Late to the CZ Party, but I Made It!

[OldBoldPilot]

I've been shooting since joining the Marine Corps in 1962, and I generally go through "phases" (which can last a decade or more) with my guns. I've had a revolver phase, a 1911 phase, a Kahr phase, and more. Moving on to my next phase, I've stepped away from striker-fired weapons and have sold them off except for two: a tiny Kahr PM9 with a factory short trigger and a Gen 3 Glock 19, which is my nightstand/house gun. And of course I still have, always will have, and often shoot my Dan Wesson ECO 1911.

My latest phase: hammer-fired semi-autos. A few months ago I bought a CZ 2075 Rami (safety model) and a CZ 75D Compact PCR, both with the 10-round mags available here in California. Amazing pistols. The RAMI will be carried when weather dictates a sweater or jacket; otherwise it's the smaller Kahr PM9. The PCR can also be carried when dress permits, though with the same 10-round capacity as the RAMI it might end up taking the Glock's place as a home defense gun.

After I fired a couple hundred rounds through each, I sent them off to Cajun Gun Works in Monroe, Louisiana, the acknowledged leader in CZ customization for installation of their Pro Package plus night sights. From everything I've read and heard, a "Cajunized" CZ is a universe apart from a stock CZ.

Well, they just got home, looking like this.



I got to the range today with both guns. Fired the RAMI first. Unlike the PCR, which has a decocker, this RAMI has a safety. It can be carried like a 1911, in Condition One, or it can be carried after (carefully) decocking it, with the safety either on or off. I believe I will carry it decocked with the safety off.

The first (double action) trigger pull is smoother and lighter than any revolver trigger I've ever fired. After that, it operates like a 1911 with a 3mm reset. With a steel slide and aluminum alloy frame recoil is negligible. Overall the pistol's operation is indescribably smooth. I shot 50 rounds each of Federal 124 grain target and Gold Dot hollow points without a failure of any kind. After another 100 rounds or so, this will be my primary carry. In a Gearcraft IWB holster it conceals perfectly.

Next up was the 75D Compact PCR. Unlike the standard CZ compact, which has a steel frame, the PCR has an aluminum alloy frame which reduces the weight considerably. The grip on the PCR swells into the palm of my hand, and makes my Glock grip feel like I'm holding a brick by comparison. The only way I can describe what shooting this gun feels like is to say that you're shooting without being conscious of the gun -- it simply doesn't get in the way between you and the target. It's perfect. The other thing about this gun, for me, is that it effortlessly returns precisely to the point of aim after each shot seemingly without any input from me. Never seen anything like it. I fired the same number and type of rounds as with the RAMI, also with no failures. This will be my nightstand and house gun. My G19 is up for sale on Calguns.net.

I would add that while both of these guns were great out of the box, the Cajun Gun Works Pro packages transformed them into something else entirely. If you have the slightest hesitation about sending your gun in...send it. You won't be sorry.

[1SOW]

Enjoyed reading your post that mirrors the thoughts of many others.

Do you shoot any 'fun-guns' besides the DW at the range or in competition?  A 'worked' full size 9mm CZ would put another big smile on your face, "and you won't be sorry".

[Shadow knows]

Congrats. Those are some fine machines you have there.  Like you said, they have replaced your nightstand gun now.  Haha. Me too.

I agree with the above, try a fun range toy also.  I got a shadow 2 and tuned it to run my range ammo I load.  When set up with CGW products and support they run like roller bearings.

I too have a DW Bruin 10mm I love to shoot at the range but that tuned shadow 2 is now twice as much fun to shoot a shoot as my Bruin. 

[Tyerone]

Congrats and welcome to the forum!  With age comes wisdom.

Your safety version Rami when carried hammer decocked normally does NOT allow engagement of the safety.  A race hammer defeats this purpose, but there may be some problems including possible damage with hammer down safety on combo.  Maybe someone here can elaborate further, since with age comes forgetfulness!
 

[JFen]

B m
Myers ?yu


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[OldBoldPilot]

Congrats and welcome to the forum!  With age comes wisdom.

Your safety version Rami when carried hammer decocked normally does NOT allow engagement of the safety.  A race hammer defeats this purpose, but there may be some problems including possible damage with hammer down safety on combo.  Maybe someone here can elaborate further, since with age comes forgetfulness!
 

The Pro package definitely does allow the RAMI safety to be engaged with a round in the chamber and the hammer half-cocked. I would appreciate it if anyone could elaborate on whether that could be in any way damaging to the pistol. Perhaps a word from the experts at CGW?

[Erratikmind]

Welcome aboard and congrats on two fine firearms.

[Big Cape]

Thanks for posting. I myself am new to CZ. I recently picked up a RAMI decocker, which wasn't easy to find. I'm glad to hear all the positive news about CGW. I'm in line for the Pro Package upgrade. They explained they'd notify me near the end of July or the begging of Aug. and instruct me how to send my gun to them. Once I get it back, I'll post the results which I'm sure will be great.

[OldBoldPilot]

Thanks for posting. I myself am new to CZ. I recently picked up a RAMI decocker, which wasn't easy to find. I'm glad to hear all the positive news about CGW. I'm in line for the Pro Package upgrade. They explained they'd notify me near the end of July or the begging of Aug. and instruct me how to send my gun to them. Once I get it back, I'll post the results which I'm sure will be great.

Congratulations on the RAMI decocker. That model RAMI isn't available in California.

I first contacted CGW in March, and got the call to send the guns in toward the end of April. From then it was an 8-week wait until getting the call from David that the guns were on his bench. At that point David went into a series of questions about exactly what I wanted in a number of areas -- it turned out to be quite an education for me. A week later the guns were home. You won't just be pleased; you'll be amazed.

[Big Cape]

Thanks again for the info.

[1SOW]

Congrats and welcome to the forum!  With age comes wisdom.

Your safety version Rami when carried hammer decocked normally does NOT allow engagement of the safety.  A race hammer defeats this purpose, but there may be some problems including possible damage with hammer down safety on combo.  Maybe someone here can elaborate further, since with age comes forgetfulness!
 

The Pro package definitely does allow the RAMI safety to be engaged with a round in the chamber and the hammer half-cocked. I would appreciate it if anyone could elaborate on whether that could be in any way damaging to the pistol. Perhaps a word from the experts at CGW?

Read your owners manual about engaging the safety.    The mods may not STOP the safety from engaging at half-cock or sometimes even fully down,  but the safety arm engages a lobe on the sear that isn't designed to be engaged except when the hammer is cocked fully back.  Whether or not the safety arm or the sear lobe or more can be damaged may be just the luck of the draw with mods.

  The better question may be WHY do you want to engage the safety in either DA mode?  The pistol has a built-in safety notch in the Firing Pin that prevents the pistol from firing unless the hammer is fully back in the SA mode.

[Tyerone]

... and the firing  pin block is engaged until the TRIGGER is pulled back sufficiently.

Those firearms with safeties in DA carry can sometimes be called Bad Guy Safeties.  Improperly trained or the panic of the moment, one pulls the trigger and the gun doesn't go, "bang"!  Bad guy wins.

Obviously, there are many that have been trained with the Beretta 92 FS or Wather PPKS, etc. with its decocker safety and reverse direction deactivation.  Still, there are many with such arms that have been converted to decock-only for this very reason.

[litauer]

That was an excellent summation of how nice are CZs. Thank you much.

[Pilot1]

Great post!  I've had a PCR since 2000, and have shot, and carried it ever since.  It is one of the best, all around 9MM's on the market.  CZ's, are addictive so be prepared.  I see a 97B, SP-01, and maybe even a Pre-B in your future if you are anything like me, and many others here.  If CZ made a single stack, slimmer RAMI, I maybe would carry that in the summer.  The alloy RAMI's are great guns.   


Good to see another pilot on board, although I only have a bug smasher. 

[OldBoldPilot]

Congrats and welcome to the forum!  With age comes wisdom.

Your safety version Rami when carried hammer decocked normally does NOT allow engagement of the safety.  A race hammer defeats this purpose, but there may be some problems including possible damage with hammer down safety on combo.  Maybe someone here can elaborate further, since with age comes forgetfulness!
 

The Pro package definitely does allow the RAMI safety to be engaged with a round in the chamber and the hammer half-cocked. I would appreciate it if anyone could elaborate on whether that could be in any way damaging to the pistol. Perhaps a word from the experts at CGW?

Read your owners manual about engaging the safety.    The mods may not STOP the safety from engaging at half-cock or sometimes even fully down,  but the safety arm engages a lobe on the sear that isn't designed to be engaged except when the hammer is cocked fully back.  Whether or not the safety arm or the sear lobe or more can be damaged may be just the luck of the draw with mods.

  The better question may be WHY do you want to engage the safety in either DA mode?  The pistol has a built-in safety notch in the Firing Pin that prevents the pistol from firing unless the hammer is fully back in the SA mode.

Not really a "better question" since, as I wrote above, I do not want or intend to engage the safety in DA mode. I said that I intend to carry the RAMI at half-cock with the safety off. My question was one of curiosity, as I noticed that after installation of the Pro package it was possible to engage the safety in the half-cock position, while with the stock pistol it is not. I simply wondered whether doing so would cause damage to the pistol. Thank you for your advice to read the owner's manual; doing so might otherwise not have occurred to me.