Converting a CZ 75 to SAO

[wow6599]

All this recent talk of CZ 75s has made me want to send in my 75b to CZ's custom shop to be reborn as a SAO pistol. I love the gun, but I'm not a fan of DA/SA firearms. In fact, I have gotten rid of all my DA/SA guns except for the 75 - and it's not going anywhere.

Can anyone tell me their experience with this? How long do they usually take? Can I expect a crisp, 4lb trigger? What the cost (ballpark) would be.

I think if my 75b had a trigger like a custom 1911, it would easily be my favorite handgun.

 

[TheGoldenSaber]

I would just keep it and get another CZ 75 single action version if you really want that. I don't see what the big deal is though honestly. I have DA/SA guns and I never shoot them in double action. I carry it in double action to be more safe, but unless you lower the hammer with a round in the chamber it's in single action. I prefer them because I like having the option of carrying it in double action and not having to cock the hammer back to fire it in a defensive situation.
As far as experience with sending it in I have no idea. I saw your thread with no replies so I just thought I would give you my opinion. Good luck.

 

[Thompsoncustom]

You could but you could also get the trigger your looking for with the DA/SA gun. When I sold my 75B the DA was just under 4 lbs and the SA was just over 2. But you'll need a lot of upgrades if it's a stock model.

If your not gonna compete with it I would talk to David at Cajun gun works, he has a lot of parts you can replace yourself or if you don't fell conformable he can do it all for you.

 

[Pilot]

I have read that it is not very difficult, but I have no personal experience with doing it, and I do have a 75B, and 75D PCR which I have kept stock.

I also would look into the CGW parts, and even call Dave to discuss options. He is easy to deal with, and he will give you whatever time you need. You will at least be able to get a crisp 4# trigger.

http://www.cajungunworks.com/

 

[viking499]

Swap to an SA trigger. If you want it to be nice, like others said, get with David at CGW and let him send you some of his parts. It will make it almost 1911ish.

 

[eerw]

To convert to SAO, you'll probably want to change the trigger, but not absolutely necessary. You can remove the disconnector too.
To get the cleaner release, you will want to change the hammer.

CZ Custom and Cajun offer the parts and services you need.

 

[wow6599]

To convert to SAO, you'll probably want to change the trigger, but not absolutely necessary. You can remove the disconnector too.
To get the cleaner release, you will want to change the hammer.

This might be a challenge for me to find the parts. My 75 is a high polished, stainless version.

Fly in the ointment?

 

[Thompsoncustom]

CGW did have some Hard chromed comp hammers I'd shoot him a email and see if he still has any. The new czechmate hammer would also be neat but it's black.

 

[wow6599]

Thank you all for the help. I'll give CGW a call and see if they have any polished parts available. Who knows, I may even send it to them for some finish work too. The polished finish is a bit pimpy.....maybe hard chrome it.

And yeah, a czechmate hammer would be my first choice.

 

[eerw]

David has some stainless hammers available.

http://cajungunworks.com/cgw_race_hammer.html

 

[Thompsoncustom]

ya here's the new czechmate hammer



I guess what hammer I got would depend on what my plans for the gun were. If your carrying it the above hammer my have a better shape but for everything else i'd go with a CGW hammer and might either way the quality of his products are flawless. I just wish he had more of them like a trigger bar(with ball bearings ) and maybe a sear cage that needs fitted.

 

[wow6599]

ya here's the new czechmate hammer

Why does CZ call it a "CONCEALED HAMMER"?

http://shop.cz-usa.com/ProductDetail/40108_Concealed-Hammer-Sa-Only

 

[Thompsoncustom]

lol that's a good question and I was thinking the same thing it would be great if it was a DA/SA hammer as next to no hammer would be sticking out but being a SA only hammer and have to carry cocked and locked i'm not sure it matters.

Tho looking at the hammer a hole in the right place for a disco and it might work just fine as a DA/SA

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

I would just keep it and get another CZ 75 single action version if you really want that. I don't see what the big deal is though honestly. I have DA/SA guns and I never shoot them in double action. I carry it in double action to be more safe, but unless you lower the hammer with a round in the chamber it's in single action. I prefer them because I like having the option of carrying it in double action and not having to cock the hammer back to fire it in a defensive situation.
As far as experience with sending it in I have no idea. I saw your thread with no replies so I just thought I would give you my opinion. Good luck.

If you're gonna carry it double action, you should practice with double action or you may be firing your first round into the dirt.

Why does CZ call it a "CONCEALED HAMMER"?

Probably because the hammer sits relatively flush with the slide when lowered all the way.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Converting to SA in a standard "safety-equipped" 75B is simply a matter of removing the disconnector. For best effect, however, you'd want to ADD the two-way adjustable trigger. (Even better, and it's not easily done, add the WIDER safety levers.)

The SA models come with a different slide, an extended beavertail, a different trigger (straight instead of curved), and the ambidextrous safety levers. The .40 version comes with a full-length guide rod. (The slide on the single action models seem to have full-length rails on the slide, but when you examine them closely, the rails aren't as high at the front as at the rear, and they may be more "cosmetic" than functional -- I can't tell.)

The two-way adjustable trigger is worth the extra charge, for a gun being converted, as it lets you adjust out take up as well as overtravel.

CGW's parts are nice, and their hammer or the competition hammer from the Custom Shop are nice, as are their sears.

If you have CGW or the CZ Custom Shop work it over, you'll like one that has been converted from DA/SA to SAO, but the stand-alone SA adds some features (above) that are worth the swap.

 

[chris in va]

Here's my 97 converted to SAO. I wouldn't have it any other way.



It's not rocket science for the conversion. CGW will talk you through the process and recommend the parts needed. Right now I'd like to get a competition hammer as the stock one still has cramming to it.

 

[Orion8472]

I had an SP-01 converted to SAO. I wanted a "1911-ish" type trigger travel and pull, and the guy who did it for me did a great job. It's at around 2 3/4 pound. My most accurate handgun I have.

As for how long it would take, I have no idea.

 

[DT Guy]

The purpose-built 75-SA has a longer beavertail and larger, longer safety levers. For me, at least, it would be worth trading models for those features.

Larry

 

[wow6599]

The purpose-built 75-SA has a longer beavertail and larger, longer safety levers. For me, at least, it would be worth trading models for those features.

I agree about the safety, especially a more crisp and positive one, but why a longer beavertail?

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I agree about the safety, especially a more crisp and positive one, but why a longer beavertail?

The beavertail on the stainless gun (pictured) is DIFFERENT (and noticeably longer) than the beavertail on the standard 75B; the P-01 and SP-01 (both newer designs) also have the longer beavertail, along with the reversible mag release.

(The longer beavertail allows a HIGHER GRIP without a chance of hammer bite...)


.

 

[wow6599]

The beavertail on the stainless gun (pictured) is DIFFERENT (and noticeably longer) than the beavertail on the standard 75B

This is exactly what my CZ 75B is (looks like). If you look on CZ's website, you see 75B's in SS with extended beavertails and without. No explanation of it why though.

http://cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-75-ss/

(The longer beavertail allows a HIGHER GRIP without a chance of hammer bite...)

Oh, I know. My Hi Power sneaks in a bite now and then.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

As you say, the website shows TWO DIFFERENT styles of beavertails for the stainless models. I think the mag releases are different, too -- showing the OLDER style in the lower photos, which aren't reversible.

Aren't the safeties on the stainless models ambidextrous? If so, you can probably convert to the SA safety levers, which are much larger and easier to use. Internally, they should be compatible. (They'll be black, not silver/stainless.)

The SA models have the longer, more gracefully-upswept beavertail. I suspect the lower photos may be older pictures and older models -- but don't know that to be true. The few I've seen, in the past year or so, have the longer beavertail.

(These pics are from the CZ site, but I can't control size properly) I think they're showing the matte, brushed, and high-gloss finishes.)

 

[wow6599]

Aren't the safeties on the stainless models ambidextrous?

My 75B (just like the stock pic in post #19) is ambidextrous.

(They'll be black, not silver/stainless.)

If I keep the stock finish, maybe CGW or CZ's CS can provide a polished SS ambi safety that's conducive to SAO?

 

[Walt Sherrill]

f I keep the stock finish, maybe CGW or CZ's CS can provide a polished SS ambi safety that's conducive to SAO?

It'll probably be a while before anybody creates a stainless-compatible (i.e., silver or SS, rather than black) SAO-like ambi-safety, if only because there is a much smaller potential market for that set of parts. Black wouldn't really look that bad. It looks OK with the satin nickel finish. (I've got an 85 Combat -- which is ambi -- in satin nickel and have thought about getting the SAO safeties for it...)

 

[chris in va]

Just take the ambi safety and polish it yourself.