Sweet collection! Anyone keeping track of serial number range/features/production numbers like they sometimes do on gunboards? Do you shoot 'em or basically clean and store?
I recently bought a surplus Pre-B with the larger rounded trigger guard but the safety lever appears to be of the earlier design with smaller hole. Do you think it could've left the factory like that, or more likely replaced by the Israelis?
Good luck with the cleaning! I usually take my time the first time around to get an idea of the condition, wear, etc.
Cheers
Thank you MG-70, all items pictured have been fired, some more lightly than others! I came across a product that I hadn't used before (Wipe Out) and it removes copper, carbon and fouling better than anything else I've tried...so all the pre-B's got the treatement
As far as I know, serial number range/features/production number info is not centralized or in a sticky. Your pre-B is probably 1988 - 1992 (one hole safety and rounded larger trigger guard) typical of those production dates.
Thanks for the clarification on my pistol. Production date is 92. I will look for Wipe Out locally. One more question, since your pistols may have come from the same batch as the two I bought. Have you found any pitting in your bores? One of my barrels appears to have some light pitting, despite being bright and strong. I have not tried any products other than Hoppe's No.9, which is not that strong, and some Mother's Mag polish (just for the heck of it, since I had used it to clean up the outside of one of the barrels). There was a ton of lead accumulated along the edges of the grooves at first, which came out with some soaking and lots of scrubbing. I will try a stronger chemical once I find the time to search for it locally; maybe the Wipe Out will clear it up.
I was working overseas when the majority of these surplus CZs came in a few years ago, missed the best prices, but was fortunate to have found some on GB a couple of months ago. The "Pre-B", specifically, was one of the pistols I dreamed about in my late teens. I must've memorized those late '80's Shooter's Bibles. Some of the others in the "would love to have" list included a stainless Springfield Armory ("Inc.") 1911A1, Browning Hi-Power, Walther PP 7.65, Springfield Armory (Imbel) FAL, HK 91, Hammerli 208, a Ruger MKII stainless target, and a few S&W revolvers.
Cheers