I am considering this as a carry weapon, please give me the pluses and minuses of this weapon, if you have had experience with it.  Please omit all comments telling me what I should get instead.  I just want some first-hand experiences, good or bad, with this gun.  Thanks.



The CZ 83 is a compact all-steel semi-automatic handgun, designed on the blowback breech principle. They are produced with a classic rifled barrel in calibers 7.65 mm Browning (.32 Auto), and 9 mm Browning Short (.380 ACP), and with polygonal bore for the 9 mm Makarov. (7.65 Browning and 9mm Makarov available by special order only) The trigger mechanism is of a DA/SA type. The CZ 83 features an ambidextrous manual safety, magazine catch and slide stop on one side. When the last cartridge from the magazine has been fired, the slide is locked in its rear position. The magazine is of a double-column type with a single cartridge outlet. Due to its favorable caliber to weight ratio, reliability and compactness helps to facilitate the concealed carry of this pistol, thus predisposing it to become a popular sought-after handgun for personal defense. The pistol is supplied with 3 dot sights; tritium sights are available by special order.


 
Product specifications

MSRP*)  USD 420.00  
Calibers
available Ammunition Mag. type Magazine capacity
.380 Auto      10  

Finish Gloss Blue, Satin Nickel
Frame Steel
Grip Plastic
Trigger SA/DA
Sights Fixed  
Dimensions Length 172 mm 6.8 in
Barrel length 97 mm 3.8 in
Height 127 mm 5.0 in
Width 36 mm 1.4 in
Weight 800 g  1.8 lbs
LOP 0 mm 0.0 in

Safety Ambidextrous Manual Safety

www.cz-usa.com/01.detail.php?id=40

Nice shooter. I almost got one but decided my hammerless S&W 442 was more practical.

They are nice guns though, if you get a chance, shoot one.

I have one and love it.  Even with smallish hands, it fits in my hand well and the grip really reduces the felt recoil.

Accurate gun.

The safety on it is terrific.  Easy to switch on and off, yet feels really secure when engaged.

You can carry cocked and locked or hammer down (double action).

The trigger is one of the best you'll find.

Downside:  With the thirteen round magazine, you'll occasionally hear some bullets rattle a little.  Not sure why.  It has a little weight to it, being steel, but the weight is part of what makes shooting it so comfortable.

Quoted: I have one and love it.  Even with smallish hands, it fits in my hand well and the grip really reduces the felt recoil. Accurate gun. The safety on it is terrific.  Easy to switch on and off, yet feels really secure when engaged. You can carry cocked and locked or hammer down (double action). The trigger is one of the best you'll find. Downside:  With the thirteen round magazine, you'll occasionally hear some bullets rattle a little.  Not sure why.  It has a little weight to it, being steel, but the weight is part of what makes shooting it so comfortable.

Thanks for the info. Do you carry it?  If so, how does the weight affect you and how is concealability?

I've got one that I carry sometimes in a Falco inside the waistband holster that I purchased from Makarov.com. I don't have a problem with the weight but in the summer depending on the shirt it prints sometimes.  Never had anyone say anything though so maybe they didn't notice.

Like others have said it's a nice shooting handgun, I carry it loaded with Federal HYDRA-SHOK JHP and carry several spare mags loaded with FMJ.

I have one in 9x18mak.  It's a high quality gun.  Very accurate with S&B.  Mine didn't like Wolf that much accuracy wise.  The Hornady JHP's run 100% and shoot to the same POI as the S&B.  The mags in 9x18 are only 12rd (due to the 9x18 actually being a little bigger in dia.), but are the same mags as the .380.  Controls are nice, trigger is nice, typical CZ really.

The only drawbacks are it's size and weight.  It's comparable to some of the smaller 9mm's out there, though it's not as blocky as those 9's generally.

The SA/DA doesn't have a hammer drop, so you need to lower the hammer by pulling the trigger on a loaded chamber if you're going to carry DA.  Same deal as the orginal CZ-75.  You can carry cocked and locked.

I like mine and have no intention of selling it.  I don't carry it much, because I still think it's a bit on the big side for a .380.

mywifehatesguns,

I don't carry it yet, but plan to in the near future.  As was aptly written by Ross, it's about the same as carrying one of the smaller 9mm's, only it's more rounded.

Edited to add:  It is a blowback, so the recoil is a little sharp at first.  After the first two shots my hand seems to adjust to the recoil and I hardly notice it after that.  It doesn't beat up my hand at all and I can go through multiple mags just fine.

The Makarov, on the other hand, really beats up my hand badly.  The Mak is a terrific gun, but the Mak's felt recoil is much more intense.

Quoted: I am considering this as a carry weapon, please give me the pluses and minuses of this weapon, if you have had experience with it.  Please omit all comments telling me what I should get instead.  I just want some first-hand experiences, good or bad, with this gun.  Thanks. www.cz-usa.com/images/products/40.jpg The CZ 83 is a compact all-steel semi-automatic handgun, designed on the blowback breech principle. They are produced with a classic rifled barrel in calibers 7.65 mm Browning (.32 Auto), and 9 mm Browning Short (.380 ACP), and with polygonal bore for the 9 mm Makarov. (7.65 Browning and 9mm Makarov available by special order only) The trigger mechanism is of a DA/SA type. The CZ 83 features an ambidextrous manual safety, magazine catch and slide stop on one side. When the last cartridge from the magazine has been fired, the slide is locked in its rear position. The magazine is of a double-column type with a single cartridge outlet. Due to its favorable caliber to weight ratio, reliability and compactness helps to facilitate the concealed carry of this pistol, thus predisposing it to become a popular sought-after handgun for personal defense. The pistol is supplied with 3 dot sights; tritium sights are available by special order.   Product specifications MSRP*)  USD 420.00   Calibers available Ammunition Mag. type Magazine capacity .380 Auto      10   Finish Gloss Blue, Satin Nickel Frame Steel Grip Plastic Trigger SA/DA Sights Fixed   Dimensions Length 172 mm 6.8 in Barrel length 97 mm 3.8 in Height 127 mm 5.0 in Width 36 mm 1.4 in Weight 800 g  1.8 lbs LOP 0 mm 0.0 in Safety Ambidextrous Manual Safety www.cz-usa.com/01.detail.php?id=40

Basically it is a refined Makarov.

They are heavy for their size but are usually reliable as all get out and are built like tanks. They will usually outlast you.

A bit underpowered as a carry piece.

CZ makes some great products.

Quoted: Basically it is a refined Makarov. They are heavy for their size but are usually reliable as all get out and are built like tanks. They will usually outlast you. A bit underpowered as a carry piece. CZ makes some great products.

A very true and literal statement.  The Czechs weren't fond of merely accepting Soviet hardware as it was given to them, so they made a habit of refining and improving on Soviet firearms.

The Soviets design the Tokarev, the Czechs create the CZ52.

The Soviets design the Makarov, the Czechs create the CZ82/CZ83.

The Soviets design the AK-47, the Czechs create the Vz.58.