Model CZ 75 was developed by the Koucky brothers, famous Czech firearm designers. This is the most popular from all of the handguns ever produced by the Czech Armoury and one of the most popular pistols produced ever. This full-size semi automatic pistol was introduced to the market in 1976, intended for the export. It’s a short recoil operated, locked breech pistol. CZ 75 utilizes the Browning linkless cam locking system similar to that used in the Browning Hi-Power pistol that has barrel and slide locked together on firing, using locking lugs milled into the barrel mating with recesses in the roof of the slide. This gun is a combination of best features of the previous versions. It’s the flagship model of CZ 75 family with over one million produced pistols. Resulting pistol was aesthetically quite attractive, comfortable to shoot and handle, accurate and reliable in operation. CZ 75 was made in various modifications and was also widely copied. Most popular copies of CZ 75 are: Jericho-941 produced by IMI, Israel, TZ-75, TZ-90, T-95 produced by Tanfoglio, Italy; M2000 produced by Sarsilmaz, Turkey, AT-88, ITM, Switzerland, mod.2000 produced by Sphinx, Switzerland, NZ-75 produced by Norinco, China, P9 produced by Springfield, USA. Nowadays is CZ 75 and various versions of this model used by the Czech police and other policies or armed forces worldwide. It is also used by Turkish police, and by several police departments in USA. Most experts consider CZ-75 one of the best combat pistols in its class. An enclosed cam track integral with the barrel is actuated by the slide release lever's transverse pin. After the first millimetres of the recoil stroke, the barrel cammed downwards at the rear to enable the slide to continue the recoil stroke and eject the spent cartridge. This model offers a several variations of trigger system that are available in various models. First is decock-only system (frame-mounted decocker lever, without any manual safety, in models CZ 75BD, CZ-75 BD Compact and CZ 75 P-01). Second is the double action only system, with no manual safety and hammer that is spurless (models CZ-75DAO). Third is the Single action system, with manual frame mounted safety that was intended mostly for sport shooting under IPSC rules (CZ 75SA). Manual safety or decocking lever is located only at the left side of the frame, as well as the slide stop in all versions. An entire family of pistols based on the basic CZ 75 design is available. For instance: compacts, decockers, single action only, ambidextrous, alloy frames as well as competition pistols. The completely ambidextrous version of the CZ 75 is the CZ 85, described in the separate article. Standard models of CZ 75 have fixed sights, with the rear sight being dovetailed into the slide. "Combat" and IPSC models are fitted with adjustable rear sights.
Semi-compact models of CZ 75 have just the same frame as basic guns, however have slide and barrel shortened by 20mm (.78 inch). Compact models have shorter grip frame, which holds only 13 rounds magazine (standard magazines will also fit, but will protrude from the bottom of the grip). Early models of CZ 75 were offered with only 15-round double stack magazines but present models are offered with 16-rounds magazines (9mm full-size models), 12-rounds magazines (.40SW models) or with 13-rounds magazines (9mm Compact models). Those guns are offered with 10-round magazines in the US market.
