Obviously I'm going to rent first if at all possible, but I'm looking at my options. What's the difference between a 75, 75B, and P-01?  Is there any reason to go with one over the other?  Are there other models to consider?  I'd like to stick to a full size 9mm.

75 series is pretty much most of CZs line up.
D for decker
C compact

P-01 is the compact version of the SP-01
Full size to me is 4", there is the 4.5" and 3.5"

Whole lotta choices for CZ, soo....

Renting first is overrated. I bought all mine without ever shooting them first. Do I have some regrets? Yes. But you know what they say, you haven't lived until you've regretted.

In the metal frames, the 75s are full size, the compacts are 3/4" shorter barrel and 1/2" less height (approx.).  The suffixes generally identify the variations but some are "named."  A "B" has a firing pin block, a BD also has a decocker.  Bs are typically SA/DA.  The P-01 is a "compact" in size with a rail on the steel slide and alloy frame.  The PCR is very similar but no rail.  They are decockers.  The "Compact" has a steel frame and slide, is SA/DA.  Depending on state, the mag capacity may vary per limit laws.  The RAMI is somewhat smaller than the compacts and the 97 is a .45 variation that is somewhat larger than the 75s.  And there are a variety of competition and sport variations and also a range of limited number imports which might mix the usual characteristics.

I bought my 3 before renting.  I don't think it helps.  The more you rent, the more you are going to want.

I guess the better question would be, do you go for the Czech surplus 75's, or pick up a commercial variant?  I handled an EAA witness the other day, and I liked the way it felt, but I think I want to handle a metal frame pistol before I buy.

I would go with a commercial model. You can rent one, but I just jumped in and got the model that seemed to meet my needs best. I now have 4 and like them all. The 75 ia great. The P-01 is great. The PCR is great. The 75 Compact is great. They're all just great. Go for it!

I have never seen a surplus military 75.

The P-01 is essentially an alloy framed CZ-75 Compact with a light rail.

They're roughly G19 size and just wonderful little pistols.

OP, allow me to vote for the 75SA for your first. You can sometimes find some gently used models out there, Gun Broker & so forth.

What EVER you do, do NOT finger bang a CZ Custom gun!!!!!    

If you do, you'll be looking for a rehab because you'll then be a CZ junkie like many of us are.............  

LGS has a SP-01 "like new" for $519. I didn't have time to have them pull it out, but I may go back in a few days and look again.

519? I would FO......

Add in another $300 for some internals, and grips......you will have a $1200 pistol that is outstanding and have less than 1K in it.

You'll love it.

Under list and "like new"?  If you wait, this deal will be lost in time, like tears, in rain.

Time to buy.

I dipped my toe (up to my knee) with a shadow 2. Never been happier with a "first" gun of a new style.

let the addiction begin.....
we are here to support you through this ordeal.

We all pull resources and list the sales prices and links. Your wife and wallet will hate each and every one of us  

Buy them all.  75, B, C, D, SA, SP01, P01, P07, P09, P10c, don't forget an 82/3 and a 40B while you're at it.  You'll need a Rami too.  85, 97.  Then you can start collecting.

Or..................

You can do as I (mistakenly) did. I got a 75SA that had its trigger massaged by someone good for my first CZ. All the other 75's after that just didn't feel as good (trigger wise).

Then.................

My so-and-so FFL LGS buddy started getting in some CZ Custom stuff & I was like a junkie working in a pharmacy. Triggers, sights, grips, finishes, etc were all top tier and upgraded over the standard line 75's. It was like driving a Rolls for a year & then someone handing you the keys to a Caddy. Nice, but not what you became accustomed to.

So...........

I sold my first 75SA to fund my first Accu Shadow. It was like handing a lb of coke & a lb of smack to a junkie but telling them not to use them. Yeah, right.  

Now............

I have four CZ Custom Shop guns, one of which is a Shadow Lite that I have ordered a carry holster for. Another is a very rare Shadow 2 in .357Sig, of which only a handful were made. The GOOD news is that the Custom Shop guns can be had somewhat affordably when compared to the semi-custom 1911s of the world (Baer, Wilson, Brown) at roughly $1400-1600.

My handgun section of my safe is jammed pretty tight and I'm trying to decide which ones I want to thin out. Yeah, yeah, first world problems and all that...............  

For those whom may not know, CZ has a female CEO. They're the only firearm mfgr in the world with such. (Could be CZ-USA, I forget.)

Now, if CZ would NOT come out with the new baby Scorpion I can manage to NOT buy another CZ!  

$535 OTD after tax.  I tried to ask for $500 cash on the barrel head, I got 3% off plus tax for cash.   I think I'll call her Melania. I'll post pics later.

After I stripped her, come to find out, "like new" she wasn't, but she'll clean up nice.

Masada stamped guns are former Israeli Military and Police firearms I believe.

To the op, it doesn't matter what you start with. You'll end up with one or two of everything anyways.

So what are the necessary CGW upgrades?

Get one of their packages.  Install it yourself.  Profit.

Bare minimum: CGW floating trigger pin, reduced power trigger spring, and firing pin block roll pin.  This addresses the two most common failure items on stock CZ75s, the trigger spring and FPB roll pin.

A bit better: Add to the above the Short Reset System to lighten the trigger pull a bit.

All Out: Get a complete kit with the short rest system and reach reduction kit (and 85 style trigger), along with upgraded hammer and sear.

You can install everything yourself if you're game to, look online for tutorials as well as guides on where to do some light polishing to improve further if you want.

I would get the Pro Package.

If you do a good amount of polishing, you can get the SA down to 2.5'ish. DA about 4.5 ish.

I like the 11.5lb hammer spring, but if you are shooting hard primer rounds, you may need a harder 13lb spring.

I shoot exclusively subsonic 150gr out of my CZs, except my comped P-09.

There are some tricks to doing the work yourself.

good place to start reading.

OH, go ahead and get the CGW EZ 9/40 fiber optic sights.
If you dont want those, I have a good set (actually 2 sets) of the TFX Pro I can hook you up with. Cheap. very cheap.
I dont like the big ass front dot on them. but I am used to Dawson sights, sooooo....

Go shoot the snot out of it before you start ordering parts.

I wanna go shoot my P-01 more...It's been crappy weather and I don't feel like going to an indoor range though.

I don't know if my Pre B was military or police in the Middle East (Israel??).  I just know it was well used and pretty darn dusty when I got it.  Pitted barrel/chamber (corrosive ammo and improper cleaning??).  Finish pretty rough.



You can see the dust around/under the screw heads.  Inside it was dusty and the oil/dust was pretty thick inside the frame.  The gritty crud on the hammer spring and magazine brake was about ready to jump off and go after someone (for failing to take proper care of it.  And the darn thing worked fine before I detail stripped it and replaced the springs, barrel, sights and grips.

Cajun Gun Works for all things CZ

You’ll thank me later

Surely there are others besides them and CZ Custom that does good work on these.

Plenty of them on Gunbroker.

Israeli returns.

Anything  import marked by anyone other than CZ-USA is a surplus gun.

I've been in the CZ world for several years now & haven't heard of anyone else of substance or consequence other than Cajun or CZ Custom. I'm sure there's a 'smith out there who likes to work on them & is in fact good at it, but they're not widely known.

The thing *I* like about CZ Custom is that they have ALL the parts one might want or need right there in-house. Not to mention it's headed by the captain of the factory CZ shooting team. Their prices are reasonable as well, IMO.

My .o2