I'm posting this because several well-wishers have asked me, in other topics, to report on progress with my new CZ 75B, 40 S&W Cal.
I get no bragging rights, here, because the best target of the day was shot by my friend, Jay, a fantastic marksman, using my CZ.
And this isn't exactly a "range report;" rather a brief account of a private get-together of about 20 shooters last Sunday (Apr. 6, 2011).
Bob & Sue, dear friends, have a ten-acre piece of Heaven in the mountains east of Placerville, CA. The invite said to bring guns, ammo, targets - and something for the pot luck.
Bob's carved out a 100 yard range with a nice, steep hillside as a backdrop. On the other side of his barn, people set up to shoot clay pigeons.
It seems that 80% of the interest was in handguns. People showed up with everything from a little Jennings pocket .22 auto-loader to a beautiful Ruger in 454 Casull. Other interesting guns were the .44 Mag Desert Eagle, a vintage 9mm Luger, and a wicked Derringer that shot 45 LC from the upper barrrel, and either .410 shotshell or 45-70 from the lower barrel.
Jay bought the derringer from the original owner after he (original owner) had the temerity to actually fire a 45-70 round with the thing. The recoil was so ferociouss that the hammer spur acted like a tooth on a buzz-saw; costing the dummy 12 stitches to patch up his hand.
Between the exotics, pretty much all common handguns were represented - with a preponderance of Glocks and other contemporary autoloaders. I was surprised that only one 1911 showed up, but it was a beaut: a stainless S&W that looked like new.
I'd say about half the people there had never heard of CZ. Few had seen or shot one. Well, they all got the chance.
One consistent remark was along these lines: "It's heavier than my Glock, but not that much heavier. It sure "fits" better, and hefts nicely. I could get used to this."
Talk aside, the outcome was pretty spectacular. Never mind what a particular shooter was used to; when he shot the CZ, he got a better target than his more familiar weapon. Surprisingly, this included several nice revolvers.
Jay shot the best target of the day, period. At about 15 yards, and never having shot the CZ before, his ten-round pattern ate out the bullseye and the shots outside the eye were all overlapping the shots within.
Jay wanted the target signed so he could take it home and frame it.
He also offered to trade his virtually new Glock for my CZ - right on the spot.
My targets were good, but not in the same league as Jay's.
Others that shot the CZ finished with hang-dog faces because it easily bested their recent Glock, XD, H&K - whatever - purchases.
Oh: The obligatory word about Ruger since I'm posting in a Ruger forum: My wife and I enjoyed the heck out of our new Ruger 22/45, and a few others had various Ruger "Mark" pistols. All shot exceptionally well. Everybody should have one.
But in the center-fire end of things, only one guy was shooting a Ruger - a new-lookinng P-93 9mm. I don't know why he was wasting his time with it. His patterns were awful, and he's the guy that brought the lovely S&W 1911. I never saw him shoot the 1911 and I was hoping he woould so I'd have a excuse to sk to try it. I have a soft spot for the 1911 and may still wind up buying one - despite the nagging suspicion that the CZ is is all I'll ever need.
In this entire business, the only credit I get runs along these lines:
* Lots of research and "tire-kicking" before I settled on the CZ
* Sending it to the CZ Custom shop for some trigger work, installation of (great) LPA adjustable sights, and a stainless guide rod.
* I get, maybe, a bit of credit for the load I worked up - but not much.
First, credit and thanks to the denizen of this forum that shared photos of his targets and his load recipe for 45 ACP - 3.2 grains of Winchester 231 driving a 200 gr. semi wadcutter. That put me on to 231 for 40 cal, and a quest for a load that makes my CZ happy.
I found it with a self-cast, 175 gr. lead, semi-wadcuter from a Lee tumble-lube mold; and lubed with Lee's Liquid Alox. The bullet was driven with a 3.8 gr. charge of Win 231.
The Liquid Alox is an amazing lube. After all that shooting, my CZ's barrell still looked incrediblly clean.
Obviously, I am one very happy CZ owner. My 75B was easily the handgun of the day - with more pleasant comments and some outright gushing compliments than I ever expected. I have a hunch that some Glocks and XDs will be traded in soon.
And don't let anybody tell you that a 40 S&W Cal cannot be accurate! That is a load of bull from some Luddite fools. They used to say the same about 9mm, but I think that, by now, we all know that's bogus (about the 9).
I don't believe there is any such thing as an "inherently" great caliber. The laws of physics defy that notion. There are only good calibers, loaded well, and fired from firearms well built for that caliber. It doesn't hurt if shooters believe in it.
Oh. The food was exceptional, too. Uber-marksman Jay also prepped and cooked the tri-tips. They were to die for.
It was right about dinner time that the cops showed up. They found a bunch of people stuffing their faces amid tables and racks of guns, guns, guns.
They paid the guns no attenton a-tall. They said they were making an appearance for the sake of making an apearance; some neighbors had complained about the noiise. But the cops said we were fine - to go on shooting until dark o'clock.
All & all a good afternoon admiring, handling and shooting a bunch of neat gun-flesh; meeting some neat new people - and having my CZ purchase validated quite nicely.
I get no bragging rights, here, because the best target of the day was shot by my friend, Jay, a fantastic marksman, using my CZ.
And this isn't exactly a "range report;" rather a brief account of a private get-together of about 20 shooters last Sunday (Apr. 6, 2011).
Bob & Sue, dear friends, have a ten-acre piece of Heaven in the mountains east of Placerville, CA. The invite said to bring guns, ammo, targets - and something for the pot luck.
Bob's carved out a 100 yard range with a nice, steep hillside as a backdrop. On the other side of his barn, people set up to shoot clay pigeons.
It seems that 80% of the interest was in handguns. People showed up with everything from a little Jennings pocket .22 auto-loader to a beautiful Ruger in 454 Casull. Other interesting guns were the .44 Mag Desert Eagle, a vintage 9mm Luger, and a wicked Derringer that shot 45 LC from the upper barrrel, and either .410 shotshell or 45-70 from the lower barrel.
Jay bought the derringer from the original owner after he (original owner) had the temerity to actually fire a 45-70 round with the thing. The recoil was so ferociouss that the hammer spur acted like a tooth on a buzz-saw; costing the dummy 12 stitches to patch up his hand.
Between the exotics, pretty much all common handguns were represented - with a preponderance of Glocks and other contemporary autoloaders. I was surprised that only one 1911 showed up, but it was a beaut: a stainless S&W that looked like new.
I'd say about half the people there had never heard of CZ. Few had seen or shot one. Well, they all got the chance.
One consistent remark was along these lines: "It's heavier than my Glock, but not that much heavier. It sure "fits" better, and hefts nicely. I could get used to this."
Talk aside, the outcome was pretty spectacular. Never mind what a particular shooter was used to; when he shot the CZ, he got a better target than his more familiar weapon. Surprisingly, this included several nice revolvers.
Jay shot the best target of the day, period. At about 15 yards, and never having shot the CZ before, his ten-round pattern ate out the bullseye and the shots outside the eye were all overlapping the shots within.
Jay wanted the target signed so he could take it home and frame it.
He also offered to trade his virtually new Glock for my CZ - right on the spot.
My targets were good, but not in the same league as Jay's.
Others that shot the CZ finished with hang-dog faces because it easily bested their recent Glock, XD, H&K - whatever - purchases.
Oh: The obligatory word about Ruger since I'm posting in a Ruger forum: My wife and I enjoyed the heck out of our new Ruger 22/45, and a few others had various Ruger "Mark" pistols. All shot exceptionally well. Everybody should have one.
But in the center-fire end of things, only one guy was shooting a Ruger - a new-lookinng P-93 9mm. I don't know why he was wasting his time with it. His patterns were awful, and he's the guy that brought the lovely S&W 1911. I never saw him shoot the 1911 and I was hoping he woould so I'd have a excuse to sk to try it. I have a soft spot for the 1911 and may still wind up buying one - despite the nagging suspicion that the CZ is is all I'll ever need.
In this entire business, the only credit I get runs along these lines:
* Lots of research and "tire-kicking" before I settled on the CZ
* Sending it to the CZ Custom shop for some trigger work, installation of (great) LPA adjustable sights, and a stainless guide rod.
* I get, maybe, a bit of credit for the load I worked up - but not much.
First, credit and thanks to the denizen of this forum that shared photos of his targets and his load recipe for 45 ACP - 3.2 grains of Winchester 231 driving a 200 gr. semi wadcutter. That put me on to 231 for 40 cal, and a quest for a load that makes my CZ happy.
I found it with a self-cast, 175 gr. lead, semi-wadcuter from a Lee tumble-lube mold; and lubed with Lee's Liquid Alox. The bullet was driven with a 3.8 gr. charge of Win 231.
The Liquid Alox is an amazing lube. After all that shooting, my CZ's barrell still looked incrediblly clean.
Obviously, I am one very happy CZ owner. My 75B was easily the handgun of the day - with more pleasant comments and some outright gushing compliments than I ever expected. I have a hunch that some Glocks and XDs will be traded in soon.
And don't let anybody tell you that a 40 S&W Cal cannot be accurate! That is a load of bull from some Luddite fools. They used to say the same about 9mm, but I think that, by now, we all know that's bogus (about the 9).
I don't believe there is any such thing as an "inherently" great caliber. The laws of physics defy that notion. There are only good calibers, loaded well, and fired from firearms well built for that caliber. It doesn't hurt if shooters believe in it.
Oh. The food was exceptional, too. Uber-marksman Jay also prepped and cooked the tri-tips. They were to die for.
It was right about dinner time that the cops showed up. They found a bunch of people stuffing their faces amid tables and racks of guns, guns, guns.
They paid the guns no attenton a-tall. They said they were making an appearance for the sake of making an apearance; some neighbors had complained about the noiise. But the cops said we were fine - to go on shooting until dark o'clock.
All & all a good afternoon admiring, handling and shooting a bunch of neat gun-flesh; meeting some neat new people - and having my CZ purchase validated quite nicely.
