Squared trigger guard: When Introduced????

[imarangemaster]

Just because I'm the kinda guy that likes to know as much as possible about his chosen weapons...

The CZ83 .380 I got in the mid-90s had a standard rounded trigger guard like the CZ82s.  When did they do the smaller, squared trigger guard like the 83 I have now?

[ZardozCZ]

Not too far off topic, but does anyone know if I could substitute a round trigger guard for the squared one mine has?  Anybody want to swap if they're compatible? I don't use it and it catches a bit on my leather holster upon reholstering. I know some prefer it for their chosen hold.

[Lemming]

I seem to remember the change in the latter half of the 1990s - just before i got mine (a 1998 model with squared guard). Sorry i can't be more specific

Sent by Jedi mind control

[imarangemaster]

Not too far off topic, but does anyone know if I could substitute a round trigger guard for the squared one mine has?  Anybody want to swap if they're compatible? I don't use it and it catches a bit on my leather holster upon reholstering. I know some prefer it for their chosen hold.

I believe they are interchangeable, but APEX, Numrich, and Buymilsurp.com are all out of stock on the rounded trigger guards.

[imarangemaster]

I seem to remember the change in the latter half of the 1990s - just before i got mine (a 1998 model with squared guard). Sorry i can't be more specific

Sent by Jedi mind control

Thanks, that sounds about right.  Mine had the rounded, and later I wished it had the squared.  Now I have the squared, and almost wish I had the rounded LOL!

[imarangemaster]

Update:  I found an advertisement for the CZ83 in a 1991 gun magazine, and it had the rounded trigger guard.  I also found a 1994 advertisement for the CZ83, and it also had the rounded trigger guard still. Mine that I got in 1993ish (prior to going into detectives) did have the rounded trigger guard.

[Psyop96]

According to David Pazdera's book on CZ, "combatovy lu??k" for the CZ 83 was introduced in 1997.

[imarangemaster]

According to David Pazdera's book on CZ, "combatovy lu??k" for the CZ 83 was introduced in 1997.

Probably when they did the squared trigger guard.  I got my first in about 1994 in 380, and I know a guy who got his in about 92.  Here are pics of a couple 1994 publications.  Somewhere I have a pic of a 1991 add.

In 1994, Shooter's Bible had Action Arms was importing them.



In 1994, American Handgunner was reviewing it.  They refer to some having been imported by Bauska Arms, also a couple years ago.  I was an FFL at the time, traveling doing guns shows (back in the "good old days") and picked it up at big show like Pamona or at the Houston Astrodome. 

[scotsal]

I have a new-to-me 83 inbound ('93) with a rounded guard. I am wondering if it makes sense to switch it out for a squared guard so it'd more closely feel like my PCR?

[afultz075]

For anyone looking to swap out round trigger guards for squared ones, it's not as simple as it seems. The older guns with the rounded guard used a crescent shaped slide stop spring that is retained in position by a recess milled into the side of the trigger guard where it latches onto the roll pin in the frame.

When they switched over to the squared trigger guard, they also changed the slide stop spring to a L-shaped design that it no longer held in position by the trigger guard recess (it's retained by a hole drilled in the frame). The squared trigger guards thus, lack the recess for the slide stop spring that the round guards have.

So to use a squared trigger guard in an older gun that uses the crescent-shaped slide stop spring, you are either going to have to modify the squared trigger guard to be compatible with the old style springs, or you'll have to have the frame drilled so it can use the "L" shaped spring.

You can change the trigger guard to the old style on a newer CZ 83 without issue, but not the other way around.

[scotsal]

Thanks for the great info Afultz. Sounds like I'll just leave it as is

[tcallre]

I purchased a CZ83 around 2009 with a squared trigger guard and a member here traded me his rounded guard from a CZ 82. Simple switch for these two guns. Love the round guard.