New CZ Rami with decocker--first impressions

[HawkeyeDrifter]

I received my new Rami BD today.  I cleaned it because of the reputation of CZs coming pretty gunked up from the factory.  Mine wasn't at all.

It looks like a high quality pistol.  It reminds me a lot of a Para Carry 9 that I used to own.  However, unlike the Rami, the black finish on the Para was total crap.  But it had a nice LDA trigger and I shot it well.

The trigger on the Rami is much better than I expected.  It is smooth and has a good feel. After dry-firing with an O-ring a couple of hundred times, it measures 7.2# in double-action and 4.2# in single.  The 7.2# double-action is the same if the hammer is down or at half-clock.  But at half-cock the length of the trigger-pull after take-up is about 3/8" shorter. 

There doesn't seem to be much advantage to carrying half-cocked.  But to carry hammer down you would have to lower the hammer manually on a live round since the decocker only lowers to half-cock.  IMHO the decocker model is not much more preferable to the much more available and less expensive safety model other than it has night sights.  The safety model supposedly has a slightly better trigger due to simplicity.  But I would have a hard time believing it would be much better than my particular decocker.

I look forward to going to the range within a week.

[Obiwan]

There is no advantage decocking all the way down either.

I have the manual safety version, and I never decock all the way down. I always decock to half-cock. That way the hammer is not resting on the firing pin and firing pin block. No need to need to have unnecessary stress on those components. It's faster, safer, simpler to go to half-cock position. Half-cock is the normal resting place, especially for the BD model. (and you with your BD model have the advantage that you can get there with the push of a button, so-to-speak).

Congrats on your RAMI, and enjoy it at the range! You'll find out soon that she's a pure pleasure to shoot. One of the best sub compacts around if you ask me. Oh, and if your trigger finger starts to hurt, because of the funky radius of the stock trigger, get a 85 combat trigger for it. If you carry concealed a lot, you might also want to replace the grips. (The rubber has a tendency to grab shirts). Other than that, there's not much she needs. Enjoy and welcome to the RAMI club.

[HawkeyeDrifter]

Just got back from the range.  I fired 50 rounds of Perfecta 9mm and 35 Blazer Brass.  I had a couple of FTFs with the Perfecta.  The trigger was biting my finger after about 50 rounds so I put on a light glove.  I usually don't have a problem with that.

As usual I had problems with the double-action shots.  I guess I need to break out my Laserlyte target and do some dry-fire practice.  After about 10 rounds I got the single-action dialed in pretty well.  I hope I can get the double-action first shot down.  If not I am going to have to give up on DA/SA pistols. I do fine with DAO only however.

[kkborre]

Congratulations on your new Rami!  I am a newbie and the Rami is my first handgun.  I have not had a problem with the trigger biting my finger.  I've run 200 rounds through in one session without that being an issue.  I agree that the DA is different than the SA, but the DA shots are so few compared to the SA that I don't really worry about it.  Once I get going I blow through the whole magazine and don't have another double action round until I reload.  I really like my Rami and I hope you do too! 

[HawkeyeDrifter]

I agree that the DA is different than the SA, but the DA shots are so few compared to the SA that I don't really worry about it.  Once I get going I blow through the whole magazine and don't have another double action round until I reload.

Well, I have been shooting for about 60 years.  I believe one should try to make the first shot count.  i am not a fan of spray and pray.  I guess I'm just old fashioned.

[cntrydawwwg]

Those FTF's may be due to it being new. I know mine was pretty tight the first couple hundred rounds.
   I bet you'll get that DA first shot figured out. I agree, if you're gonna carry DA first shot, you need to be accurate with it.
   Good luck and enjoy.

[kkborre]

Well, I have been shooting for about 60 years.  I believe one should try to make the first shot count.  i am not a fan of spray and pray.  I guess I'm just old fashioned.

Thanks for setting me straight here!  As a newbie I thought you could just let any bullet fly anywhere it wants to go, but I shall defer to your 60 years of experience.  Maybe next time I'll even try using one of those target things they sell.

My point was that if the DA round is a 1/2" off, it really isn't the end of the world.

[Rainsong]

There doesn't seem to be much advantage to carrying half-cocked.  But to carry hammer down you would have to lower the hammer manually on a live round since the decocker only lowers to half-cock.  IMHO the decocker model is not much more preferable to the much more available and less expensive safety model other than it has night sights.  The safety model supposedly has a slightly better trigger due to simplicity.  But I would have a hard time believing it would be much better than my particular decocker.

Well sorta.  Half-cocked is not as long a DA trigger as hammer all the way down, but I agree the decocker version wasn't any more preferable to me and why I went with the manual safety.  I heard the trigger pull is also about a lb. less on the manual safety version. I carry half-cocked just in case I am involved in a quick stress situation and have to get off a shot quickly but there is no law that says you can't just cock the hammer back if you want all your shots SA

[HawkeyeDrifter]

I carry half-cocked just in case I am involved in a quick stress situation and have to get off a shot quickly but there is no law that says you can't just cock the hammer back if you want all your shots SA

Rainsong, you bring up an excellent point about half-cock.  I was thinking while shooting at the range that half-cock makes the hammer very accessible to manual cocking, much better than when the hammer is down in the hammer well.  This greatly facilitates thumbing the hammer to full-cock and shooting SA.  Of course the practicality of doing this in a self-defense situation is dependent on several variables.  Not the least of these are the need to have the presence of mind to do this in a stressful situation plus the extra split second manually cocking the hammer takes.

[HawkeyeDrifter]

My point was that if the DA round is a 1/2" off, it really isn't the end of the world.

Ok, I get it now.  Your "blow through a whole magazine" comment conjured up images of Rambo.  Sorry if I was too harsh.

There are a lot of quality people in the shooting community despite continual liberal efforts to try to make us out as kooks.  One thing you never hear about in the media are the sporting aspects of shooting.  They try to create a bogeyman they call "the gun lobby".  They either ignore or don't realize that what they are really up against are millions of Americans to whom shooting is a source of recreation.  Of course there is also the factor of personal defense.

My shooting interests have changed greatly thru the years. The many types and aspects of shooting are part of what makes it a great hobby. My interests started as a member of a rifle team as a teenager then expanded into hunting with rifles and shotguns. Along the way I was in the Army during the Vietnam era. Many years later I was into cowboy action shooting for awhile.  Today my interest is pretty much limited to handguns and self-defense.  Concealed carry did not use to be an option like it is in most states today.  And the world was much safer then.  You didn't have the major issues of drugs, gangs, and illegal aliens. Also, people with severe mental issues were institutionalized.  The laws changed on that decades ago and many of these people now roam the streets freely.

I hope you enjoy shooting. 

[kkborre]

millions of Americans to whom shooting is a source of recreation.

  I'm starting to understand what the fun is.  I was only interested in learning to use a handgun for self defense.  Turns out, it's fun to spend an hour at the range! 

[HawkeyeDrifter]

I just put another 75 rounds thru her.  All were Blazer Brass. No failures. I put a couple of DA shots from half-clock thru the bull. So I am getting better but need to get consistent.  SA is very good.

I am still getting bit on the trigger finger after about 50 rounds.  Not sure why.  Nothing visibly sharp and no blood but definitely uncomfortable. I put a glove on again at that point.  I will plan on a band-aid in the future. Less obtrusive.  I have never had a trigger do this before.

[Obiwan]

Yeah, I had the same issue. No issues with the stock trigger on the 75B, but the RAMI stock trigger was painful after extended amount of trigger pulls. The solution for me was to install a 85 combat trigger. Although the curvature "looks" identical, the trigger feels much better. No pain after a long shooting session. I have no idea what exactly makes it more painful on the stock trigger.

The trigger, wood grips and polishing work is all I've done to her, and she feels perfect to me. (Only remaining item on the ToDo list is night-sights).

[HawkeyeDrifter]

50 rounds of Federal 115 grain aluminium case from Wal-Mart thru the Rami today.  Never a problem in any of my other guns. But every next-to-last round in the 10-round magazine failed to feed. I'm disappointed but not the end of the world.

On the other hand, I seem to have the trigger bite problem under control.  See separate thread about "Trigger bite and safe sex with a Rami".

[sealman]

Was that Federal Aluminum case ammo? My CZ85b really really doesn't like that ammo at all. What is really unfortunate is that all my other nines have no issues with it and I have a small stockpile just for range shooting.
While it is unfortunate I am definitely not getting rid of my 2 favorite guns because they turn up their nose at cheapo aluminum stuff .