CZ 85 general Questions

[techcas]

Hi,

I just bought a CZ 85 with no B suffix. Is there a way to tell the date of manufacture? Also the pistol was supposed to be low mileage but the local smith says no because the slide rails have no finish on them. I was thinking they were not finished in the first place. Lastly there are three sets of letters on the front right side of the slide are they import marks or what. I tried a search but got no results on these questions. Any help would be appreciated.

Mike

[Cricket67]

In my experience with my combat, the slides were blued.  They have become less blued over time as I shot it more, but keep in mind that it was tested at factory and may be at the gun store where you bought it.

As for the date of production, I believe that there is a two digit date stamp next to the ejector spring on the right hand side of the gun.

[Walt-Sherrill]

As Cricket67 notes, you should find a date on the gun in one of the little insets on the slide just to the rear of the ejection port.  My 85 Combat is dated 99, while my pre-B CZ-75 is dated 85

It may be low mileage.  The lack of color on the slide railes may or may not indicate high use.  Someone may have taken time to sand/file/polish the rails.  (My '85 CZ-75 shoots as accurately as my 85 Combat, and has a better single-action trigger, to boot.)

As long as the gun is kept up, with a good recoil spring, and the barrel not shot out,  it really shouldn't matter all that much how much its been shot.

Generally speaking, if its high mileage and still looks good, the prior owners probably took good care of it, and you need not worry.

[techcas]

The date is on the slide is 94. This with the shiny slide rails and the little wear inside the slide indicate the pistol might have been shot more than just a box of shells. The only thing that bothers me about that is the trigger leaves alot to be desired. Are there any tricks short of a trigger job to smooth it out? I could not find one of these local so I had to get one unseen online. Is $350 out the door for pistol, 2 highcaps, original box with tools and test target a fair price?

[Walt-Sherrill]

Its a good price.  I'd happily pay that for one were I in the market for it.  (I paid approx $425 for a pretty ratty pre-B CZ-75 a few weeks ago, but primarily because it had a superb trigger.)

Dry fire it a lot.  My Witness Sport Long Slide had a bad trigger, even after a trigger job.  I dry fired it about 300 times a night for most of a month.  Its now -- many months later -- a fine trigger in SA mode, and pretty good, in DA mode.

Or just quit being chea...ur.. frugal, and find a competent local gunsmith, and spend from $35 - $75 (depending on the smith, more expensive isn't always better), and accelerate the process a bit.

I almost always have a trigger job done on new guns.  I'd rather spend the first couple of months shooting with a better gun, rather than trying to make it better.  (I *HAD* to do otherwise with my Witness, but the gunsmith worked on it twice before I started dry firing.)

[techcas]

Walt thanks for the info. I like Teddy Jacobson and I don't mind paying him, for his excellent work but the fedex back and forth ups the end costs. Well I gues its off to Texas. Since I plan to get the conversion kit I will be able to shoot the pistol alot.

Thanks Again,
Mike

[techcas]

I have one other question. Assuming I wanted to carry one in the pipe hammer down for a double action first shot. Does one pull the trigger slowly lowering the hammer(safety issue)? If so, all the way, or to the half cock stop?

Mike

[player]

lower the hammer all the way, its an inertial firing pin and designed to be carried hammer all the way down,
"half cock" position has to do with the safety and should not be used as a hammer position

[player]

yeah its fine to hold the trigger the whole time, gun wont fire unless the hammer hits the pin hard enough

[Walt-Sherrill]

I didn't think the "Pre-B" guns had a half-cock notch.  But my knowledge on this topic is based on the two that I've handled, including my own...   Maybe the one's I've handled are just more worn than I know.

Carrying from half-cock should'nt be an issue, but I haven't found that it really helps all that much in either speed or accuracy.  I just drop the hammer on my 85 Combat (slowly of course) and start from full hammer down.

[Unregistered(d)]

Before you have a trigger job done, resolve yourself to the fact that you won't be able to get a penny back on the modifications you make.

Teddy did my 85 Combat, smooth 4 lbs SA and 9 DA.

[Walt-Sherrill]

Isn't that ALWAYS the case with guns and cars?   (Unless its a plating job, in which case you might get $15 more for it when you sell...)   <sigh>

I look at those expenditures sort of like getting a tune up for the car: I do it for the benefit it offers ME, not whether it will make the car sell better, later.

[SDDLUP]

The only CZ-75 that does not have the half cock notch should be the very early short frame version.


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