power spring.

3. Replace the recoil spring with a Wolff factory weight spring.

I do this with every CZ I buy even when they are new, as a precaution.

[stevieboy]

I've owned my CZ 75B SA for about two years, put more than 1000 rounds through it. The only problem I've ever had with the gun turned out to be my fault: if the magazine isn't fully seated in the gun there will be an FTL. But, that's human error and the gun isn't to blame.

I've fired lots of WWB from mine without any FTEs and the gun appears to cycle just fine with the stuff. Putting stronger springs in the gun would strike me as counterintuitive if, in fact, a "weak" charge in the WWB ammo was causing an incomplete cycling. Stronger springs would increase resistance and would, I think, necessitate more powerful ammo in order to cycle the gun.

BTW, my gun seems to prefer hotter ammunition than 115gr. -- not in order to make it cycle correctly -- but because it just seems to shoot more accurately and much closer to POA with more energetic ammo. I generally use 124gr. ammo (Fiocchi), which I understand is loaded somewhat hotter than many other factory 124 gr. ammos, or Winchester 124gr. NATO, which is, essentially 124gr. +P. I find that the gun shoots a bit high with 115 gr. ammo and is dead on with the NATO rounds.

As for cleaning, I clean mine thoroughly after every 50-100 rounds down the barrel. I always brush exposed surfaces with a dry brush, spray out the innards with Birchfield-Casey Gun Scrubber, then wipe down everything.

[overkill0084]

Run several other different brands of ammo through it. CZs aren't particularly picky as I understand it, but maybe yours just doesn't like WWB.
FWIW, PMC Bronze 115 gr worked really well in my 75BD. Though, it only sees reloads these days.

[Smaug]

It's funny how it works. CZ75s are among the most often-recommended 9mm pistol. Everyone says how comfortable, accurate, and reliable they are, yet no one ever mentions this problem with bad springs from the factory until someone mentions a problem. Then, folks chime in with: "Oh yeah, they're good guns, but I replace all the springs as soon as I get one." Well, then they're NOT good guns. They're potentially good guns.

Just like GI spec. 1911s. They're reliable only with full power 230 gr. ball ammo. Semi wadcutters? Forget it. Flat points? pretty good, but iffy. Hollow points? Better te$t them out fir$t. At Lea$t a couple hundred round$.

Are people just afraid they'll ruin the reputation of their favorite gun?

[overkill0084]

Mine still has all the springs it left the factory with. It functions fine. Some people change springs on 1911s before they fire a shot. That doesn't mean that the gun was defective before they performed the change.

[irish52084]

I have 2 CZ's and never had an issue with springs. I think the spring issue has come and gone. I haven't heard many people complain about recent manufacture pistols having chronic spring issues.

Like every pistol made, there are certain issues that pop up. Even the glock pistols and mags have had issues and they are generally viewed as one of if not the most reliable semi autos. Sigs have had slide crack issues, that have been resolved, XD's had finish issues and on and on they go. No machine is perfect and things break does that mean than any of the aforementioned pistols or manufacturers produce unreliable guns? No, they generally produce very reliable pistols. Even the fabled revolvers break, just a fact of life with machines, they break or fail at some point.

Everyone has a gun they really like and there is always a bias. That said, all indications are that the CZ pistols are very well thought of and their growing popularity in the USA seems to affirm that.

[Amin Parker]

Smaug,

You read posts of approximately 5 people and now you have formed an opinion of the brand and owners of that brand of pistol.

It is an excellent pistol, surely you know that.

By the way, what is a 75c?

[Smaug]

Originally Posted by Amin Parker

Smaug,

You read posts of approximately 5 people and now you have formed an opinion of the brand and owners of that brand of pistol.

It is an excellent pistol, surely you know that.

I've shot them. They feel great in the hand, and they're accurate.

Aside from the relatively few rounds I've put through them, I've been reading posts about them here and elsewhere for 7 years. I've never really seen any downsides mentioned. I was not referring to just this thread.

People tend to be rather one-sided. They feel that if they mention a downside during a comparison it somehow makes them less likely to "win the argument." (as if there is such a thing on internet fora...)

[schmeky]

CZ's are notorious for coming from the factory with bad springs. Every CZ I've ever owned started out fine and within a few hundred rounds started causing problems. Replacing all springs got them running again. I would simply replace every spring in the gun and all magazines as soon as I bought any CZ just to be safe.

With all due respect, this may be an over generalization. I have not observed this in my numerous CZ's, nor the many I have been exposed to. This was an isolated incidence and is not currently grounded in actual observed failures presently.

I have a business specializing in CZ's and I have yet to encounter a truely defective spring of any type.

[Amin Parker]

Smaug i hear you.

I still do not know what a cz 75 C is.

[notamisfit6]

I still do not know what a cz 75 C is.

Compact model.

As for the spring issue, I must have dodged it with my 75B. I stuck with the stock springs (I'd heard that the slide stop breakage was either due to the guns being oversprung or undersprung, and was waiting until they made up their minds) with no issues so far.

[rc]

The 100 pack winchester ammo is promotional and relatively weak 9mm. You might try the Federal 9mm/ Blazer brass or some Sellier and Bellot or some RWS or anything Plus stamped nato. Hotter ammo will run 100 fps plus faster and makes all the difference. My CZ will choke sometimes on the white box but will run flawlessly on my handloads and hotter factory rounds. rc

[Amin Parker]

I have a Compact too. Exactly what does this malfunction look like? Is it a smoke stack or does the case remain in the chamber?

[Pilot]

I've shot my CZ-75 variants for many years with the original springs, and had no problems. However, there have been reports of weak factory springs. Who knows if they are true or not, but for the few bucks that springs costs, it gives me peace of mind. For the record, I do the same thing in most of my other semi-auto pistols regardless of brand.

[Topload]

Amin Parker - to answer your question, the empty case remains in the chamber/barrel. Next round attempts to feed and jams against the base of the spent round.

I'm going to go back to shooting my hand loads and see if this happens again. Prior batch of shooting (~400 rounds) was a majority of hand loaded ammo with a small amount of WWB. During that session not one round failed to feed, fire or eject. Leaves me wondering about the ammo...........rather than the mechanics of the pistol.

Thanks all.

[Amin Parker]

Topload,

Im pretty sure its your extracter. It is not gripping the case rim to pull it out of the chamber upon firing. Have it checked by a gun smith.

Let us know what he says, i doubt its serious. Possibly only needs the tension adjusted.

[Pyzon]

I did not see it mentioned by the OP that this was a 9mm 75B.....The problems with extracting WWB in .40 S&W is common just the way the OP describes.

In my case, (75B/.40 cal) I started by upgrading the extractor spring, which was a very temporary fix, then after complaining to CZ the second time (first spring was sent to me without charge) just when I thought they were not going to reply to my email (a week or 10 days later) up shows a new extractor and another new spring, and not a single extraction problem has since occurred.

And in order to make sure you do not have a chunk of debris or carbon under the extractor, you have to drive the roll pin out and actually remove the extractor, as this hunk of debris keeps the extractor from fully engaging the case, as it is under the extractor and 100% not visible.

And I'm betting it is mostly a WWB issue more than anything else, the machining and loading tolerances are not nearly as good as they should be, but it is hard to hate the price, isn't it ?