Your Privacy Choices
CZ / CZ-USA – TABLE OF CONTENTS
-
- INTRO/OVERVIEW
- PRODUCTS/MODELS
- HISTORY
- LOCATIONS/FACILITIES
- COMPETITION/TRAINING
- TFB NEWS
- TFB REVIEWS
- COMMON CZ / CZ QUESTIONS
- WHERE TO BUY
1. CZ INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW
CZ is short for Česká zbrojovka, which translates to Czech Armory. CZ’s headquarters is located in Uherský Brod in Czechia, also known as the Czech Republic. They currently own CZ-USA, Dan Wesson Firearms and Zbrojovka Brno. CZ offers a wide array of pistols, rifles and shotguns with more than 160 models available.
CZ has over 80 years of history producing reliable and well known firearms. The current CZ / CZ-USA production line-up includes a host of CZ75 variants, SP 01 pistols, P-07 and P-10 pistols, the CZ Scorpion Evo 3, CZ Bren 2 rifle, the CZ 450 series, CZ 520 series and CZ 550 series bolt action rifles, and many more.
All pictures and excerpts in italics are directly from CZ-USA’s website.
2. CZ PRODUCTS/MODELS
A. PISTOLS
CZ 75, B, BD, COMPACT, OMEGA, PCR, KADET, SUPPRESSOR READY
The CZ 75 has been a mainstay for CZ. CZ has made numerous variations on the design, which include the options of a firing pin block safety (B) and decocker-only (D). CZ 75’s of all flavors are in use by military and police forces around the globe. The standard CZ 75 is a full sized pistol 9mm pistol with a 16 round capacity. Compact versions were also designed for concealed carry. The Convertible Omega models allow for swapping of a manual safety and a decocker-only lever. The PCR designated model stands for Police Czech Republic as it was designed for the police, however it is commercially available. The CZ 75 Kadet kit includes a .22lr slide assembly that is compatible with the full and compact sizes of 75, 85, SP-01, P-01, P-06 and PCR models. It comes with two magazines for the conversion. The Suppressor Ready models come with an extended threaded barrel and taller sights.
Designed in 1975, the CZ 75 is the flagship model of the CZ handgun line with over one million produced. An entire family of pistols is available based on the basic CZ 75 design: compacts, decockers, single action only, ambidextrous, alloy frames as well as competition pistols.
CZ 75 SP-01, SHADOW, SHADOW 2, CZECHMATE, PHANTOM
The SP-01 version of the CZ 75 has a full length dust cover that also includes a 1913 picatinny rail for mounting lights or lasers. The SP-01, with the exception of the polymer framed Phantom, feature a steel frame.
CZ 97 B, BD
The CZ 97 models are scaled up from the 75 B to shoot .45acp. They feature a full length dust cover and steel frame with removable aluminum grips. The magazines have a 10 round capacity. The 97 series have a 4.65 inch barrel and weigh 41.3 ounces.
CZ P-10, F, C, S, OPTICS READY
The CZ P-10 series is a polymer framed, striker fired pistol chambered in 9mm. The lettered designations stand for overall size of the pistol; Full, Compact and Sub-compact. The Optics Ready version is already cut for a pistol mounted Red Dot Sight. It comes with a cover plate that matches the rest of the slide for when an optic is not mounted. The P-10 is also available in several different frame colors; black, FDE, olive drab and grey.
CZ P-07, SUPPRESSOR READY,
The P-07 is a polymer framed, hammer fired pistol. It is offered in several different colors and comes standard with tritium night sights.
Introduced in 2009, the CZ P-07 was the first handgun to feature the convertible Omega trigger system. A simplification of the CZ 75’s hammer ignition method, the Omega’s trigger parts are interlocking in nature, allowing full disassembly and reassembly without the need for gunsmithing experience or tools.
The best part of this system is its convertible decocker/safety system. Whether the user wants to carry the pistol cocked and locked like a 1911 or decocked for a double-action first pull of the trigger, a few minutes time allows the swapping of the safety for a decocking lever or vice versa.
-
- CZ / CZ-USA’s full pistol product line can be viewed at their website HERE.
DAN WESSON FIREARMS
CZ / CZ-USA acquired the Dan Wesson Firearms Company in 2005. Dan Wesson produces a wide variety of 1911 pistols in 9mm, 10mm and .45 ACP calibers as well as the 715 .357 Magnum revolver. You can view Dan Wesson Firearms’ products HERE.
B. CZ SCORPION & BREN 2
CZ SCORPION, PISTOL, CARBINE, MICRO
The CZ Scorpion was introduced in 2015. It is offered in several different configurations to comply with US gun laws while giving users aftermarket options should they want to reconfigure it later. The Scorpion is offered as a Pistol (with or without a pistol brace) and as a Carbine with a 16 inch barrel. The Micro is the newer offering of the pistol with a collapsible brace. The Scorpion is chambered in 9mm and utilizes proprietary magazines that remain very affordable compared to some competitors in the Pistol Caliber Carbine market.
BREN 2 Ms
The Bren 2 Ms is the civilian version of the Bren 2, which is an evolution of the Bren 805 rifle. Currently, the Bren 2 Ms is only being offered in pistol form (although some vendors have had stocked versions available), with the ability to add pistol braces, or a stock should the user wish to proceed with the process of making it a short barreled rifle.
Gone is the reciprocating charging handle, replaced with one that stays stowed in the forward position until it is needed. Swappable from side to side, it does double duty as a forward assist. Also added is an AR-style bolt catch/release system that is mirrored on both sides of the firearm, as well as a catch/release nestled into the front of the trigger guard. The magazine release and safety are also ambidextrous and located in very familiar locations for anyone versed in the AR platform.
Chambered in 223 and 7.62×39, each is available in several barrel lengths. AR-15 style magazines are used for 223 variants, whereas in 7.62 the factory’s magazines are used to ensure last round hold-open and consistent feeding. All variants are swappable to different barrel lengths and chamberings and also feature a modular forend that can be swapped to different lengths.
C. RIFLES
CZ / CZ-USA offers a number of well known bolt action rifles and a new semi-auto rimfire, the CZ 512. CZ keeps their models up to date with chambered options for popular calibers.
CZ 527 CARBINE, AMERICAN, LUX, VARMINT, LEFT-HAND, SUPPRESSOR READY
The classic CZ 527 is a bolt action rifle currently offered in .223 Rem and 7.62×39. The 527 is fed by a detached box magazine. CZ states that their .223’s will also accept, and safely fire 5.56mm loads. The 527 American is chambered for .223 Rem, .17 Hornet, .22 Hornet, .204 Ruger, 6.5 Grendel, 7.62x 39, or .300BLK (for the suppressor ready model). The 527 Lux is offered in .223 Rem or .22 Hornet and it comes equiped with with iron sights. The Varmint is chambered in .223 Rem or 6.5 Grendel. There are left handed American and Lux models available as well as suppressor ready models.
CZ 512
The CZ 512 is an entirely new semi-auto rimfire rifle from CZ. The modular design is easily maintained, requiring only a coin as a tool for field stripping. The action of the 512 is composed of an aluminum alloy upper receiver that secures the barrel and bolt assembly and a fiberglass-reinforced polymer lower half that houses the trigger mechanism and detachable magazine. The 512 shares magazines and scope rings with the CZ 455 making it the perfect complement to your bolt-action rifle.
CZ’s full line of rifles can be viewed at their website HERE.
D. CZ SHOTGUNS
CZ produces almost every type of shotgun, including semi-automatic, pump, side-by-side and coach guns as well as over-under shotguns. Youth models are available for smaller framed people. For numbered models, such as 612 and 920, the last two numbers denotes the gauge.
CZ’s full line of shotguns can be viewed at their website HERE.
3. HISTORY
‘Česká zbrojovka’ translates to ‘Czech armory,’ and at one time there were many ‘CZs.’ Our sister company Česká zbrojovka a.s. Uherský Brod dates back to 1936, when it was established as a branch plant of Česká zbrojovka Strakonice. Production commenced on January 2, 1937 focusing on both military and civilian arms. The first products out the door were aircraft machine guns, military pistols and small-bore rifles, but during WWII the plant came under Nazi occupation and was forced to produce and repair military arms.
In post-war Czechoslovakia, the plant returned to production of both military and civilian arms, in equal measures. In 1950 the Company became a separate state enterprise named ‘Přesné strojírenství Uherský Brod’ (The Precision Machine Tooling Company, Uherský Brod) and was reorganized into a number of specialized departments.
On May 1, 1992, the National Property Fund of the Czech Republic established the joint stock company Ceska zbrojovka a.s., Uhersky Brod in accordance with a privatization project.
In 1997 CZUB recognized the need to control its own destiny in a market as big as the US. Initially based in Oakhurst, California, the CZ-USA headquarters and warehouse facility was moved to Kansas City in January of 1998. All distribution, warranty work and repair work is located in the Kansas City, KS location, along with a well-stocked parts department.
The full history of CZ can be read HERE.
4. CZ / CZ-USA LOCATIONS/CONTACT
CESKA ZBROJOVKA as
Svatopluka Cecha 1283
688 01 Uhersky Brod
Czech RepublicParking lot for customers
Pod Valy 1283
Uherský Brod
GPS: 49 ° 1’32.312 “N, 17 ° 38’3.087” ETel: (+420) 572 655 230
Fax: (+420) 572 655 231
Email: info@czub.cz
CZ-USA
P.O. Box 171073
Kansas City, KS 66117-0073
Toll-free: 1-800-955-4486
Phone: (913) 321-1811
Fax: (913) 321-22515. CZ COMPETITION/TRAINING
CZ has established the EG-CZ Academy in Quimper France. You can view their schedule and prices HERE.
CZ / CZ-USA has a YouTube channel featuring product info, tips and footage of their firearms in action. You can view all their content HERE.
CZ-USA also has a competitive shooting team that’s been active and successful. You can follow their progress on Facebook and Instagram. More information about the team members can be found on CZ-USA’s website HERE.
-
6. CZ-TFB NEWS
-
-
-
-
-
-
7. TFB REVIEWS
8. COMMON CZ / cz-usa QUESTIONS
The following Frequently Asked Questions of CZ / CZ-USA are from the website. You can view the rest of their FAQ HERE.
Q: “Can CZ rifles chambered in .223 fire 5.56 ammunition safely?”
A: All of our .223s will happily eat 5.56. Since our factory is in Europe, we build everything to CIP spec, which doesn’t differentiate between the two cartridges and just has the higher pressure as its standard. So the CZ .223s will shoot everything from the cheapest Russian steel to match .223 brass ammo.
Q: “What ammo will my 7.62×39 527 Carbine prefer?”
A: Because their chambers are built to CIP spec, our 7.62×39 rifles tend to prefer steel-cased ammo. Some brass-cased US-manufactured ammo might not be as reliable because of slightly different dimensions in brass. One of our favorite ammos to shoot is steel-cased Hornady with their SST bullet.
Q: “I can’t find a holster for my CZ pistol. Do you know where I could get one?”
A:Yes! Click here to download the CZ-USA Holster Database. Use the filters to sort by model, caliber, manufacturer, color, etc.
Q: “What rings do I need for my rimfire rifle?”
A: All 455s have 11mm dovetails. Beyond that, the dovetails might be 11mm or 3/8″ depending on whether the platform was developed for the US market or the European market. The foolproof way to tell is to take a measurement. 3/8″ dovetails will measure 0.5″/12.7mm at the top/widest part of the dovetail. 11mm dovetails will measure 0.433″/11mm at the top/widest part.
Q: “I cannot find an item on the online store that I saw before, is that product discontinued?”
A: If an item no longer appears on our website, that generally means that quantities are low, or the item is backordered. When the item is in stock, it will reappear on the website.
Q: “What year was my firearm made?”
A: Each CZ firearm has the year of manufacture stamped on the firearm itself. For many years, pistol marks were located in a small oval behind the extractor/ejection port. Recent production has moved that to just in front of the serial number on the slide. It will be a 2 digit code indicating the year it was manufactured.
Rifles generally have the manufacture date stamp on the right side of the action, slightly behind where the barrel threads into the receiver. The rifle mark has a proof stamp along with the 2 digit code.
Q: “I bought a CZ rifle and want to mount a scope, but there are no holes for attaching bases. What can I do?”
A: CZ rifles feature a “dovetailed square bridge” design, this means the receiver has a large dovetail on both the front and rear bridge. To mount a scope you simply mount the ring right to the rifle, one of the most stable systems around. Rings are available from CZ-USA, Warne, Leupold, Alaska Arms and more.
9. WHERE TO BUY CZ / CZ-USA PRODUCTS
-
