Does anyone have any info about the cz97? I think it might make a good gun but I am not too familar with it.

If the quality and function is as good as the CZ75, it should be excellent. I have been shooting my CZ75 of late in IDPA and it performs flawlessly and accurately.

They are excellent, but have the drawback of being larger and quite a bit heavier than the CZ-75. You can talk to guys firsthand that own them @ www.czforum.com or http://triggercontrol.proboards2.com

Both sites have a CZ gunsmith in residence and a few custom gripmakers.

I sure had the hots for one of these this past summer, I just couldn't get my hands around the thick handle! Too bad they don't make it with a single stack magazine for those who don't have giant sized hands...

This link is probably the best place to go to get info on the CZ97B. Just go to "Club 97B".

http://p201.ezboard.com/bczechpistols82792

I had one, and I liked it a great deal. Someone wanted it more than I did, and I sold it.

If you read through all the links in Club 97, you'll come across some of my postings. I made the first full length recoil guide from a stainless steel bolt-using a file and electric drill. Others started a cottage industry with it. Jack Ash (jasckash.com?) sells them-very nice).

It is a well made pistol. Very tight tolerances. Mine didn't have any slide play or rattle. Groups 230 grain FMJ into just over an inch @ 25 yards, and clay pigeons regularly didn't last more than one shot at 50 yards (they weren't flying,-just on the ground against a dirt backstop-i'm not that good of a shot to hit a clay pigeon in the air). The frame is bigger than the 1911 style frame, but shooting was comfortable. Highly recommended pistol. I'd polish the feed ramp, and take out the convex curve of it. You will then be able to shoot truncated bullets, and perhaps SWC.

There are a couple of "down sides" to the 97B, which don't alway hold true. One is that they have a weak factory recoil spring. This is true. It comes with an ~ 14 lb spring. Most people replace it with an 18, 20 or 22 lb spring. Easy and cheap (see Jack Ash site).

Another claim is that they only handle round nose hard ball(230 gr), due to a steep recoil guide. This is partially true. This is corrected with polishing the feed ramp, and taking out the convex shape of the ramp. The other way to improve on this is a design flaw of the low magazine height. If the magazine rode higher in the gun, the bullet stripped from the top of the magazine wouldn't have to travel so far up the feed ramp. Some people have modified the catch point in the magazine. Others have made an aftermarket magazine latch that positions the magazine slightly higher ( ie 1/16" higher).

I didn't have troubles (FTF=fail to feed jam, or FTE= fail to eject) with mine. I shot 230 grain round nose FMJ Hornady reloads (my own). and 230 gr copper washed truncated flat points. I don't recall a single FTF or FTE with anything I shot. All were very accurate.

Like many other topics and opinions, one person can start some negative comments or momentum against anything in this world. Others read it, and instead of testing it, merely repeat other opinions-adding to the rumor patrol squad. They don't test things themselves-only rehash what was posted someplace else, and try to sound like an authority. Be mindful of those types.

I can tell you that I shot about 500 rounds through my CZ 97B, and loved it. it was 100% reliable, and accurate. The recoil guide seemed to help, especially with the 20 lb spring I put into it. It just kept the spring from binding, added some muzzle heaviness (which I like) and looked good. But in reality, I didn't have a problem to fix, by making and installing the FLRG (full length recoil guide).

If I needed a 45 acp, I would look at buying another CZ 97B. I don't shoot much pistol now, and if I do, I like a SAA Ruger Bisley 41 mag. Primarily because it's easy to capture the empty brass from a revolver, than from a semi auto.

Read through some of the postings. Go handle and shoot one, if you can. I think you'll like the quality, and design of it.