Posted: 10/8/2007 4:01:00 PM EDT
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Folks I have really come to like the CZ82's. I wanted to "sporterize" one to possibly use as a CCW. Here's what I did. I got a VGC one from SOG. It was unfired and had just a few little flaws in the paint and the mandatory rub mark under the TG from the mag rubbing it there during storage. I cleaned it up and did a range trip to make sure it was OK. It was. Then I cleaned it, stripped it down and bead blasted it. Solvent cleaned it and mag parked it. (Brownell's mag park solution.) Then I applied deep blue GC and baked it. Came out great. And with the GC on the rails and guides the slide seems to work slicker now also. Less friction. Then I got a set of wood grips from Red Storm Holsters for it too. Those required some removal of material on the insides because it made the mag fit too tight. But it was easy work with a sanding drum and a file until the mags slid in well again. Here's the results: Shown next to another near mint CZ 82 I have for comparison.  What do you think? The whole project took about four hours of work. I've become a bit of a CZ nut. I have these as well as a great CZ83 in Mak caliber with a nickle finish. It's a beaut too. I really like the CZ82. Great ergonomics for me. The quality is typical excellent CZ. But the paint finish seems soft and easily damaged. And much of the underside of the slide is bare steel as is the outside of the barrel. I wanted to add better corrosion resistance. And GC over park is an excellent finish. Now it strikes me as an excellent pistol in all ways. |
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Thanks guys. There are a few guns out there that I have come to know well, trust and fit me well and I can use them better than most other guns I try. First, I'm a nut for the AKM system rifles. I don't want to argue AK vs AR here. But different folks like different tools. Some tools you can use better than others. Maybe it's my short stocky east euro build, but the AKMs work really well for me. The CZ 82/83 pistols are another like that. For a small pistol, the Mak caliber ones havbe alot going for them. The CZ82/83 is the Cadillac of the Mak pistols. And it fits my hands well, points very naturally and just plain works great for me. Flawless operation too. Then there's the XD45's. I'm an old 1911 fan as I used them in the Navy back in the day. Almost two years back I went to get a new 1911 and came out with a service model XD45. It is simply flawless in it's operation and fits me perfectly and does everything well. (I like Glocks, but they just don't fit my small hands like a XD does.) With an eye towards CCW use, I picked up a new XD45 compact today at the local Marine Camp Exchange. I don't see the CZ's getting much respect. Perhaps folks think they are common and cheap right now since they can be had for $200. But when I inspect them closely and see the fit and finish of the parts and the great design, I come away feeling these 82s are very under rated right now. I'll try to get a pic taken with my stock CZ82, the sporterized one as well as my nickle finished CZ83 all together in good sun light tomorrow. Yep. Very under rated! And that project of mine was quite easy to do. Some bead blasting, parking and guncoating and fit some new grips..... Voila! Really adds character to an already fine pistol! |
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I cleaned it with brake cleaner to get oil off. (Keeps the blast media clean.) Then I bead blasted the stripped parts. The paint came off very easily. Then anothr cleaning, drying and into the park tank. Then the GC application. Had a accquaintence over today with his son to set a few rivets on an AK build and do some parking on it. (Polish UF.) I let him use my tools and stuff and his son loves it and learns alot too. While he was at it he bead blasted his well worn commercial hi cap Mak pistol and parked it. Years of carrying had worn the blue off. It took him one hour start to finish and looks great. That oiled park will wear way better than the blueing did! Pistol refinishing is something anyone can do at home. Compared to work on a rifle, it's a snap! |