Even when I win, I lose!

[Cavalryman]

As you may know, I really like CZ pistols. I've had a CZ75 since 1985 which I retired about 3 years ago in favor of a CZ85 Combat which has been in my holster almost nonstop since. A year ago, I bought a CZ75 Kadet which is a CZ75/85 in .22 caliber and is more fun than a barrel of monkeys. However, I've always subscribed to the "bigger is better" school of gunfighting and about 2.5 years ago, I bought a CZ97B pistol which is .45 ACP caliber. It is pretty cool looking with a brushed nickel frame and matte blue upper. For whatever reason, I never got around to taking it to the range until last weekend. I put about 200 rounds through it and I was astonished at how well it shot. It was like shooting a laser gun! At 40 feet standing offhand, they all went into a 3 inch circle! On my way home, I bought a holster and when I got home, I cleaned it well, stoked it up, and have been carrying it ever since.

Last night, I decided to find out a little more about the CZ97B. Even though I'm a big CZ fan, I had never checked out any of the CZ forums on the internet until last night. Much to my surprise, I found that the CZ97B with this finish was a special run made for some importer named RSR and there were only 60 of them made! That's right, sixty! They're highly sought after by CZ collectors. So, here I sit with the most accurate (for me) big-bore pistol I've ever shot, and the damned thing is a collector item.

What do I do now? Should I just ignore the collector value and continue to carry it, or should I put it back in the safe? I still have the box, the plastic case, the cleaning rod, the bore brush, and the barrel bushing wrench, although I think I threw away the fired case (because I hate and resent those stupid rules coming out of the People's Democratic Republic of Kaliforniagrad). $#!+...Even when I win, I lose!

[hunter_la5]

if you're really worried about the collector's value, but you still want a CZ97B to shoot, why not just use this as an excuse to buy another one?

[Nazgul]

Oh just shoot it!

I have a buddy who got a '68 Camaro for $4000 a few years back. This car was a total survivor and minty except for paint. My bud put on new paint and drives it everyday...even though he knew if he did a full restore he could save it for sale it and make a ton of cash. Enjoy it while you can and shoot the crap out of it.

[rustypirate]

I would either shoot it, or buy another not-so-collectible model to shoot.

[k98k792]

I say shoot it. There are 60 of them. You are one of a kind. We all are. :thumbup:

[GreenWolf]

Are you a collector, or a shooter? Or both? I'll bet that most of us fit into the "both" category by varying degrees. So as a "both," I advise you to shoot it. Isn't that what you bought it for? Take good care of it.

[rep30cal]

Put it in the safe if you are afraid something might happen to it,
then go out and buy a Glock 21, I've had great luck with mine.

:poke:

[weasel_master]

Word on the street is Calvaryman is a huge Glock fan. :wink:

[Old Jimmy]

Enjoy the pistol as K98 says.

Old Jimmy

[wonderwolf]

Rock Island Armory 1911...enough said

[Player]

save it, collect it...

[Cavalryman]

I called my buddy who always gives me good advice and he said, "If you ever do have to shoot to defend your life, do you want to do it with your second-best pistol?"

My wife asked, "What it is worth?" I said not a whole lot more than I paid for it...but it's rare. She said, "If you had paid a thousand dollars for it up front, would you hesitate to use it to protect your family?" I allowed that if I had paid a thousand dollars up front, I probably would have spent it for exactly that purpose. She said, "Since it probably won't be worth $1,000 in your lifetime, I recommend you shoot it. I know I'll feel better knowing you are carrying the pistol you shoot best."

That settles it...The CZ97B is now my favorite carry pistol! :thumbup:

[Alaskagrown]

I need to meet up with you and shoot sometime I have shot a 75 but have only looked at the 97

[Phirebug]

there are sixty of that gun. how many guns do you have that shoot better?

[Planning]

you have already shot it, so much of the collector value is already gone. (there is still some), but i would shoot it, but take care to not loose any of the boxes or stuff that came with it. if you descide to sell it later it will still bring a lot better price than a regular one.

RSR is just a wholesaler. many of the larger wholesalers ( they are one) have small runs of guns made for them. unless there is something extra special, (special calibre,special barrel length, special logo, special grips, engraving, special wood box, etc.) they tend to not be worth much more than a regular gun.

i guess i would put the pistol up for a few months and watch that site for anything special going on with it. if there is going to be a collector value for it, it usually shows up quickly. then you can figure what to do with it. ( i learned my lesson trying to buy commerative winchesters, never again)

good luck, this is not an easy thing to do,"collecting guns"
i know i posted 2 different points of views on what to do.

[K.O.A.M.]

Keep it and shoot it. If you like it, that's justification enough.

[Cavalryman]

there are sixty of that gun. how many guns do you have that shoot better?

I don't have any that shoot better. The collector value isn't all that high anyway. It's worth a little more than what I paid for it...it could escalate in value, but at this point, I don't care.

[jfowl31]

as planning said... its already been fired. The difference in 100 rounds and 500 rounds as far as collecting goes is MINISCULE. If it were NIB, I'd say keep it and don't shoot it. But being that its already used, I'd keep shooting it until I found something I liked better if that ever happened. If it never happens, you have a super rare gun to pass down to kids and grandkids. Imagine your grandkids telling their friends that that gun was 1 of 60.

I got one of the "1 of 500" limited edition Cetmes and I'm shootin the crap out of it when I can afford ammo. And I don't plan on selling it.