Time to buy a CZ-75

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Sharpie443

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I shot in a steel match for the first time today. Despite it pouring rain and shooting while standing in an inch of slick mud It was a lot of fun. I have a lot of experience shooting pistol but never made it out to shoot in a match before. I had no issue hitting the steel and my target transitions were good, but I had major issues with my pistol.

I took my IMI Jericho 941 because it's hands down the most accurate full-sized pistol I own. I had no issue hitting even the smallest targets quickly (Most of the time). I leaned something about the pistol VERY quickly. The safety is almost unusable. My hands are very small. As in I can wear a women's small glove and I cannot get the safety off fast enough because of its extremely high position on the gun.

I have a Springfield range officer that I got to try and shoot open next year. However, it's currently locking closed with a live round in the chamber. It won’t fire and will not open without generous force being applied. No idea what is wrong with it but I's going in to get worked on.

So, I think I'm going to buy a CZ-75 and hope it shoots as well as my Jericho 941 without the safety position issues. My other option is to modify the safety on my target Browning Hi-power. It's an amazing pistol but like most Hi-powers the safety is too small to be usable. Unlike the Jericho 941 that can be fixed. I'll have to do a bit of thinking over the winter.
 
That CZ75 is top shelf in every way, you won't be sorry. The shadow is on my list someday, but that's some serious dough.
 
Hope the 75 works out for you man. I'm looking at the Shadow 2 and Tactical Sports.

With hands that wee man, you could be a surgeon or sensitive electronic repair tech. Hope you're utilizing that blessing.
 
The safeties on the standard 75B’s aren’t positioned very well for small hands either. About the same as the Jericho in my opinion. I want a Jericho 941 45 fs really bad but can’t find one in person to handle first. I’m about to just give up and by one off the internet without handling.
 
My CZ75 derivatives are my favorite service pistols, however they may not be suitable for someone with very small hands. In fact, my FiL and I like them so much in part because they fit our XXL hands so well. So try before you buy. I hope they fit you. They're excellent pistols.
 
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I really wanted a CZ too, but I also have small hands and unfortunately the trigger was too much of a reach to be comfortable. Was fine in single action but the double was too far away. Make sure you try before you buy.
 
My hands are very small. As in I can wear a women's small glove and I cannot get the safety off fast enough because of its extremely high position on the gun.

I also have very small hands. People have told me the cz75 is great for people with small hands. I found the opposite to be true. Of all my semi auto handguns, I measure my cz75 to have the longest distance from the backstrap to the trigger with the hammer down.
I cannot get any more than the very tip of my finger on the trigger for a DA trigger pull when holding naturally. SA is fine, but I have to change my grip for that first DA shot, then change again for subsequent shots.
As someone with small hands, I highly suggest trying the gun before buying, especially if for competition
 
If your ONLY issue with the Hi Power is the safety, you can try an extended safety for the extra leverage.
It (extension) makes a big difference for ease of use.
 
As the owner of a closet full of CZs, I will have to join the bandwagon of saying that the standard CZ-75 is not the best gun for small hands due to the reach required for the trigger when the gun is in full DA mode. That is part of the reason why I carry hammer fired CZs at the half cock. That cuts down a fraction of the trigger distance.

You could however look at a C-75B SA. They are a single action variant of the -75B and are much better for trigger reach.
 
Another vote against the CZ75 for small hands. Try one first. Try an M&P with the small blackstrap. Or a SIG 229/226 with the E2 grip and a short reach trigger.
 
I think you'll need to try holding one to see for yourself. I kind of think that the CZ-75 would work good with small hands, so my impressions are different than some of the other folks. To be fair, I don't have small hands, but the CZ-75 feels slightly smallish in my somewhat largish hands. The gun is heavy, though. And it's accurate...and then some.

Another thought, since you'll be competing with the gun - Both the CZ-75 bd and the CZ-75 Compact I have came from the factory with computer reproductions of the factory test targets, giving you an idea of accuracy for each individual gun. If you buy from a local dealer that has a few or more in stock, maybe they'll let you look at the factory test targets for each pistol to help you choose the most accurate pistol (my bd had a tighter group at the factory than my Compact.) I don't compete, so I didn't much care, but it might help those who do. I should say I bought my CZ's a few years ago, so I don't know if they're including targets anymore.
 
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Sharpie443: said:
So, I think I'm going to buy a CZ-75 and hope it shoots as well as my Jericho 941 without the safety position issues.
You couldn’t beat a basic CZ 75B back when a new one was under $400. You still can’t beat them at most current prices, but I wish I’d bought a few more at the old prices!
My other option is to modify the safety on my target Browning Hi-power. It's an amazing pistol but like most Hi-powers the safety is too small to be usable.
We can agree to disagree on this, I have a Mk II and a Mk III BHP and I think the stock BHP Mk II & III thumb safety is “goldilocks” compared to every other thumb safety except for a stock non-extended 1911 version. Just keep it small, I’ll use it if I C&L carry, otherwise I’ll ignore it!
 
CZs generally ARE a problem for folks with small hands (or, rather short fingers), but thinner grips are available, and that helps, and the decocker models have slightly shorter trigger pulls -- because they decock to and start from the half-cock notch.

Then, too, both CZ Custom and Cajun Gun Works offer kits that noticeably shorten the trigger pull, which you can install yourself, or you can just order guns from either shop with the kits already installed.
 
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Sharpie443

I have small hands too and the extended safety on my Browning Hi Power Mk.II is very easy to reach. Can't say the same for the trigger on the CZ 75; it's a bit of a stretch for me. Not so with the P01; no problem with it's position in DA mode. Same with the SIG P229 with the E2 grips.

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Can't stress enough that CZ-75 variants aren't the best pistol for those with small hands; I have pretty good-sized hands, and even the CZ-75 Compact (below, compared with a SIG P-229 Legion) has a ridiculously long DA reach ... Note the P-229 is wider, but has a much more manageable trigger reach.

I do have a question for the OP, though -- why do you want/need a manual safety on your next pistol? Frankly, if I was still shooting steel matches, and didn't want to go 1911, I'd go SIG P-series all the way, as their accuracy out of the box is typically the best you'll find ... personally, I'd want single-action only ... and I'm seeing more and more P-226 Legion SAOs or P-320 X-5s in some of the competitive disciplines.

I'm still a huge fan of the CZ-75, though.

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I do have a question for the OP, though -- why do you want/need a manual safety on your next pistol? Frankly, if I was still shooting steel matches, and didn't want to go 1911, I'd go SIG P-series all the way, as their accuracy out of the box is typically the best you'll find ... personally, I'd want single-action only ... and I'm seeing more and more P-226 Legion SAOs or P-320 X-5s in some of the competitive disciplines.

I'm still a huge fan of the CZ-75, though.

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Well I carried a Glock for a duty pistol for years so not having a safety is fine with me especially for that application. I just don't care to shoot striker fired guns if I'm not required to and the SIG is an option I looked into. I just like the feel of a BHP or Cz-75 a lot more. I also like single stack guns like my P938 and Range officer. The safety dosn't seem to slow me down much so long as I can actually get to it. I imagine it would out of the holster but shooting from a low ready I seem to do fine.
 
long time CZ fan here. recently found a 75b Omega and the trigger does not cam back from single action position and pull measured 4.5 lbs out of the box............the decocker is the first I have ever had and pretty nice IMHO.
 
Another thought, since you'll be competing with the gun - Both the CZ-75 bd and the CZ-75 Compact I have came from the factory with computer reproductions of the factory test targets, giving you an idea of accuracy for each individual gun. If you buy from a local dealer that has a few or more in stock, maybe they'll let you look at the factory test targets for each pistol to help you choose the most accurate pistol

Just FYI: The targets that CZ test shoots are not for accuracy. They are not shot off a rest, slow fired or shot with any other considerations toward accuracy. CZ openly says that they are for proof of function.
 
Does your Jericho 941 have the slide safety/decock or the frame mounted version? If so, I would suggest that it may be designed to be carried safety off and hammer down for double action. Maybe that is against the rules for your pistol games though? I had one of the earlier models with a slide mounted safety and got rid of it because the trigger was terrible. If you're still thinking CZ I find the PCR and P-01 series with thin grips to be extremely nice, and the polymer P-07 is pleasant for smaller hands as well. If I was dedicated to carrying a gun in that style and I was willing to invest money for perfection I would probably get another PCR and go full tilt with customization, but if I wanted to be done in one I'd buy a P-07. I shot my friends P-07 better out of the box than I ever did with my own PCR after 2 years of ownership.

I love how the Browning HP feels and have a similar complaint with my HP Practical model. The safety is small and does not have a satisfying detent. I wouldn't carry mine without a holster that covers the entire hammer and safety. The Sig P229 is a much chunkier gun than the others and the grips are on the large side IMO (I have medium smallish hands) and the polymer Sigs feel like holding a large plastic broomstick to me.
 
My hands are large, and with an extended safety on the CZ-75, work the gun well. The grip fits me well and it is very accurate. The only problem is my wife has discovered it and likes it much more than a 1911 in .45, so she now has first dibs on the CZ.
 
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