Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Tristar S-120 (CZ-75)

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=532347118

Does anybody know much about these? I was not aware of them. They appear to be a CZ-75 clone. Made in Turkey. Anybody who wants to bid on that one, go for it because I'm not bidding. I just wondered if anybody knew very much about these.

Right now as far as I'm aware, there are three CZ-75 clones being made that are being imported into the USA. This one, the CZ-USA rendition and the EAA Witness.

CZ USA is CZ and not a 'clone'.

As to 'clones' there are well over twenty CZ-75 clones manufactured and imported from all over the world.

FAMAE FN-750
Norinco NZ-75
Renato Gambia G-90
BUL Cherokee
Armscor MAP-1
SPHINX - 2000
Tristar C-100
EAA WITNESS
Springfield P-9
Victor Bren 10

Coming across the CZ-75 Clone, a Springfield Armory P-9 surprised me . . .

>> http://www.dogswar.ru/images/stories/pistolet/Springfield-P9.jpg <<

. . . I would like that pistol!

I have a CZ PCR and a TRI-STAR C-100 which is a pretty close clone of the PCR. I don't see any difference in quality, but I do see a big difference in pricing. Based on my sample of one I wouldn't hesitate on the Tri-Star if so inclined. YMMV.

Its just a Tanfoglio..

Don't forget the Sphinx, made in Switzerland. Reputed to be the best of the CZ-75 clones.

Okay.

Is there something wrong with Tanfoglio?

Not at all, but the Springfield p9 is nothing to get excited about, as its still available in different clothes.

In all honesty, with genuine CZs available, I dont see any reason to get excited about any of the others.

No CZ product holds a candle to the Swiss made Sphinx.

TANFOGLIO is the Italian Firearm Manufacture of the EAA Corp. line of pistols including the WITNESS.

Price differences (approximate) are significant in the all-steel offerings:
CZ-75 BD --- $600
TANFOGLIO - $360
SPHINX ----- $2775


"The WITNESS line is well respected among firearm enthusiasts and has achieved great success in the competition world."

I do not doubt that one single bit...but at the cost demanded for them, the appeal is limited.

Understood...and they were the manufacturer of the Springfield P9, as well. Serviceable, you bet, but I would still take the CZ every time.

You REALLY don't want one. When they came out, I bought two. I was so excited that an honest CZ75 copy was available in the US, and icing on the cake was that they were made by Solothurn in Switzerland (current makers of Sphinx). The gun was very nicely machined with a gray Parkerized finish and walnut grips. DA trigger sucked, SA was decent, accuracy was outstanding.

But then came the parts breakage. The first pistol broke the slide stop. No problem, I had a spare right? Sent the first back, and while waiting for it to be returned, broke the magazine catch on the 2nd pistol. Sent it back to Springfield. Several weeks later I get the first back, and it promptly breaks the slide stop again. Send it back. By then the 2nd one was back and it breaks a hammer. That's it, I'm DONE!!! I was desperately wanting it to work out, but they had some serious metallurgy problems. I'm sure the Sphinx pistols have all that worked out, but it really sucked being the beta tester.

If you want a target pistol then the Sphinx is the one to go with. If you want a pistol to trust your life on, then I'll trust it to one of the most proven pistols in the world; at half the cost.

The Sphinx is pretty, but it hasn't had the trial by fire that the CZ has. The Sphinx isn't in service with any major agency who will push that pistol hard to see what breaks. The CZ is one of the most widely used pistols in the world, and it's about as proven as it gets.

I'll take a real CZ over any of the copies every single day of the week.

If I'm going to by a copy, then it would be Tanfoglio because they are used by various police agencies all over the world (quite a bit in Israel) and they're used extensively as competition pistols, so they have had the trial by fire and are well proven. At least the all steel ones, I don't know about the polymer ones.

The Springfield was a relabeled Tanfolglio, made in Italy. It bears no relation to the Sphinx.

I had a relatively early CZ-75, one that came in thru Canada, it was a nice pistol, but frankly, the Tanfoglio I had later was a better-made gun.

The CZ's barrel wasn't much good, with some not-unreasonable loads, the chamber expanded somewhat, making it egg-shaped. They weren't HOT loads, I shot a ton of them in my Hi-Powers, too, and they are never rated for +P loads, so I don't think it was bad ammo.

I don't think it was a normal kind of thing, maybe I had an anomaly, but the Tanfoglio went thru a bazillion rounds without any hitches at all. I shot the hell out of it (9mm), until I realized that it was the same size as a Lightweight Commander, and weighed twice as much. It went away, and I kept on keepin' on with the Commander.

I'm not a hater, I have six CZ rifles and I'm a huge fan, but that particular CZ-75 wasn't all it could have been. And if Tanfoglio still made 9mms on the same-sized frames they used to, I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

Oh man do I feel like a DORK. The Solothurn made pistol I owned was the Action Arms (importer of the UZI in the '80's) AT-84...MY BAD!!!

Yes the Springfield was the Tanfoglio and they were decent guns.

Tristar is Canik, very happy with the one I have, and so far all reviews seem good


https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/tristar-sporting-arms-p-120-pistol-new-gun-review/

I own a Canik 100 which is an alloy frame copy of the steel frame CZ Compact, both the CZ and Canik 100 have a safety rather than a decocker lever. The Canik 100 imported by Tristar is well made and accurate; no malfunctions in the first 150 rounds so far. It is a quality pistol.

The Canik 120 looks to be a copy of the full size CZ 75. The price quoted is 200-250 less than the CZ.