I doubt that I'm breaking any new ground when I say that the CZ 75/85 series of service pistols is highly regarded for its toughness, reliability, and accuracy, all at an affordable price. In fact, this design's good reputation now spans some 35 years of such accolades. My particular fondness for the design lies in all of those things plus the superb ergonomics common to these guns. The CZ 75 and 85 series pistols come up from the draw with the sights aligned directly in front of my eyes every time I draw. I never have to work hard to achieve a correct sight picture – it's there when I need it. When fired from the hip or when used for point shooting, the CZ design's ergonomics again afford a level of accuracy I find difficult to equal in other pistols. As for reliability, my 1991 CZ 85 has now fired over 2,000 rounds of a wide variety of 9mm loads without a single failure to function. I must also confess that I consider the CZ 75/85 series of pistols to be among the most handsome and graceful auto pistols ever produced. Even a polymer finish can't hide their appealing lines.
I recently bought a new CZ 85B service pistol and would like to take this opportunity to review the pistol and comment on some of the obvious changes made to the CZ 85/85B series of guns in the 18 years that separate my particular pistols.
I recently bought a new CZ 85B service pistol and would like to take this opportunity to review the pistol and comment on some of the obvious changes made to the CZ 85/85B series of guns in the 18 years that separate my particular pistols.
A Little Background
The quintessential CZ service pistol design is the CZ 75. It was designed in the former Czechoslovakia in 1975 by two talented arms designers, the Koucky brothers, and was placed in mass production in 1977. It is essentially an all-steel, high capacity, double action/single action semiautomatic pistol incorporating the Colt/Browning locking system and a non-decocking, sear-blocking safety similar in operation to that of the Colt Model 1911.
The CZ 75's nearly identical ambidextrous kid brother, the CZ 85, came into being in the mid-1980's, and introduced an ambidextrous safety lever and slide stop lever. Both models originally appeared in the 9mm Luger caliber and utilized a 15 round magazine. The CZ 75B design has since been revamped to accommodate an optional .40 caliber chambering and an optional decocker, but the CZ 85 and '85B did not follow suit. They have continued to be offered strictly in the 9mm Luger chambering and are available only with the sear-blocking safety.
The CZ design arrived in this country as a regular import in 1991, a time when most mainstream pistol makers were feverishly offering up a "wondernine" for the American market. But the CZ pistol set the conventional "wondernine" school of thought on its ear by proving that a double action semiautomatic pistol didn't necessarily have to be equipped with a decocker in order to be safe and effective. The CZ's non-decocking safety was warmly received by 1911 and Hi-Power shooters, by combat shooting competitors, and it was heartily welcomed by those who participated in run-and-fire matches. It is the only original double action semiautomatic service pistol design to have achieved widespread commercial success with the option of cocked-and-locked carry in addition to the normal double action mode of carry. The design's value and usefulness was quickly recognized by other manufacturers, who wasted no time in manufacturing their own versions of it. But that is a story for another time.
The CZ pistols are manufactured by a very old firm in the Czech Republic, Ceska Zbrojovka A.S. Uhersky Brod, or CZUB for short, and are imported into this country by its subsidiary, CZ-USA. The latter firm is also the exclusive distributor and warranty center for CZ firearms in the United States. Formal importation was begun initially by firms such as Bauska, Action Arms Limited of Philadelphia, and Magnum Research. But since 1997 they have been imported exclusively by CZ-USA, now of Kansas City, Kansas.
Proceed to Part 2
The CZ 75's nearly identical ambidextrous kid brother, the CZ 85, came into being in the mid-1980's, and introduced an ambidextrous safety lever and slide stop lever. Both models originally appeared in the 9mm Luger caliber and utilized a 15 round magazine. The CZ 75B design has since been revamped to accommodate an optional .40 caliber chambering and an optional decocker, but the CZ 85 and '85B did not follow suit. They have continued to be offered strictly in the 9mm Luger chambering and are available only with the sear-blocking safety.
The CZ design arrived in this country as a regular import in 1991, a time when most mainstream pistol makers were feverishly offering up a "wondernine" for the American market. But the CZ pistol set the conventional "wondernine" school of thought on its ear by proving that a double action semiautomatic pistol didn't necessarily have to be equipped with a decocker in order to be safe and effective. The CZ's non-decocking safety was warmly received by 1911 and Hi-Power shooters, by combat shooting competitors, and it was heartily welcomed by those who participated in run-and-fire matches. It is the only original double action semiautomatic service pistol design to have achieved widespread commercial success with the option of cocked-and-locked carry in addition to the normal double action mode of carry. The design's value and usefulness was quickly recognized by other manufacturers, who wasted no time in manufacturing their own versions of it. But that is a story for another time.
The CZ pistols are manufactured by a very old firm in the Czech Republic, Ceska Zbrojovka A.S. Uhersky Brod, or CZUB for short, and are imported into this country by its subsidiary, CZ-USA. The latter firm is also the exclusive distributor and warranty center for CZ firearms in the United States. Formal importation was begun initially by firms such as Bauska, Action Arms Limited of Philadelphia, and Magnum Research. But since 1997 they have been imported exclusively by CZ-USA, now of Kansas City, Kansas.
Proceed to Part 2
1 comment:
I bought a CZ 85 pre B transitional model made in 92 from my brother in law it was still in the original wax paper wrapped in cosmoline or whatever the euro equivalent was i spent $200 I had always thought CZ was soviet block crap, but now I know the CZ 75 85 is one of the finest pistols available, the fit and finish reliability and accuracy of these is not matched by anything anywhere near its price range I could buy 2 CZ 85's for the price of a SIG, you wont get much if any more bang for your buck. I used to be a fan of the polymer pistols that are everywhere Glocks XDs and so on buck ill take my 85 over one of those lightweight polymer guns any day, the weight of the pistol is an asset when shooting, those polymer guns are too top heavy and unless you have a perfect grip and use just the right amount of finger you will push rounds to your non dominant side, And it seems to me that the extra 12oz is well worth the forgiving nature of the all steel frame, Ive shot against every polymer wonder pistol in competition and when the pressure is on rounds start drifting left, I can only imagine how bad it will be when you have hot lead incoming, The CZ 75/85 would be the perfect pistol if it had a rail.
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