CZ USA 1911A1 Another Non Cast Boolit Friendly .45?

[DougGuy]

Pretty common for modern manufactured 1911s to have very little if any barrel throat, the rifling runs right up to the chamber mouth, and it goes without saying that it probably won't "plunk" a round assembled with a .452" boolit unless it is stuffed completely into the mouth of the case and has very little if any of the boooit going into the throat.

CZ USA is entering the 1911 market with an all American made pistol, they are a quality conscious manufacturer with a solid reputation but for us handloaders and casters, not so much. Here is another 1911 made for j-words and j-words only.

I contacted them through their FB page to ask about barrels:


Glad to see CZ making a 1911A1 pistol! In the USA too! Tell me about the barrels. Are they hardened like many of your other models? Will they easily chamber handloads using .452" bullets? Many current 1911s won't until they get barrels throated. We would just as soon see a company consider the fact that thousands of their customers are handloaders and would like to see products suitable for those customers right out of the box, it doesn't take much! Kudos on the new (old) warhorse, I hope it does well in the market!

Their reply:


CZ-USA (https://www.facebook.com/czusafirearms) The barrel is hardened, but the chamber is not over sized. Watch your OAL and make sure you use a factory taper crimp. Remember that shooting reloads in CZ firearms is not covered under warranty.

I did read that their barrel is stainless, which would mean that it may be able to be cut with a throating reamer so it will plunk and shoot .452" cast boolits reliably.

[Char-Gar]

CZ has been making very high quality firearms for a very long time. I am glad to see them enter the 1911A1 market. Many others make stainless barrels and I would bet the CZ barrels would throat as well as the others.

I am unaware of any maker of autopistols that set out in their design to make them cast bullet friendly. It is our job to make them so.

[dragon813gt]

No manufacturer makes a firearm for cast bullets. Just look at factory ammo offerings. The majority of people shoot jacketed bullets. It's just the way it is.

I really want one of these 1911s. But money is nonexistent right now and I may have to thin the herd as it is. I won't be selling any off anything w/ a CZ name on it :)

[DougGuy]

Y'all please do not take my post the WRONG way.. I did not post to knock CZ, I posted more as a PSA saying "Here is another one that may have a tight throat and may not shoot cast." This is not taking a swipe at CZ in any sense of the word, it's just putting the word out there..

[Jupiter7]

Well Doug, as you may know, CZ owns Dan Wesson, Dan Wesson makes top quality 1911's. Also it has been hinted that these are produced by Dan Wesson with a CZ roll mark. For reference, my dan Wesson will run .452 ammo loaded longer than max without any issues. I believe the answer you got would be stock answer from any manufacturer. Only time will tell until someone who knows what their doing runs cast through them. I think the gun is a good deal from the looks of it.

[Char-Gar]

It would appear to be pretty much a straight forward and basic 1911A1 with better sights and checkering on some thumb controlled parts. It is made in the USA.

The price (suggested) is north of some of the overseas clones like RIA. We will just have to see if the quality makes it worth the extra bucks. I am a big fan of basic 1911 pistols, but probably won't be buying one of these. I am quite happy with my Colt GM and Norinco 1911A1.

[Ed_Shot]

Don't know about their 1911 but CZ sure knew how to build a cast friendly .45 when they made the CZ 97B.

145912

[roysha]

YIPPEE!!! Another 1911. YAWN.

[Love Life]

Don't know about their 1911 but CZ sure knew how to build a cast friendly .45 when they made the CZ 97B.

145912

Did you have the 1911 bushing upgrade done on your 97B?

[Ed_Shot]

Did you have the 1911 bushing upgrade done on your 97B?
Yes, mine is a Cajun Gun Works E Model. It has the entire upgrade package that David offers. It's a joy to shoot.

[TXGunNut]

Sounds interesting, will have to keep an eye out for one. Not that I need another 1911, lol.

[Love Life]

Nice! I've been thinking about having them make me a 97B for target shooting.

[TXGunNut]

Nice! I've been thinking about having them make me a 75B for target shooting.


I've wanted a 75 since I first got a good look at one. I guess it's best that I've never seen of heard much about the 97. Very nice.

[Love Life]

I've wanted a 75 since I first got a good look at one. I guess it's best that I've never seen of heard much about the 97. Very nice.

I meant 97B.

[TXGunNut]

I meant 97B.

You wrote 97B. Please excuse my ignorance it's a 45 and a CZ so that's enough to interest me. There's something intriguing about the rail design and ergonomics of a CZ designed pistol. It's nothing like the S&W revolvers and Colt 1911's I'm most familiar with but I can pick one up and feel right at home.
Good thing they're a bit hard to find or I'd bring one home and blame it on you, lol.

[376Steyr]

DougGuy,
I think you may have confused CZ with your original question to them. In the 1911 world, "throating" refers to beveling the rear of the chamber to allow various nose shapes to feed. Their response was based on this. You apparently want information on the "leade" at the mouth of the chamber.

[Ed_Shot]

DougGuy,

The factory barrel for my CZ 97B is not modified. I size all boolits to .452 and use the following OAL's. I have not tested to see how long I could seat these boolits before touching to lands. This should give some indication of how CZ is cutting their .45 ACP champers.

Lyman 452374 (230 gr) 1.272 ~ 1.275 as spec'd in the Lyman 4th Ed

Lyman 452630 (200 gr), HG 68 clone, Lyman spec's 1.235, I seat to 1.245

NOE 453-210 RF/HP (220 gr) 1.190

[1911KY]

This gun uses the same barrels that are in the 5" Dan Wesson pistols. Both of my 5" Dan Wesson's run my Lee H&G 68 clones flawlessly sized to .452", as well as the the 230 gr TL RN sized to .452". You shouldn't have any issues running cast in the CZ 1911.

[DougGuy]

This all sounds encouraging as I thought "Oh Lord here we go again" with tight tolerances that wouldn't feed .452s without throating when they replied to my question. Sounds good so far!