The Original CZ Forum
CZ PISTOL CLUBS => Compact CZ 75s => Topic started by: Mainegrw on December 11, 2022, 06:40:01 PM
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I put one on layaway the LGS this afternoon. I know it's a real CZ pistol, I've seen a bunch of examples of both the Compact and Semicompact Massadas, but I'd like to know more about their origins. Were these specific to an organization in Israel, i.e. the police forces, or military? Were they in general distribution to any organization requesting them?
The question came up after taking a look at a Tumblr post that's at the top of my Google search for info on the model. The poster shows a picture of a Compact Massada that appears identical to the one I'm buying, like down to the wear pattern on the frame and slide. It may actually be the same one, unless whatever holster rigs that were issued with the pistol left wear patterns in a few specific spots on all examples, though i dont seem to recall seeing another quite like it. Anyway, they go on to note that they believed it was a pistol issued to park rangers at Masada National Park in Israel, but because "Masada" and "Massada" are spelled differently, it's obviously a fake model meant to fool collectors. A commenter agreed to the latter point, though I'm fairly certain that with the number of pistols out there, none of the above is likely to be true.
Thoughts?
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I own a CZ 75 SC Massada. The hebrew word is ???? which is pronounced masada, or matsada and means fortress/stonghold. The english transliteration can be spelled anyway it makes sense. That said I am not sure it is significant that it was spelled Massada. Mine was imported from Israel but I have not been able find out for sure where it was issued. My particular SC looks to have never been issued or shot before I got it.. There are a number of compacts in circulation and it is plausible that CZ took ‘extra’ Massada slides and put them on compact frames to use up the parts. CZ has a history of mixng parts into unusual pistols. Look at some of the transitional pistols.
Just my 2 cents.
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I jut picked up a CZ75 SC MASSADA myself. Information on them seems to be scarce. The Massada spelling apparently is spelled with both 1 and 2 "S's", and either is correct. I tried to contact CZUB to get info, but they really had nothing, no production numbers, dates, serial ranges, nothing. All they could tell me was it must have been a contract gun, but they were available on the Czech market as well.
Through other searches, I have stumbled on other info just not sure how much is correct. The info that seems to make the most sense is the CZ75 SC Massada was an Israeli contract gun in the early 90's. I have only seen them with 92 date codes, so early 90's may only be 92. Then around 04-05 CZ again offered the CZ75 SC Semi Compact, and the slides were markd as such, I have seen a couple pop up over the last couple of years. The Semi Compact apparently was a commercial offering only produced 1 year. This is what I have pieced together via various searches that seems to make sense. It may just be rumors, lies and inuendo for all I know. The only thing I know for sure is the SC in either stamping seems to be a mythical model, glad I got one.
There is apparently a really thorough book on CZ firearms that might possibly have info on the SC, only problem is it is only in Czech, and as far as I know only available in the Czech Republic.
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I jut picked up a CZ75 SC MASSADA myself. Information on them seems to be scarce. The Massada spelling apparently is spelled with both 1 and 2 "S's", and either is correct. I tried to contact CZUB to get info, but they really had nothing, no production numbers, dates, serial ranges, nothing. All they could tell me was it must have been a contract gun, but they were available on the Czech market as well.
Through other searches, I have stumbled on other info just not sure how much is correct. The info that seems to make the most sense is the CZ75 SC Massada was an Israeli contract gun in the early 90's. I have only seen them with 92 date codes, so early 90's may only be 92. Then around 04-05 CZ again offered the CZ75 SC Semi Compact, and the slides were markd as such, I have seen a couple pop up over the last couple of years. The Semi Compact apparently was a commercial offering only produced 1 year. This is what I have pieced together via various searches that seems to make sense. It may just be rumors, lies and inuendo for all I know. The only thing I know for sure is the SC in either stamping seems to be a mythical model, glad I got one.
There is apparently a really thorough book on CZ firearms that might possibly have info on the SC, only problem is it is only in Czech, and as far as I know only available in the Czech Republic.
FYI:
The Masada (1 S) is a polymer striker fired pistol currently in production from IWI
My SC Massada has a date of 93.
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There is apparently a really thorough book on CZ firearms that might possibly have info on the SC, only problem is it is only in Czech, and as far as I know only available in the Czech Republic.
I think I know the book you’re referring to (well, there are not many…if any…books that compare) and I am familiar with it. It was printed in 2016 with a quick second edition in 2017 with supplementary pages to cover the newer firearms such as the Bren. It is mostly out of stock at stores and surprisingly, no updated edition yet. I relied heavily on it for the material in the CZ History and Serial Range section in the full-frame pistol forum.
I don’t have one readily available but if I recall, the Semicompact has only one page of information. It does not mention the Mas(s)ada contract pistols. I think it indicated that off-and-on production lasted until 2006 for a total of around 6k units (again, the year and number is from memory).
In the US market, the earliest Semicompacts can be seen in 1992 and these were the Massada marked ones and also in 1993. The Massada ones were not seen after those two years of production in the US market. From 1994, it was just marked Semicompact. AAI and CAI import marks are among those seen. There’s a so-called “Jerry’s special” for a batch that was special ordered by this large distributor in 2004. The only thing that distinguishes these pistols is the “Jerry’s Special” on the label of the box. I have even seen a couple cut-away models.
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Update: Took a little longer to make it happen, but today my CZ 75C Massada came home with me with a quite stop at the range. She looks a little rough, but boy is she a good shooter (wish I still was, lol).
Can't remember if I mentioned it here, funny enough, this exact pistol appears in a Tumblr blog post from a while back, it's the first thing that pops up when you search for the Massada on Google. I thought it looked awfully similar to the one I had put on layaway, when I checked the serial numbers, it was the same.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230318/d56f05d5cd6dfa5cf013afbe7fc7cea6.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230318/b615f81fa60206ab70c75affdca141e1.jpg)
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Congrats
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Congrats
Thanks!
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