9x21 chambered CZ 85

[Bret]

I just added a new CZ to my collection.  This one is a 9x21 chambered CZ 85.  I covered up the serial number, but does anyone know what the 5874 on the right side of the frame denotes?





9x21 (aka 9x21IMI) vs 9x19 (aka 9mm Luger or 9mm Parabellum)

[Tok36]

Neat, i do not believe that i have seen one of these before.

[Mark-combat]

very nice find, those were made for countries were it was forbidden to have 'militairy' 9X19, never seen one before.

[Rock-it3]

Cool, I don't know much about 9x21 except that it is longer than 9x19

I believe the number on the right side of the frame is the original serial number. I believe the number you covered up on the left side of the slide is the importer's serial number, since, being 9x21, the gun was probably originally sold in Europe and later imported into the U.S.

[Bret]

Cool, I don't know much about 9x21 except that it is longer than 9x19

The cases are, but the cartridge overall length isn't.

I believe the number on the right side of the frame is the original serial number. I believe the number you covered up on the left side of the slide is the importer's serial number, since, being 9x21, the gun was probably originally sold in Europe and later imported into the U.S.[/quote]
The numbers on the barrel, slide and frame that I covered up are definitely the factory serial number.  I have multiple other CZ75's with serial numbers in the same location.  They as well as the 5874 were all engraved prior to the pistol being finished.  You can see where the importer engraved on the front left of the slide.  They kind of buggered up the finish when doing so.

[GMork]

I susppose the number 5874 on the right side of the slide has something to do with the fact that this gun is allowed in Italy under the Italian Gun Act.
I owned the slide of a Walther P38k in caliber 7.65 Luger as an interchangeable system for a Walther P4, where on the right side an additional number was stamped as well.
Then I clearly learned that this second number on the slide allowed the gun in Italy.
As already mentioned, the background to this lies in the Italian weapons law:
In Italy even today all pistols for private owners that have a caliber for current military weapons are banned.
That is why privately owned pistols in the caliber 9mm Luger are prohibited in Italy.
The P38k, from which my slide came, was originally intended for export from Germany to Italy and therefore had a caliber of 7.65 Luger, which was not prohibited and was shown by the additional number on the right side.
As far as I know the 9x21 IMI caliber was even specially developed for Italy in order to be able to export common pistol models to Italy.

[Bret]

That's insightful.  I have Ruger P89 chambered in 9x21.  I'll check it to see if it has an additional number.

I shot the pistol Sunday.  It ran 100% with Fiocchi 123gr FMJ.  I think it may need a bit stiffer recoil spring.

[GMork]

Look here:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/9%C3%9721mm