CZ

Testing the CZ 75 P-07 Duty Part 1

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Testing the CZ 75 P-07 Duty Part 1

An “almost” perfect training gun for CZ fans

By Dennis Adler

The ASG CZ 75 P-07 Duty is a CZ-licensed design that physically duplicates the 9x19mm model’s lines, fit, and finish in great detail. It is almost indistinguishable from the actual CZ 75 P-07 model. The real 9x19mm model is the one at the bottom.

There are certain semi-autos that have a dedicated following, a kind of fellowship of owners who collect, shoot and carry one favorite handgun. There are those who swear by the Colt 1911 as the one gun above all others; myself, I lean toward Walthers, others the equally legendary Browning Hi-Power models, while some prefer Glocks (a very practical but hardly collectible handgun), but, you would be surprised how many gun collectors and gun owners throughout Europe, and in America, share a preference for guns that bear the Česká zbrojovka initials! The CZ 75 has become an iconic design that has been licensed (and unabashedly copied) by manufacturers the world over for more than 40 years; however, the original CZ brand is still the strongest. Among CZ’s own variations is the CZ 75 P-07, a polymer-frame model introduced in 2009, and one of the most innovative semi-autos of recent time. It uses a reconfigurable trigger/safety design that allows the owner to alter the pistol from a standard thumb safety for SAO cocked and locked carry, to a de-cocking system, for carry with a loaded chamber, hammer down and fired double action for the first shot. It is also an interesting size, large enough to be a carry gun for law enforcement and military, yet compact enough (slightly larger than a Glock 19) for CCW use. The P-07 was slightly updated with minor frame, slide and grip changes (interchangeable backstraps) in 2014, and remains one of the most popular polymer frame semi-autos in the world. read more

The Best Dan Wesson

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The Best Dan Wesson Part 1

Authentic 6-inch .357 Magnum CO2 Model

By Dennis Adler

The CO2 powered Dan Wesson Model 715 from ASG (which has the brand name licensing rights) is offered in several versions, but two in the original Model 715 configuration with the correct crane-mounted cylinder latch and a 6-inch barrel.
The CO2 Dan Wesson Model 715 is offered in several versions, but only two in the original Model 715 configuration with the correct crane-mounted cylinder latch and a 6-inch barrel.

Although Dan Wesson is now part of CZ-USA, there was a time in the mid 20th century when the company was, what some pundits considered, the renegade division of Smith & Wesson. At the time when Daniel B. Wesson II left the company co-founded by his great grandfather, Smith & Wesson was in its third year of ownership by U.S. conglomerate Bangor-Punta (a former Fortune 500 company primarily known in the sport boat industry), which had purchased S&W from the Wesson family in 1965. Three years later, Dan Wesson decided to start his own firearms manufacturing company under his own name, but using a revolutionary pistol patented by arms designer Karl Lewis (formerly with Browning and High Standard). The new handgun, first known as the Model 12 and improved to the better known Model 15, (and later Model 15-2) featured interchangeable barrels. This was to become the hallmark of the Dan Wesson revolvers, a trait still carried on to this day. The original Dan Wesson line, however, had an uphill sales battle, which was compounded by Dan Wesson’s death in 1978. Going through a succession of owners, including a brief period by the Wesson family, in 1996 the company was purchased by New York International Corp. and CEO Bob Serva. In 2005 a revitalized Dan Wesson (under the company name Wesson Firearms) was sold to CZ-USA, which maintains a special Dan Wesson division, including the famous Model 715. read more

The CZ-75 on air

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The CZ-75 on air Part 2

Classic CZ design and performance in 4.5mm caliber

By Dennis Adler

A nearly perfect copy of the 9mm CZ-75, the ASG CZ-75 air pistol is marked in European caliber 4.5mm. While 4.5mm is often associated with pellet-firing air pistols, it is the same caliber as .177 which is generally used for BB-firing air pistols; the two are interchangeable. The ASG CZ-75 combines the designs of the standard CZ-75 model with the extended capacity magazine base plate used on the CZ-75 SP-01 tactical model.
A nearly perfect copy of the 9mm CZ-75, the ASG CZ-75 air pistol is marked in European caliber 4.5mm. While 4.5mm is often associated with pellet-firing air pistols, it is the same caliber as .177 which is generally used for BB-firing air pistols; the two are interchangeable. The ASG CZ-75 combines the designs of the standard CZ-75 model with the extended capacity magazine base plate used on the CZ-75 SP-01 tactical model.

There is no question that the CZ-75 is one of the best built pistols in the world. CZ has developed more than 35 variations for military, law enforcement, and civilian use, including specific models for sports and competition shooting.

The accurate details in the ASG CZ-75 are reflected in the slide and magazine release levers and the thumb safety. The triggerguard and hammer designs are based on the standard c.1975 CZ-75 model; later CZ-75B models have a round, skeletonized hammer and a squared-off triggerguard. This air pistol has a more “classic” CZ-75 look.
The accurate details in the ASG CZ-75 are reflected in the slide and magazine release levers and the thumb safety. The triggerguard and hammer designs are based on the standard c.1975 CZ-75 model; later CZ-75B models have a round, skeletonized hammer and a squared-off triggerguard. This air pistol has a more “classic” CZ-75 look.
To disassemble (fieldstrip) the 9mm CZ-75 and .177 caliber models, the procedure is identical. After removing the magazine and clearing the gun, the hammer is cocked and the slide is pushed back just slightly to align the registration marks on the slide and frame. Once aligned, all that’s required is to press the slide release shaft protruding on the right side of the frame, which pushes the release lever away from the left side of the frame, allowing it to be easily removed. Push the slide a little further to the rear and then pull it forward off the frame.
To fieldstrip the 9mm CZ-75 and 4.5mm models, remove the magazine and clear the gun, cock the hammer, push the slide back just slightly to align the registration marks on the slide and frame. Once aligned, press the slide release shaft protruding on the right side of the frame (this moves the release lever away from the left side of the frame) then remove it. Push the slide a little further to the rear and then pull it forward off the frame.

All CZ-75 models are robust looking pistols with a streamlined, military bearing, set off by a large thumb safety and slide release, a heavily buttressed triggerguard and large, hand-filling grips. In comparison with a standard CZ-75B, the 4.5mm air pistol vs. the 9mm semi-auto, comes in with the same capacity (16+1 in 9mm, 17 in 4.5mm), both have metal frames, plastic grips, a DA/SA trigger system, fixed sights (the CZ has white dot sights, the airgun’s are flat black with a serrated front ramp), the 9mm’s barrel is 4.6 inches in length, the smoothbore airgun barrel is 4.25 inches, the weight is a modest  1.95 ounces lighter, at 33.25 ounces vs. 35.2 for the 9mm. Overall length is the same at 8.1 inches, and the airgun’s height is slightly greater than the CZ-75B at 5.76 inches with the CZ-75 SP-01 magazine base. The standard CZ-75 is 5.4 inches in height. The airgun’s width is 1.25 inches, a minuscule 0.15 inches narrower than a 9mm. read more

The CZ-75 on air

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The CZ-75 on air Part 1

Doing the Česká zbrojovka name proud!

By Dennis Adler

A slight mix of two models, the original style CZ-75 and the later CZ-75 SP-01, the ASG 4.5mm air pistol is a remarkable Česká zbrojovka branded CO2 model with full blowback action and CZ-75 SP-01 design 17-round CO2 BB magazine.
A slight mix of two models, the original style CZ-75 and the later CZ-75 SP-01, the ASG 4.5mm air pistol is a remarkable Česká zbrojovka branded CO2 model with full blowback action and CZ-75 SP-01 design 17-round CO2 BB magazine.

Aside from Česká zbrojovka, the original Czechoslovakian manufacturer, the CZ-75 has been duplicated by more than 20 different armsmakers over the decades, and some with very familiar names. Regardless of whether it is a Baby Desert Eagle, a Jericho, or a Tanfoglio Limited Custom or Gold Custom, they are all based on the Model CZ-75 (introduced in 1975), including the European American Armory Witness series, seven different models from TriStar Arms, nine from Eagle Imports, the Turkish-built Canik TP 9V2 and the very pricey Swiss-built Sphinx SDP series. It is no surprise then that a .177 (4.5mm) caliber blowback action CZ-75 is also manufactured and licensed by Česká zbrojovka. (The easiest pronunciation is chess-ka za-brav-ka which translates to Czech armory). read more