**Last modified on May 2024 for aluminum alloy full-sized frame pistol** Many thanks to Forum member Blackwatch for the heavy contribution on photos and information shown here.
The first decade of CZ-UB as a new, private enterprise established in 1992. Lots of variety and changes in the product offering with the firing pin block B version being the significant change. The "Transitional" (without firing pin block, safety model) rolls out the changeover by adding newer physical features on the pistols in a seemingly random manner. A list of these and other changes in no particular chronological order:
- front sights (pinned and replaceable, ramp and post types)
- horizontal serrations along the full length of the slide's top for glare reduction
- squared-combat style trigger guard.
- square-cornered shaped and larger slide stops and safety levers
- slanted rear slide serrations with and without firing pin block pin hole
- ring hammer
- enlarged trigger pin hole area (“igloo-shaped”)
- various styled grips and Phillips head screws
- magazine well sizing
- magazine body, follower and capacity
- bright blue plastic containers with foam padding and new logo
- black plastic containers with molded and foam padding with new logo
- computer-generated test fire sheets
- BD decocker model
- The .40 S&W chambering is introduced with their own unique serial numbering scheme. Originally with the letter A plus four digits; Around 1996, became letter A prefix plus four digits and letter X suffix.
- new logo adopted as CZUB seeks to forge new identity apart from the older entity. The Strakonice based, engineering-parts manufacturing company (no firearms) known as “CZ, a.s.” owns the old logo. It has licensed LUVO Arms in Prague to use the classic CZ in a circle trademark. LUVO appears to use this logo only on its Tanfoglio type clone pistols.
- roll mark change to CZ 75 cal. 9 LUGER
- Earliest seen B model in 1993
- Last transitional seen in 1995
- CZ-USA Oakhurst, CA (est. 1997) and Kansas City, KS (relocated, 1998) import marks
- Full-sized, aluminum alloy frame project begun in 1997 to produce lighter weight CZ-75; see below under 1999 for details
- ”Made in Czechoslovakia”, “Czech Made” and ‘Made In Czech Republic” roll marks are used as Czechoslovakia divided into two nations on 1.1.1993
- Was the CZ 75B/BD used by the Czech military in the post-communist era? See the “2000 - present” section for some information.
1990:Standard painted finish with also nickel, phosphate and duo tone. Most features unchanged from the later 1988-1989 year production.
- Left side: Roll marks unchanged from the 1980s. Rounded slide stop and 1-hole safety lever and magazine release are unchanged.
- Right side: Proof, serial number marks unchanged.
- Grips: Fully checkered, hard plastic with old logo and one-slotted head screw.
- Misc.: Teal-light gray colored sleeve over polystyrene container. Last 2-hole safety observed (D30XX).
- Exceptions: Made in Czechoslovakia on one line similar to markings used up to 1983 (E60XX). A couple of ring hammers appear in the high end of the SN range for the year
- Observed serial number range: D30xx - E64xx.
**Notable change.
A 1990 proofed pistol with Made in Czechoslovakia on one line instead of the two lines that was adopted in 1983 and has since been the standard.
A couple of unusual looking front sights.
1991:Standard painted finish with also nickel, phosphate, blued and duo tone. Action Arms Ltd. becomes primary importer (label on plastic case marked “Exclusive Agents in the U.S.”); LSY Defense also seen.
- Left side: Unchanged except for AAL imports having logo marked on slide behind muzzle..
- Right side: Unchanged.
- Grips: Fully checkered, hard plastic with old logo and one-slotted head screw is standard. Additional newer style checkered grips with thumb indentations or thumb-rests and new logo (before the new logo was adopted in 1993). Also seen are the usual wooden grips on European-based guns.
- Misc.: Teal-light gray colored sleeve over polystyrene container. Action Arms has medium blue cardboard box over black plastic container.
- Exceptions: **Enlarged trigger pin hole appears on some pistols.
- Observed serial number range: E89xx - J16xx.
**Notable change.
1992:Standard painted finish with also satin nickel, phosphate, blued and duo tone. AAL has some special finishes,eg. high polished blued with accented controls (gold plated). Importer marks include Action Arms Ltd., PW Arms, C.A.I., Interarms. The CZ 75 Compact enters production with its own serial number scheme.
There’s a lot going on with the CZ 75 in the final year of Czechoslovakia -
- Pre-B and Transitional (majority) models show up.
- **Serrated slide tops appear.
- **Pinned (replaceable) front ramp sights are commonplace.
- **Forward slanted slide serrations and squared trigger guard begin to appear in K serial number series.
- Larger trigger pin area (shaped like inverted-U) appears to be standard and replaces the small, circular pin hole of prior years.
- Left side: Slide stops with squared-off corners appear.
- Right side: Unchanged.
- Grips: Fully checkered, hard plastic with old logo and one-slotted head screw. Also seen - ambidextrous thumb-rest plastic grips (with old and new logos); usual wooden grips on European-based guns.
- Misc.: Teal-light gray sleeved boxes. AAL medium blue card box cover for black plastic case. Target sheet - electronic shot marks/dot-matrix/Czech language only.
- Exceptions:
- Observed serial number range: J34xx - M54xx.
**Notable change.
A 1992 with phosphate finish in blue plastic case and computer printout of test fire in Czech only.
1993:**Update (Nov 19) for the earliest seen B model is N2xxx. It has blued finish, no logo on slide and marked as CZ with hacek mark over C on the slide and Czech Made on frame. Grips are plastic with L/R thumb rests and bearing the old logo. Another blued Czech Made with SN N4xxx was also posted on this forum. This one has the Pachmayr Signature rubber grips that were seen on many CZs. The earliest observed European B model (N7xxx) seen is an engraved model with gold plated accents/controls. Standard painted and other finishes from prior years occur. Transitionals continue. Import marks include AAL, LSY.
- Left side: Roll marks.. a mix of “Made in Czechoslovakia”, “Made in Czech Republic” and some “Czech Made”. Old and new logo or some with no logo on slide. The “CZ 75 (B) cal. 9 Luger” mark begins to replace Model 75 cal. 9 Para. Mix of old and new style slide stops and safety levers.
- Right side: Unchanged
- Grips: Standard plastic full checkered and ambi-thumb rests; mix of old and new logo.
- Misc.: Mix of pinned front ramp and post sights as well as some staked front ramp sights on serrated slide top.
- Exceptions: The “Czech Made” pistols noted are B models, bear a left side slide roll mark that has no logo and “CZ 75 B cal. 9 Luger” (the hacek diacritic mark over the C), use the pinned ramp front sight and were seen between SN P18xx - S16xx (not consecutively). There are a couple of 1994 proofed pistols with serial numbers within the 1993 SN range.
- Observed serial number range: M54xx - T26xx with earliest seen B model bearing N2xxx.
**Notable change.
A “CZECH MADE” with CZ 75 B CAL. 9 LUGER and no logo on the slide.
1994:Much the same as 1993 with a variety and mix of roll marks, logos, new and old features and finishes. AAL is still an importer but MRI, MN joins the list (their import mark does not have a standard location) along with LSY, PV Arms, and CAI. The first CZ-USA KC import mark is observed but not Oakhurst CA. The serial number scheme adopted in 1988 runs out of available combinations. **The new scheme flips the old arrangement to start with 4-digits and the letter “A” at the rear.
- Left side: Unchanged (no “Czech Made” frames).
- Right side: Unchanged
- Grips: Unchanged.
- Misc.:
- Exceptions: Unfluted frame that also foregoes the use of a magazine brake through a slightly re-shaped magazine well. Three other unfluted frames have been observed...one each in Europe (from late 80s), the US and the Philippines.
- Observed serial number range: T87xx - Z35xx. New scheme: 43xxA - 76xxA. There are a couple of 1994 proofed pistols with serial numbers Sxxxx that are within the 1993 SN range.
**Notable change.
Unfluted frame:
1995:Still many transitionals and mixed old-new marks and features but moving towards the B model with the new roll marks and current physical features. Highest serial numbered transitional observed is 22xxF. Transitionals appear to have ended in 1995. MRI import mark still seen among non-surplus pistols as well as Interarms.
- Left side:
- Right side:
- Grips:
- Misc.:
- Exceptions:
- Observed serial number range: 02xxB - 22xxF.
**Notable change.
1996:.
What is mostly the same CZ 75 B seen today has arrived and the heavy mix-matching of the past few years has abated. **Earliest CZ-USA Oakhurst import mark (29xxJ). CZ-USA Kansas City import mark appears on quite a few pistols. **Earliest BD seen is an European pistol (41xxJ).
- Left side: Standardized on slide - new logo, CZ 75 B cal.9 Luger.
- Right side: Unchanged
- Grips: The usual fully checkered and thumb-rests plastic ones with **Phillips head screws.
- Misc.: **No transitional pistols observed. Turkish contract overrun pistols appear on the market.
- Exceptions:
- Observed serial number range: 23xxP - 41xxP.
**Notable change.
1997:CZ-USA, Oakhurst CA established. CZ 75 BD and CZ 75 BD Police enter production although at least one European-based BD pistol is observed with 1996 proof.
- Left side: BD and BD Police added to roll marks.
- Right side: No change.
- Grips: What appears to be checkered rubber grips with the new logo are added to the grip options.
- Misc.: **New magazine follower introduced that allows for increasing capacity from 15 to 16 rounds (Pazdera..Legenda book).
- Exceptions: BD model with ambi-decockers.
- Observed serial number range: 50xxR - 79xxU.
**Notable change.
Photo note: Hakan grips and non-standard screws shown in these photos of an ambi-decocker BD. Also note the CZ-USA, Kansas City, KS import mark used before CZ-USA relocates to there from Oakhurst, CA on 1.1.1998.
1998:CZ-USA relocates to Kansas City, KS. Not much changes physically with the standard CZ 75 B.
- Left side:
- Right side: Same.
- Grips: Same.
- Misc.: Earliest BD Police marked slide seen on European-based pistol (91xxX).
- Exceptions:
- Observed serial number range: 22xxY - 91xxX
**Notable change.
1999:No changes in standard B model. A fair amount of 1999 proofed BD surplus pistols enter the US market in the past few years. **Serial numbering scheme changes as the current scheme runs out of available numbers. Switches to 2-letters plus 3-numbers scheme.
- Left side:
- Right side:
- Grips: Mostly the checkered and the thumb-rests plastic ones from prior years.
- Misc.:
- Exceptions:
- Observed serial number range: 91xxY - 09xxZ. Begins new serial numbering AAxxx - AMxx0.
- Aluminum alloy, full-sized frame project initiated(1997-1998) with production in 1999
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[/li][/list] **Notable change.
A 1999 BD with the older style, smaller decocker lever that will soon be replaced by a larger one (photo note - obviously, not period correct grip and screw). The slide stop here represents the variety of differently shaped ones that do show up in small quantities. It is difficult to ascertain whether some of the more unusually shaped ones are factory original.
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David Pazdera, the author of several books on CZUB and the CZ 75 pistol gave a lecture last December at the Army Museum in Prague. This slide from the lecture indicates that “an effort was made to reduce the weight of the full-sized CZ 75 with an aluminum alloy frame. The initial efforts to use an identically looking steel frame did not meet service life expectancy. From December 1997 to June 1998, the effort successfully solved this issue with a reinforced alloy frame design. The design was put into serial production in October 1999. There is currently no available information on how many were made”.
One can readily notice the blocky front of the alloy frame without the usual bevel and the “shelf” on the rear similar to the alloy Compact frames. This 1999 specimen has the SN of AG294 which tracks with the normal SN scheme for this period of production across the CZ 75 B pistols.
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