Today, you can find the CZ 75 for sale almost anywhere, but often the guns are technically clones of the original CZ 75.
What exactly do we mean by clone and why are they so common?
Back when the Soviet Union was still around, the CZ 75 was a pistol produced by a company called Česká Zbrojovka, or CZ for short. The company, based in the Czech Republic, released their first pistol when the Soviet Union controlled the area.
The Soviet Union, being communist, shared all property with the state, but CZ managed to get a secret patent for their handgun.
Unfortunately, the patent was valid only in the Soviet Union. Other countries did not recognize the Soviet Union patent filings.
Thus, other companies throughout the Western World could legally make exact replicas of the CZ 75.
What Makes the CZ Special?
The Soviet Union nationalized all heavy industry. The production of weapons and other armaments used by the Soviet military and security authorities took place under strict government control within Russia.
This restriction meant that countries that were a part of the Warsaw Pact had to rely on the Soviet Union for armaments.
The exception, however, was the Czech Republic.
CZ made a handgun so good that the soviet authorities ignored the blatant policy violation and allowed Česká Zbrojovka to continue manufacturing weapons.
General Design
The CZ 75 was designed in 1975, hence its name, but first produced in 1976. The gun itself weighs 2.5lbs with a length of 8.12 inches, a barrel length of 4.7 inches, a width of 1.28 inches, and a height of 5.4 inches.
Many people found the grip particularly attractive. For most, the grip is extremely comfortable, easy to grasp the weapon securely and well-balanced.
The handgun is semi-automatic and uses 9mm ammunition. The 9mm ammunition is another popular feature of the handgun because for 9mm you can find cheap ammo online.
There are so many variations of the CZ 75 that has extra features that fit whatever requirements you may have.
What about Clones
While some clones are exact copies, others are replicas with additional modifications that distinguish the clone from the original. However, all share the general design features.
Some other features all clones have in common are the slide, the internal mechanism, and the simple disassembly.
Although some slight design changes were made by other companies, all manufacturers maintained the beauty and functionality of the original CZ 75.
Use
The CZ 75 (or a variation of it) has seen major use in over 25 countries around the world since its introduction in 1976. Some major uses include American Police departments, Russian police departments, and the Brazilian armed forces.
While it has fallen slightly out of popularity because of modern handguns such as the Sig Sauer P320, it still plays a major role because of its familiarity.
Since before and after the fall of the Soviet Union and independence of the Czech Republic, the CZ 75 has remained the primary side arm for all military and government entities of the Czech Republic.
Final Thoughts
For beginners, the CZ 75 is a great weapon to select as your first handgun. Its comfortable grip and minimal recoil, combined with using low-cost 9mm ammunition, makes it ideal for first-time shooters.
While no universal patent may have been bad for the company that first produced it, it certainly helped increase the popularity of the weapon.
Companies around the world took advantage of the patent laws of the Soviet Union and made the CZ 75 into one of the world’s most recognized handguns, and it remains an effective option today.