CZ-82 Project
 

Not long ago I made some comments that I thought the C&R forum seemed a little dusty.. Not much going on so I was told "Why not start a thread..?" What the hell I said.. So here it is. My CZ 82 Project.

I'm a bit of a shade tree restoration nut but long guns where what I'd concentrated on the most.. This CZ was the first pistol I'd ever tackled with a 100% tear down. In order to remove the old finish, I had to disassemble the gun to it's 55 component parts or risk damage using the blasting media.

I did not include the before pictures in this block but will have to dig them up and post them later. What you see is from tear down to what I've left the finish as in the end.. I have a set of grips coming in from Marshalgrips that will match the finish quite nicely..

A few more

The pictures are kinda large but you get the whole effect of what the CZ looks like without the original powder coat finish. I gave it a slight buffing after the blasting and like how it looks. the wood panels will really set the gun off IMO..

Putting it all back together was not as hard as I thought it would be.. I'll post a range report soon as the new grips are installed. Hopefully another couple weeks ...

So you're going to leave it bare steel? It looks excellent, but what about rust issues?

That is a concern but believe it or not, I've done the same thing to an Enfield just to see how it would hold up. So far the Enfields not shown any signs of rust but I did let it soak in an oil bath for about a week prior to reassembly so that may be one of the reasons it's held up. I have noticed a slight darkening of the metal on the rifle that is not looking like rust.

It's an experiment but if I see it's not going to hold up, my choice will be to send it off to Ford's Custom Gun down in Fla. for a brushed chrome finish.

Noun

S: (n) patina (a fine coating of oxide on the surface of a metal)

An interesting choice for a finish considering your signature line. :confused:

Although brushed chrome would be PIMPIN! :D j/k

Ageed Highpower.. I'll most likely send it to Ford's for a proper finish job. I just loved the way it looked after the blasting and polish process. The grip panels that are coming are a wattle wood with a grey stain finish which will make the gun look even beter in it's "naked" finish.

Everything else I've restored ends up with a proper blued finish accept for the Enfield and now this one. Call me lazy or maybe just wanting to try something different and see how it works (or doesn't)..

If the Enfield does start to rust on me, it'll be my guinnea pig for a rust blue finish job ;)

Nah..... that's not a naked CZ82. THIS is a "naked" CZ82:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8.../th_CZ82-2.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...82-2sights.jpg

Notice the lack of import markings... :D

Did you spend any time working on the magazine release? That is my only complaint about the stock pistols. Both of mine required a 2 thumb death grip on the release button to start to release the magazine, and then I had to drag them out of the gun. Even then the mags would only release from the left side.

Now they will both freely drop the magazines with a single finger push from either side. Almost makes it a totally different gun when you can easily change the mags.

I understand the experimenting though. This is one of my Enfields that I refinished a couple years ago with "tool black". Not exactly bluing, and not exactly parkerizing - but it is a black oxide process that can be done cold. It holds an oil film pretty well, but not quite as well as parkerizing. Although a good part of that is because I bead blasted the gun instead of using aluminum oxide media.

Perhaps you might consider a "clear coat" (Gun Kote) to protect the metal and yet retain your look? Just thinking out loud....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...1Mk3_right.jpg

Your CZ is very nice! Is that a Dura-Coat finish of some type? Anyway, to answer your question regarding the mag release button.. Of all the parts of putting this pistol back together, the mag release was the worse part for me to figure out. The guide that I was using gave great detail instructions on how to "tear down" the gun but lacked a bit in it's rebuild portion.. I'd neglected to take pictures at key points of the process (which did not help matters any) and at one point thought I'd lost a piece..

I think what helped was that I cleaned up the parts as I went which I believe made the gun much smoother operating after it was all back together. The mag button only needs one thumb to operate and my magazines drop freely once the button's been pushed..

I wish I could blow up your Enfield photo.. That looks like a very nice job as well.. I'll have to upload some of the pictures of the ones that I've done.. I'm even restoring a grenade launching model that "had" the wire wrapped on it. I found the exact gage of copper wire and plan to re-wrap it and solder it just as it was done originally (only slightly cleaner;) )

I blue all of my Enfields rather than try and mimic the grease paint that had been used on the older ones. I do suppose I could Dura-Coat them which would be closer to the original but I love the blued steel look.

No, it's the original finish with the exception of the white on the sights. (Testors gloss model enamel.) The old (yellowing) paint on the sights slid right right off when I first cleaned up the gun after I bought it. The gun was somewhat dirty and gritty from storage, and I was surprised at how well it cleaned up.

I'll have to search my older computer later to see if I still have some close-up shots of the Enfield. I would love to see some pics of your wire-wrap when it's done. Which manufacturer is it from?