CZ-97 Dirty!

Nightcrawler · November 10, 2002, 05:06 PM

I decided to rough up my CZ-97B yesterday. First, I fed it Wolf Ammo. Fed it without a single hiccup.

Then, I got it dirty. First, I poured a half-handful of dirt onto the top of the gun and eject port. Firing the weapon blasted the dirt back into my face, but no stoppages.

I placed the weapon on the ground and rubbed each side of it into the dirt. Again, no stoppages.

Then, I pulled back the slide, and poued a half-handful of dirt into the open eject port. I inserted a mag and fired away. I had one failure to feed on like the 4th round, easily cleared. No more jams. I had poured a lot of sand into the weapon, mind you.

The weapon prior to this hadn't been cleaned or lubed in about a month, and had had over a hundred rounds through it at that point.

Overall, I'm satisfied. Now, the big test would be to ride around with it in a Track at Camp Grayling, let it get a fine coating of that talcum-powder like dust and then see how well it workds. Heh, too bad I can't take it with me. LOL

After the test, the trigger had annoying dirt in it and was gritty. Liberal amounts of Gun Scrubber fixed this problem. I lubed it back up with some CLP and she's ready for more.

blades67 · November 10, 2002, 05:55 PM

Did somebody dare you to do that, or do you just have too much spare time?

samualt · November 10, 2002, 06:06 PM

Remind me not to ever let you borrow one of my guns!

P.S. I am surprised it worked so well.

Nightcrawler · November 10, 2002, 08:05 PM

I was curious. A pistol that can't function reasonably reliably when dirty is not a pistol you can count on.

I'd have been happier had it not jammed at all, but sand got into the top of the magazine. Sand in the magazine will jam just about anything.

gordo b. · November 10, 2002, 08:32 PM

I got one of these couple months back for "truck" gun(as in roll around in pick up floor around ranch ect.) because it was $350 + $50 for extra mag. I shot it on range and found it very accurate (not like $2000 1911's, but close enough) and I really liked the "feel", and I dont like "crunchentickers" so your testing was very elightrening and is the reason I read forums for stuff like this.

caz223 · November 11, 2002, 07:41 AM

I understand the idea of a torture test, but I just couldn't do it to that pretty, pretty CZ97b.
I wouldn't be able to sleep for a week.

cslinger · November 11, 2002, 11:03 AM

loose some sleep over this.

Bosley · November 11, 2002, 11:51 AM

i am sooooo tired of reading cz 97 threads........................because i want one so freakin bad and it will be months before i can afford one....

kahrma · November 11, 2002, 12:46 PM

I glad there are people out there that do these things because I just couldn't do to a gun I owned (unless maybe it was a Jennings).

I don't think I will ever have to shoot a gun that is that dirty so I am not all that worried. I keep my guns religiously clean and if they jam when clean I have no patience for them and they have to go!

LetsFetz · November 11, 2002, 01:51 PM

ouch ... poor little big gun ...

IamNOTaNUT · November 11, 2002, 02:17 PM

NC - What is wrong with you? It isn't even February yet and you have already been affected by the legendary UP cold weather? Then again, you are a wildcat, are you not? Alcohol explains a lot . . .

Nightcrawler · November 11, 2002, 03:32 PM

You may not believe this, but I'm probably the only Northern student that doesn't drink. (What can I say? I'm boring. LOL)

I wanted to know how my CZ-97B would hold up to field use. It never jams when there ISN'T sand in it anymore, not even with Wolf Ammo. Took about 800-1000 rounds to get it REALLY broken in, and the 16lb recoil spring seems ideal for it, but it works great now.

Just wanted to see what she could take. Aside from that one dirty magazine jam, my CZ-97B was all like "is that all you got??"

I'm happy with it.

Jason Demond · November 11, 2002, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Then, I got it dirty. First, I poured a half-handful of dirt onto the top of the gun and eject port. Firing the weapon blasted the dirt back into my face, but no stoppages.

Pilot · November 11, 2002, 06:18 PM

?

Nightcrawler · November 11, 2002, 06:52 PM

Look folks, I didn't buy the pistol to put it in a display case and admire. I bought it to be used, possibly in the defense of my own life. I want to know that I can count on it.

So yeah, I got it dirty. Really dirty. I'm going to try submerging it in water for a few seconds, then seeing how it'll fire, I think.

For me, it's a service handgun, not a pretty target pistol. *shrug*

Hal · November 11, 2002, 07:52 PM

(Note to self,,,don't buy a used gun from NC)

Seriously,,,better your gun than mine I guess.

Thanks for "taking it tough" for the rest of us.

I'd recommend not doing the dunk test though. Water in the barrel can casue it to bulge. Ruger had this happen to their Super Black Hawk's way back when they were first being developed. They were firing full house .44 Mag loads downward into a water filled barrel. The drops of water splashing up into the barrel were causing bulges. They ended up using a rubber membrane over the top of the water to keep it from splashing back into the gun. I guess you could take the barrel out and dunk the frame/slide though if you really want to dunk it. I don't think there's much point to it though,,JMHO,,nothing really about getting the gun wet should cause it to malfunction. Ammo maybe,,or if the gun got dunked then sat out for a few days,,yeah, that might make some difference.

Selfdfenz · November 11, 2002, 09:04 PM

A.K.A Awesome.
NC
You should send a copy of that post to CZ-USA (under an alias) and also cc it to Gun Test Reports. I don't have the guts to try that kind of a test myself but I'd wager many of the Wonder-guns we all rave about might not fair so well. If the 97 can standup to this, it's a winner.
From what I've read the P-01s were very extensively tested but the makers must have spent some quality time with the 97 too.
S-

LiveWire · November 11, 2002, 09:16 PM

Impressive. The testing process remains inconclusive, however. You still need to:

1. Bake it for 10 minutes at 425º F (sans grips).
2. Leave it overnight in the freezer.
3. Drop it from the roof of a 10-story building.
4. Run it over with a 3-ton truck.

Let us know how she holds up, yes?

Nightcrawler · November 11, 2002, 09:23 PM

Freezer? Hell, carrying all day around here in winter would be colder than our freezer. If it can't hold up to cold, it's not much good around here...

oboeman · November 11, 2002, 09:35 PM

I noticed you said you cleaned it up with Gun Scrubber...just don't let the stuff anywhere near your magazines. I was cleaning my new CZ 75 BD last night and got some Gun Scrubber on the plastic base of my magazine and it melted it. It now looks like it went through your torture test. I've heard it will do that to some CZ grips as well, but I replaced mine with Hogue grips.

Nightcrawler · November 11, 2002, 09:49 PM

Gun Scrubber will melt many kinds of plastic and most kinds of wood. I took the grips off for the cleaning.

It did NOT hurt the black polycoat finish of my CZ-97B.

chaim · November 12, 2002, 03:27 AM

I put my CZ 75B through a torture test of sorts some time back (though nothing like yours). I went about 500+ rounds or so with no cleaning and little oiling and had no trouble whatsoever during that period. I eventually got bored with the test and tired of my gun being so dirty so I cleaned it. More recently I went two months without going to the range when I finally got back about 1 1/2 wks ago. I hadn't cleaned it when I put it away (it was 2 or 3 range trips since I cleaned it when I put it away) and I didn't bother even making sure it was oiled when I shot it. I had no troubles at all. Of course I usually like to keep better care of my guns but it is good to know that it will take a beating at the range so that should MD ever become a CCW state (or more likely when I move to one) I know my defensive gun can be counted on.

Oh, no more Gunscrubber on my CZs. When I used it I didn't pay attention to the warnings. Well, my grips are still there but if you look they bear scars from the Gunscrubber. I know that it isn't supposed to damage the polycoat finish but since it is a plastic based finish I won't chance it again.

Walt Sherrill · November 12, 2002, 08:45 AM

Sorry to be a spoilsport, but...

Pouring dirt into the open mechanism, unless a round was chambered -- and from your description, it was not -- was pushing your luck. Big time. Relatively small barrel obstructions can have BIG consequences. A bunch of dirt in the barrel, when a round is fired, can be very, very dangerous.

Torture tests are fine, and potentially hurting the gun is one thing. Some of the stuff you did COULD HAVE HURT YOU.

You "dodged a bullet" in both the literal and figurative senses of the phrase. Wise up. You may not be so lucky the next time.

Nightcrawler · November 12, 2002, 03:06 PM

Relax. I made sure the barrel was unobstructed before firing.

Peter M. Eick · November 15, 2002, 06:07 PM

Chaim,

I found your torture test interesting. 500 rnds without a cleaning would be a normal morning for me. I usually shoot about 500 rnds out of each gun I bring to the range each time I go. If my 97b choked after only 500 rnds I would have sold it.

What is the point of going to the range (a reasonable hassle for me) if you are not going to shoot at least 1000 rnds?

November 10, 2002, 05:06 PM	#1
Nightcrawler Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2000 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,945	CZ-97 Dirty! I decided to rough up my CZ-97B yesterday. First, I fed it Wolf Ammo. Fed it without a single hiccup. Then, I got it dirty. First, I poured a half-handful of dirt onto the top of the gun and eject port. Firing the weapon blasted the dirt back into my face, but no stoppages. I placed the weapon on the ground and rubbed each side of it into the dirt. Again, no stoppages. Then, I pulled back the slide, and poued a half-handful of dirt into the open eject port. I inserted a mag and fired away. I had one failure to feed on like the 4th round, easily cleared. No more jams. I had poured a lot of sand into the weapon, mind you. The weapon prior to this hadn't been cleaned or lubed in about a month, and had had over a hundred rounds through it at that point. Overall, I'm satisfied. Now, the big test would be to ride around with it in a Track at Camp Grayling, let it get a fine coating of that talcum-powder like dust and then see how well it workds. Heh, too bad I can't take it with me. LOL After the test, the trigger had annoying dirt in it and was gritty. Liberal amounts of Gun Scrubber fixed this problem. I lubed it back up with some CLP and she's ready for more. __________________ Nightcrawler- TFL Alumnus

November 10, 2002, 05:55 PM	#2
blades67 Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 1999 Location: Chandler, Arizona, USA Posts: 6,014	Did somebody dare you to do that, or do you just have too much spare time? __________________ Guns cause crime like spoons cause Rosie O'Donnell to be fat! I hunt, therefore I am.

November 10, 2002, 08:05 PM	#4
Nightcrawler Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2000 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,945	I was curious. A pistol that can't function reasonably reliably when dirty is not a pistol you can count on. I'd have been happier had it not jammed at all, but sand got into the top of the magazine. Sand in the magazine will jam just about anything. __________________ Nightcrawler- TFL Alumnus

November 11, 2002, 07:41 AM	#6
caz223 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,429	I understand the idea of a torture test, but I just couldn't do it to that pretty, pretty CZ97b. I wouldn't be able to sleep for a week. __________________ I'm not just a gun. I'm YOUR gun. (Hold me.)

November 11, 2002, 11:03 AM	#7
cslinger Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 2,045	Man, it's not even my gun and I might.... loose some sleep over this. __________________ "Is there anyway I can write my local gun store off on my taxes as dependents?"

November 10, 2002, 06:06 PM	#3
samualt Member Join Date: October 30, 2002 Posts: 78	Remind me not to ever let you borrow one of my guns! P.S. I am surprised it worked so well.

November 10, 2002, 08:32 PM	#5
gordo b. Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2002 Location: Peoples republik of Calif. Posts: 961	I got one of these couple months back for "truck" gun(as in roll around in pick up floor around ranch ect.) because it was $350 + $50 for extra mag. I shot it on range and found it very accurate (not like $2000 1911's, but close enough) and I really liked the "feel", and I dont like "crunchentickers" so your testing was very elightrening and is the reason I read forums for stuff like this.

November 11, 2002, 11:51 AM	#8
Bosley Member Join Date: September 4, 2002 Posts: 27	i am sooooo tired of reading cz 97 threads........................because i want one so freakin bad and it will be months before i can afford one....

November 11, 2002, 12:46 PM	#9
kahrma Senior Member Join Date: June 26, 2002 Location: The jungle Posts: 369	I glad there are people out there that do these things because I just couldn't do to a gun I owned (unless maybe it was a Jennings). I don't think I will ever have to shoot a gun that is that dirty so I am not all that worried. I keep my guns religiously clean and if they jam when clean I have no patience for them and they have to go! __________________ Hee Yaaa! Karate chop!

November 11, 2002, 01:51 PM	#10
LetsFetz Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2002 Location: Africa Posts: 341	ouch ... poor little big gun ... __________________ Young man, was that a landing? - or where we shot down!?

November 11, 2002, 02:17 PM	#11
IamNOTaNUT Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2000 Location: Michigan Posts: 477	NC - What is wrong with you? It isn't even February yet and you have already been affected by the legendary UP cold weather? Then again, you are a wildcat, are you not? Alcohol explains a lot . . . __________________ IamNOTaNUT I didn't do it, but I thought about it. Next time I might. NRA

November 11, 2002, 03:32 PM	#12
Nightcrawler Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2000 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,945	You may not believe this, but I'm probably the only Northern student that doesn't drink. (What can I say? I'm boring. LOL) I wanted to know how my CZ-97B would hold up to field use. It never jams when there ISN'T sand in it anymore, not even with Wolf Ammo. Took about 800-1000 rounds to get it REALLY broken in, and the 16lb recoil spring seems ideal for it, but it works great now. Just wanted to see what she could take. Aside from that one dirty magazine jam, my CZ-97B was all like "is that all you got??" I'm happy with it. __________________ Nightcrawler- TFL Alumnus

November 11, 2002, 06:18 PM	#14
Pilot Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2000 Posts: 4,193	? __________________ Pilot Last edited by Pilot; November 11, 2002 at 08:16 PM.

November 11, 2002, 06:52 PM	#15
Nightcrawler Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2000 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,945	Look folks, I didn't buy the pistol to put it in a display case and admire. I bought it to be used, possibly in the defense of my own life. I want to know that I can count on it. So yeah, I got it dirty. Really dirty. I'm going to try submerging it in water for a few seconds, then seeing how it'll fire, I think. For me, it's a service handgun, not a pretty target pistol. shrug __________________ Nightcrawler- TFL Alumnus

November 11, 2002, 07:52 PM	#16
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	(Note to self,,,don't buy a used gun from NC) Seriously,,,better your gun than mine I guess. Thanks for "taking it tough" for the rest of us. I'd recommend not doing the dunk test though. Water in the barrel can casue it to bulge. Ruger had this happen to their Super Black Hawk's way back when they were first being developed. They were firing full house .44 Mag loads downward into a water filled barrel. The drops of water splashing up into the barrel were causing bulges. They ended up using a rubber membrane over the top of the water to keep it from splashing back into the gun. I guess you could take the barrel out and dunk the frame/slide though if you really want to dunk it. I don't think there's much point to it though,,JMHO,,nothing really about getting the gun wet should cause it to malfunction. Ammo maybe,,or if the gun got dunked then sat out for a few days,,yeah, that might make some difference.

November 11, 2002, 09:04 PM	#17
Selfdfenz Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2001 Location: The Gas Tax State Posts: 949	CZ 97B A.K.A Awesome. NC You should send a copy of that post to CZ-USA (under an alias) and also cc it to Gun Test Reports. I don't have the guts to try that kind of a test myself but I'd wager many of the Wonder-guns we all rave about might not fair so well. If the 97 can standup to this, it's a winner. From what I've read the P-01s were very extensively tested but the makers must have spent some quality time with the 97 too. S- __________________ Selfdfenz

November 11, 2002, 09:16 PM	#18
LiveWire Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 281	Impressive. The testing process remains inconclusive, however. You still need to: 1. Bake it for 10 minutes at 425º F (sans grips). 2. Leave it overnight in the freezer. 3. Drop it from the roof of a 10-story building. 4. Run it over with a 3-ton truck. Let us know how she holds up, yes?

November 11, 2002, 09:23 PM	#19
Nightcrawler Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2000 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,945	Freezer? Hell, carrying all day around here in winter would be colder than our freezer. If it can't hold up to cold, it's not much good around here... __________________ Nightcrawler- TFL Alumnus

November 11, 2002, 09:35 PM	#20
oboeman Member Join Date: December 23, 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 26	I noticed you said you cleaned it up with Gun Scrubber...just don't let the stuff anywhere near your magazines. I was cleaning my new CZ 75 BD last night and got some Gun Scrubber on the plastic base of my magazine and it melted it. It now looks like it went through your torture test. I've heard it will do that to some CZ grips as well, but I replaced mine with Hogue grips.

November 11, 2002, 09:49 PM	#21
Nightcrawler Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2000 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,945	Gun Scrubber will melt many kinds of plastic and most kinds of wood. I took the grips off for the cleaning. It did NOT hurt the black polycoat finish of my CZ-97B. __________________ Nightcrawler- TFL Alumnus

November 12, 2002, 03:27 AM	#22
chaim Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,095	I put my CZ 75B through a torture test of sorts some time back (though nothing like yours). I went about 500+ rounds or so with no cleaning and little oiling and had no trouble whatsoever during that period. I eventually got bored with the test and tired of my gun being so dirty so I cleaned it. More recently I went two months without going to the range when I finally got back about 1 1/2 wks ago. I hadn't cleaned it when I put it away (it was 2 or 3 range trips since I cleaned it when I put it away) and I didn't bother even making sure it was oiled when I shot it. I had no troubles at all. Of course I usually like to keep better care of my guns but it is good to know that it will take a beating at the range so that should MD ever become a CCW state (or more likely when I move to one) I know my defensive gun can be counted on. Oh, no more Gunscrubber on my CZs. When I used it I didn't pay attention to the warnings. Well, my grips are still there but if you look they bear scars from the Gunscrubber. I know that it isn't supposed to damage the polycoat finish but since it is a plastic based finish I won't chance it again.

November 12, 2002, 08:45 AM	#23
Walt Sherrill Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA Posts: 6,348	Sorry to be a spoilsport, but... Pouring dirt into the open mechanism, unless a round was chambered -- and from your description, it was not -- was pushing your luck. Big time. Relatively small barrel obstructions can have BIG consequences. A bunch of dirt in the barrel, when a round is fired, can be very, very dangerous. Torture tests are fine, and potentially hurting the gun is one thing. Some of the stuff you did COULD HAVE HURT YOU. You "dodged a bullet" in both the literal and figurative senses of the phrase. Wise up. You may not be so lucky the next time.

November 12, 2002, 03:06 PM	#24
Nightcrawler Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2000 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,945	Relax. I made sure the barrel was unobstructed before firing. __________________ Nightcrawler- TFL Alumnus

November 15, 2002, 06:07 PM	#25
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	Chaim, I found your torture test interesting. 500 rnds without a cleaning would be a normal morning for me. I usually shoot about 500 rnds out of each gun I bring to the range each time I go. If my 97b choked after only 500 rnds I would have sold it. What is the point of going to the range (a reasonable hassle for me) if you are not going to shoot at least 1000 rnds? __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!