CZ 97B vs 97BD ?

thechineseguy

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hey guys,

ive been shopping around for my first .45 pistol for a while now. my decision has gone from Glock G21 Gen4 to H&K HK45 but ive finally decided to get the CZ 97 because my CZ SP-01 Shadow is my favourite gun to shoot (i own a G17 Gen4, have tried the G21 a couple times as well as the HK45).

im wondering what the differences, if any, are between the CZ 97B and 97BD besides the decocking lever?
which one of the two is most desirable for a target shooter?

thanks :)
 
I like the decocker personally so would have no issue getting the BD, but I have been told it does have a minor effect on trigger feel, which is why most target guns are SA (that and maybe because a straightforward safety is a more convenient for target work as well). I've never compared those 2 models so i don't know first hand. Both nice guns for sure.
 
Mine's a "B" - if I feel the need to ease the hammer down on a live round, I'm pretty sure I would be able to pull it off without the assistance of added mechanicals. I have a couple of pistols that have the de-cocker feature and have never used it, other than to see how it worked. Perhaps, if the gun was part of your everyday job and you used it frequently, it may be a useful feature.
 
I have the 97B and enjoy the gun. That said if I had to buy all over again I would go with the decocker. Slightly shorter and lighter trigger pull on the first shot is one advantage. The other is after you decock the gun you are ready to go while the safety version require you to disengage the safety before you can fire. Small differences which might influence your decision but they are there. It really falls to personal preference. As an aside I really dislike the sights the guns come with. If I shot the gun more they would be off the gun and a decent set of competition sights would be on the gun.

Take Care

Bob
 
do you guys have the blued or the polycoat finish?
i can only find polycoat available but i dont know if i should try to hunt for blued finish.
 
in terms of aesthetics i prefer the 97BD because i hate the wood grips on the 97B...
but i know the gun is much more than the way it looks. everyone says the B has a nicer trigger so that is a huge advantage
 
Not a fan of any of the flat black/grey finishes, although I suspect they're more durable than a blued finish. I'm shallow enough, that I like my guns to be pretty and I'm careful with them, so having something you can throw from a moving train, is not on my list of requirements. CZ makes a lot more of their handguns with the industrial finish, but once in a while, they do a run of blued ones. You'll likely have to order one from your establishment of choice and wait - that's what I did.
 
One thing to keep in mind is that it is much bigger than the SP01. I underestimated how significant a difference it is--especially trigger reach. With the stock wooden grips and my smallish hands I can't reach the DA trigger without really contorting my grip. With aluminum ones it's improved but still long--the SA reach is about as long as the DA reach on my HK45.
 
I have the non blued version. Very durable. The gun is really quite big in the grip. The gun is not for folks with small hands. It actually weighs less than a 1911 yet feels much bigger.

Take Care

Bob
 
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