Deciding between .40's-CZ75B, Beretta 96,baby eagle

[Peter Gun]

Looking for a new toy. Must be full size, steel, at least 4.5"bbl, DA/SA, .40 cal. Which of these three? Price factors in a little, but accuracy, reliabliity? I know I nee to check them out and see which feels best.

 

[JIH]

You can't go wrong with any of them. I'd say, if you have the liquidity, make the Beagle your third choice. Other than that... I prefer CZs over Berettas, but some have the opposite opinion.

You're more likely to find aftermarket stuff for the Beretta.

 

[Eric Larsen]

Id agree with JIH...The CZ and Beretta are good guns....pretty much a tie for function/reliability...the biggest difference and probably the deciding factor is how the guns feel in your hands.
The Beretta has a bigger/blockier feel to it...in my hands.
Either way its just a personal preference thing beyond that.
The B-eagle (beagle ) is another good choice..quality etc.
But for a CZ price Id opt for the "non clone"..the B-eagle is a heavy heavy gun.....lots of steel.
Shoot well

 

[Russ]

Beretta's have aluminum frames. That sort of narrows your search if you want all steel. Both CZ and Baby Eagle are nice. Probably have more and better finish chioces with the CZ however.

 

[nyetter]

I actually have all three of these guns in 9mm (well, the Beretta is belongs to the wife). I really like the trigger on the Beretta, but I would not like to endure .40cal recoil with that light frame. If I wanted a .40, of these 3 I would pick the Baby Eagle. The money you save versus the Beretta would pay for a trigger job. The CZ would also be a decent choice, depending on which control layout you prefer, but it is lighter and will recoil more. Actually, come to think of it, you can get the full-sized .40 (and ONLY the .40, dammit) BEagle with a frame-mounted safety like the CZ...

 

[jamestech]

I was talking to a guy yesterday that said he had a new Baby Eagle jam on the second shot ....he sold it .

I had bad luck with a CZ75 recently (jamming and slide locking back early) I do not trust the gun.

The only gun I own that has never failed is my Glock 23.

 

[TBAUS]

For me, it would be a toss up between the CZ-75B and the Baby Eagle. Both are nice steel guns that come in .40. If you talk to enough people, you will hear a horror story on every gun made. Look at the CZF site for information on CZ customization . The baby eagle has a nice full-length dust cover that will put weight near the muzzle helping tame recoil. Hold both in your hand. Shoot both ( or all 3) if you can.

 

[9mmepiphany]

as already stated, the beretta has an alloy frame...it is also my first choice in .40

i fine the balance of the baby eagle ackward...just doesn't point right.
the cz fits most different sized hands better, has good accuracy and an good trigger.
the beretta has a bigger grip, good accuracy, good trigger

the cz is slimmer, the beretta is more reliable

i have found my beretta 96 more accurate and controllable then any .40 i've ever handled over an extended period (sig 226/229 and glock 22)

 

[Peter Gun]

Thanks for the informative responses. I didn't know the beretta was alum. I assumed it was steel since its so big and heavy. I think i'm leaning towards the beretta because of reliability. my other gun is a glock 22 that only jammed one time when I misloaded it. Time to shop for prices. I still like the cz, but I have to find one to feel the grips. Thanks again!

 

[tlhelmer]

Beretta!

The frame is aluminum, but it is a great gun. I have a lot of rounds through my duty gun Beretta 96-G. It is a big gun and hard to conceal.

 

[mept]

Have you heard of CZ40's? Gives you possibly another option. Basically a CZ75 with a grip similar to a 1911 sans safety. Only available in .40 and suposedly has a trigger close to the quality of a CZ75, to me it does not feel identical, but the different grip may have a thing to do about it.

 

[JIH]

I never could get used to the grip on the CZ-40. I don't know why, but it felt really weird.

 

[Drjones]

It is a big gun and hard to conceal.

This is simply not true.

Beretta. Period. I have two 96's and love 'em. They are the official sidearm of the U.S. Armed forces, among countless other police and military agencies around the world. Need I say more???

Drjones

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Beretta. Period. I have two 96's and love 'em. They are the official sidearm of the U.S. Armed forces, among countless other police and military agencies around the world. Need I say more???

Yeah, actually, you do need to say more.

You may like Berettas -- I like 'em -- but the fact that the US Military selected them has more to do with politics than function. And police departments are notoriously "political" in their weapon choices.

Find some other reasons for buying or touting Beretta, not the ones you cited.

(The military has done far too many stupid things in their weapons acquisition programs to ever hold them up as a model of wise buying practices.)

 

[Drjones]

You're right Walt, and I knew someone was going to say EXACTLY what you just said.

At any rate, you simply cannot argue that Berettas are great guns. IMO, the best guns out there.

Just ask all the satisfied Beretta owners.

Drjones

 

[Kat]

Politics Aside...

Actually, the fact that the Beretta M9 is the US military's sidearm is a pedigree that's going to stay with the Beretta long after the DoD stops buying them and all the political BS is but a distant memory. Like it or not, at that point, what will live on is the image of M9 portrayed in movies like "Blackhawk Down". I doubt it'll ever develop a bigger than life status of 1911A1, but it pretty much guarantees Beretta's cache appeal that's difficult to deny. For a lot of collectors and casual owners, that's more than enough.

 

[nyetter]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is a big gun and hard to conceal.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is simply not true.

Erm, care to elaborate?

It IS a big gun, I don't see how that point could be up for debate.

On top of that it's very thick, which everyone can agree makes concealment difficult. It doesn't make it impossible, but no one claimed that, the claim is that it's "hard".

 

[Tecolote]

Leather?

The Beretta simply requires quality leather for permit carry. Folks will spend $600 on a defense tool than cheap out on a $20 holster, that won't work. Look into quality gear by Lou Alessi, Kramer and other makes.

The CZ75 and Baby Eagle share a lot of mechanical features. Search for other thread on this for more info, but basically the Eagle is a Tanfoglio/IMI collaboration. Both the CZ and Eagle are quality products that work best when cleaned and lubed properly.

 

[Drjones]

Sure, the Beretta may be on the larger side. Hey, it's Italian...too much pasta!!!

Honestly, you can comfortably conceal any gun with the proper equipment.

From what I've read here, and my personal thoughts, I doubt that an inch here or there and a few ounces saved like you would find on a compact gun would make any difference.

Carry whatever you want, though...

 

[JIH]

Both the CZ and Eagle are quality products that work best when cleaned and lubed properly.

You know of any gun that doesn't, short of an AK... which just doesn't care?

Honestly, you can comfortably conceal any gun with the proper equipment.

Well, that's the thing. I can conceal my Desert Eagle, but I'd be wearing a big jacket in early September in Southeast Texas...

When some people say "hard to conceal" they really mean "hard to conceal and wear shorts and a tucked-in-t-shirt... and no, I don't want to wear a fanny pack because it says 'I'm packing'" That can be difficult with a Beretta for some folks who aren't built right or who don't know what to buy or how to arrange their attire.