old verses new

[goosedowner]

Other than sights and grips is there any reason not to buy a 10 year old 97b for $200 less than a new one ?

[nicky]

Not sure when they made the change but the newer models have a longer feed ramp. I believe it is to help feeding hollow points.

[Jake G]

I have the older model and haven't had any problems at all. I've shot FMJ round nose jacketed and lead in addition to some 250 grain flat points meant for the .45 Colt.  That bullet mimics a hollow point so I don't forsee any problems but then again I haven't tried. It's a target/competition gun so I'm not really worried. For the money you saved you could buy a brand new barrel with the newly designed feed ramp if you found it necessary.

[whitecap]

I too looked at a 1996 CZ 97B and wondered the same thing. Jake is correct. A new barrel is $145.00 and has the longer feed ramp.

[rohada]

What year (or serial number) was the ramp portion of the barrel changed?  I have a glossy 97B with wood grips and serial B05#### and it has the longer ramp.  Seems to feed everything well.  The only reason I've ever read for the change was to facilitate the feeding of a larger variety of ammo.  Guess they had issues somewhere along the line, or maybe they thought they would, so they made this change.  Don't know how rampant feeding issues ever were on the shorter ramp or the ammo they thought was problematic.  Hopefully, someone who had struggles will chime in with the ammo they used.

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

I believe it was around 2012 that the barrel modification was made along with some magazine mods as well. I owned an early CZ 97 when they first came out which I promptly dispatched as it would not feed hollow points at all. That gun had a production date of 1998. Fast forward to early 2012 I purchased a new CZ 97 which had a production date of 2009 hoping that after all those years they would have addressed the hollow point issue. They had not and that gun would not feed anything but ball ammo. I called CZ USA and they issued a return for the gun and explained that some changes were in the works and the gun would be replaced with a new one but it may take some weeks. Almost 3 months later I received a completely new CZ 97 from CZ USA with a production date of 2012 and all the new factory mods in place. I still have that gun and shoot it regularly and it will feed any and all hollow point ammo even the widest mouth flying ashtrays are no problem. These factory mods were neccessary to make these guns reliable with defensive type ammo and not just an after thought. I always did think it odd though that they waited so long to address the issue.

[cdhbrad]

For only a $200 difference, I would buy the new gun.  Not only do you get the improved barrel, but a FO front sight and the checkered aluminum grips, which are very nice to use.  Mine is from 2013 and had those added features when purchased. 

With a new gun, you also get new magazines.....no way to know how good those 10 year old mags will work until you try them.  If they don't function, a new magazine is $40 from CZ.     

[schmeky]

What cdhbrad said ^^^^^

[nevada]

The CZ-USA website states that if your CZ97 was made before 2012, and you want a new barrel,  to call their parts department as other parts will be required. I suggest the new one will be the better deal, unless you wish to collect an 'old' model.

[dlk]

I have a 2004 '97. The pistol is a tackdriver and very reliable overall. It does not feed hollowpoints very well which doesn't matter to me as I only shoot ball ammo.

[nevada]

I have 1998 97B.  It feeds ball and round nosed HPs, like the Remington Golden Saber.

[Tok36]

Picture for reference.
<---New / Old--->

[nevada]

Nice. Thanks.

[goosedowner]

The 97 I was thinking about was on gun broker. When I posted the question the gun was at $400, when the auction ended it was $600.

[bubbadoc]

I was looking on Gunbroker for a while for a 97 and there were never any good deals on the older used ones compared to new ones.  Lack of inventory and a write up in a gun rag lifter prices this year