CZ 82 test-driving a European mid-size: maybe you've seen them in J&G's ad and wondered just what you get for a bit over $200. Tarr finds it's more than you might think.

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CZ 82 9x18mm MAKAROV SPECIFICATIONS ACTION: DA/SA Automatic CALIBER: 9x18mm Makarov MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 12 BARREL: 97mm (3.8 inches) OVERALL LENGTH: 172mm (6.77 inches) HEIGHT: 127mm (5 inches) GRIPS: Black plastic FINISH: Black polycoat TRIGGER PULL: 11 pounds DA/4.5 pounds SA WEIGHT (EMPTY): 750g (26.45 ounces) MSRP: $209.95

ACCURACY RESULTS CZ 82 9x18mm MAKAROV LOAD BULLET WEIGHT AVG. VELOCITY SD GROUP (ins.) (grs.) (fps) Fiocchi FMJ 95 1021 27 2.2 Wolf FMJ 92 1034 22 3.2 Hornady XTP JHP 95 1024 13 1.8 Accuracy results are the averages of four five-shot groups at 25 yards from a sandbag rest. Velocities are averages of 10 shots measured with an F-1 Alpha chronograph from Shooting Chrony 12 feet from the muzzle.

American and European law enforcement agencies have always had different philosophies when it comes to sidearms and stopping power. American police officers were all carrying .38 Spl. revolvers at a time when unarmed British Bobbies thought they could stop any crime with forceful utterance of the word "miscreant."About the time the English realized that arming their law enforcement officers with something more than sharp diction was a good idea, American police were trading in their revolvers for high capacity 9mm automatics, .40 S&Ws, and .45 ACPs.In America, cops on duty carry the biggest guns they can get their hands around, whereas in many places in Europe medium-sized automatics are the biggest pistols you'll see. In an environment where carry guns for plainclothes detectives maxed out at 9mm, the 9x18mm Makarov was considered more than sufficient, and a 12-shot mid-size pistol in that caliber, such as the CZ 82, was all anybody needed.A number of companies are now importing CZ 82s, apparently traded-in by government organizations, and selling them at quite affordable prices. Competition for the surplus arms market overseas is so intense that the sales reps won't divulge where the importers obtain them, although I was able to find out that the CZ 82 is still in use by police and customs units in the Czech and Slovak Republics.The CZ 82 is also in service with the armed forces of the Czech Republic. The CZ 82 qualifies for BATFE "Curio & Relic" status because the country of manufacture, Czechoslovakia, no longer exists.Designated the VZ 82 overseas (Vz an abbreviation for "Model"), the CZ 82 was developed to replace the Vz 52 in service with the Czechoslovak! army. The Vz 52 is perhaps one of the ugliest pistols ever made, and makes a Tokarev look sexy.Under pressure from the loving boot-heel of the Soviet Union, the old Vz 52 was chambered in the 7.62x25mm Tokarev round, which was the standard pistol and submachine gun round for the USSR and its satellite nations. When it came time to replace the aging pistols, and upgrade to a different caliber, they decided to adopt the current Soviet caliber. Having a long and proud history of arms design, instead of just adopting the Makarov PM pistol the Czechs designed the CZ 82.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]CZ-UB manufactured the CZ 82 from 1982 to 1993, when it was supplanted by the CZ 83, which is still being manufactured. The CZ 82 was only chambered in 9x18mm Makarov, while the CZ 83 is available in 7.65 Browning (.32 ACP), 9mm Browning Short (.380 ACP), and 9x18mm Makarov. The CZ 82 and CZ 83 are virtually identical except for the thicker and slightly squared-off trigger guard of the latter, which resembles the CZ 75's.At first glance, the CZ 82 resembles a Makarov. I mentioned this in passing to SHOTGUN NEWS' Dave Fortier, and he immediately objected. Dave is so technical that he probably knows the frictional coefficient and sectional density of Mrs. Butterworth's maple syrup, and wanting to avoid a long drawn-out argument where he used big words I didn't understand I backed out of the conversation by saying, "Well, it resembles a Makarov a lot more than it does a Glock."The truth of the matter is that the CZ 82 and the ubiquitous Makarov share some looks and quite a few characteristics. Both are all-steel guns with barrels fixed to the frame and are chambered in 9x18mm Makarov, and were commonly issued to police and military officers in Europe.Both pistols utilize a DA/SA action with a straight blowback recoil system, but the similarities end there. The CZ can be carried cocked and locked in Condition One as the ambidextrous safety is not a decocker. The safety cannot be engaged when the hammer is down.The double-column magazine holds 12 rounds, and the ambidextrous magazine release is located where Americans expect it, at the bottom rear of the trigger guard. The pistol features a lanyard loop on the butt.Barrel length is 97 millimeters, which equates to 3.81 inches. CZ is known for making solid steel guns, and the 82 empty weighed in at 750 grams or 26.45 ounces, which is several ounces more than a Glock 17. This is not a pocket gun but rather a midsize steel gun built durable enough to withstand the rigors of police or military use.While it weighs more than a Glock, the CZ 82 is much more concealable. Between the fixed barrel and the straight blowback operation the CZ has a very slim slide and a low bore. It has an overall length of 172mm (6.77 inches), height of 127mm (5 inches) and width of 36mm (1.41 inches). Even though the cartridge case is only one millimeter shorter than a 9mm Parabellum, the overall cartridge length of the 9x18mm Makarov is noticeably shorter (.98" versus 1.17 inches), allowing for a much smaller circumference on the grip. The grip is long enough to get your entire hand on it.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]I received two CZ 82s for testing, one from Century International Arms and one from J&G Sales. Both were in approximately the same condition, with minor finish (probably holster) wear and dings. Both had seemingly come from the same European source, as they were supplied with black leather duty holsters manufactured by AKAH in Germany. AKAH is Albrecht Kind GmbH, a large sporting goods retailer/wholesaler, and it has been producing leather goods since 1853.After much searching of their website I discovered that these holsters are still being sold--the NordrheinWestfalen Swivel Duty Holster, designed for the police and professional user. Currently, it is only being offered for the SIG Saner P225.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]A pivoting drop leg hoister is perhaps the best way to describe this model. From the belt loop hung a leather-enclosed steel pivot point, about 4 inches from the midline of the belt, and the holster proper hung from that. The holster was sewn and riveted together (22 rivets total) and featured a plastic channel to protect the sights.The leather pieces on the two holsters were stamped as to date of manufacture, and ranged from 1987 to 1996. These holsters personify the essential difference between Europe and America--not satisfied with a single flap or button or thumb-break, these sloppy fitting retro security holsters have a double snap that is impossible to undo quickly, and is better worked using two hands.There is nothing about their design that couldn't have come from 1917. God forbid the officer carrying his CZ in one of these needed to get it out quickly.The pistols had a black finish CZ refers to as "poly-coat," which is an enamel finish that showed a decent amount of holster wear. It is not pretty, but it is serviceable and neither pistol showed rust or undue wear. As near as I could tell by deciphering the markings on their slides, one pistol was manufactured in 1987, the other in 1990.As opposed to most pistols where the serial number is on the frame, the CZ 82s had matching serial numbers on their barrel hoods and slides. The barrel is attached to the frame, so technically it is the frame.The CZ is equipped with black plastic grips, sections of which were checkered. The grips featured a prominent ridge below a finger groove which made for a comfortable grip but made it almost impossible to hit the mag release without turning the pistol completely sideways in my hand.The magazines did drop free from the gun, showed very little wear, and seemed well made. The baseplates were removable for cleaning, and the magazines had three unmarked index holes at the rear which revealed the primers of the fourth, eighth, and 12th round in the magazine. The followers were constructed of black polymer.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]The sights on the CZ 82 are decent for a gun this size. The rear is a dovetailed notch and the front is a serrated ramp that slides in from the front and is secured with a roll pin. It has a vertical white line insert that had seen better days but was still serviceable.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]The spur hammer comes down far enough there might be hammer bite issues for people with very large hands, but I didn't have any problems. There were some sharp edges on the frame jutting out just below the hammer-actually, they weren't on the frame, they were on the ambidextrous safety.The safety body actually forms a part of the frame spur underneath the hammer and pivots on a pin at the very rear of the frame. This design seems robust, but results in an unexpected gap between safety and frame at the rear of the pistol when the safety is down.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]The CZ 82 can be carried cocked and locked, but I wouldn't want to carry it this way until I had practiced getting the safety off during the draw stroke a number of times. The serrated safety isn't small, but my spoiled thumb is used to the oversize combat safeties now found on every 1911. The top of the slide is flattened and serrated to reduce glare.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED][ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]Trigger pulls on my samples were very good, which is what usually happens to the triggers of all-steel guns after years of use--they smooth out and lighten up. Double-action pulls were smooth and grit-free and broke around 11 pounds.Single-action pulls broke at 4.5 pounds and felt about a pound tighter, thanks to the pivoting trigger. The trigger was smooth and wide and easy on the finger. The pistols are equipped with an internal hammer blocking safety so that the hammer cannot impact the firing pin if dropped.Checking out the bores at first had me wondering if these pistols had been shot out, as at first I didn't see any rifling. A better light source showed me that these chrome-lined bores had polygonal rifling (as do Glocks) as opposed to the traditional lands and grooves most Americans are used to. It has right-hand rifling, with a 1 in 240mm twist (1:9.3).There are only a few ways to disassemble a pistol with a barrel permanently attached to the frame. To disassemble the CZ 82, first remove the magazine and make sure it is unloaded. Make sure the safety is off. Pull down on the trigger guard until it clicks and stays open.Retract the slide all the way back, then lift up on the rear of the slide. It will pivot upward, and once it is high enough to clear the rear of the barrel, pull the slide assembly off the front of the pistol.The recoil spring fits around the barrel and is a simple single-coil design. After removing the grips using the slot-head screws, you can see the mainspring fits around the hammer strut. Further disassembly for cleaning or maintenance is not recommended.If extensive firing has been done, CZ recommends taking apart the magazine and firing pin mechanism. Removing the firing pin assembly should not be difficult for anyone who has ever done the same with a 1911, as the procedure is identical. Push in on the firing pin with a punch until it clears the firing pin stop, then slide the stop downward while covering the end of the slide with a finger so the firing pin assembly doesn't go flying across the room.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]A full instruction manual for the CZ 83 (in English, with color photographs) can be found on the CZ-UB website in the Support section (www.czub.cz). CZ-USA (www.cz-usa.com) has the instruction manual posted on their website, as well as a video showing how to fieldstrip the pistol.The CZ 83 is, for all intents and purposes, identical to the CZ 82 except for caliber, and CZ-USA sells a number of spare parts for the CZ 83 on their website, including replacement grips. If no surplus parts are available for the CZ 82, it's nice to know that there is another (albeit more expensive) option.The 9x18 Makarov is a cartridge that, unlike the 9mm Parabellum, has never been as popular in America as in Europe. Many who haven't studied its ballistics envision it as an anemic Russian .380 ACP imitation.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]The truth of the matter is that the 9x18 Makarov is ballistically situated exactly between the .380 ACP (9x17) and the 9mm Parabellum (9x19), although it is much closer to the .380. It is also not a true 9mm but rather has a diameter of 9.3mm. Most loadings of the 9x18mm Makarov feature bullets weighing between 90 and 95 grains, traveling just over 1000 fps. This is about 50 fps faster than .380 loadings of the same weight projectile.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED][ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]What has stopped the 9mm Makarov from becoming as popular in America as it has been overseas was first a lack of pistols chambered in it, then lack of suitable self-defense chamberings for the cartridge. Even before the Iron Curtain fell, sidearms chambered in 9mm Makarov had made their way into the U.S. in fits and starts, but after 1989 everything changed.Tokarevs and Makarovs were soon showing up in the pages of SHOTGUN NEWS. The Tokarev has the ergonomics of a shoe, but the same thing could not be said for the Makarov, and many American gun owners looking for a deal soon had Makarovs in their collections. The CZ 75, once a fabled and hard to get item, has made quite a name for itself, and CZ-UB in the Czech Republic has its own American subsidiary, CZ-USA.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]Supply and demand is the philosophy behind profitable ammo distribution, and as pistols chambered in 9mm Makarov began reaching American shores, suddenly ammo in that caliber became more widely available. For this article I checked my local gun store, which does not sell any surplus firearms, much less ones chambered in 9x18, and they had no less than three brands of 9x18mm Makarov on the shelves for sale--Wolf, American Eagle, and Fiocchi.As most Americans are familiar with the Makarov PM, it seemed only sensible to compare the two side by side. I did not have a Makarov on hand, so I traveled to a nearby hotbed of rabid socialism (Ann Arbor) and picked one up. I am not unduly picking on Ann Arbor, I borrowed the Makarov from SHOTGUN NEWS writer Mark Vorobiev, who lives there.A Russian-born Spetsnaz veteran who has firmly embraced the ideals of capitalism, Mark was complaining he has to suffer more true believers in Ann Arbor than he ever had to deal with growing up in Russia. He also instructed me on the proper way to pronounce Makarov--"mah-CAR-uv."First, the blued finish of the traditional Makarov is much better looking than the CZ's painted-on one. Polished bluing just looks good, period. However, the sights on the CZ were much better than the small, all blued steel ones found on the Makarov. The CZ feels bigger, because the grip is wider, but compared side-by-side, the two pistols are virtually identical in length and height.The Makarov has an 8-shot, single-column magazine, with, the mag release in the butt on the pistol, and a hammer-decocking safety. Because it is flatter, the Makarov will conceal better, but the trigger pull on the Mak was not as good as that found on either CZ, and it can't be carried cocked and locked. It also can't be reloaded nearly as fast, due as much to the narrow magazine well as the location of the magazine release.The ejection port of the Mak was noticeably smaller than the CZ's, although I didn't experience any ejection problems. The CZ has mostly ambidextrous controls, as opposed to the Makarov, and the magazine seems better designed. This comparison, however, isn't exactly fair, as the CZ 82 was designed 29 years after the Makarov.The pistols ship with one magazine apiece, but I asked for extra ones just in case--and that caution paid off, as one of the four magazines had issues. This magazine had a different floorplate. I don't know the significance of the floorplate, but this magazine would pop loose from the mag release after two or three rounds and move a quarter inch downward, enough to stay in the pistol but not feed ammo. Once I separated out the odd magazine I experienced no malfunctions with either CZ using any kind of ammo.I shot the CZ 82s side by side not just with the borrowed Makarov, but a personally owned Beretta 84F, a 13-shot automatic chambered in .380 ACP. In comparison to the CZ, the aluminum-framed Beretta was shorter and lighter, but thicker in both slide and frame.Straight blowback guns tend to have a sharper recoil impulse, but the wide grip resulting from the CZ's double-column magazine was very comfortable to shoot. I can't say the same thing for Walther PPKs. Felt recoil and muzzle rise on the CZ was nearly identical to what I experienced with both the Makarov and the Beretta .380.I've been shooting competitively for close to 20 years, and I've learned that one sure way to improve your scores is to make whatever pistol you're using more user-friendly, or to pick one that starts off that way. The CZ 82 is very user-friendly.The double-action trigger didn't suck, and the single-action pull was light with a moderate reset. After decades of shooting 1911s, I use a thumb-high hold with everything, and the safety of the CZ 82 lends itself to this. It was very controllable in rapid fire, which is what I was expecting from an all-steel pistol chambered in this caliber, with a bore set so low off the hand.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]The CZ 82 points very naturally, and hits point of aim out to 25 yards. At 15 yards, the front sight would rise up to the top of a silhouette target under recoil, then go straight back down to nestle in the rear sight. Because the CZ is so flat-shooting, I was able to track the front sight during the entire recoil impulse. At that distance I could keep all the rounds on the target as fast as I could pull the trigger.The CZ 82 was not designed or advertised as being a target gun, it is one intended to be carried. While agencies in Europe might be satisfied (or more likely saddled) with FMJ duty ammo, the same is not true of police or civilians in this country--for the most part.The Detroit Police Department still does not authorize hollow-point or magnum ammunition for its officers, which is a travesty. Hollow-points are designed to transfer more energy to the target and thus stop the threat sooner.While full metal-jacketed ammo is fine for practice, carry guns should be loaded with hollow-points. Luckily, anyone hoping to carry a CZ 82 has the choice of several types of defensive ammo to choose from. Silver Bear makes a JHP, and Glaser offers 9x18mm Makarov loadings in both their Pow'R Ball and Glaser Safety Slug line.If you're interested in a more conventional hollow-point design from a domestic manufacturer, you're in luck. Hornady loads the 9x18mm Makarov with a 95-grain XTP JHP for an advertised velocity of 1000 fps. Out of my two sample 82s, the ammo was running within 10 fps of that velocity. While this is not thunderclap performance, the CZ 82 isn't intended to be a replacement for the BAR. A 95-grain XTP at 1000 fps is not a 9mm +P, but plenty of people have been killed by less powerful cartridges.I actually like the CZ 82 enough that I'm planning on buying one of them, and may carry it from time to time as opposed to just sticking it in a drawer somewhere. A leather holster designed for the Makarov PM would probably fit it fine, but as I've grown to love Kydex, which is much more unforgiving--I'll probably have to track down a company able (and willing) to make one.The more I learn, and shoot, the more I realize that bullet placement is more important than caliber. If the pistol you're shooting has so much muzzle blast and recoil you hate to practice, or can't find your sights after the first shot, it is serving you poorly.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]The CZ 82 has good ergonomics, is very controllable at any speed, and holds 12+1 rounds. Currently CZ 82s are being offered for sale for $209, or $219 for Hand Select. It would make a great gun to stuff in a toolbox or nightstand or belt, once you've determined it is reliable with whatever JHP you want to carry.DISTRIBUTED BYCENTURY INTERNATIONAL ARMS1-800-527-1252 | www.centuryarms.comJ&G SALES1-928-445-9650 | www.jgsales.com