The Return of a Legend: Is the New CZ 75 Worth the Hype?

Take my money! The all new CZ 75 Legend is a throwback to the original CZ 75, one of the OG wonder nines of the early 1970s.

Back in the 1970s, it was one of the original "wonder nines" that changed the way people thought about handguns and carry guns. Now, the legendary CZ 75 is back with its original look and feel but updated features in the new CZ 75 Legend. A throwback reincarnated with less recoil that looks better than ever, where do we sign?

Why Choose The CZ 75 Legend?

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"Earning the status of a legend takes more than excellence," the gunmaker says of its new pistol. "You have to be far ahead of your time. You have to be “one of a kind”, a true pioneer. And that’s exactly what the CZ 75 was – and still is. At the beginning of the 1970s, the term 'Wonder Nine' was completely unknown. There were some very good handguns chambered in 9mm Luger, but each of them were missing something," CZ says.

"The Browning Hi-Power had good capacity, but the SAO trigger was not the best. The Walther P-38 was better with its SA/DA trigger, but the magazine capacity of only eight rounds was insufficient - at least for emerging global threats like terrorism, organized crime, etc. The SIG P-210 offered great comfort, a good trigger, and superb accuracy. But the cost was expensive, and it had no DA capability. Sounds like the only thing that had to be done was to combine these three guns. Well, not really."

This new CZ 75 Legend uses the same recoil-mitigating design, borrowed from the SIG P-210, with inverted slide rails: the slide doesn't travel on the frame but inside of it. This allows for a higher grip and lower reciprocating mass, which translates to less felt recoil. Additionally, the new handgun is extremely faithful to the original - even the screws look like the old school version.

CZ 75 Legend Features and Specs

Trigger Mechanism: Precise trigger with a clearly defined break and a short reset. DA: 11.9 pounds / SA 4.7 pounds
Frame: Lightweight 7075 aluminum frame - 30.4 ounces Caliber: 9 × 19mm
Magazine capacity: 16+1
Safety features: Manual safety, Safety notch on the hammer
Grips: Polymer
Frame material: Steel
Trigger reset: 0.3-0.4 in
Trigger travel: SA: 0.4±0.04 DA: 0.5±0.04 in
Trigger type: SA/DA
Thread: No
Sights: Fixed, Luminescent
Barrel length: 4.5 inches
Height: 5.7 inches
Width: 1.5 inches
Length: 8.1 inches
Weight with empty magazine: 41 ounces