armakraut
05-19-13, 08:06
This 1st model "short slide" CZ-75 was made in the late 70's. The first CZ-75 variants were made between 1975 and 1980. The highest serial number I've seen was in the 25k range. Most were sold to countries like Rhodesia and South Africa. Very few made their way into private hands in Europe and therefore even fewer made their way to the USA. CZ-75 production has since exceeded one million units. The CZ-75 was designed exclusively for export and along with the Beretta 92 was primarily responsible for creating demand for new high quality double column 9mm handgun designs. CZ-75's were not adopted by Czechoslovakia after the Velvet Revolution in 1989.
The other CZ photographed is another pre-b (pre-firing pin block) made in the early 90's. Production on what is commonly known as the "pre-b" series began in 1980. Sweden wanted to adopt the CZ-75 as their standard service pistol but required CZ to make certain modifications such as the lengthening of the slide rails and modifying other parts for durability. While the Swedish contract never materialized, there was still plenty of demand for the pistol elsewhere. As orders poured in the finish was gradually changed in 1981 from a deep polished blue to a glossy enamel finish that was prone to flaking and finally to the much more durable "baked on" heat cured paint method around 1988 that is still used to this day, probably the same recipe that the VZ-58 plant was using in Slovakia. Blued CZ-75's can be found in every year of its production, but get rather scarce after 1981.
Most CZ's in this country that were made in the 80's were brought back by US Servicemen in Germany. The later CZ photographed was imported by "BRNO USA", I think I've seen one other guy with a BRNO marked pre-b. Importers other than USGI duffel bags included Bauska, AAI and Magnum Research. Recently PW Arms brought in quite a few late model CZ's (among other pistols) from Israel in varying conditions (usually on the rougher end of the spectrum), with your choice of bad roll marks, or worse roll marks.
Some parts, like the Safety and Slide Stop were beefed up in later production CZ-75's. Other parts like the sights and hammer actually became thinner. The later pre-b's sport a painted on three dot sight setup. Slide stops and Hammers are two parts that are among the more common parts breakages on all pre-b's. And the scale doesn't lie, the early lightening cuts don't yield much in terms of weight loss.
Were the early models better than the later pre-b's? Yes, but in the same way an M1911 was a nicer gun than the M1911A1. The triggers are generally a little better, the fit and finish is better, but all pre-b's have almost the quality of trigger you'd find on a good revolver. Unfortunately starting with the CZ-75B, the quality of CZ firearms have by most reports decreased exponentially. Spring quality seems to be particularly lacking. Fortunately CZ's made in "czechoslovakia" are more abundant than ever.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/954649_10201007014164933_903201213_n.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/923199_10201007056245985_178915466_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/954625_10201007014364938_456007088_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/942153_10201007014244935_1240262678_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/946243_10201007014324937_1203583369_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/943264_10201007014204934_1263868026_n.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/431915_10201007093406914_1305557041_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/260244_10201007079206559_1042187857_n.jpg
The other CZ photographed is another pre-b (pre-firing pin block) made in the early 90's. Production on what is commonly known as the "pre-b" series began in 1980. Sweden wanted to adopt the CZ-75 as their standard service pistol but required CZ to make certain modifications such as the lengthening of the slide rails and modifying other parts for durability. While the Swedish contract never materialized, there was still plenty of demand for the pistol elsewhere. As orders poured in the finish was gradually changed in 1981 from a deep polished blue to a glossy enamel finish that was prone to flaking and finally to the much more durable "baked on" heat cured paint method around 1988 that is still used to this day, probably the same recipe that the VZ-58 plant was using in Slovakia. Blued CZ-75's can be found in every year of its production, but get rather scarce after 1981.
Most CZ's in this country that were made in the 80's were brought back by US Servicemen in Germany. The later CZ photographed was imported by "BRNO USA", I think I've seen one other guy with a BRNO marked pre-b. Importers other than USGI duffel bags included Bauska, AAI and Magnum Research. Recently PW Arms brought in quite a few late model CZ's (among other pistols) from Israel in varying conditions (usually on the rougher end of the spectrum), with your choice of bad roll marks, or worse roll marks.
Some parts, like the Safety and Slide Stop were beefed up in later production CZ-75's. Other parts like the sights and hammer actually became thinner. The later pre-b's sport a painted on three dot sight setup. Slide stops and Hammers are two parts that are among the more common parts breakages on all pre-b's. And the scale doesn't lie, the early lightening cuts don't yield much in terms of weight loss.
Were the early models better than the later pre-b's? Yes, but in the same way an M1911 was a nicer gun than the M1911A1. The triggers are generally a little better, the fit and finish is better, but all pre-b's have almost the quality of trigger you'd find on a good revolver. Unfortunately starting with the CZ-75B, the quality of CZ firearms have by most reports decreased exponentially. Spring quality seems to be particularly lacking. Fortunately CZ's made in "czechoslovakia" are more abundant than ever.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/954649_10201007014164933_903201213_n.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/923199_10201007056245985_178915466_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/954625_10201007014364938_456007088_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/942153_10201007014244935_1240262678_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/946243_10201007014324937_1203583369_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/943264_10201007014204934_1263868026_n.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/431915_10201007093406914_1305557041_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/260244_10201007079206559_1042187857_n.jpg