CZ 70 - any first hand experience?

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simonrichter

New member
Just picked up a second-hand CZ 70 as interim gun. It was the cheapest non-.25acp centerfire I could lay my hands on, but it seems to be in a surprisingly good shape for the price. The barrel actually looks like it was completely new - or someone did one hell of a cleaning job.

The gun looks elegant (Walther PP, more or less), but it is very heavy for it's size, quite a lump of good old Czech steel... Racking the slide requires a bit of an effort (I'm used to either Glocks or rimfires, both have a less rigid recoil spring I reckon), and the trigger feels very double action even in SA mode. Haven't taken it to the range yet (and won't do so extensively, anyway, because of ammo cost).

Any other comments / thoughts on this gun? Is it even widely available in the US?
 
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jar

New member
I have the CZ-50, the predecessor of the CZ-70. Reliable, accurate and easy to shoot. Heavy DA trigger but crisp SA.

The CZ-50 is lower right:
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Cheapshooter

New member
I bought a CZ 50 several years ago from one of the C&R distributors at Knob Creek. The one I picked had some pitting, and finish flaws on the slide. But felt solid and tight. There were others that looked a bit better on the outside, but the one I picked had what looked to be a new, unfired barrel. It has been reliable, and reasonably accurate. It doesn't get any carry use because it's like carrying a brick in my pocket compaired to my LCP, or P32. But it is a lot of fun on the range
 
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Cosmodragoon

New member
My cousin owns a CZ-70 in .32acp. I've put a few hundred rounds through it and I've had it apart. It had previously been refurbished by a hobbyist who knew what they were doing. Yeah, it's both heavy and under-powered for what it is. It requires a little more hand strength than modern options. However, it's a cool piece of history. It feels surprisingly good in hand. It's relatively compact and still carry-able for those of us who remember when guns were made of metal.
 
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Nodak1858

New member
I have a couple CZ50, basically the same thing. Good guns, all steel and good shooters, but relativity heavy for the caliber. That's ok with me, fun to shoot and I have CCW with them and felt fine with it for dependability and accuracy.
 
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reloder56

New member
If you do decide to carry your CZ 70 as a personal defense weapon, use European made 7.65 MM ammunition as it's loaded a little hotter and greatly reduces the chances of FTE.

I carry my CZ 50 occasionally. I changed the bakelite grips that came with the pistol with walnut grips from Grips4U. They give the old girl some class. CZ 50 /70 series gun will fit in any holster made for a Bersa Thunder, as I've been packing mine in both a Strongside and Cross Cover Holsters by El Paso Saddlery for my Bersa 383A pistol.
 
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kozak6

New member
CZ50's are available stateside, and CZ70's less so, but not widely. They tend to be imported in waves, and sold very cheaply until the supply is depleted, at which point it may or may not significantly increase in price.

It seems like the unpopularity of .32 ACP stateside and competition from cheap lightweight .380's is keeping the price down.

I've had thoughts about getting one to keep my CZ52 company, but I've never seen one in person for the right price at the right time.
 
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Cheapshooter

New member
Of my three Cold War Czechoslovakian service pistols, CZ50, CZ 52, and VZ82 The only one I would consider for carry is the 82.
 
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simonrichter

New member
Join Date: July 2, 2013
Posts: 40
If you do decide to carry your CZ 70 as a personal defense weapon, use European made 7.65 MM ammunition as it's loaded a little hotter and greatly reduces the chances of FTE
Click to expand...

we anyway have only a small selection of ammo here, I go with Sellier & Belot, Czech ammo for a Czech gun. There is no "carrying" beyond your own house or (fenced) lot by law, I will use it as a nightstand gun when sleeping in my new and somewhat remote garden house.
 
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DMK

New member
I have a CZ-70, as well as a 32ACP Walther PP for comparison. The CZ is great little pistol. Mine shoots very accurately and has been completely reliable for the 15+ years I've owned it (Back in 2003, I bought it for $120 at a gunshow!).

If you are going to use it as a defensive weapon, there are a few things to consider.

1) Make sure you load the magazines carefully so that the rim of the cartridges don't get behind the one below it. 32ACP is prone to rimlock.

2) When I got mine, it was recommended to cut/file a little off the front edge of the magazine. I believe either the nose of the cartridge or the rim would occasionally hang up there. I don't remember whether I ever had a problem with that, but I did use a round dremel grinding wheel to do this on all my magazines.


Find out more on the CZ Forum: czfirearms.us
 
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armoredman

New member
I had a CZ 70 as a BUG back in the day. LOOOONG trigger, but accurate and fun, and I miss it. It had a lot of features found on much more expensive pistols. With really top notch self defense ammo I wouldn't feel too badly with one again.
 
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