Opinions on 1911 vs. CZ 75

Well, you aren't going to go wrong EITHER WAY. Norinco makes a really good "knock-off" as knock-off go. The bottom line will be up to you, afterall, you're the one shooting it.

 

my vote is the................1911. i want one so bad.

 

Years ago, before California's "junk gun" ban, a buddy had a Norinco 1911. It was pretty poorly fit. Brand new and right out of the box, there was considerable play between the frame and slide. For a few bucks more you could pick up a Springfield, RIA or Taurus.

 

Man, that's almost a loaded hand grenade to jump on. Someone is going to come along and crap all over any advice you get.

Competition shooting is something that you either get into it, or you don't. Once you do, the quest for better never stops. I worked on a rifle last month that, literally, has been through the shop 3 times and the guy has won club tournaments with it in all 3 configurations. Total, he probably has $10K-$12K into the damn thing, and he is still tinkering with it. Now he got a Mike Rock 5R barrel - and there was nothing wrong with the Krieger he had before that..

The nice thing about the 1911 platform is that it has made a comeback and it, literally, has parts everywhere. You can buy a basic platform, and with some very basic gunsmith help, turn it into a fine firearm. The problem is, by the time you do that, you could have bought a weapon that would be at the same exact level without all the extra hassle.

The best BASIC advice I would give you is to see what fits your hand well and what you shoot well with. Then from there I would worry about what you can get and how much you can get it for. A slightly used pistol could be had and modified for less than buying small building up as well, just something to keep in mind.

If you want a vote. CZ makes a great weapon, but I don't know about their Chinese knock offs. The 1911, in my opinion, is THE pistol to own - BAR NONE....

JD

 

The problem there is that the slide to frame fit is pretty important and is the most difficult thing to fix on a pistol.

 

No argument from me there, but that is where you get into a "little" gunsmith work versus a "lot" of gunsmith work.

I can take an upper and lower and make them match up pretty decent in an afternoon, maybe two if it's been awhile ( which it has truthfully ) - but you are going to end up paying the shop for more than a few hours, which is going to lead your bargain priced gun well into the next level of pricing.

I can't honestly see stepping into something like IPSC, even at a local club level, without shopping the used guns that other competitors have in their safes, or buying more of a purpose built gun. I think that buying a "range" gun and trying to turn it into an IPSC model is going to be more expensive and more time consuming than it might be worth.

Some people enjoy the challenge of building things themselves and get off on the achievement. Expense is where it comes back to bite you in the rear end though.

 

My pride & joy:

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If you like the feel of the CZ but are concerned about action types, the 75 is offered in a S/A only and a de-cocker model as well. I am awaiting the delivery of my second CZ75B in .40. I love those guns. I like the 1911 too, but not to the extent that some others do. You don't have the after market support that you do with the 1911 platform, but here are some places that can help out if you choose the CZ:

http://www.ghostholster.com

Jim Miossi gun works also specializes in CZ work.

CZ doesn't get the recognition it deserves, but if it keeps the price down, that's okay with me.

 

CZ's really don't need any "mods" to perform better.

 

I absolutely agree. Seems that the 1911 guys have set the standard for adding widgets to their iconic pistols... which were supposed to be the epitomy of masterful handgun design in the first place, but they do it anyhow. Kinda like buying a Honda and souping it up with 15 grand in "accessories", bringing them to a performance level that could have been achieved by just buying something else in the first place and avoiding the add ons.

(I really am not a *****, I just take every opportunity to bust on 1911 guys... )

 

You can spend big bucks on ANY INTEREST, be it guns, cars, trucks, or whatever. For those that shoot in competition, some acccessories are probably in order. However, for the averagel Joe looking to protect his home & family, any good quality firearm will suffice nicely. I have 100% confidence in my CZ, Ruger, S&W, and Colt pistols that are carefully located throughout my home.

 

Show me another handgun with over 100 years of active military service and I would be willing to elevate it up to the same status.... and yet, *looking around* I am still looking...

Big Hugs for Jeep and his "limited" world pistol view.

 

I have 1911s and Glocks and Smiths along with my CZ's. I just prefer the feel and function of the CZ. Never owned a crappy pistol aside from an early Sigma .40 cal. I was just ribbing about the 1911 thing.

The 1911 has been in active military service for a long time, but after a hundred years, still isn't as widely issued or as widely copied, on a global scale, as the CZ75 which has only been around since, well, 1975.

I'll keep my CZ75, and leave the 1911's to the prima donas (poking JD with a sharp stick )

 

I didn't add anything to mine before it was stolen.

 

Exactly. Come and see me about it's longevity, reliability & tradtion in 2070 - I'll give you 5 years of R & D.

*looking down from his 1911 pedestal* I have NO IDEA what you are talking about?

 

I think the thing to keep in mind here is that both pistols in question are Chinese copies, NOT the originals.

A trained monkey can detail strip a 1911 variant in about one minute. 1911 parts can be changed as needed, quite easily, even though the Norinco will have forged parts like John Browning intended. Not some MIM crap like most of the vaunted manufacturers are using today. But I digress.

The CZ75 clone does not detail strip as easily, and parts are not as readily available as a 1911.

In a country where having a gun repaired can be a real pain, the ability to repair and service your own pistol is a plus.

If you like the feel of a 1911, it is the pistol for you.

And before anyone flames me for bagging on the CZ75, I bought my first CZ75 in the early 80's and loved it (I'd love to have it back). It was one of the green crinkle finished ones brought it from Canada before the wall came down. And I had a couple of Swiss AT84's and one of the Springfield full sized as well.