Handguns

With the current mania for subcompacts, it was inevitable that CZ would eventually offer a truncated version of its legendary 75 platform, and so it has. The CZ 2075 RAMI is an exceptionally compact alloy-framed double-stack that's available in .40 S&W (8+1) and 9mm Parabellum (10+1).

Thanks to the high-cap-magazine ceiling, there's a pretty good argument for single-stack subcompacts. But in the case of the new CZ--particularly in its .40 S&W iteration--a beefier handle is a lot more comfortable to shoot when you consider that your little finger is going to be curled under the base of the magazine (thankfully, the bumper is broad and smooth enough to be reasonably comfortable).

My particular specimen was a .40. Being a fan of the CZ 75, I was quite curious to try out this miniaturized version, which weighs 25 ounces unloaded, sports a 3-inch barrel and has an overall length of just over six inches.

During my shooting session, I used Remington/UMC 165-grain FMJ, Winchester/USA 180-grain JHP, Speer 155-grain GDHP, Black Hills 165-grain JHP Plus-P and Hornady 180-grain JHP/XTP loads. My range time was a bit limited, so I ran a target out to 25 yards, which, in retrospect, might have been a bit long for the chopped 75. However, the 2075 delivered acceptable accuracy--from a sandbagged rest--at that yardage with most of the loads I used. The best results at 25 yards came with the Winchester USA 180s and the Black Hills Plus-P 165s. My average five-shot groups with both of these JHP loads averaged slightly over three inches, but the rather creepy 51⁄2-pound single-action trigger and short sight radius proved obstacles to really precise shooting. Moving the target in to a more realistic 15 yards produced a "best effort" of two inches with the Speer 155-grain GDHPs.

The chopped CZ was remarkably tractable even with the rather stout Black Hills stuff. I experienced several failures to feed with many of the JHPs, which is something I feel is attributable to the gun's need for a lengthier shoot-in period than I was able to give it. The slide-release latch proved difficult to access and manipulate; simply racking the slide to chamber a round is a far faster and easier way to get things going with the 2075 if you're in a hurry.

The fixed three-dot sights (actually, they're drift-adjustable for windage) provide an excellent picture, and the beavertail, although abbreviated, precluded--at least for me--any hint of a bite from the Commander-style hammer.

I did try several rounds in the hammer-down DA mode. Although the trigger broke at a long, slightly rough 13 pounds, I was able to smack 10-inch gongs fairly regularly at 25 yards. Many CCW holders are going to, no doubt, opt for a cocked-and-locked carry with this one.

The 2075 RAMI .40 is a welcome subcompact variant to the CZ 75 family. If you feel the need for a powerful, lightweight auto and prefer a DA/SA option, it'd be worth checking out.