CZ 75/85 in Black Polycoat or Satin Nickel?

[Hugo]

I'm stumped on which finish is better. Is one more durable and scratch resistant than the other? I once heard (probably unreliable) that the polycoat was not very durable, though it could have been a fluke (if true). Any experiences on each? Either way, Hakan grips will be added. Flame Ambione sounds nice.

 

[pauli]

from what i've read, the polycoat wears off, and will get scratched off by kydex holsters. i'd hope that any gun with hakan grips wouldn't be tested in such a way, but that could just be me.

oh, and my vote is polycoat replaced with hard chrome

 

[browneu]

The polycoat on the CZ has gotten better. The original 75s (pre b) cominng out had polycoats that were not very durable. They would peel and chip. Now the polycoat seems to be one of the more durable finishes. However, once scratched, no one konws of anyway to repair it without refinishing the entire gun. I have a duo tone and several completely polycoated guns and can't tell which finish is more durable. I do like the look of sating nickel though, especially since CZ doesn't make a stainless gun. I vote the satin nickel.

 

[DJCharlie]

My vote for satin nickel also... Its suppose to be the most durable of the cz finishes. Polycoat can't be cleaned with the usual brake cleaner stuff, supposedly it eats the poly pretty good.

 

[dairycreek]

Satin Nickel! duotone!

It is quite durable and IMHO a lot purtier to look at. Here is my 85C: Good shooting

 

[Zak Smith]

I have a friend with an 85 Combat from the early 90's. Its polycoat finish has held up extremely well to lots of shooting, Front Site classes, etc.

-z

 

[CZF]

Most of my guns (pistols) are polycoat. I even had a K-Kote SIG P226 that held up well. The CZ Satin nickle is actually a polymer like the polycoat.

Both are good looking and durable.

ZAK..neato 6.8 page! CZ will be experiemnting some more with the
SPC.

 

[BJPARKER]

My 75 in polycoat is holding up just fine

 

[Lone Star]

If you check www.czforum.com this is one of the FAQ's. They say that the satin nickel is the most durable, with polycoat second. It is acknowledged that Kydex holsters will scratch poly. I wouldn't have a Kydex holster, although I have some Kydex sheaths for Fallkniven knives.

Having said this, I just saw a new CZ-75B in a store that had the finish scratched around the trigger guard on one side. This is almost surely due to the clerks rubbing guns together as they store them in a safe for the night. One sporting goods store chain is notorious for scratched and scuffed guns damaged by the doofus clerks. I just saw a SIG at one of their stores that was scratched; it isn't unique to CZ.

I just bought a poly CZ-75B, and I plan to wear it in a smoothly lined leather holster. It will cost money for a good one, but the gun will look better for it. My other handguns show very little surface wear (they're stainless) although one has been carried almost daily for at least 10 years.
Do remember to clean dust or other debris out of the holster well, lest it scratch your gun.

Lone Star

 

[Walt Sherrill]

The CZ Satin nickle is actually a polymer like the polycoat.

Not!

Take a grip panel off and try scraping the finish in a hidden spot with a blade. On the polycoat you can scrape a shaving. On the nickel, you won't be able to do so. (I have guns with both finishes.)

Try touching some automotive paint remover to the poly finish in that same area -- you'll see it bubble up. It won't bubble on the satin nickle.

CZ did talk about converting the satin nickel finish to a silver polycoat a year or so ago, but got so much flak from CZ owners and, thankfully, CZ-USA's marketing people, that it hasn't happened yet, at least in the US.

(Unless they've just started and most of us with satin nickle guns just haven't seen them, yet.)

CZ also has some prototype stainless steel guns being worked on, but we don't expect them in the US for a year or two.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

(Double post. Sorry.)

 

[Lone Star]

While we're at it, does anyone know whether any common solvents or oils will damage the polycoat?

I use Hoppe's No. 9 or Outer's solvents to clean, and Break-Free CLP or Rem-Oil as lube. Had great luck with them on blued and stainless guns, but the CZ is my first poly coated gun.

Lone Star

 

[Black Snowman]

Gun Scrubber, #9, and Break Free Powder Blast have had no effect on the finishes of my CZs. Improper re-assembly is another matter

 

[Tecolote]

IMHO the poliycoat is the better finish. The nickel on my buddy's CZ75 Compact began to flake after six months of hard use. The polycoat on his CZ75B has held up a lot better.

 

[Craig M. Arnold]

Black Polycoat vs Satin Nickel

I have 85 Combats, 75Bs full size and Compacts in both polycoat and satin nickel. Both finishes wear well. I happen to like the look of the satin nickel finish a little better. I do believe that it is slightly more durable.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I have both types of finishes, and have found the satin nickel to be more durable than polycoat, but that's almost damning with faint praise, as the polycoat is very good. (It'll take a beating that a blued finish couldn't handle.)

The only disadvantage of the polycoat finish is that when its really banged up, its hard to get it looking good again. (One Forum member here, however, has found a fix, but I don't remember what it was.)

Avoid Hoppe's on the nickel finishes. Most nickel finishes have a copper undercoat, and micro-cracks in the nickel finish will let the Hoppes and other solvents that go after copper get under the nickel and eat away the copper base. THen the nickel starts to flake away.

Avoid anything with acetone on Polycoat (Gunscrubber, brake cleaner, carb cleaner, Ed's Red in the original formula). In the newest Polycoat finishes, the worst that can happen is that the finish might be dulled a little, but in some of the older finishes, it can really make it look bad.

(I tried removing polycoat on a pre-B made in 85, and literally soaked/immersed it in brake cleaner, and it just dulled the finish. It took automotive paint remover to get the finish off.)

 

[Calhoun]

I have heard that the polycoat on the 75B Mil. was different (a little thinner, I think) than the commercial polycoat. I know that the finish on my 75B Mil. looks a little different than the other polycoated CZs I have looked at. My finish is still holding up though, tough as nails. That satin nickel is beautiful, however. I wouldn't hesitate to get it on anything. I would love to get a 97B in nickel.

CZF- That is a BEAUTIFUL 83. Did you buy it like that, or is that a custom job. It almost looks like the frame is poly/nickel duo-tone. Again, BEAUTIFUL!

Enjoy those CZs folks.
Calhoun

 

[CZ52GUY]

My polycoat gets lots of use in a Blade-Tech custom Kydex. Finish is going strong. Don't have a Nickel one yet (although that CZ-85 Combat keeps calling to me...).

Safe shooting,

CZ52'

 

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Hey CZF - Where'd ya get these grips?!?

 

[clipse]

I have a P-01 in Polycoat and a 75B in Satin Nickle. I can assure you that the Satin Nickle is not polymer. The Satin Nickle is a bit more durable than that of the Polycoat but the Polycoat is still incredibly druable. I can't go wrong with either. Here are mine. (I like showing them off like a proud parent)

 

[Ky Larry]

I have CZ's in both finishes. No complaints about either.