Polish P64 comparison

[Citroen]

After really great experience with CZ 82s (I bought 2 - my wife took one and loves it) I made the mistake of thinking that the neat looking little Polish P64 - using the same ammo - would be a great carry gun as it is single stack. 

Big Mistake - the P64 does in fact look great and fits even a small hand quite well BUT the double action trigger is unbelievable - must be 30 pounds or more - way off my trigger scale maximum.  The single action pull is quite nice - about 4.5 pounds BUT the recoil is worse than a .357 magnum in a light revolver - it is terrible. 

I tried different recoil springs and replaced the two piece grips with rubber one piece grip from Russ Burchfield - which helped somewhat but still the recoil is awful.

Is my experience unique or are these guns that brutal to shoot?
Thanks,
John

[Pynckone]

I have a P-64 as well as CZ82. 

From what I have read about the P-64 is the crazy heavy DA pull was a deliberate design as the P-64 was intended for use by the Polish police forces.  Supposedly, it was to make the user 'be sure' they wanted to pull the trigger.  I have also read that during real world use, the heavy trigger pull would not be a factor (adrenaline); I have luckily not had that experience. 

I replaced my springs with a Wolf set and am guessing the DA trigger now is ~15-18 lbs., while the SA is super silky 4-5 lbs. (No gauge, just judging against my other pistol triggers that I have measured.)  I think before I changed springs, my DA was~ 24 lbs+.  I always found the transition from DA to SA pull to be amazing.

I have large hands and reasonable hand strength and do not find recoil to be unmanageable, so I would suggest reviewing grip fundamentals to be sure your/your wife's firing hand is proper. I agree that this gun is not one for long range sessions.  25 rounds is a lot for any session.  I train with larger pistols.  Due to the size of this pistol, I train more with 1 handed shooting with this gun than any other I own.  It is very easy to improperly grip this pistol, and get cut on the web of your hand with a 2 handed grip.

I use this pistol as a pocket carry in summer, or when I go to a formal event (theater, wedding, etc.). Except for these occasions, I would carry my CZ 82 or larger pistol instead of the P-64.

Having said what may seem like a lot of negatives about the P-64, until CZ comes out with a single stack sub-compact model, I feel the P-64 is a far better choice than LCP or Shield pistols because I find it much more accurate and have less recoil then small polymer guns.

[Pilot1]

P-64's have notoriously bad recoil impulse.  If you want to try something a little different in 9x18, try the Polish pistol that replaced the P-64.  The very nice Radom made, Polish P-83 Wanad.  I have two of them, and they are great shooters.  One is even my carry pistol when I am not carrying my PCR.  I like them better than my Makarov PM's. 

[Citroen]

Thanks - I have looked at the P-83 and like the looks but, after my P-64 experience - I also like the way this gun "looks", I was reluctant to buy one. 

From your experience, how would you compare the CZ 82 RECOIL with the P-83?  I am not a new shooter - been an instructor for almost 40 years, shooting for over 60 and was at Gunsite in 1985 when Col. Cooper was still active there.  Most of my shooting has been with the .45 ACP but, now at 79, I am a little recoil sensitive and the P-64 is ridiculously punishing. 

I don't like guns that kill at both ends!

Thanks for your comments and comparison.

John

[LittleJenny]

Yep, the P-64s DA trigger is meant to be that heavy. I have not yet tried the Wolff springs in mine but as stated slready, they do lower the weight to something more manageable.


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[Pilot1]

Thanks - I have looked at the P-83 and like the looks but, after my P-64 experience - I also like the way this gun "looks", I was reluctant to buy one.

The P-83 is a larger, slightly heavier pistol than the P-64 with a much better grip.  It is just a more modern firearm. 

From your experience, how would you compare the CZ 82 RECOIL with the P-83?  I am not a new shooter - been an instructor for almost 40 years, shooting for over 60 and was at Gunsite in 1985 when Col. Cooper was still active there.  Most of my shooting has been with the .45 ACP but, now at 79, I am a little recoil sensitive and the P-64 is ridiculously punishing. 

Amazingly, I have never owned, nor shot a CZ-82, or CZ-83, but I do own several Makarov PM pistols.  Two Bulgarians, an East German, and a Russian.  I would put the P-83's recoil about the same as the Makarov PM, which isn't bad at all.  I am not into sharp recoil either.  I had thumb surgery on my shooting hand a few years ago, so prefer guns that don't rattle me. 

[eastman]

Thanks - I have looked at the P-83 and like the looks but, after my P-64 experience - I also like the way this gun "looks", I was reluctant to buy one. 

From your experience, how would you compare the CZ 82 RECOIL with the P-83?  I am not a new shooter - been an instructor for almost 40 years, shooting for over 60 and was at Gunsite in 1985 when Col. Cooper was still active there.  Most of my shooting has been with the .45 ACP but, now at 79, I am a little recoil sensitive and the P-64 is ridiculously punishing. 

I don't like guns that kill at both ends!

Thanks for your comments and comparison.

John

The P-83 is a softer shooting pistol than the P-64 (and has a better DA trigger). I haven't done a side by side comparison of the vz82 and the P-83, but my feeling was that the vz82 was more comfortable to shoot.

[russnagant]

The P83 is hands down one of the best overall pistols for the money on today's surplus market.  Great trigger in both DA and SA, very comfortable to shoot, and a grip that, for me, fits the hand nicely.  Military Arms Channel on YouTube recently reviewed these wonderful little sidearms.  Just one word of warning...if you have any work done on one, make sure the person performing the work fully function tests the pistol, including manipulation of the decocker with live rounds.  It's very possible to decock to full auto fire if all components are not reinstalled correctly.  I bought a real beater for cheap and had it refinished.  I speak from experience.  Other than that, it's been one of my favorite carry pistols to date.