pre B vs. brand new

[bozwell]

Cost.  The OP mentioned a regular 75 due to lower entry cost for a first gun to tinker with.  Nothing at all wrong with a brand new 75B.

[Brian Ahearn]

Nothing wrong with the 75b and you should be able to get one with a decent finish that doesn't need refinished. Check the local gunshops in a 5o to 75 mile radius. When I was looking for a CZ 83 in 32 acp I actually found a brand new one for $290.00 it was sitting on there shelf for 2 years with no taker so they had dropped the price dramatically just to get it to sell. I actually traded a taruas 917C us that I didn't like for it even up no cash involved. I definitely got the better end of that deal. S If it was me I check all the local shops and on line , CZ's have not been to popular at the local shops in my area -shop owners are happy to deal on them if they have been sitting there too long.

[myles]

A clean 85 with B style sight dovetails for $350 or less would definitely pique my interest.  I'd guess if it takes the 16 round mags it has the newer safety as well.

BTE, in a 75 it looks like '92 vintage guns often have the B sights.

[georgem]

Here is my pre B,  after four coats of Jasco paint remover,  wire wheel,  four coats of Mark Lee #2 Rust blue,  PSI sights.
I am still working on the photography thing.  George M.

[BTE]

Looks good!  I like the way the earlier 75's look with the rounded trigger guard. 

[myles]

I was wrong in my earlier post.  It looks like the 1994 police surplus CZ 75s being sold by Robertsons on Guns America have the B style sights.  They also have ring hammers.

Brian, was yours a '94?

[bearhunter 500]

Just my 2cents. I got one of the per b 75s from robertoson's and am thrilled. i looked at several and got the cheapest and most banged up finish that they showed. it was the cheapest. i paid 300 total including shipping. then i got the agi cz75 gunsmith DVD and went to work. the video is great to use as reference. one thing about the gun that was so cool was that any moving parts had marks that showed all of the contact points. just polish the contact points on the trigger bar to a 4000 and what a great trigger. i also sand blasted and coated with brownells Teflon/molly OD green and the safety, slide release , mag release, sights and hammer flat black. modified for new mags . the gun shoots and looks great. i am getting a 2nd one to mod , weld up rails, fit new barrel tighten bushing, add combat adj sights and coat in camo snake skin finish. the per b is just great.

[Indy_Tim]

I just got a pair of pre-B 75s from Robertson's last week and ordered a third today.  They are a great deal and I've started the refinish job on the first two already.  I already have complete spring kits and CZ Cocobolo thin grips for them.  I'm getting these ready as Christmas gifts for my sons, so I'm on a tight timeline to finish them.  The third one will be to use as a project gun to have a bit of fun with.  Not sure what I'll do to make that one interesting.

Tim

[myles]

We recommend used so you won't feel so bad if you ding it up a little bit when doing gunsmithing tasks for the very first time!  Also, you are going to be investing money in parts, and we presume your want a fine shooter, not a safe queen.  So cut your out of pocket total cost if you can find a nice used pistol to build on.

[BTE]

I ended up finding a B model online and picked it up for $350.00.  its a '96 with around 3K rounds through it according to the previous owner, so it has a bit of wear so I won't be too upset if it gets a scratch.  A nice bonus for being an older gun is that trigger is nice and smooth.

[Indy_Tim]

Congrats on a nice find.

Tim

[briang2ad]

I DO prefer the preB.  IF you can find one for $325 or less, they are definitely worth it.    Refinishing is about $200 if you think about shipping - you only have to do this with the crappy enamel finish. $525 for a VERY nice, classic gun is not bad.  If you have access to Al Oxide and can do it yourself, this is better.  If they are blued nicely, $400+, because they look good as is.  The aesthetic features of the PreB are SO much better than the goofy and useless squared trigger guard, and slanted slide serrations.

On the PreB, it seems that fitting the mag well is NOT that hard if you are careful - I never thought to do this with my PreB, and lucked out with some mags to fit.  The DA trigger on a PreB is almost ALWAYS better, and often the SA trigger is also. 

A new or OLD B doesn't matter.  SOME of the oldest ones have a less durable polycoat finish - so I've heard.  The sights are better, and all the cheap mags fit.  But, the there is that old 80sish trigger guard.  Maybe they should sell these with bell bottom jeans. 

Of course there are the NonBs - I have one.  It is a decent blued finish, has the new sight dovetails, and fits all mags.  No needless FPB, BUT has the ugly squared trigger guard.

Have fun.

[Rowe-75]

goofy and useless squared trigger guard, and slanted slide serrations.

I will take the larger trigger guard anyday. Makes it easier to shoot wearing gloves during these cold months

[donp326]

The following is a responce from CZUSA concerning the rear site dovetail grove on 92 and 93 Pre B's.

The Pre B dovetail is larger. Anything after 1992-1993 is smaller. There are no sights at CZUSA that are being produced that will fit your Pre B.

 

Adam Swarts
CZ-USA
adam@cz-usa.com

[zmr]

the older guns will not accept the newer CZ 16rnd/MecGar 16rnd mags and the MecGar AFC magazines.
they can be modified to accept the CZ 16rnd/MecGar 16rnd mags though. pretty straightforward and easy to do modification.

the sights are small, but the slide can be modified for new sights.

those are the two major deficiencies of the older guns I can think of. Other than that they are guns and clean up nicely.
I am very happy with the one  have, and am getting ready to mill sights into my gun.

I got a 1992 and the mecgar mags worked fine... Try to get a 1992 or later and you should be fine.