Please help convince me: for or against CZ 83 and 380 auto

[Scarlett Pistol]

Comrades,

I have recently discovered the CZ 83 and really want one. I wasn't in a big hurry and then I saw some batches of NIB showing up across the interwebs. Is this renewed production or a little batch of left overs? No one seems to know for sure yet. It makes me really want to pick one up just in case and start reloading for 380 ACP. Here's my pros and cons after reading posts and reviews. I'm really on the fence, so I need help making a decision.

Pros:
> Softer recoil of 380 ACP would really entice my wife and sisters to shoot more, and I am trying to get them into this hobby/addiction.
> Softer recoil and getting my wife and sisters to shoot more may make them comfortable to eventually carry concealed and feel comfortable protecting themselves.
> This would be a great round and pistol for my little kids as they get older. Help make the transition from 22 up to 9mm and so forth.
> CZ 83 is a legend of a gun for reliability, simply carrying on the tradition of CZ.
> CZ 83 is small enough for conceal carry, but has some weight so the recoil is very tame.
> CZ 83 has a small frame and small grip with is conducive for those with smaller hands. (My 17 year old sister loves shooting my Tactical Sport, but has a hard time keeping a grip on it.)
> CZ 83 is extremely accurate with the fixed barrel design.
> CZ 83 is SA/DA
> CZ 83 IMHO looks awesome and like a classic, just a beauty to have.
> 380 auto can be reloaded with my same dies for 9mm, saving money in starting on a new type of round
> Technically I could load the 100 gr RNHB berrys bullets in 9mm and 380 (wouldn't be an all the time thing, but I can do it for cheap plinking)
> 380 auto is cheaper than 9mm to reload
> Modern 380 auto self defense rounds are much more effective and capable than in the past

Cons:
> I can only find grips that look just like the stock grips (more or less), and can't find any slim aluminum grips like what CZ Custom and CGW sell for the other CZ pistols.
> I am not finding any parts to make it more amazing, like better hammers and so forth. (This may be a Pro for my wallet)
> Have to start getting brass for a new round
> Brass is less available than rounds like 9mm
> I have to spend money on a new gun, amidst staking up student debt finishing a masters program this spring
> I want to buy one for me and one for my wife/sisters/kids because I may carry it as a BUG and my wife may eventually carry it, and one sister will legally be able to carry next year and I don't want these to be sold out and gone by the time she can buy one.

I know this post sounds somewhat sarcastic and like I have mostly convinced myself, but please let me know if there is anything to watch out for with the CZ 83 and the 380 Auto round for reloading. I am aware of being super extra careful in reloading, as I have sorted brass I've purchases and found 380 Auto rounds before.

[eastman]

I believe the best answer to this question comes from Nike (TM):


Just do it

 

[MP2 Guy]

Wow! You have done some research.  In my (and my wife's) opinion, however, the felt recoil from the CZ83, firing 100 gr. round nose rounds, is sharper than the felt recoil from firing any of my 9mm Para pistols. Now if you can find the CZ83 in 7.65 Browning (.32 ACP) the felt recoil in nothing but then you sacrifice "knock down" power (but if you do not hit the target "knock down" power is moot).  The steel framed CZ83 is also fairly heavy when compared to the "plastic" guns available.

I bought my .380 ACP CZ83 in Germany for my wife in 1990 and she much prefers all my 9mm Para pistols for the softer felt recoil. Nevertheless, the CZ83 (in both .380 ACP and .32 ACP) is a fine pistol. Now if I can just find one in 9mm Makarov!

[ZardozCZ]

Double check the dies, I believe you can't use 9mm Luger for 380. 9mm Luger is tapered while 380 is straight walled. I might have that confused with mak though. Besides, you'll quickly save the cost of the dies, 380 ammo isn't cheap around here any ways.

There are nice wood grips available on Amazon.

Of all my CZs I "instinct" shoot the 83 the best. With Lehigh/Underwood Extreme Defense rounds I would not feel under gunned.

The stock trigger on the 83 doesn't need custom parts, it's awful good as is. I'm faster back on target and double or triple taps are fast and accurate for me. Not sure felt recoil is worse than nine, it's faster for me than my P-01 or 75B.

Don't know why really, but all in all its my favorite pistol to have fun with.

Check out the youtubes for penetration and wound cavity of Underwood Extreme Defense and Penetrators. Does more damage to gel than many 9mm hollow point defense loads.

My 83 is part of my permanent collection. It's that good.

[Rhino]

IMO if you can get a pistol the same size as the CZ-83 but in 9mm like a Rami get it. Only 2mm difference in case length and the the logistical foot print remains the same. Less stuff to worry about.

[derweibhai]

Recoil on the .380 83 is not soft by any means. It is considerably sharper than a similar sized locked breach 9mm. Size is large for what it is, many many 9's are smaller.

That said it is a very well made gun, very accurate and very reliable. If taken for what it is it is great, but for certain things it is outclassed by more modern pistols.

[tpelle]

All handguns are truly deficient in "knockdown power" - the proverbial "one-shot stop" is largely just that: a proverb!  With the .380 cartridge, it's reputation as a poor stopper was earned with FMJ ammo.  Using modern bullets such as the Cor-Bon Powerball or the Hornady Critical defense, which produce adequate penetration and expansion to 0.4" or better, I personnaly feel that I am adequately armed.  However this performance can only be gained from barrels of 3" or more, whichof course, the CZ83 has.

In addition, the CZ83 is a large enough pistol that it provides for a full three-finger grip for the shooting hand, and the controls are well placed so as to be easy to manipulate.  (Some folks do object to the position of the magazine release, but it's easy enough to manipulate with the trigger finger, and it surely won't be activated by accident to drop the magazine in the middle of a fight.)

So, in the CZ83 we find a handgun that is equipped with a sufficiently powerful cartridge, fired from a gun with outstanding intrinsic accurazy, and with recoil sufficiently damped by grip size and gun weight to permit rapid and accurate follow-up shots.  What's more to want?

[fteter]

Let's start with recoil: any type of blowback design is going to have a pretty snappy recoil.  It's just the nature of the beast.  That being said, some are worse than others.

So far as the .380 cartridge and the "knockdown power" myth, I got schooled on this last year.  Had a concern with managing larger cartridges as I aged, but was wrapped around the axle about knockdown power.  An instructor took me to the range with two pistols:  a Colt 1911 in the normal .45 ACP and a Bersa Thunder .380.  Definitely more knockdown power with the 1911.  But the power of the .45 is a secondary consideration over accuracy.   I found I could put 3 rounds in a 3" circle at 40 yards - while moving - with the .380 in 5 seconds without breaking a sweat.   No way could I come close to that performance with the .45.  Now comes the real twist - the 1911 was my gun, fired and carried often.  The Bersa was brand-new to me.  That experience changed my thinking quite a bit.  Frequent firing with accuracy beats the knockdown power myth in my book.  So my daily carry now is a significant reduction in caliber - a CZ-82 in the traditional 9x18.    My wife snagged the Bersa

I'd carry a CZ-83 and not lose a minute of worry over it.

[Scarlett Pistol]

Thanks everyone for all the feedback, it's great to hear from a bunch of people with experience in a caliber and pistol!

[Laufer]

As for your wife or daughter, they might want to watch "Fate Of Destinee CZ 82" on Youtube. They can probably 'relate' to a lady's video more than to most which are produced by men.

On her CZ-82 video she visits an indoor range, and even shoots one-handed.
The young lady is very new to blowback handguns, but seems to describe the recoil as being fairly sharp, but Not strong.

[Scarlett Pistol]

Thanks for the reference! On the verge of getting the CZ 82 I realized I needed to take a little time and set aside some money to get an AR. I've put that off while in college, but I'm a little worried one of these attempts squeaks through on restricting their sale. That will be the purchase for this year...

[Rhino]

Don't worry about them getting banned, they banned alcohol one time.......new job opportunities😄

[AZ_CZ]

If you're worried and poor just buy 3 or 4 stripped AR lowers for now. Parts to build it later will always be available.

[Scarlett Pistol]

There are so many AR's! After reading and searching and trying to find a balance between budget and quality I settled on an Armalite M-15 Versatile Sporting Rifle.
I know, I could build a custom AR and save some money, but with school I just don't have time. Plus, I'd rather spend what free time I do have on a training schedule for dry firing my CZ's. Anyways, should be at my LGS in about a week. When I get time to take it out to the range I'll take some pics and write a report. Stock photo for now...



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[Laufer]

Scarlett Pistol:

President Obama won't attempt any widespread changes to specific, but very popular gun types (ARs etc) for at least a while-if at all.
He might be smart enough to realize that many voters would connect that action to Hillary's goals with guns. Al Gore might have partly lost the election in the 90's due to his negative comments about "assault weapons".
Hillary supposedly recently agreed (recently) with Australian-style gun confiscation.

Obama did at little as he could last week with the new "gun dealer" etc Exec. Order, as a weak attempt to try to Distract the American public from his many failed policies (i.e. health insur. cost increases) and near-total indifference to supporting our allies who needed a strong American leader.