List of recommended upgrades for an ugly Pre B 1991 surplus pistol?

[Blueboar]

I have an Ugly pre B coming.  I plan to rust blue the slide and frame.  Is there a list of things to upgrade, replace while I have it apart?

[M1A4ME]

Got pictures?

My "ugly" pre B was a CZ85.

The earlier Pre B's have a staked front sight, like a 1911.  If that sight is damaged most people will have the slide milled for a front sight with a dovetail in the style of the rear sight.  If your front sight is that type and needs to be replaced you might check with CZ USA or Cajun Gun Works to see if they do that work or can recommend someone who does.

I'd replace the springs.  All of them.  Remove the extractor and clean the slide under/around it really well and get a new extractor spring, too.

Grips?  Multiple aftermarket styles.  I put a set of the modern soft rubber CZ grips on mine.

I've been told you can't use one of the CGW floating trigger pins in a Pre B.  Someone may recommend it anyway. 

Many Pre B's can't use the modern CZ75 magazines.  The mag. well is too small/tight in spots.  There's been a lot of recommendations to use magazines made for a different CZ full size pistol (sorry, I' not remembering which model right now.  You might be able to find it with a search or someone here that does remember the model that fits.)

Might want new grip screws, too.

[Blueboar]

Thanks.  I will be buying all springs, plus extras of the main spring firing pin spring and trigger spring.  I am thinking of replacing the firing pin retaining pin.  Have you heard about a firing pin spring that will make the gun more drop safe without losing out in reliability?

[david s]

I'm far from an expert on CZ 75/85 pistols B or pre-B. But my transitional model 85 (pre B) has had the trigger pin swapped for the solid trigger pin.                                                                                                                 

[Blueboar]

That is a nice cz85.  In a week or so I'll post a picture of my ugly pre b cz75.  When I get it.  I hope to update as I go but I expect it will be a long project. My goal is to have a nice looking pre b that has as near to a classic blued  finish as I can get.  It will likely be a dark grey black color. However, I have been thinking about getting a slow rust blue formula that goes toward the brown side. 

[david s]

Thank you, this one has the poly coat finish and not a real blued steel finish. Yours with a real blued finish should turn out very nice. The pre-B model firing pins are held in place by a slip fit plate at the back of the slide in the slides hammer notch. The firing pin actually keep this plate from sliding down and out of the slide. It's somewhat similar to the early Colt 1911 firing pin retainer.  The later model 75B/85B with the firing pin safety use the retaining pin. The pin fits in the hole in the cocking serrations above the safety on this 75B. With your pre-B 75 the slide shouldn't have this hole for the firing pins retainer cross pin. You push the firing pin forward on a pre-B 75 while at the same time pulling the plate downward to remove the firing pin and spring on a pre-B model. Wolff Spring offers spring kits for the CZ pistols.                                                                                                                                     

[M1A4ME]

B - firing pin block system

Pre B - before the firing pin block system

Be careful when you pull that plate from the back of the slide and don't let that firing pin pop out and hit you in the face/eye.  And get that firing pin return spring out of the firing pin channel if it's not stuck on the firing pin.  Good time to give that channel a good cleaning, too.

[Crawl]

Lok Grips for a CZ75 did NOT fit my transitional CZ85.

I installed the trigger, sear, and hammer from a Czechmate on mine. It's amazing.

As far as the action/recoil spring, I can't tell a difference between any of the various springs in the tuner kit from CGW. They all seem to eject the brass about the same.

Vulcan Machine Werks in Plano, TX, milled mine for a Holosun K, and it's a great setup. You can BARELY see the front sight in the rear dovetail of the EPS Carry.