I have a chance to get a used - but excellent condition - CZ-83 for $325 - with five magazines. I'm pretty sure CZ's are bulletproof - no pun intended - but I thought I would ask here before I go final. Understand it's a blowback (I think) so recoil will be snappy. I know $325 is prolly chump change to alot of folks here - but it's big money for me! And, I'd hate to get stuck with a lemon ...

That's a good deal and you should buy it. Recoil isn't as snappy as you think. The CZ82/83 is not like shooting a Walther PPK. Original Czech factory mags are generally not that cheap or easy to find for the CZ, so for $325 having 4 extras included in the price would be a bonus.

If in excellent shape as you said they are fine handguns. I have two in 9x18makarov and they are nice . You can find magazines as the CZ 82 is about the same thing. also 83.380 and 82 9x18m mags are the same.

All that said I bought a really beat to hell surplus 83 in .380 years ago and the hammer would fall with each shot, So it was like a double action scary thing. Sent it to CZ USA and they fixed it for about one magazines worth. It went back to the hammer falling and I gave up on it. But like I said this thing was rough and obviously abused .

Greg Cote has mags here: http://gregcotellc.com/cart/cz...ov-11302-p-1413.html

Can't speak to the CZ83, but I do shoot a CZ82; 9x18.
They are solidly constructed of all steel, so recoil is very tolerable.
Accurate and dependable they are well worth adding to your armamentarium.

I would buy it.

http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=42252.0

Pictures and admiration for the CZ...these are CZ82's, Refinished.

Love my 82 in 9x18 - recoil is definitely not what I'd call snappy: my Polish P64s are what I would call snappy. The 82s and 83s are very well made, and as far as I can tell, identical. $350 is a good price, and you can't really go wrong. I'd snap it up!

Thank-you, Gents, for the good info! I'm picking it up this morning. The photos look good but I'm prepared for the slide to have some blems. Secretly, I'm hoping to convert this one to 9mm Mak - which I think might involve just the barrel. I've also budgeted for one of the Mak conversion barrels for my Glock 42. I like the round, and found some lower-priced Hornady HP's (well, all of two boxes, 50-rds) along with a stash of Blazer. I will follow up with some pitchers ...

quote:

Originally posted by GeoJelly:
I've also budgeted for one of the Mak conversion barrels for my Glock 42. I like the round, and found some lower-priced Hornady HP's (well, all of two boxes, 50-rds) along with a stash of Blazer. I will follow up with some pitchers ...

I've considered purchasing a Glock 42 just to buy and install the Lone Wolf 9x18 Mak barrel in.

CZ83's rock. I just got one in 32acp, a surplus gun vs. a CZ USA import. For $325, is it a 380 and is it a surplus gun or CZ USA gun?

Awesome gun. I had two. I sold two and regret the sales. It is built to military specifications and I believe it is one of, if not the most robustly made 380 out there.

The ergos are second to none.

Stoke it with 13 rnds of Premium One defensive 380's.

My CZ-82 in 9x18 is very accurate, great sights, has a very nice double action trigger, and fantastic ergonomics for it's size - even fitting my xx-large mitts better than many much larger handguns. Also like the rounded trigger guard, over the finger hook type. It's cool to see the poly barrel for 9mm Mak, so maybe you can swap one out someday.

I handload for mine, and with stout, top end loads (95 grains @ 1150 fps), you definitely know it's going off, and is a bit snappy. Strongly advise you seek out a Wolff recoil spring tuning pack, to start off with fresh springs, and try out various weights, to see what you like best.

I do not carry mine cocked-n-locked; the safety on mine is way to soft for that to feel comfortable. You sure did well with the extra mags, and you can even add a Beretta padded base, as I did.

I had a CZ-83. Great gun. But very heavy since it's all steel. Recoil is very snappy and the recoil spring is very heavy. The biggest downsize was size. It's as big as a medium sized 9mm. Otherwise, have at it. It's a great gun.

Picked it up this morning - it's in much better shape than I expected. No dings or scratches but, understandably, some very small handling marks here and there. It's a surplus import but the importer's marking is very cleverly disguised - on the bottom of the slide rail sorta-kinda. The grips are awful as expected - that's the next investment along with stnls hex-head grip screws. No doubt about it - it's no P230SL but I can set it down on the shooting bench and not worry about scratches! Seller is a Marine so he was up-front about a couple of the mags being problematic and bad grips ...

Thanks for all the input!! Edited to add: it came in an odd-looking oversized holster - but it looks to be a commercial model with the CZ logo on the front of the slide. The barrel does not look like an easy swap-out - but I'm still going to look into it.

Edit2: Four of the five mags are the notorious "mfg CZ" mags - so they're almost garbage. Looks like I need to get some stuff up on fleaBay since Greg Cote wants $41 for new/correct mags (which is cheaper than CZ-USA). The "mfg CZ" mags are marked exactly like that on the floor plate - and that's why I put quotes around the name. I was not at all referring to Czech-manufactured mags in general - ONLY the magazines marked "mfg CZ". They are an order of magnitude worse than a ProMag - feels like they're made of slightly thickened aluminum foil.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GeoJelly,

Marschal Grips does some very nice grips for CZ pistols:

http://www.marschalgrips.com/cz82/cz82.html

I was able to purchase a used CZ 83 in 7.65mm which has a 15 round magazine. The gun is simply been outstanding. I have only shot what was recommended for the pistol which is hot European ammo such as Fiochhi, Selier & Belot, & GECO, 73 grain FMJ and I have not been able to get the gun to jam 850 rounds.

The gun is highly accurate and it feels light compared to my full-size 9 mm so thus I draw it quicker.

Mine was made in 1992 in the former Czechoslovakia. So it has a little bit of history added to it.

The pistol does not have a decocker and I was concerned about loading it and then manually decocker and it carried on double-action. When I took it to the range Friday I intentionally pointed it down ranged and from single-action with my thumb on the hammer I release the hammer and then let it move forward quickly expecting it to discharge a round. To my surprise after 17 attempts I could not induce a discharge. Thus, I feel much safer decocker get it home now.

It would be nice if one could get some nice rubber grips for it but no one makes them so one is limited to the stock plastic grips and I think there was some wooden ones at one time.

I did do a search and there are some Meprolight night sites available but a few more choices would be good.

I wish CZ had kept this gun in production since it is an outstanding firearm and is really the best of Czech technology.

I hope you enjoyed yours is much as I have mine.

Looks pretty good. Based on the squared off trigger guard, it's a later production one (earlier ones are rounded). When was it made? The last 2 digits of the year are stamped on the gun. As far a Czech mfg mags go, that's all I've ever used in mine and they have been flawless. Whatever "..notorious Czech mfg so they're almost garbage" means I do not comprehend. The Czechs make top notch stuff and I'm sure most will agree.

Looks good. Sometimes I regret passing on these a few years back when someone at the local fun show had a table full for $179ea.

What experience that I would like to share is that when I 1st got my CZ 83, 7.65mm pistol magazines then as they are now are very hard to load what a tight spring. I did not have a specialized Mab loader met someone was making and selling on this easy for him. When I use the regular 9 mm Mab loader some of the rounds got pushed down nose 1st and and straightening them out the brass got dented. The rounds were jammed in and I had a The mag to straighten around out. Nevertheless, when I shot the gun it fired flawlessly. I should have thrown out the dented brass for safety reason but I did not and the firearm still worked.

I am extremely competent with the reliability of this firearm considering it is used in do not know the history of it.