Cz-75/85 Hammer Drop

[Eager]

Can I drop the hammer of my CZ-85 to only half-cock or do I have to push it down all the way when "makeing ready" for Production? I know I have to drop the hammer for Production.

I've competed once with it, and won , but now that I think about it I was likely only dropping the hammer to the half-cock position since it take a bit more effort to get it to go all the way down to full cock and I don't usually (ever) do that.

I believe both positions are safe, so if it's OK by the rules, I'll just continue to drop it to the half-cock position since this is easier, feels safer to me, is what I'm used to, and is maybe a bit faster to shoot.

On an up note, I was so confident and skilled at dropping the hammer on my CZ, that no one even balked at me doing it, although I was prepared to explain that it was necessary, safe and standard procedure with CZ-75/85s to a dubious RO.

Edited October 12, 2005 by Eager

[Flexmoney]

Rule 8.1.2.2 says that the hammer needs to be "fully down".

[Vlad]

Yup, it has to be fully down. I used to bitch about this, because if you use a CZ decocker model it only drops it to the halfcock notch, giving you a slightly lighter DA pull. After a while, I'm not even noticing the difference between DA and SA unless I have a 25yard or longer first shot so the difference between fully down and 1/2cock just doesnt matter.

[Eager]

Angus Hobdell confirmed for me over on CZFORUMS.com that he drops the hammer all the way in USPSA Production. I also found the complete discussion of CZ hammer dropping that I had been looking for:

http://p201.ezboard.com/fczechpistols82792...opicID=92.topic

[Carlos]

You are correct in that this was a big discussion some time back. Appears that the rule is interpreted as: "half cock for the de-cocker models but all the way down for every other gun"

To me, this is unfair & unsafe since:

1) on models without a Series 80 safety/ FP safety like the 2005 model CZ 85 Combat, the gun could well go off if dropped with the hammer resting against the pin. I suppose this condition is considered safe, because its what is required.

2) If its safe, then why not require the de-cocker guns to fully lower their hammers right against the firing pin? All they have to do is grab the hammer & pull the trigger (oh, the horror). Hey, that is how other guns are de cocked & I have yet to hear of a verifiable AD that way.

I previously stated that I think the rule should be interpreted so that all DA guns should start with their hammers in the same position (i.e. NOT with the hammer resting on the firing pin). Seems like the most fair & safe interpretation to me.

[Nik Habicht]

I previously stated that I think the rule should be interpreted so that all DA guns should start with their hammers in the same position (i.e. NOT with the hammer resting on the firing pin). Seems like the most fair & safe interpretation to me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Except that it doesn't work that way for all DA autos. When I decock a third gen S&W Auto, and then take the safety off, the hammer rests on the firing pin.....

If the concept of hammer resting on firing pin with out a firing pin block is argued to be unsafe, perhaps we should only allow modern guns with firing pin blocks to play?

/tongue in cheek mode....

[mark dye]

I shot a CZ M75 de-cocker most of the last year. I also own a M85 non decock which I've been using as a backup. I spent a lot of time wondering about the rule for half cock v/s full hammer drop. I quit wondering after a lot of time on the range doing draw drills from both modes. There was absolutely no advantage from either mode. I choose to shoot the decocker gun because I feel safer de-cocking than manually lowering the hammer. This is despite the fact that the de-cocker is MUCH harder to do trigger work on.

As for the chance of an AD from the hammer resting on the firing pin...almost imposssible. Like a 1911, the CZ75 is has an inertia driven firing pin. Even if the hammer is resting on the back of the firing pin, the FP is too short to protrude through the breechface. It must be driven forward with enough inertia to impact a primer. It would take a drop from a very great height directly on the muzzle to generate this much inertia. The chance of an AD from such a drop is the same regardless of whether the hammer is resting on the FP or not (assuming of course that we are discussing a non FP block handgun).

Mark Dye

[bulm540]

Hey Mark, did you have angus work on your CZ or did you do the work yourself? I shot a Cz 85 last weekend at NTPS and it si sweet. I wil be trying an SP 01 next week.

Edited October 14, 2005 by bulm540

[eerw]

ohhhh..you'll love the SP01...

[bulm540]

That's what I am afraid of.

[Matthew_Mink]

Mark did all the work himself. Very impressive too, he pioneered the use of the DA Competition hammer in a decocker pistol as far as I know.