New CZ-75 Compact Review

[SpeedRacer2OO2]

I've read so many great reviews here, I couldn't wait till I'd be able to post my own.  Here it is.


I picked up my CZ-75 Compact on friday.  The gun is a beauty!  It's a dual tone finish with a satin nickle frame and a blued slide.  Although I purchased the gun used, I could not find a single indication of any use.  The finish was flawless.  The gun was simply in perfect condition.  The gun case was in much worse condition.  The interior molding was slightly beat up and the gun was missing the test target and the Instruction Manual.  A quick trip to the internet solved the missing manual problem.  

Since I purchased the gun used, I was mildly concerned about how well it would function.  I was concerned that perhaps I had purchased someone's "problem" gun.  I loaded up on Wal-Mart Winchester White box 9mm and headed for the hills.  

Sunday morning I finally got the chance to put the gun to the test.  We hit the unofficial "shooting range" near my parent's house in the mountains.  My father, father-in-law, brother, brothers girlfriend, and two of my sisters-in-law came along.  

The first time I shot it, I knew that all my worries had been groundless.  The SA trigger was smooth and broke cleanly.  And the sights were dead on POI.  After setting up a bulleye target at about 15 yards, my first shot went dead on into the center ring.  My following shots tended to pull left and slightly down, but I'm sure that had more to do with my shooting than the capabilities of the gun.  

The compact's short barrel made sighting slightly more challaging than other full sized auto's I've shot.  The only other CZ-75 I've shot was a full sized Range Rental.  I can see where the longer sight line is a bonus.  The compact also seemed to have slightly more muzzle flip, but nothing that was really bothersome.  I had no problems with FTF or FTE's.  Every round went "BANG" just like expected.  

I was definately impressed, as was everyone who shot it.  Both my sisters-in-law were eager to try it out despite the fact that neither one usually enjoys shooting pistols except the Ruger .22.  Both were easily able to handle the compact, and really enjoyed shooting it.  

Just to compare, the girls really didn't like the trigger on my father-in-laws Beretta 92F, I don't blame them.  That trigger pull is far to long.  You keep thinking there's a problem because you are just sure that the gun should have fire by now.  My dad's Glock 9mm kept jamming.  Halfway through a clip (LEO hi-caps) the rounds would jam on the feed ramp and need to be cleared.  Seeing his expensive Glock do that made me feel great about the performance my CZ was turning in.  The only thing that shot more impressively than my CZ was my father-in-law's .38 long barrel colt python.  That long barrel just makes that gun unbelieveably accurate when fired SA.  

All said we probably ran over 200 rnds through the compact without a single issue.

Cleanup was a piece of cake.  Even though I had never dissasembled or cleaned a gun before, it was simple to disassemble and clean.  I have however added a used military parts brush (like a stiff toothbrush) to my cleaning supplies as it was difficult to reach all the nooks and crannies of the slide and frame with the bore brush.  I'm also impressed with how well Breakfree CLP works to clean and lubricate the pistol.  

I can't wait to get out there and spend some more time with my compact.
 

[ut83]

Great review on the Compact.  I miss mine but will get another one soon.  Probably a PCR or P01...this summer.
Enjoy your gun and let us know more about your results.
Shoot well

[cztops]

Nice review. Always like to hear about the women shooting too.

Since you've never disassembled or cleaned a gun before, can I assume the Compact is the first gun you have bought?

I would be interested in hearing how you decided to get the Compact.

[CZ75BOrCompact]

Hi cz75borcompact,

I moved your post to the PISTOLS forum with a subject about shooting left. Just click here.

[SpeedRacer2OO2]

cztops,

Thanks.  It was a twisty road that led me to the CZ Compact.  

I started looking at low cost/high quality 9mm about 2 years ago.  I began researching articles and gun forums, and had decided that for the money the Ruger P95 seemed like the best gun for the money.  As I started asking for opinions online regarding the P95, I kept hearing people say, "Why not get a CZ-75, they're about the same price and are better guns."

As I started looking into CZ's and especially after I found this forum, it started to feel like CZ's were this underapprecated gem in the world of handguns.  

After a couple of visits to a local range where I had the chance to rent both the P95 and a beat up old CZ-75, I was hooked.  There was no comparing the Ruger to the CZ.  The only other gun that even came close was the IMI Baby Eagle, for obvious reasons.  

To fit my price constraints I had really decided on a CZ-75 Mil.  The cheapest I could find one for here in the CA, bay area was around $400.00.  However, as I was checking out a CZ-75 Mil at a local gunstore.  There in the used gun case I see this beautiful dual-tone compact CZ-75 listed at $350.00.  I guess it was love at first sight, because even though I didn't buy it that day, I couldn't get that gun off my mind.  From the condition it is in, I doubt that it has had more than 100rnds cycled through it by the previous owner.  And if the trigger ever had a rough break in period, I guess the previous owner got to experience it, because the trigger is great.  

I do think that there are certain advantaged to a full-framed gun, and that is my only misgiving, however it is a small one, because I can tell that this is a pistol that can shoot better than my current skill allows.  I look forward to rectifying that with lots and lots of practice.