Range Report, CZ 85B

[JayPee]

I recently bought a new CZ 85B and have been wanting to take it up for a range test to see how it stacks up against my 19 year old CZ 85. Well, today I got the chance and it stacks up just fine. Here's what I did.

First, with ammo so expensive, I try to incorporate a demanding test of functioning in with my accuracy testing. So in order to do this I took six different 9mm JHP loads and stagger loaded them six rounds per magazine in the order shown in this photo, loading them from right to left. Each mag was loaded exactly like all the others.

As you can see, some had rounded profiles, some were stubby and flat, weights varied from 115 to 124 grains, and three were +P loads. The idea was to try and trick the pistol into hiccupping while giving it a good accuracy test at the same time. Well, it didn't hiccup. I first fired five rounds of hardball at a can to seat a new 16 pound extra power recoil spring and then began the test in earnest. All of the bullseye shooting was done from the bench at 15 yards.

I fired the first three groups SA, with the black diamond in the middle of the 3" disc being the POA. Afterwards I fired two more groups DAO, manually decocking the gun after each shot. I think you'll be impressed with what an accurate pistol this one is. Here are the results.

Aside from the five rounds the factory fired in it to test it, my five rounds of hardball were the first rounds out of the gun. So the results you see above are out of a brand new barrel in a completely factory stock pistol. The shooter is a 67 year old with half of his shooting hand permanently asleep and the other half arthritic as heck.

I was wearing down and it was hot, but I decided to try some silhouette stuff just to get some wear on the gun. So here is that end of the test. For the silhouette phase I used a mixed bag of hardball and JHP ammo randomly. Here 'tis.

I began at five yards point shooting ten rounds DAO followed by another ten 2Tap DA/SA, and another ten in a high speed mag dump.I then went to ten yards and fired ten rounds, also point shooting, DAO, and a final 12 rounds 2Tap DA/SA.It wasn't my best silhouette ever, but it was sure fun.

Obviously this gun is a keeper and then some. Despite the use of eight loads out of five mags, the pistol functioned perfectly and made me look a lot better than I have any right to look. Best wishes to all and no I will not sell this gun. Period!

Jerry

[G-MAN]

All that and no pictures of the gun?

Nice groups. That's some seriously good shooting.

[JayPee]

OOPS! Here she are. CZ 85B made in 2009. Purchased for $549 to my FFL plus $35 in fees.

JP

[wwillson]

JP,

That is a sweet pistol and some darn sweet shooting! Thanks for the report.

I have to ask, is the CZ 75-85 patterned after the 1911?

Wayne

[JayPee]

No it isn't, Wayne. It shares the Colt/Browning locking system and a mag release similar to the 1911, like many other auto pistol designs do, but other than that it is radically different from a 1911. Some believe it is designed after the Browning Hi Power but that is just as wrong. It is a completely original design that is much more complicated than either the 1911 or BHP. The parts diagram will scare you to death.

Jerry