CZ 75B or 75BD; Safety vs. Decocker?

[GunTech]

I decock just as ClickClickD'oh says. If you slip you end up with a mashed thumb at worst. Even so, you should always use care and keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction. Decockers can fail. I had a WWII P-38 that would reliably fire if you used the decockers.

Since I carry cocked and locked, this is less of an issue for me. I am still thinking about installing a single action only trigger.

 

[CaveLake08]

PS: Please do not count on a gun for self defense (especially a CZ) if you plan to leave the magazine out and count on your half asleep brain to rack the slide.

That's exactly why I don't want to keep a round in the chamber; if I'm half asleep I'd really rather not be using a gun with cloudy judgment. Slamming in the magazine halfway and racking the slide is sort of my safety check to ensure I'm awake enough to use a firearm as I'm a deep sleeper.

 

[Ben86]

That's exactly why I don't want to keep a round in the chamber; if I'm half asleep I'd really rather not be using a gun with cloudy judgment. Slamming in the magazine halfway and racking the slide is sort of my safety check to ensure I'm awake enough to use a firearm as I'm a deep sleeper.

Coming out of a deep sleep and being forced to perform such a dexterous action is quite a feat I know. I keep the mag loaded and in the bedside handgun, but the gun unchambered. Many a night I've been awakened to howling coyotes next to my house and have to grab the gun out of the safe, switch to the magazine loaded with cheap fmj (I'm a cheap sob when it comes to shooting varmints), chamber a round, grab the spot light and head out back up my dogs.

 

[labhound]

I would get a gun that has both a safety and a decocker, such as the Beretta 92fs.

 

[Fastcast]

Who said anything about DA? Did you realize your statement doesn't apply to SA revolvers and decided to qualify it?

As far as it being stupid, it's stupid only if you're inexperienced, have no idea how to deckock one and haven't spent the time with your firearm learning to do so. Which in itself borderlines stupidity, in my books.

I've been hunting with SA and DA revolvers since I was a kid. Many times you cock them somewhat in advance of a shot as to not spook your game and then decide not to take the shot for what may be numerous reasons. To make the statement that the only time a hammer should be cocked is if you're going to pull the trigger smells of inexperienced handgunning. It's one of those "internet sound bite" things to say. I hope I'm never at the point that if the hammer gets cocked I feel I MUST shoot because that's my decocking method.

Well, now that you've nailed poor easyg to the cross.....lol.....These ole tactical, spactical, paintball boys obviously never spent a day in the woods hunting game with a revolver .....Uh, oh probably not with any type firearm.

I would get a gun that has both a safety and a decocker, such as the Beretta 92fs.

That's not a bad idea....When I'm gone on a hunting or business trip, that's exactly what the wife does. Has her Beretta 84 chambered, de-cocked and ready to go. Just swipe the safety and it's rock and roll time. When I'm home, I leave the bed side pistol unchambered. Just rack the slide and go.

 

[Dean1818]

Decocker w/ DA/SA ALL THE WAY !

 

[Pilot]

Manual safety. While I don't mind decockers, I prefer a manual safety and have no problem lowering the CZ's hammer to the half cock position with a round chambered.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

If I were to buy a new CZ75 for myself, I think I would choose the BD. I don't find the B's safety lever to be all that easy to operate; it is a little too far forward and flat in profile for my thumb. A benefit of the D is that the hammer starts from a "one-third-cock" position, which shortens the reach and stroke of the DA trigger. It would also provide commonality of operation with the PCR I already have.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

That's exactly why I don't want to keep a round in the chamber; if I'm half asleep I'd really rather not be using a gun with cloudy judgment. Slamming in the magazine halfway and racking the slide is sort of my safety check to ensure I'm awake enough to use a firearm as I'm a deep sleeper.

Slapping a magazine in and racking the slide won't help much to improve your judgment. Were talking about the actions of one second there. The problem is that when you first awaken, especially in a danger situation where you are groggy and full of adrenaline your body won't always be doing what you want it to. Slapping a magazine in is an easy function to perform even tired (if you remember to do it, which can be solved with practice) but racking the slide could prove problematic since it requires fine motor control... especially on the CZ which has a notoriously small slide area to grasp.

The better solution if you are concerned about accidentally discharging the weapon is to place your loaded weapon in a holster within reach. Clearing the gun from the holster is a easy to perform one step action (don't use a complicated double or triple retention holster) that is simpler to perform than loading a magazine and cycling the action.

 

[Ben86]

ClickClick, thanks for posting your instruction on decocking. I was using the falty CZ method. I still like to do it with my left hand so that I can maintain a good grip on the gun, but the perpendicular thumb thing is better.

 

[Luis Leon]

Can't go wrong with either one.

I own both a CZ75bd and a CZ75b. I use the 75b in IDPA and have safely decocked the 75b 1000s of times. There really is nothing to it. It is something that will become ingrained and should be considered part of basic gun handling. The procedure has been explained well here by others.

When I feel like carrying a full size gun (rarely these days), then the 75bd gets the nod. Either one will make a fine gun for your stated purposes. Good luck with your decision.

best regards,

Luis Leon

 

[leadcounsel]

That's exactly why I don't want to keep a round in the chamber; if I'm half asleep I'd really rather not be using a gun with cloudy judgment. Slamming in the magazine halfway and racking the slide is sort of my safety check to ensure I'm awake enough to use a firearm as I'm a deep sleeper.

While off topic, you may not have (1) time or (2) ability to perform these actions. Imagine if you wake up while someone is pinning an arm down, attacks you, is on top of you, etc. Any self defense firearm should be in the immediate ready so you can draw and shoot to counter "imminent serious harm or deadly force."

Further, these actions of putting the mag in and then chambering the round are two additional steps that *could* cause a malfunction. Maybe the mag doesn't seat right or the round doesn't feed right, etc. It's happened to me at the range with nearly all of my weapons at one point or another. Why take that chance in an urgent situation?

 

[piece of meat]

ive never once decocked my cz.

theres just no point when you have the thumb safety, cocked and locked is perfectly safe, more 'safe' and more ideal since you always have the same consistent trigger pull, than decocked imo

 

[easyg]

I've been hunting with SA and DA revolvers since I was a kid. Many times you cock them somewhat in advance of a shot as to not spook your game and then decide not to take the shot for what may be numerous reasons.

You can try to come up with all the silly scenarios that you like in order to justify an unsafe practice.
But it doesn't change the fact that cocking a revolver with no intention to shoot it, and then manually decocking it is just asking for a negligent discharge.
You might get away with a thousand times, but sooner or later you're going to screw up and have an accident.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

You can try to come up with all the silly scenarios that you like in order to justify an unsafe practice.

I think we've reached a point where people that actually use their firearms are arguing against people that simply go to the range once in a while with them.

Cocking a pistol well before the shot is not a silly scenario for hunters (or for certain types of competition shooters either). Not taking the shot and having to lower the hammer is also not a silly scenario, it's just hunting. Also applicable here for anyone that hunts with a Marlin, Thompson Center, Winchester 1894 or a wide array of black powder firearms... oh, and archers. We would love to live in a world where every time the hammer comes back the shot gets taken, but we live in the real world.

Every time I'm on the ranch (read as fifteen days of every month) my Blackhawk is set up so that the first round will be snake shot the second round is ball in case of pigs/yotoes/bobcats etc. Guess how I go from snake to ball? Yup hammer back, hammer down. If practiced it's an operation that can be done in a fraction of a second as the weapon is clearing the holster. Again, as with any case of lowering the hammer on a live round, it's only dangerous if done improperly (or using an antique firearm).

The simple fact of the matter is that anyone who owns, and actually uses (more than just a trip to the range once in a while) a pistol, rifle or shotgun with an external hammer will have to lower it on a loaded weapon hundreds of times during their life. If they know how to do it properly, it is a perfectly safe procedure... that is carried out hundreds if not thousands of times every day. When was the last time we heard a story of someone shooting themselves while lowering a hammer? When was the last time someone got Glocked?

 

[SwampWolf]

I'd go with the 75B but than I'm not afraid to lower a hammer myself, some are.......75B allows you double action or single action on your first shot, cocked and locked so all shots are single action and a better trigger system for a trigger job.....75B for sure!

Great summation. The 75B (or the 85B) gives you a choice of which mode of fire to have. The only drawback, as acknowledged above, to the da configuration is the requirement to judiciously lower the hammer on a live round. With common sense and a little practice, there is nothing intrinsically unsafe about this procedure.

 

[Marshall]

Did easyg really just say silly scenarios?

I have to just laugh and shake my head at this point.

I can't put it any better than ClickClickD'oh did. A very accurate summation in a case of actual users vs, what is appearing to be, someone that isn't.

 

[dcarch]

Why not just carry cocked and locked, like a 1911?

 

[Fastcast]

Did easyg really just say silly scenarios?

I have to just laugh and shake my head at this point.

I can't put it any better than ClickClickD'oh did. A very accurate summation in a case of actual users vs, what is appearing to be, someone that isn't.

and something else I'll point out, although ClickClickD'oh did say it oh so well.....easyg's "silly scenarios" just shows his inexperience in talking about things he knows little about.

It's not "silly" at all to cock and then lower your hammer on wild game in the field......It's called ETHICAL!.....Grasshopper

 

[jeepguy]

i would go with the 75b i just had a similar queston with the cz pcr or compact i went with the compact & don't regret it at all. it's all steel, manual safty and small enough to carry perfect for what i wanted.

 

[bpsig]

get the b/d it's worth the option. going with a cz sp01 in metal comes standard on them and all of the newest refinements to the cz

 

[millertyme]

What are you decocking for? If you don't like the use of a safety and prefer the double action mode to start things off, then go for it. if you plan on keeping your weapon at the ready I'd stayed cocked and locked in condition one. If you're putting the gun aside why not just drop out your mag and extract the chambered round?

 

[cabopc]

I'm about to buy a CZ-75 myself and for me it's an easy choice. I'm going with the BD version. I have no use for a manual safety. I'm just not a fan of them and I don't use them. The decocker is great for if you ever want to carry the gun. The heavy initial trigger pull is no big deal and it's a nice safety feature. It really comes down to personal preference. At the range you're probably mostly going to rack the gun and shoot in the SA mode so you just have to decide how you want the gun to be in other situations (on your person or in the nightstand). Do you want to mess with flipping a manual safety or a heavy first trigger pull? Good luck on your purchase and please post your impressions. I should have one by xmas.

 

[easyg]

Guess how I go from snake to ball? Yup hammer back, hammer down. If practiced it's an operation that can be done in a fraction of a second as the weapon is clearing the holster.

So you cock and decock as you are drawing from the holster, and you do this in a fraction of a second....

and you actually believe that this is a good thing?

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

So you cock and decock as you are drawing from the holster, and you do this in a fraction of a second....

and you actually believe that this is a good thing?

Again, this has become an issue of those who do routinely use their firearms and those that are just range jockeys.

Look, if you don't know how to safely lower the hammer on a single action revolver that is fine. Most people that have never used one don't know how to operate them. But, that doesn't mean that everybody is like you. Believe it or not, there are very many people out there that still wear them as every day items and use them very well with a level of skill and proficiency that apparently baffles people not accustomed to working their guns. For the people that wear these guns to work every day, cycling the cylinder on one isn't anything unusual or requiring of any large degree of skill. With practice, this is an action that can be accomplished very quickly and while other things, like drawing from the holster, are being done.

So please, leave your condescending garbage off the forum, because there are plenty of people here that actually work a gun and know very well what is and is not safe to do with one.