New P-07 first impressions

[gwes351]

Earlier this week the P-07 9mm urban grey SR came in.  Have only had time to evaluate it at the bench so far - range time hopefully sunday.  This is my first CZ since my CZ-83 .380 from 15 yrs ago (recently sold it).  Before buying it, I read a lot here (thanks to all the experts) and watched  a fair number of videos as well - figured it was time to get a CZ.  My experience with hammer fired (SAO and DA/SA) goes way back, so I am used to them and fond of them.  I've got other striker fired pistols, so decided on the P-07.  So my first out-of-the-box impressions:
- looks and feels like a quality pistol
- grip feel/ergonomics are first rate (medium back strap for my large size hands), as is balance - even with the longer SR barrel with thread cap
- however, even with my guy size lg hands, I cannot operate the slide release lever without changing my right hand grip slightly.
- decocker lever I can reach just fine with thumb
- higher suppressor sights I pick up just like other sights - doesn't seem to make any difference to me in acquiring sight picture (or "pointability")
- did a field strip and found it was well oiled - but not excessively so (but wiped it down anyway, then re-lubed key areas)
- did 5 each DA and SA trigger pulls (with snap cap and O ring behind firing pin) before I checked trigger pull weights.  Trigger reset is what it is for a stock P-07 (we'll see if I notice that at the range)
--- after 5 DA dry fores, it was 10.25 - 10.5 lbs - but pretty consistent and smooth through the long pull
--- after 5 SA dry fires, it was 4.5 - 4.75 lbs - but with a slight, but noticeable creep/grit feel just prior to the break (almost like going over a very slight hump).  The break, once past the creep, was clean
- I did another 100+ (maybe 150) dry fires in both DA and SA to see if it affected trigger pull:
--- DA is down slightly to 10 lbs
--- SA is down to a consistent 4.5 lbs - still has the slight creep at the wall - maybe just a tiny bit less - break still very clean after the creep

Before the range, I am also going to plunk test various ammo as I have a wide range of 9mm manufacturers (115gr, 124gr, 147gr in FMJ and JHP).  Looking forward to shooting it next.

[eastman]

If this is factory new, the stuff inside is a corrosion inhibitor to protect during the shipping and pre-sale storage phases. It isn't a very good lubricant.

[gwes351]

yes. it is new from CZ.  While it is nothing like cosmoline, I've always assumed new from factory lubed guns are just that - lubed more for preservative versus a good gun lube.  I know some gun owners shoot a gun right out of the box without even checking it, let alone cleaning and re-lubing it.  Me, never, as I always do a field strip, clean/wipe down, then re-lube (prefer grease versus oil anyway) prior to first range use.

[gwes351]

was able to briefly shoot the P-07 today.  Had hoped to shoot more than 50 rounds, but I was working as the range RSO until the last 15 mins.  In short, was fun to shoot and quite accurate once I got used to the DA (9.5 - 10 lbs) and SA (4.5 - 4.75 lbs) triggers.  I did some dry fire last week, so had a decent idea of the triggers which helped - only took about 4-5 rounds in each mode to get dialed in.  Even with the higher suppressor sights, it was spot on if I did my part.  I thought the higher sights might affect POI, or my sight picture,  but not that I could tell at all (this is my first with higher suppressor sights).  I hadn't shot any of my DA/SA guns in a while and was amazed at how controllable the trigger was in DA - even at close to 10 lbs (mine has no stack and pretty constant feel until the break - maybe I got lucky with this one).  More testing to come, especially with other ammo.

[M1A4ME]

Can you feel the firing pin block lifting arm moving the block upwards before the trigger pull begins to move the sear enough to release the hammer?

A lot of members here say their pistols trigger pull smoothed out after around 1,000 rounds.  Some people don't wait that long and do a polish job on the parts that would normally wear smoother with firing/use.

For a nice clean break consider a hammer from CZ Custom or Cajun Gun Works.  I put one on one of my P07s and the difference was easy to feel/measure.

[gwes351]

M1A4ME - not sure what is moving just before the shot breaks.  But it feels like something is just slightly dragging (lifting arm, or trigger bar., or...) in SA mode just before hammer is released.  You can feel it during a slow, deliberate trigger press.  If I press a little bit quicker (not really quick though) you go right through it and don;t really feel it (like doing quick follow ups etc).  I know it's not the firing pin block/plunger as I (highly) polished that and installed the CGW reduced power plunger spring.  Now it's not bad and doesn't affect my accuracy - but I know it is there if I am deliberate with the trigger.  Shooting it I didn't really notice it as I was focusing on sight picture, breathing and grip.  We'll see if it smooths out over more rounds and more dry fire.   I don't feel that slight "drag" in DA mode however.  And that may be due to completing the long 10# trigger.

[M1A4ME]

With the pistol unloaded (getting old and never had a negligent discharge and don't want one so I usually check a couple times, or even three when messing with an unloaded pistol) I will raise the pistol up above my eye to the sights level and slowly pull the trigger.  I can see the lifting arm move as it raises up the firing pin block.  I can feel, too, in my trigger finger and I'm pretty familiar with the feel of a a single action trigger pull on my pistols (except that darn Tactical Sport, but that's another story as it has no firing pin block and no rearward movement in the trigger unless you want to drop the hammer).

I also, sometimes, hold the pistol lower and look right down on top of the hammer/sear.  I can see (single action again) the sear start to move before it releases the hammer.  Some pistols will actually slightly move the hammer to the rear as the sear begins to rotate out of the notch in the front of the hammer.  That can be some of the "draggy" feel, too, if your pistol does that.  A competition/race hammer from CGW or CZ Custom will fix that.  I put one in my 9MM P07 for that very reason.  My P07 .40 was sweet right out of the box and only has the CGW reduced power trigger return spring and reduced power firing pin block spring in it (not for trigger pull but for reliability).

Many people here say a lighter hammer spring can help lower the DA trigger pull force (required to drop the hammer) but reducing the hammer spring doesn't really have a similar effect on the SA trigger pull.  I've even read that some people believe a heavier hammer spring can improve the crispness of the SA trigger pull.  All my hammer springs (P07/P09 pistols) are original factory springs, so I only know what I read (hear and other forums).

Anyway, good luck with it.  A nice trigger is nice (but may not really help improve groups - got an M&P 2.0 5" 9MM with an Apex trigger kit in it that is sweet as sweet can be but did nothing to shrink the groups.)

[farmer10]

I just picked up a p-07 urban grey sr this past week as well! Mine had that same film on it. I just wiped it down and put some fresh oil on it.

[M1A4ME]

I've only bought one CZ that had a gooey/thick film on it.  The CZ75B .40.  Not a complete coating, it was thick enough to peel/pull off on parts of the slide, the recoil spring and barrel. Sort of a clear to amber gel like film.  Easy to get off.

The rest have been just a light coat of oil or pretty dry.

[pooty]

- however, even with my guy size lg hands, I cannot operate the slide release lever without changing my right hand grip slightly.

have you tried moving the gun to a different index? i grip how SGM McPhee demos , am able to hit the sr w my sz M hands w out shifting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMjDEmC3XJM

[Yoni]

My "Roland Special" CZ P07 has become my favorite gun.

Action job by Cajun, RMR mounted as far back as possible, I only use the front suppressor height sight the pistol has no rear iron sight.

With a 15 round mag in the gun IWB, it just disappears and carry either 19 or 21 round mags as reloads.

I love this pistol.

[briang2ad]

- however, even with my guy size lg hands, I cannot operate the slide release lever without changing my right hand grip slightly.
 

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This is why men with backgrounds like Larry Vickers teach the use the left hand to sweep off the slide release as your left hand comes up after the reload.  Its much quicker than the overhand rack, and you can use it for almost ALL other guns regardless of how large their slide release is or the placement thereof. 

[pooty]

yeah just use your left thumb - CZ made it huge for that reason, so you won't miss it on a reload.

[gwes351]

Using left hand for reload slide release makes a lot of sense - especially after I saw a larry vickers video of it.  Will make that one of my training priorities from now on, thanks!  Once you see the video, it seems so obvious.

[GRU7_Mike]

I was slightly disappointed with my P-07 when I fired it the first time.  I shot a friends P-07 and it was much smoother and accurate. It is what made me buy one.  I read and read the comments in this forum and did the polishing and the fluff and buff and so on.  I did the dry firing with several thousand trigger pulls with o rings as my snap caps, did the filing off the sides of frame where the hammer was rubbing and finally replaced springs with MCarbo kits and tore down the entire firearm to a complete bunch of parts...polished and cleaned lubed everything .....result is the finest firing, most accurate firearm I own.  Can not express how much I just enjoy my P-07 at the range.