cz 85 combat SA/DA question?

[gun9mm]

This may be a stupid question, but I guess this is what the forums are for to ask questions. I am wondering how can you have SA and DA both on the same gun and how does it work? Thank you for any replies.

[Walt-Sherrill]

You've got three (or three and half) options:

Single action (SA).  In which the slide, as it flies back after a shot, cocks the hammer (or resets the striker).  All SA semi-autos have the option of cocking the hammer and engaging a safety.

Double action only (DAO).  In which the hammer is drawn back and released by the trigger.  The slide does NOT reset the hammer when the slide cycles.    Many gun manufacturers make DAO versions of their DA/SA guns.

DA/SA.  In which the the first shot works like DAO, in that the trigger sets and releases the hammer.  But with following shots, the slide sets the hammer.  Most semi-auto pistols (SIGS, Berettas, S&W, Ruger and [slightly different, but the same idea, Glocks]) work this way.   A few of these guns -- very few --are available as SA only, as an option.

A few guns take DA/SA (or as FEG says SA/DA) a step farther, and let you cock the hammer for the first shot (exactly as with a SA pistol), and lock it, or start hammer down, as with DAO.  H&Ks, in some models, let you do this.  CZs, in most models, let you do this.

[Radom]

Just to clarify, "SA/DA" is the official name that CZ-UB uses for the operating system found on most CZ pistols.  All literature produced by both CZ-UB and CZ-USA uses the term.  As far as I can tell, this is done purely to distinguish it from the more common DA/SA system (such as the system found on the Beretta 92FS).  It seems to be a marketing term more than anything.  However, some reference books actually use this term very consistently in reference to CZs and clones.  

I try to use it (and encourage its use), because it actually describes most CZs pretty well.  That is, they are set up like a typical SA pistol (manual safety for "cocked and locked"), but they do have DA capability as well.  For nearly 20 years, all CZ pistols featured this system, and it is CZ-UB's primary contribution to the evolution of combat handguns.    

(In short, everyone needs a one-man cause to champion; this is mine for the moment.)

I posted a pretty long (perhaps too long) explanation of all this on the Pistols FAQ Forum.  Here's a link:
 
pub105.ezboard.com/fczech...D=92.topic

It may be a bit dry, because I tried to address any possible confusion.  I hope it helps people, rather than adding to the confusion.