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Turns out now I've tried all 3 of the currently available grip options from VZ Grips, because info/opinions on the VZ's for CZ's in particular are still fairly scarce (which I guess is why, in part, after lots of searching I've now ended up trying all 3 types for myself), and also since it's come up in quite a few threads on CZ grip options, figured I'd share what I've found in my experience with the different types that are available so far... The first ones I tried were up until recently the only ones VZ offered, now they're using a proper name identifying their texture/style, they're the "Tactical Diamonds", and they rock. They're strange in that they look like they're going to be slippery or maybe as though the fine checkering is just "for show", but once you put them in your hands, in reality they're about 2-3 times as grippy as grips that have been covered in skateboard tape... They have a weird quality unto them that's IMHO different from any other grips I've tried on a CZ (and I've tried nearly all of 'em) in that their texture makes them extremely grippy (more so than almost all the others out there), but yet at the same time, they don't hurt and feel quite comfortable to the touch and can even be carried IWB without too much discomfort. I'd describe these grips as "sleepers" in a way, as they look more like the type of grips guys might get just to enhance their pistol's looks or to just slim the gun down with their thinner more "flat with subtle radius" rather than "palm-swell" profile, but the texture performs, and I think the grip they offer is really more so towards that which most competition/action shooters are looking for; they're not "all show, no go", there's actually much more "go" there than you can really see just by looking at them and without actually handling them. Next I tried the "Frag" iteration. These, of the 3 types available, are probably the ones I'd reach for if I was just looking for some cool looking, well-made grips with an awesome profile. They're not quite what I'd call slippery, but they're certainly not going to maim anyone's hands either. The Frags, purchase-wise, IMO are more along the lines of maybe what I consider a 3rd generation Glock's grip texture to be; they'll give you something if you really clamp down on them, but otherwise they might as well be smooth. These might be the best VZ option for anyone who carries a CZ IWB day-in day-out, the profile still rocks, they just don't have the kind of bite one might expect from checkered G10 grips, in fact I'd bet most competition/action shooters would most likely have skateboard tape covering them by the end of a day or two, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing if that's not what you're looking for. The latest ones I've tried are the "Diamondbacks"... HOLY FREAKIN' AGGRESSIVE! I'm no wuss when it comes to aggressively textured grips, my hands have seen some work over the years and are pretty tough, and I've had (and liked) lots of different types of sharply cut G10 grips over the years on lots of different guns (mostly 1911's), to name a few examples: Larry Davidson Shredders, Simonich Gunner Grips, the original VZ Diamondbacks for 1911's, etc... for the CZ's I've had the CZC AL "lemon graters", AL grips covered in skateboard-tape, and pretty much all the others of relevance. IMO these VZ Diamondbacks for CZ are hands down more aggressive than any of them, with fairly large hands (XL-XXL in a Hatch duty glove) and after working on my grip strength to where I'm now closing a Captains of Crush #2 for a few reps, I'd have to say that they're actually painfully sharp. I have little doubt that I could probably draw blood if I were to really clamp down on them on a cold morning, they're THAT aggressive. I'm not quite sure if it's just their inherent sharpness or maybe that coupled with my grip being stronger and that they slim down the CZ to where I can crush the crap out of my strong-hand with my support-hand, but it's actually sort of ridiculous, I want to love them but they freaking hurt me, and this after only dry firing with them for a short while a couple times... I never actually thought that I would come across grips that were actually too aggressive for me, in fact the thought hadn't even crossed my mind, but it is what it is, and it looks like I might have to wimp out and exchange them for another one of the other types. I think these might be the s**t for some guys though, I mean once you're clamped on your grip isn't going anywhere. They might even be good too for guys who's grip isn't really that strong or developed as the texture does a lot of work for you on it's own, but for me, I think it's too much. I've spent a while now making my grip stronger and stronger, and trying to adjust to loosening it up with these grips so my hands aren't killing me by the end of the day just seems kind of wrong to me. JMHO. EDIT: I've since handled the Diamondbacks more and have come around to where I like them. They do in fact pretty much feel too-aggressive at first, but seems it takes a few days to get used to them... The shear amount of grip they offer is incredible, and as it seems is the case with most things, no pain = no gain (at least, for me, it's true in this case). Thanks to VZ's excellent customer service, with only the added cost of covering additional shipping, an exchange of the Diamondbacks for another pair of the Tactical Diamonds could be made as they're still new, worth noting as besides the nice grips, good customer service goes a long way when it comes to getting my repeat business and VZ Grips seems to have that together too which is nice and getting rare these days. A bunch of guys on this forum have had these grips as well, and hopefully they can chime in with how they feel about them if they want to. VZ makes a great product in all 3 of the different types available and I hope they continue to make even more, but at $75 a pair + shipping, hopefully this post will help make finding the right ones maybe a little bit cheaper than it was for me.

All are 4.75" and the only CZ's without FPB's that are Production legal are the Shadows and the 85 Combat. The 85 Combats have the older-style frame with the "duck-tail" beavertails, which many (including me ) aren't as fond of as compared to the newer-style frames with the upswept-bevertails (like on Shadows and certain others), but hey, everybody's hands are different, and lots of guys love the "duck-tail" frames and find them to be just fine. IMHO, you've really got to handle them both to know which you prefer.

If you reload, .40 no question; at minimum pf it can shoot softer than a 9 for IDPA and your GTG for loading Major pf for USPSA SSTK. If you don't reload, 9mm is cheaper for IDPA but you'll need to hit A's in USPSA SSTK to be competitive. FWIW, both 40 and 9 in 1911's can be a bit of a headache, if that's not something you're ready to roll with .45 putting you in CDP and GTG for SSTK is the easiest to get to run.

For me, I've decided I'm just fine with: 13lb hammer-spring + reduced power firing pin spring + extended firing pin = light and smooth and shootable DA, that doesn't completely rob the "crispness" of the SA (15lb hammer-spring feels a bit crisper to me, but the DA isn't as nice), but really no chance of light-strikes ruining a Saturday and I can shoot any primers/ammo out there without having to worry about it... IMHO, the DA/SA transition is really the thing, a pound lighter won't help me there enough to chance light-strikes.

No, got the #1 first and actually laughed out loud when I felt how tough it was even after about a month closing a cheapo one for lots of reps... Took maybe 2-3 months to be able to close the #1 over and over, now I've got a pretty strong grip and use the #2 casually in order to maintain it, don't know if I'll ever really need the #3, it must be crazy tough!

Any updates on measuring/weighing one? Was just looking at the CZC site thinking "man, that long slide Shadow would rock". This: http://czcustom.com/cz75shadowls-bblk.aspx I kind of think the chances of one making weight for IDPA ESP (43ozs) are slim, but if it will and it fits in the box...

For me, the whole percentage thing just seems too clinical, I now have come around to thinking/believing it's really more about one's support-hand than strong-hand, meaning that the support-hand does more of the heavy lifting, but I tend to think/believe everybody's perception of how much is right for them percentage-wise is different depending on the individual... I think of the grip-strength thing in simpler terms: if the goal is to hold the gun as solid as you can while being relaxed enough to manipulate the trigger properly and without inducing trembling or getting fatigued quickly, than that's exactly what one should try to do. That said, using a grip-strength trainer like a Captains of Crush or something can help big time, since, in effect, you're "resetting" your casual/relaxed/comfortable setting as to how solidly you can hold the pistol while still being able to be relaxed and maintain good trigger technique; say if your old "grip-force-while-still-relaxed-setting" was a "2" in terms of how solidly you could grip the gun, after you increase your grip strength for a while with some training, your new "grip-force-while-still-relaxed-setting" can be up to maybe a "7" or more (stronger, more like it's in a vise), which as long as you're able to still be relaxed and not fatigue quickly, is just plain better as it's more steady and can recover/control the gun better while aiming and under recoil. I used a $6 grip-strengthener from Wally-mart for a couple weeks and then I saw some real improvement, since then I've now got a Captains of Crush #2 in both my vehicles that I just play with doing reps as I'm driving around, the payoff has been huge for me, maybe/probably more improvement than from anything I could have done from many months and boat-loads of rounds on the range. Hear me now, believe me later, a stronger grip is a plus. This subject is right up there towards the top of the list of the many many awesome things I've picked up from the benos forum. Maybe it's not really a question of trying to do anything more per se than you're already doing right now, maybe you just need to make yourself into someone possessing a little more built-in grip-strength who's doing it.

An important thing to mention just in case it doesn't get pointed out is that a few of us are singing the songs of a Shadow or "Shadow-like" CZ, which means a CZCustoms competition hammer installed or a Cajun Gun Works hammer-job or maybe a trip to Stuart aka "eerw" and lighter hammer-spring... A regular ol' SP-01 or 75 is a fine gun, but a regular, standard CZ trigger isn't going to make anyone coo or get wide-eyed, the hammer-hook geometry on a regular CZ is super conservative as compared to how the hammer/sear geometry can be set, so a suped-up hammer is pretty much required to get what we're talking about. Shadow-ish spec guns are not ubiquitous and are actually pretty rare, you almost never catch them for sale used for a reason and they are a different animal the a run o' the mill CZ, but man are they worth the extra cash, plainly-said most guys who get to try one end up buying one so it would be expected and typical to not get a lot of real feedback about them other than from guys who've really felt/shot one... in most comparisons to other production guns the CZ's get dogged because not that many know the difference between a factory CZ-75B-variant and the thing we're talking about.

Since the "whatever YOU like best..." point has been made quite eloquently by a few already... Please permit me to give my pure, unreserved, and tactless opinion: compared to a CZ Shadow, the others suck. If you're just basing your comparison 100% on the hardware (no indian, all arrow), having shot thousands of rounds through all the ones you've listed, I don't know how anyone who's shot them all for any amount of time/rounds could look you in the eye and tell you the Shadow doesn't plain rule. The DA/SA thing will not cause you to be hit by lightening, contract leprosy, or force you to talk to your doctor about erectile dysfunction. The truth is that a Shadow's DA pull is in many ways actually better then most of the guns listed, as it's free of any hitches and is pretty much on par with that of a top-shelf revolver's (I hear that Miculek guy seems to do fairly well with those), the thing that requires practice is the transition from DA to SA, but even that is really WAY overblown to the point where it's more "fish story" than reality. Besides, after that one measly DA shot is over, the SA on a Shadow is very much, no BS, about as good or better than the best 1911 you've ever shot (especially if it's a Custom Shadow or one that has a CZCustoms competition Hammer which is even nicer than the already awesome factory Shadow's hammer). I've had M&P's with crazy good trigger-jobs and every single Apex thingy made installed; next to a Shadow's trigger, they suck. I've tried XD's that have had very $$$ trigger-jobs from both Springfield's custom shop and Springer; compared to a Shadow's trigger, they sucked. This is pure unbridled opinion, so please don't flame me and freak out if I've hurt anyone's feelings who is a fan of the other pistols. I'm just sharing my take on this particular thread/question and hope others will do the same without taking any offense. IMHO, there list is much shorter: Shadow or STI GP6 (Grand Power K100)? - That STI-imported Slovak blaster is like a polymer Shadow that does a couple cool tricks that the Shadow or really no other gun I'm aware of can do: in SA it's got next to zero take-up slack, the trigger acts exactly as it's an SAO and might as well be a 1911 except the reset is actually shorter than a 1911's! It's only real drawback is that it's aftermarket support is real limited (at least for now until more guys try one).

Interesting hearing you say that... I've got a Polished SS75B that I've decided to hold on to and while I don't hate the polished look, you've got me thinking of doing the slide and maybe controls Matte Bronze and leaving the frame as is, kinda a half n' half look...

Very cool!

The full-dustcover/railed Shadows can are just fine in IDPA IF you can get one light enough, which isn't real easy to do, usually it takes having to use the plastic factory grips and expensive 10rd mags, but a lot of times you've got to fiddle with swapping out other small-parts too. IMHO it's a PITA, but if that's what you want it can be done, the adjustable-rear models make it easier as they're lighter from the start. My comment on the CZ's being far more reliable than the 9mm 1911's comes from lots of experience and spending lots of $$$ finding out the hard way... As mentioned, it's the shorter OAL of 9mm that really is the problem, it's exactly right that the guns "born" in 9mm just work better.

What Squirrls said. P.S.: There are Pro's and Con's to either... If you don't mind shooting only ESP, an SAO Shadow trigger is amazing as you can dial out pretty much all of the take-up slack and then you get to enjoy the same trigger-goodness as those who've got CTS's, you'll end up running a trigger every bit as good (or probably better) then the very best 9mm 1911's hanging in ESP, except the CZ's tend to be about 100x more reliable than any 9mm 1911... That said, you'll lose the ability to also run it in SSP where once in SA the Shadow's trigger is a huge advantage over just about anything else that can play there... I leave mine DA/SA so I can shoot either/both ESP and SSP and try to shoot both divisions/classes whenever I get the chance without changing a thing other than my first pull.

Nice.

I think one of the biggest reasons to try all-black-irons is how "true" or "honest" they feel when it comes to calling shots. I don't think I ever really knew what it felt like or had fully experienced the ability to call shots before I switched to all-black-irons and that's really what got me sold on them. I wouldn't debate that when first trying them it was far easier to pick up an FO front sight more quickly than an black-serrated front, but after a little time passes and your brain/eyes get used to them, that quick acquisition advantage fades away and due to the added accuracy the irons seem to promote, now I actually think they're faster after time+points is added up. I don't think it's the kind of switch that can be made by just picking up someone else's gun with all-black sights and popping off a few rounds to see if you like it... In fact, I think I'd go as far as to say that pretty much it's almost a sure bet for most that are new to them to expect to not like them (or maybe even hate 'em)... IMHO it takes a few sessions/weeks (ideally on a gun you know well) to really reprogram your eyes/brain to be comfortable/used to them, and that's when you start to see the rewards. Now when I pick up someone's gun with FO's I'm like "who put this big distracting dot right in the way of what I need to see?"...

Nice, haven't seen this thread in a while, good to hear your transition went pretty well. When shooters I know or are squadding with who shoot Glocks ask me about going from them to the CZ's (which happens a lot, as they still aren't really that popular, but more and more seem to be showing up at my club every match) I pretty much almost always say the same thing: It's pretty hard for most mortals to not pull a shot to the left at least every now and again with a Glock's trigger (especially out past 15 yards), but the same bad shot I might have pulled that wouldn't even have been on the paper with the Glock, might still be an 0/A with the CZ, their trigger's and weight really make them a lot more forgiving than the Glocks IMO, and more forgiving is good...

The review is "locked"... no can read..?

I've got a spare trigger-return-spring (though I've never needed one yet), and a spare extractor spring, an extra-power one that I bought after reading a few threads out there from when I was new to CZ's that said an extra-power extractor-spring was a necessity (but I haven't needed one yet, and now, after shooting CZ's for a while, I kinda think the spare having to be of the extra-power-type might just be BS)... that reminds me, I need to order a regular-strength one to have on hand for JIC (but really, having a fresh extractor on hand for someday down the road probably wouldn't be a bad idea either, so I might need one of those too). I need to order an extra slide-stop and then I'll feel covered. IMHO, the TRS, extractor, extractor-spring, and slide-stop are the 4 things that could possibly go and turn a CZ into a paper weight and aren't bad to keep on hand JIC you were to get unlucky...

Thanks to both of you... but, huh..? So the taller sight prints higher than the shorter sight..? The exact opposite should be true, unless there's some other factors in play... (Yeah, I know 115's will print a little higher than 125's... but not that much higher...) Maybe you're both right though (and here's what I'm guessing is up): Sounds like Steel1212's set-up prints where it does because, since it's an FO front, like the majority of guys who run FO's (and as was the case with me anyway until I switched to plain-black-serrated fronts), the glowing FO dot tends to become the front aiming/alignment point instead of the tip/top of the blade, and the dot actually winds up more aligned with the top of the rear than in the middle of the notch (vertically) as it would be if the top of the front blade was strictly aligned with the top of the rear's notch... that, combined with shooting 125's compared to 115's, would explain it. At any rate, I was cool with my gun printing a little high for a while, but I've missed a couple head-shots that I should've made the last couple matches (IDPA, missing high with the tell-tale half-bullet hole/grease-ring just above the perforations, argghh) so I'm going to go to a taller front, since Dawson only makes the .170" or .215" in plain-black-serrated (and since I'm converted and can't stand FO's anymore), looks like the .215" is it. It's on the way, guess I'll post again when I see what I get...

Interesting... I have pretty much the same set-up (75BSS + CZC competition rear) but with a Dawson .170"x.090" front, and mine shoots a little high, but thought the math would have a .195" height have it hitting right at the top of the blade... What exactly do you get at 7yrds, and then at 27yrds with the .215" tall front..? And are you using 115's, 124's, or 147's..? I have both a PRE B 75 and a SP01 both hit POA/POI with 125gr MG/Zeros with the .195 front sight. Thanks... but here's the thing that always pops up when talking sights: what rears are you using (especially with CZ's), and what do YOU mean when you say "POA/POA", MY "POA" means the top of the front blade, lots of guy's POA means the dot or middle of the front blade..?

Interesting... I have pretty much the same set-up (75BSS + CZC competition rear) but with a Dawson .170"x.090" front, and mine shoots a little high, but thought the math would have a .195" height have it hitting right at the top of the blade... What exactly do you get at 7yrds, and then at 27yrds with the .215" tall front..? And are you using 115's, 124's, or 147's..?

Wanted to add: probably 1 of my favorite parts I've upgraded/added to my gun cost about $3... A Cajun Gun Works reduced power firing pin block spring. I know it's just one little stupid spring, but It pretty much makes it so you can't even feel the firing pin block lifter in there in SA, takes about a half-pound off the pull weight as compared to the stock spring and makes it feel very nearly identical to the pull with the FPB removed. I'd experimented clipping a few coils off a stock one but the lil' CGW spring really feels/works better.

That's the caveat right there... and can just come down to one's own personal integrity sometimes as at most casual local matches probably no one will care whether the FPB is installed or not, I know for myself, I shoot IDPA a lot and there's no way I can call anybody on round-dumping or any other questionable BS if my own equipment isn't legit, and even for Production, I take a little bit of pride in playing by the rules, so mine stays in if/until I get a Shadow. With the right springs and a competition hammer installed the only real difference in trigger-feel is that a non-FPB gun will have 1/4 the reset distance... honestly, it's not that huge of a hinderance and nothing a little more practice/skill can't mitigate.

Here's the deal: if you want the shorter reset, you've gotta pay for it... Stinks, but it is what it is. I'll add this: the shorter Shadow reset isn't going to turn anyone into TGO, but to me it helps enough were even having a fully blown out and tuned up Stainless 75B I'm still looking out for a used 75 Shadow to come along every day and might just have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. The reason is that the clock doesn't lie and I'm not as fast and accurate with the longer reset, so for me, like many, the extra cash might be worth it...

Lately I'm a fan of just wiping everything down with FP-10, cleans as good or better than Hoppes #9, but it leaves a thin film of lube that makes the next time even easier... the biggest thing though, it smells sort of "minty" instead of toxic which I just find is much better to deal with. Of course non-chlorinated brake cleaner will degrease the sucker completely, just keep it away from the red marker paint dot for the safety unless you want that gone too!