ZastavaCZ999 9mm pistol (updated, pictures) updated, range

[wecsoger]

When I posted earlier on how easy it was to buy this handgun with all the internet integration, got a couple questions on it, so here's my $00,000.02 worth.

First off, no pictures here, since the box o' truth guy has me beat. He's got a full range report: short version, rock-simple reliability.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/educational ... age-heavy/

Just a couple comments of my own...

It's Serbian, so it's more Zastava and not so much CZ. Don't get the two confused. (some folks on the internet get all tore up over this)

Big gun. Small hands won't be happy. It's a cross between a Walther '88 and Sig 226/228. It's advertised as 'compact' but that's stretching

AIM Surplus is selling it for only $289! Leaving my FFL, I was only in for about $320. This is the deal of the decade, if not this century. (so far)

Be prepared to do cleaning. You'll be impressed once you get all the goo, it's not up to the finish of the Walther or Sig, but did I mention $289? You're getting 98% of handgun at half the cost.

Bad news, spare magazines are sold by Sasquatch Industries. Can't find 'em anywhere. Ships with two.

Good news, Beretta 92 mags are a perfect fit. Cup of coffee, drill, file. One hole in the front, file circle down to flat line, good to go.

Trigger pull, single action, excellent. Double action sucks. Do a lot of dry fire, it will smooth out rapidly.

Custom fit holsters appear to be sold by same Sasquatch Industries. Looks like I'm going to pull out my leather craft gear so I can make up a simple Yaqui slide holster.

Ambidextrous slide/hammer release and magazine release.

For the price, reliability, and quality, again this is a deal. I suspect more mags will be on the way.

[wecsoger]

I just checked again, Box 'o Truth guy has his image files boogered up. I suspect he will get them fixed shortly.

Oh, yeah.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx? ... &groupid=3

Disclosure, I've no association with AIM Surplus other than they have hoovered a lot of dollars out of my billfold over the years.

[M. M. Wright]

Really looks like the Sig doesn't it? Looking forward to a range report with some target pictures.

[Old Ironsights]

I'm actually pretty interested in this.

I'm not a crunchenticker fan, but that's barely more than the cost of a HiPoint and would be a decent "social gun" for the times where the SP101 is a little short on followups...

[Grizz]

The note about fitting the Beretta mags makes it even sweeter.

Hard to tell how it compares in size to the XDs tho

[Mdl53]

What Wescoger said plus one. Picked one up a couple of weeks ago just before I went on vacation so haven't even had the chance to clean it up...but...they are a lot like the sig 226. I was expecting a slightly smaller pistol given they call it "compact". Even so it's much cheaper than the sig. One report I read prior to ordering said the guy swapped the slide/barrel/assembly off of his 226 right onto the cz999. While he didn't fire it in that config, the form and function appeared good. Bottom line, 15+1 rds of 9mm in a reportedly reliable somewhat compact package for under $300 is the makings of a great truck gun.

Ed

[Old Ironsights]

How fat is the grip? The video makes it out to be fairly bulky - and given the use of fat Beretta mags...?

[Mdl53]

I guess it will feel different to everyone but for me, I can't feel any difference between the zastava and the Sig 226.

[Old Ironsights]

Man... am I tempted...

[Mdl53]

And we all know what we're supposed to do about temptation... ...give in to it...at least where guns are concerned

[Old Ironsights]

And we all know what we're supposed to do about temptation... ...give in to it...at least where guns are concerned

But... I will be dishonoring St. Browning...

[Mdl53]

As it happens, Aimsurplus has been getting some batches of Israeli hi powers in also for about 399. So... ..buy both and give a nod towards Utah. Everything will be alright.

[Old Ironsights]

...
Bad news, spare magazines are sold by Sasquatch Industries. Can't find 'em anywhere. Ships with two.
...

FYI:

On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 3:56 PM, <OI> wrote:
Looking at ordering a 999 as soon as you get my FFLs FFL. Are additional magazines available?

Thanks

From: AIM Surplus [mailto:sales@aimsurplus.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2015 2:30 PM
To: OI
Subject: Re: Zastava 999

We should have some on the website tomorrow evening.

Thanks

Steve

Obviously, I'm 99% at the point of buying, having handled a 226 at my local Pusher's.... (having around 300rds of 9mm just sitting in the closet didn't help matters...)

[Mdl53]

Well, in this case anyway, buying is the right decision.

[Streetstar]

...
Bad news, spare magazines are sold by Sasquatch Industries. Can't find 'em anywhere. Ships with two.
...

FYI:

On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 3:56 PM, <OI> wrote:
Looking at ordering a 999 as soon as you get my FFLs FFL. Are additional magazines available?

Thanks

From: AIM Surplus [mailto:sales@aimsurplus.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2015 2:30 PM
To: OI
Subject: Re: Zastava 999

We should have some on the website tomorrow evening.

Thanks

Steve

Obviously, I'm 99% at the point of buying, having handled a 226 at my local Pusher's.... (having around 300rds of 9mm just sitting in the closet didn't help matters...)

For what its worth --- im a total and unapologetic brand snob (which costs me untold thousands every year --- as my real needs in this category could be taken care of quite well with one of the police trade in S&W 64's i have in inventory) and i am leaning toward ordering 2 of these --- im not interested in taking a dremel tool to mags to make them work though, so i'd like to have a small batch of magazines sourced

Looks like a great deal for a SIG (er- not a SIG)

[Old Ironsights]

I'm thinking I may end up with two over the next few months, just so I have a spare...

But not even the Used market has deals like this right now.

[wecsoger]

Yes, Aim Surplus just posted mags for sale. I just ordered a couple.


On top of a Glock 17. Not 19, 17. I've no idea where they got that "compact" designation from.


Top of a Browning Hi power. See previous comment, re:"compact"


I like big...never mind. Skinnier than a Browning. About same as a Glock (17)


Another view. Wish I had a Beretta 92 to image also. I'm thinking the Beretta is a little fatter in the grip area.

[Streetstar]

im still leanin' -- the pics dont help ---- i could use a 9mm as a companion piece to the 9mm AR i want to build

I have been looking high and lo for a bargain price on a Sig Pro as an alternative though, but cant find one (I have on occasion seen those down around $350 )

[wecsoger]

Can understand your feelings, but hopefully I gave you something to think about.

I can't find a bad review of this batch of handguns, and I suspect the next batch will be priced higher. I'm still saying they are the deal of the decade, if not this part of the century.

Haven't decided yet on this one, if it's going in the zombie bag, a truck gun, a toolbox gun or concealed carry.

I am curious about the quality of the magazines I just ordered.

[44shooter]

I won one from GUNS magazine back when they were imported by Charles Daly. I never really liked it that much but it only cost me transfer fee and income tax. And it's not eating anything unless I feed it ammo.

[Old Ironsights]

OK... I'm committed... or should be.

Mine comes next week. After Taxes & FFL it looks like $330ish (+ $40 for 2 extra mags).

Now I've got to get a Belt Slide for it...

[wecsoger]

I just got today two extra mags, so we're in the same boat.

Post here how it goes with a holster. There is some information here:

http://www.cz99.org/index.php?page=accessories

I may just drag out the leather craft gear and sew up a Yaqui slide version.

I want an IWB, but not warm with the idea of throwing $60 on a holster that doesn't fit so well.

[Old Ironsights]

Having pawed a 226 at the funshop, the Yaqui Slide type is what I'm leaning toward too... (actually something more like the JAK https://www.galcogunleather.com/jak-sli ... _1169.html)

But this guy http://chasrants.blogspot.com/2014/04/q ... cz999.html says a SigTac P226 holster fits fine.

However, at 1/2 the cost of a JAK, this one might get the 1st nod: http://www.taguagunleather.com/index.ph ... uct_id=705



I don't see why the SIG P226 molding shouldn't work.

[wecsoger]

Finally got some off time to shoot this one, on a family trip to eastern Ky.

So saying, we don't have many ranges over there, but we do have a lot of hills (grin)

Nothing formal and not on paper, just tearing up dirt clods downrange.

Twenty yards to hill side, I had minute-of-rock or minute-of-dirt-clod accuracy. If I didn't get them the first time, I did the second.

Couple of slow, aimed, single-action shots were digging out the same hole.

Double action still sucks on this handgun, but I've dry-fired enough that it's smoothed out. And it does have a good surprise break. Single action is excellent.

I do /not/ like the double-to-single action transition, but that's generic to this style handguns - Sigs, Berettas, Rugers, etc.

Only malfunction was a failure for slide to lock back on one magazine. That was on only my fifth round through this firearm. After that first mag, everything was 100%. And this was some very crappy Russki Wolf ammo that even my Glock chokes on sometimes. After that, same magazines, everything went bang, every time.

Just for reference, was only loading five on my first first initial shots. I wanted to rotate through my four mags a couple times just to run them through. Break-in appears minimal.

Recoil was there, not bothersome. Again, how they're saying this is a 'compact' escapes me, but I'm not a marketing guy.

Gotta run it some more but if it works this well out of the box, I wouldn't have a problem carrying it later on.

Just for reference, watched a youtube video, guy was showing this gun is an exact fit in a Fobus SP11b and SG21 holster. I like the Fobus, good range holster. Still have to work with them as far as an everyday carry holster. (you can search the video or if asked I'll try to find my link again)

Still holding my original position - this is one of /the deals/ of the year, if not this decade.

[Old Ironsights]

I think it's a "compact" because the barrel is slightly shorter than the old Z99 and it doesn't sport a Rail.

I should have my belt slide about the time I get the gun, and I am also going to see if it fits into a P226 Blackhawk Serpa that the LGS has on the wall.

FAQ: Have you tried any 124s? (I know most of the Russian stuff is 115)

My current stock is all 115 White Box, but I figure it will be gone pretty quick (Gun comes Tuesday).

But I'm not enough of a 9mm guy to know which is "better" or if there is a practical difference in POI between them before I go off and buy 500 at a time...

As for rocking gun deals...

Have youse guys looked at the new Guns section of the Sportsmans Guide recently?

EAA Witness 9mm for $265...

Best Selling
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/productl ... c=32&sb=bs
Price Low to High (They even have HiPoints! )
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/productl ... =32&sb=plh

Good grief, you can get anything there on a 4 payment interest-free installment...

[Old Ironsights]

Interesting anecdote:

My LGS is closed on Monday... BUT, the pair of mags I ordered 2 days after I ordered the gun (bank posted the charge 1 day after they posted the charge for the gun) arrived in the POB today.

Mags seem decent/solid with a good follower. Both load easily for a 15.

Interesting to note: A fully loaded mag weighs 9.5oz (ish). My regular EDC (NAA Guardian .32ACP) weighs 15.5oz(ish) loaded...

Next up... pics etc.

[Old Ironsights]

OK... I now own a Serbian gun as well as Russian and Austrian ones.

Out of box impression: DA is no worse than my SP101. That may be good or bad depending on your POV, but it's fine with me as is. If it gets Better, Great!

It fits a Blackhawk! 226 CQC holster just fine. Retention & Release is 100%.

The mag release is what needs polishing...

More later.

[Old Ironsights]

OK... Found and (finally) joined a local gun range/club. Yes, there is an infinite amount of BLM land on which one can theoretically shoot here, but I simply don't have time to locate where it is "acceptable" to do so.

So... after not having pulled a trigger on a loaded firearm for over a Year (how bad does YOUR life suck?...), I took Zsiggy (as in Marley ) and the SPot (the 101) to do a bit of (re)familiarization at the 10 yd line.

Loads were random 115s and a few Sig 124 HPs for Zsiggy and some generic 158gr 357 SJSPs for Spot. Zsiggy had NOT been cleaned - only inspected.

First up, the first 35 rounds "stressfire" (point aim, no deliberation) through Zsiggy... 4 5rd mags and 1 15rd mag - 115gr FMJ & HP.
Not great, but acceptable for the first time ever using this gun.

Then I got clever and tried some slow fire at tha noggin...

Welll... OK then. That's acceptable, if a bit low. (The ear piercing notwithstanding)

SO I decided to take a break and see if I could hit anything with Spot...

I think Spot is working just fine.

So... Observations.

At all ranges from 10m to 15m Zsiggy shoots Low but consistent, regardless of bullet weight, with rapid fire only opening up the average, not throwing it all out of whack. I will fix this with a file.

The DA is FINE to me. The SA transition/reset is a little different and will take some learning (I can actually "soft/controlled lower" the hammer with just fluttering the reset vs. pulling through it...) but it is pretty clean and crisp where it is. No major issues in the first 100rds.

Rapid Fire spreads things out a LOT... but even there at 10 yds I am only getting a fraction of the hits out of the 7 ring.

At 10 yds I can draw a smiley on your noggin with controlled SA fire.

I'm very happy.

As for Spot... well... Spot is Spot and is still my Field Carry gun - for obvious reasons.

I give the Zastava CZ999 a "9 ring" rating.

[TedH]

Looks good. I'll be interested to see how these things hold up after a few thousand more rounds. I'm tempted for the price, but i just really don't need another full size 9.

[Streetstar]

Looks good. I'll be interested to see how these things hold up after a few thousand more rounds. I'm tempted for the price, but i just really don't need another full size 9.

Me too --- These are issued sidearms to some organization or another though, so i hope they put them through some form of a trial process

I dont need a 9mm at all, as i have too many calibers to keep track of as it is, - but that price is hard to ignore since i'm a Sig fan --

--- alas after hearing my wife wake up grumbling and complaining yet again about her sore back, i made a trip to a mattress store and walked out 2k lighter for the trouble --- and thats just for mattress and base - not counting having to procure new linens - (converting from a Cal King to a standard King ) --

-- sometimes shooting seems like cheap therapy in comparison to all the household stuff-ola that can go wrong -- but heck, she'll use it 10 hours a day for the next 7-10 years, and i'll use it 5 hours a day, 7 on weekends (someone's gotta pay for this mess- LOL )

[Old Ironsights]

Looks good. I'll be interested to see how these things hold up after a few thousand more rounds. I'm tempted for the price, but i just really don't need another full size 9.

Me too --- These are issued sidearms to some organization or another though, so i hope they put them through some form of a trial process ...

AFAICT, they are Issued to Serbian Federal Police and Military.

Here's their Proof House Docs...