Haven't seen any posts on this one - I'm sure there have been earlier than what I see in this forum.

I want another 45 ACP pistol mainly for home defense and range shooting. 1911 SA's are great but seems people want a lot of money for what they are. I already have CCW and truck guns that server my purpose but this one has my interest. Everything I've seen and read is a plus for what I'd need it for.

Any other input from people who own or have owned this model would be appreciated.

No input other than I really want one.

Neat gun, very big gun

I have one, it’s definitely big. If you like 45 ACP and the CZ SA/DA definitely get one.

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do it!

Sweet. Well i have large hands and prefer a larger pistol so that's a good thing.

I love mine.  It's extremely accurate and reliable

I owned one around ten years ago. Cool gun, very well built like all the steel framed CZs. I seem to remember mine choking a couple of times but it was almost brand new and never really broken in. I sold it just because I knew I wasn't likely to use it much and wanted to put the funds toward something else.

Great pistol I have shot one pretty extensively that is one of my shooting buddies pistols.  Right out of the box they are nice pistols but with a Cajun job are insanely fun to shoot and shoot fast.  The pistol weight and grip really lend to a fast shooting 45 pistol.  One day I might buy one if I get the itch and find a good price used one.

They're big and heavy, but badass and sexy!

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When you get one and are looking for mags, they are made by MecGar. The mag body is used for several different 45s. At $20 a mag, its cheaper to buy and then replace the floorplate with the correct CZ version. The CZ floorplate is thicker than the others.

The CZ 97 would be full on tits if they would put a rail on the pistol for a light or just to make it look cooler.  A RDS ready model would be sweet also but the 45 CZ seem like an afterthought.

Does anyone make a decent kydex holster for it?

@tstorms

Red Hill Tactical makes one

Get a proper leather holster for your CZ-97.  Eric Larsen makes a great one.

Thanks its for my brother. He already has a nice leather carry holster. I was looking for something kydex for his PC

Is everyone using Lok grips?

I usually go with VZ, but I’m looking at the Lok Thin Bogies based on all the positive reviews. The factory aluminum grips are decent, but a bit slicker than I like. Anything else out there I should be considering?

Thanks!

I think Lok has the best selection of CZ grips. The thin bogies are awesome and popular for the 97 based on the pics in this thread. There are other grips I would consider for czs, like Henning, but not for the 97.

Two things I would change about the 97.  

1.) Railed model availability.
2.) Rework magazines to hold more than 10.  Even 45 ACP  should have a capacity greater than 10 in a handgun this big.

VZ is great, high quality, and has a TON of options for 1911s and Beretta 92s.

However, their CZ choices are rather limited and Lok shines in that regard.  Not just for CZs either, but also for clones like Tanfoglios and Jerichos.

Thanks for the feedback on the grips - looks like Lok is the big winner for the 97. I wish VZ had the Frag pattern available to keep a consistent feel, but based on what I’m seeing, some thin Bogies should scratch that itch.

Or, it would be even more full-on DD tits if CZ made a 10mm production gun with fixed sights on the 97's double-stack frame.

Stuff it full with a 14+1 'Sonny Crockett' load-out! ... 200gns @ 1200+fps gits 'er done!  

They do make them in 10mm

https://czcustom.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?cat=251&q=10mm

Their frames with conversion kits look pretty attractive. I wonder why they do not have separate conversion units for 97 .45's available?

Buy one, send it to CGW for E conversion, enjoy new 45 caliber laser.

Seriously it's an amazing pistol.

I love mine



The only real changes I've made were to put on the factory rubber grips (bigger, fill my hands out better) and a CGW spring kit in it. Oh and I replaced the trigger with the "classic" CZ97 trigger, which isn't as curved...it's a lot more comfortable for long sessions with the less curved trigger. (This photo doesn't show any of those updates)

It really doesn't need any more out of the box and honestly it didn't really need the spring kit, either. It's honestly probably my favorite shooting .45 that I have, and I've got a pile of things that throw .45 bullets. Yes, I like it more than my 1911s

Customer let me try his the other day. I'm not a big .45 fan, but damn was that fucking sweet.

@Evil_Ed

Could you give me some insight on the CZ 97 as a suppressor host?  I was hoping you could compare it to other 45s like the 1911, P220, or FNX-T as far as blowback, sound, reliability, etc.  

What barrel did you use?

I have been very happy with the SP01 tactical as a host but I never come across anyone shooting the 97 with a can.

I have been kicking around the idea of sending a 97 BD to cajun for an E conversion along with a threaded barrel.  They did a pro package on a PCR for me and it has become a favorite of mine.

-Mike

Sure - the barrel is a Barsto (I believe they still make them)...and the cost is half as much as the gun

Reliability wise, without the can on and with the threaded barrel, I've had no issues - with the can, I've had a handful of misfeeds over the course of around 200 or so rounds total with the can on - note the can at the time was new, never used for the first 100 rounds where i had the most misfeeds; 6 or 7 rounds out of the first 100...so there's some piston/o-ring break in to be expected too. All in all I wouldn't really hold the malfs against it; I really don't have more than 200 or 250 or so rounds through it with a can on so the jury's still sort of out on reliability. Grand total with and without the can on is somewhere around 500 rounds; again, not a lot, so I don't have any long term data here. Note that the barrel had just been fitted so there's some break in to be expected there, too. I wasn't disappointed or put off by it.

As far as a host in general, I didn't have any issues with blowback or anything, but the can was a Dead Air Ghost...which is kind of designed to not have as much blowback as others, so YMMV? I haven't tried it yet with my Griffin Revo45, which is what I'm more used to on my 1911s, 220s, Glock 21 and USP 45. I've shot it both in and outdoors, mostly indoors...it sounded fine to me, though the DA Ghost had a noticeable FRP. I probably wouldn't shoot more than a mag or two through it without ears on with that specific can, but it was perfectly comfortable after that first shot. Again - I haven't tried it with my Revo45, which is a lot more broken in..next time I go, I'll bring that one with instead and try it out.

As far as general shootability goes, I like it a lot more than my steel framed P220 in .45acp...and if you have/ever shot one of those, you know how high praise that is. The steel framed P220 is a pussycat to shoot; it almost makes 1911s feel flippy. Generally on par with a Glock 21 as well (which surprisingly does not flip very much at all)

As far as which would I grab if things go south? Probably either my USP 45 or Glock 21, or Sig P220 steel frame in .45; all have factory support, factory barrels, testing, etc. The CZ is a fun gun but this is just a hobby/toy with a can on it for me with an aftermarket barrel (albeit a good one)...not something to worry about if it misfeeds at the range.

My biggest/only real complaint is the barrel bushing; mine wobbles up and down when tightened down as far as it can go and still seat the recoil plug. The E conversion should fix that and it's something I'm thinking of having done to mine, too..if I had to make a guess, I'd say that could be the cause of some of the reliability issues with a can on, since the barrel pretty easily moves up/down at the muzzle end with the factory bushing. It's a lot easier to see/notice with the extended barrel; you can push the muzzle up and down and watch it move on my specific example of a gun. With the heavy can at the end, it can't help reliability at all. Even without the threaded barrel I'd consider having it done either way.

Probably not the review you were hoping for I wouldn't consider it an end-of-the-world gun with the threaded barrel and can, not without a lot more testing...but for fun times at the range, and/or introducing someone to shooting a .45 with a can on it that won't freak them out or batter them with recoil? I'd start with this gun. May a well start people on the Cadillac of the group.

If CZ ever offered a factory 97 threaded barrel backed up by some long term reliability testing...I think the gun would become a loooooooot more popular with the 45 can crowd. Right now it's just kind of in the boutique fun toy category, not the serious use category.

Hands down for the money the CZ 97 is a great choice. You could run it stock without upgrades and it will serve you well. The bushing barrel and the added weight make this pistol very accurate. The DA is still heavy (little creep) but smoother than my 75B omega and P-01 steel frame in stock configuration. Single action is decent about 5 lbs. You can do a trigger job on it by polishing the internals and it will improve the smoothness of the trigger pull. The only downsides (subjective) are no rail and only 10 rounds. The way I look at it its still 2 more rounds than a 1911 and accessory rail with light and/or laser would add more weight to the already heavy pistol (41 oz unloaded).

I made a few upgrades on mine. CZC hammer, short reach DA kit, springs and tactical rear sight. CGW adjustable sear and firing pin. Lok grips as well.

big and fuck offish, but shoots great, and feels great-
mine's completely stock still, DA is smooth, if a little heavy, SA is nice and crisp. Accuracy is excellent.




Gun Jesus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=safo2CrWWZk

Love the factory blue finish paired with the wood grips on your cz97b. Looks amazing!

I bought one last night. Being in the people's democratic state of md it has to sit in purgatory for a week until I am "Not Disappoved" by my overlords. I'm really looking forward to trying it out.

Thanks !
I had a 75B with the same finish and I stupidly sold it. CZ bluing is up there with the best.

Bought my CZ97 B in 2015 and it is the most accurate out of the box 45 I've ever had the pleasure of owning.  The only thing I would change is magazine capacity.  10rds is ridiculous for such a large pistol.

Does anyone know if a 97B can be converted to a BD as easily as a P 09?

@navymom18

the cz97  cannot be converted from a safety to a decocker.  Only the p09/p07 and omega guns can be swapped back and forth. Hope this helps

Sure, sell the 97B and buy the BD! But mechanically nope, one or the other.

Thanks. I have had the 97 for a couple of years and it's my favorite 45. I recently purchased a P 09 in .40 (my HK is in .40 as well) and love the decocker function. I don't carry the 97 cocked and locked just at half cock and was wondering.
Doesn't make me like my 97 any less though. Although trading it for a BD might be the way to go. Might have a hard time finding one these days for a decent price. I got my 97 very lightly used on consignment for 550 so I'm pretty sure I'm not finding that deal again anytime soon.
Again, thanks for the info!

97's come in as bulk shipments, so there will be a lull then bam, 97's everywhere for a few months...then they go away again. If you're a little patient, you should be able to find a good deal on one. The 97s aren't CZ's biggest seller, so you might have a better shot at a deal on one if they don't move for a while.

My husband just said,  "why do I get the feeling you're going to end up with one of each?"...
I began listing off all the 45s he owns.....

There are far worse 45 ACP guns to get tied up in, the CZ is probably my favorite if I'm being honest. About the only thing near it as far as shooting goes is a Glock 21 believe it or not; both are super soft shooting for 45s and more accurate than you'd think they should be. My only complaint with the CZ is it doesn't have the same capacity as the Glock. It really should hold 12 or 13, but given that it was designed/created as a US market gun during the AWB...it makes sense that it would be limited to 10.

I shot two sub 4" groups at 100 yards with my 97B"E" yesterday, from a wrist rest.  Doesn't get any better than that with me holding the gun.  Eyesight limited in my opinion, not gun limited.  I can equal it with a hand fitted Kart barrel in a 1911.  Maybe.  

If you want a large pistol with some weight, a 97 is hard to beat.  Have CGW install the 1911 style bushing to make it a 97B"E" and you have a match grade pistol.
Joe