CZ-97 or CZ-75 SP-01 Tactical - CZ-97 selected and it's home!

[F1restarter]

Hey all - I just got the go ahead from the gun control board in my household (read wife) to buy a new pistol, so this past weekend I was checking out what was available close to me. I think the answer will be somewhat self assumed at this point as I'm posting in the CZ-97 portion on the forums, but I wanted to get everyone else's take. I found both a CZ-75 SP-01 tactical and a CZ-97B within the budgetary amount I want to spend ($650 and $685, respectively) and have to decide which one to buy - there is no buy both option here ladies and gents! For the record, I have a CZ-85B and a CZ-75 SP-01 Phantom already - love both of them, but I shoot the SP-01 a lot more. The benefit to me to get the SP-01 would be that I already have a bunch of extra mags for it and have a holster that would fit already. I can also probably get the price down by about $20-30 or so. The 97 is just a B model with the red fiber optic front sight (they also have a 97BD in as well, but it's priced ~$740 or so). Push me one way or another!

[villdetwink]

If you already have a SP-01 Phantom (*insert jealousy here  )... I would lean toward the 97B.
I have a 97BD and it is sweet! ...But an SP-01 Tactical is the next one on my list.

Which ever you choose will be a great choice!

[actvlsnr]

First of all, congratulations on getting the funds appropriated and  passed the Congress.   Secondly, I would ask that you look past the purchase price and consider the cost of ammo and range practice.
9mm is cheaper than .45

If ammo is not a big deal, I would get the 97b.  It is a great platform. Properly tuned, you will shoot better with it than you will with most high end 1911s.   Love it.


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[F1restarter]

If you already have a SP-01 Phantom (*insert jealousy here  )... I would lean toward the 97B.
I have a 97BD and it is sweet! ...But an SP-01 Tactical is the next one on my list.

Which ever you choose will be a great choice!

LOL - I love the Phantom. I was honestly surprised to no end when I picked up the SP-01 Tactical and the weight of it was considerably different - not that there's a huge difference, but enough to immediately be noticed, even on picking it up. I think I am objectively leaning towards the 97 though!

First of all, congratulations on getting the funds appropriated and  passed the Congress.   Secondly, I would ask that you look past the purchase price and consider the cost of ammo and range practice.
9mm is cheaper than .45

If ammo is not a big deal, I would get the 97b.  It is a great platform. Properly tuned, you will shoot better with it than you will with most high end 1911s.   Love it.

Thanks - isn't that always the toughest part? Getting anything proposed is easy... the passage and revisions and compromises you must meet to get it passed is always a lot tougher. Purchase price isn't weighing on me a whole lot right now... both are in the right neighborhood and ammo isn't a huge consideration (ammo pricing). I'll probably be following my gut and going with the 97... because it is .45 after all.

[SPO1SHADOW]

You will eventually buy both so flip a coin. I tend to lean in the 97B direction as it is by far the softest shooting .45 I have ever fired and also appears to be much more gun for the money spent. But trust me, you will own both.

[rich63]

You will eventually buy both so flip a coin. I tend to lean in the 97B direction as it is by far the softest shooting .45 I have ever fired and also appears to be much more gun for the money spent. But trust me, you will own both.

What he said.

rich63

[Sooltauq]

I own both, and it is sixes and eights, as they are both premium firearms.

The practical difference is that the 97's ammo costs more per round, but the SP-01 with its spacious magazine and near lack of recoil is the quintessential ammo hog, so you'll end up spending about the same amount of money on the range.

However, if I were ever to find myself in a "tense situation", I'd want the 97 -- no doubt whatsoever on that point.

Your choice, however, may be limited by availability. I've been looking for a second 97 but there doesn't seem to be any available, meaning that I'll have to wait for the next slow-boat-from-Czechoslovakia until a new batch appears. Conversely, right now there are 20 SP-01's listed for sale at http://www.gunbroker.com/Semi-Auto-Pistols/BI.aspx?Keywords=sp01

[dubbltap]

Wanted the 97BD "oh so bad," but after holding it, my med chubby hands couldn't seem to get a comfortable grip on it.  So I ended up buying a SP-01 Tact. in .40 S&W and it fits me like a glove.
Use it for HD/bedside gun and dressed it up w/ a streamlight tlr-1.  That being said I'd go for the 97 if grip size is not a issue.......but, I sure love my SP-01!
CZ, build me a single stack .45!!!! 

[Chino Hills]

Turner's Outdoorsman in So California shows 10+ CZ 97bs in stock.  Ammo Brothers also shows the 97 b in stock for a lower price. These are the CA legal version.  Wood grips, not aluminum, not a fiber optics front sight.  I happened to get the chance to handle one of the Turner's employee's personal SP-01s at the time and it's well worth considering.  Clearly more svelte so if the grip size is a question, that might be a reason to go that way first.  Then if the local availability changes, give the 97 B a try for fit when you can actually get your mitts around it.

[IFFV68]

You are a Lucky man getting those Funds.
I may have my Wife call your Wife?

I'm not that familiar with the different CZ's.
Like was mentioned above 9mm is a less expensive than .45.
Take your time. The fun is in the hunt.
Good Luck

[F1restarter]

You are a Lucky man getting those Funds.
I may have my Wife call your Wife?

I'm not that familiar with the different CZ's.
Like was mentioned above 9mm is a less expensive than .45.
Take your time. The fun is in the hunt.
Good Luck

Wife calling wife would be fine. It's getting a little bit easier to swing her around to my side these days... it may be because I've stopped having BLD - black rifle disease and have changed my tastes a bit.

I mentioned earlier that the cost of ammo isn't a huge concern to me... it probably should be, but it's just not a necessary concern at this time, and I've fortunately (or unfortunately) have a dedicated portion of the garage to reloading, so for all practicality, I can roll my own (though this does necessitate the purchase of the .45 ACP conversion kit for my Dillon). You're right - the fun is in the hunt. I was just really surprised that this past weekend I was able to find both guns in stores local to me. One shop really doesn't carry CZs - it's a big box store type of place, but they generally carry Glocks, S&Ws, Kimbers, etc - more mainstream stuff, but over the past few months, I've been seeing more and more CZs in there, mostly of the P-07 variety, which is great, but to be honest, they don't do a whole lot for me. I was pretty happy seeing the CZ-75 SP-01 tactical in there. The floor manager actually got it out of the case for me to take a look at and he honestly had no idea that they even had it on the shelf. The other shop which has the CZ-97 had two of them in stock - the 97B I now have on hold to pick up this weekend and a 97BD. The guys there (much smaller store front) told me that the 97B had been sitting there for a while and no one really seemed interested in it. The second store is where I usually find my CZs in general, and in fact, had 3 or 4 CZ-75s of different flavors, the 2 CZ-97s and a P-07 as well. Thanks for all the input everyone!

TL;DR - I have called the second shop and have the 97B on hold. I will pick it up on Saturday (the shop is about an hour away and I just can't get out there during the week to go grab it) and will follow up with pictures to come.

[olfarhors]

HMMM? well first thing I need to write myself a note to give my gun shop/range  guy a big hug next time I see him.
MY 97BD and my Sp-01 Tac was  just a tad over 600 bucks.
 anyway Both weapons are rally nice shooters (as is my carry p-01) but honestly the 97 BD is a more accurate and better feeling weapon in my hands.
now this may vary according to the shooter and the particular weapon out of the box?
 my  CZ have only had a lighter mainspring, extended firing pin and spring replaced.
MY 1911's don't get out as much since I got the 97.

[F1restarter]

She's home!


Here's a family photo!

[SPO1SHADOW]

Nice looking Family you have there. I took one of my 1911's out today after replacing the ejector with an extended version from Ed Brown, did a little tuning on it and lowered the ejection port. It didn't take long to put the 1911 back in the safe. There is just no comparison in the comfort level when shooting the 1911 platform against the 97B. I love my 97B!

[villdetwink]

Excellent F1restarter...Congratulations on your new 97B!