CZ Makes a 45 for the Americans: the CZ-97B
Semiauto Pistols
•
9m 44s
Introduced in 1997, the CZ-97B is a .45ACP caliber addition to CZ’s line of globally popular handguns. However, the 97 has some substantial mechanical differences from the CZ-75 line. Most significantly, it locks on the front of the chamber and the ejection port instead of having locking lugs cut into the top of the barrel and underside of the slide. It also has a threaded and removable barrel bushing, unlike the 75s. This is an early 1998 production example, with wooden grips, no front slide serrations, and a solid front sight (newer examples have thinner aluminum grips, front serrations, and a fiber optic front sight).
The CZ97 has never been particular hot or popular, in large part I suspect because of its overall size coupled with a 10-round magazine. During the AWB when it was introduced in the US (and I’m sure the US is a primary market for a .45ACP CZ) this was not so much of a liability, but today there are many other options for a full-size .45ACP handgun with significantly more capacity.
Up Next in Semiauto Pistols
-
10mm is the Best Millimeter: the Colt...
Colt introduced the Delta Elite in 1987 to take advantage of the hype and publicity surrounding the 10mm Auto cartridge in the Bren Ten pistol. When the Bren Ten became such an ignominious failure, it left Colt in an excellent position as one of the first companies to actually have a viable offer...
-
Olympic OA96 Pistol: A Loophole in th...
In 1993, Olympic Arms introduced an AR-15 with a side folding stock, as well as a stockless - and buffer-tube-less - pistol version. They did this by relocating the recoil spring of the AR to a tube running above the barrel and receiver. It was a clever modification (although the execution left s...
-
Colt Checks out the Spanish Wondernin...
Star entered the Wondernine era in 1978 with their Model 28 pistol, a double action 9mm offering with 15-round magazines. It was one of the entrants in the first round of US military XM-9 trials, but unfortunately for Star was beat out by the Beretta 92. Star took feedback on its gun from the com...
