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A love Letter To The CZ PCR: My carry gun of choice in California

Let’s face it. When it comes to Concealed Carry options in California, there’s hardly any variety compared to pretty much everywhere else thanks to the Roster. Our selection is aging, the Gen 3 glock is ancient compared to the newer Gen 5’s. The USP, although a classic, is old school compared to a VP9. So what does that leave us? Plenty of revolvers for sure, but is that really all there is? 

My personal choice for an everyday carry is the CZ PCR. It’s by far my favorite 9mm handgun, it has everything I want in a compact package. This choice isn’t for everyone however, the aluminum alloy frame, although lighter than traditional steel, is still heavier than a run of the mill Glock. Why carry it then? Although there’s slim pickings for California, we still have options such as the popular Smith and Wesson Shield, the Glock 19, and the pricey but reliable Kimber Ultra Carry II. 

I prefer compact over subcompact guns for several reasons. They’re easier to hold with the larger grips, they’re a good ‘in between’ size so you can opt to use it for home or for CCW. The capacity is generally larger, and they’re overall easier to use. So why specifically the CZ? Because the PCR (Police Czech Republic) is primarily designed for concealed carry. Originally intended to be used for undercover police in the Czech Republic, it makes for a fantastic choice! 

CZ became known for their signature 75 series, it was one of the original wonder nines along the Beretta 92, SIG p226, and the Browning Hi-Power. Because CZ was beyond the Iron Curtain, it didn’t have the attention of the West until sometime after ‘91 post Berlin Wall. So it doesn’t have a longstanding reputation like Glocks or M9’s do, but it is very much so a work horse of a gun.

The PCR lacks some modern aspects that many firearms share these days, it doesn’t feature a rail on the frame or a takedown lever, or night sights. In fact, the stock sights aren’t particularly good. It’s difficult to find the sights, although they are snag free, they’re small, and obviously not very visible in darker settings. Being a CZ it isn’t as mainstream as a Glock, it doesn’t have nearly the amount of aftermarket support. That’s not to say there isn’t any, just look at Cajun Gunworks and CZ Custom, but it does fall short of what’s available for a Glock

None of this is to say that the pros don’t make up for the cons, they absolutely do! The cold-hammer forged barrel provides fantastic accuracy right out of the box, to a much higher standard than the basic ‘combat accuracy’. I’m not a marksman or a gun expert of any kind, but I’m able to hit pretty tight groups out to 25 meters. And that’s the thing isn’t it? Most people don’t have hardcore training, yet the gun is able to maintain a pristine level of accuracy, that for me is the definition of user friendly.

The gun has no external safety (which is a good thing for a CCW gun). It has a decocker that puts the hammer to a half cock. The DA trigger is of course heavy, but again, the hammer does not reset fully once decocked so it makes the best of it. There’s little takeup, and an audible reset. If anyone knows anything about CZ, it’s that their guns have some of the best stock triggers on the market. 

The grip speaks for itself. Even on the compact version of the 75, it feels as if it was made for my hands. It fits like a glove, and the stock rubberization isn’t the fanciest, nor is it much to look at. However it gets the job done and the purchase when gripping it is very confirming, once you get a hold of it, it’s not going anywhere. 

Like the 75, the slide fits inside the frame. This is probably the most controversial move in the design. Some love it because it lowers bore axis, others hate it because there isn’t much real estate to grip. I’ll agree initially. If the slide is forward and you’re trying to chamber a round, it may take a bit of creativity and practice to get used to it. But when you’re out of ammo, the slide obviously locks back, thus exposing the entirety of the slide. 

It’s worth noting that the magazines are incredibly easy to load for being double stack. CZ factory magazines fit firmly inside the gun, and fly out when ejected. They fit flush in the magwell and can take a beating. They feed reliably even when dirty, and have very easy to read witness holes at the 5, 10, and 14 mark. 

CZ has been in the business since 1936 and has been constantly raising the bar on not just pistols, but PCCs, bolt action rifles, and shotguns. They’re a very underrated company in the unfortunate shadow of gun companies that have had a bigger foothold in the Western market for a much longer time. It’s worth it during your next trip to the gun store to pick one up and try it out, it may be your next favorite! 

Article by: Evan Alvarez CaLoaded contributor

The Remington 870DM: The Californians' New Best Friend

The 870DM is just a modified Version of the old-as-dirt Remington 870. The only real difference is the detachable magazine; to many this feature might just seem tacticool or kitschy but I think its an absolutely amazing feature that opens up new fun options for Californians’.

Remington 870DM

The 870DM retains everything good about the Remington 870. The 870DM detachable magazine system however looks like kind of an afterthought in terms of vision design. It looks simply like an additional slab of metal slapped directly to the receiver to hold together the magazine and receiver together, however in reality it has quite a bit of new design and innovation. The magazine capacity currently is limited to 3 round or 6 rounds, however 3 round magazines are arguably useful for hunters (more on that later). Other than that the 870DM functions just the same as an other old Remington 870. What makes the 870DM so interesting, is that it is one of our only detachable magazine shotgun options in California, with absolutely no restrictions whatsoever. Pistol grips, Rifle stocks, Vertical fore-grips, you name it, you got it (except short barrels). Pump shotguns in California are exempt from “assault weapons” bans that have swept California over the last several years, which allows us to have some freedom within the market to really enjoy the customization we have lost in various other platforms, and since its just an 870, there is a huge and wildly diverse customization market.

The 870DM comes with main one competitor, and of course it comes from their lifelong rival: Mossberg’s 590M. The 590M sports similar traits to the Remington. Same design as the original 590 with a redesign to the receiver, and of course competitive pricing to the 870DM. This too is a completely viable shotgun. Well made, equally highly reviewed and all that jazz, I personally have shot both, and thoroughly enjoyed both. I personally however have an affinity to the 870DM and decided to buy one myself. the extra weight of the 870 makes the recoil more manageable and honestly, I couldn’t handle the look of the 590M magazine. It is by far and away the ugliest of the two, and feels much much looser in the receiver than the 870DM. The 590M does have a slight edge over the 870DM however, offering larger capacity magazines, including 10 round mags and up.

a close up look of the 870DM magazine and assembly

Lets talk about hunting for just a second, we are limited to 3 round capacity in shotguns here in California per State law for any game hunting. For amateur hunters that need perhaps more rounds for bird hunting the reloading process should in theory be much quicker. I also feel like the 870DM, and the 590M for that matter, are fantastic beginner guns for anyone looking into exploring shotguns for the first time, wanting to freely explore customization of a firearm with limited to no California legal intervention, or even wanting to practice using a detachable magazine before exploring into rifle territory.

California AR-15's: Best compliance options

In the current political climate in California, we are forced to comply to excessive and unnecessary regulations placed on our AR-15’s, however these regulations shouldn’t stop you or discourage you from exploring the world of AR’s and the joy of building one yourself. While we wait for the Franklin Armory “Title 1” firearm to go through the legislative process and potentially change the world of firearms in California, we still must confront the options to enjoy AR’s in California with minimal impact on functionality.

What are the current options?

Currently we really have several options to become California compliant: Non-pistol grip conversions, or magazine locks. We will talk about both, specifically the ones that I personally have had experience with and my take on them.

The Magazine Lock

Magazine locks were remarkably inconvenient when they were first released, companies rushed development to meet the new demand and created a whole host of options, varying dramatically in quality, fitment and functionality. I own an AR with such a magazine lock. (image below)

First generation of California compliant mag locks (a complete mess)

This was a maglock I purchased several years ago with haste to comply to California regulations. Its a very simple design that replaces a traditional Magazine release with a poorly machined mess of a metal rod that presses against the upper receiver, forcing you to open the rifle to allow to to depress the release and thus; drop the magazine. Although very simple it comes with a whole host of issues. It is extremely slow, it doesn’t catch the upper from opening completely and as a result, longer barreled or heavier uppers can quickly swing open and pinch your fingers when you’re in a hurry to drop the magazine. This kit (if you can call it that) also didn’t come with a modified rear take-down pin, so you have to press the pin out the way you would normally for a complete disassembly. later models came with modified take-down pins, which I will cover shortly. HOWEVER by far and away the worst feature of this maglock system is the little round hole where the standard screw would go. According to the shop that I originally purchased this system from, I was REQUIRED BY LAW to press fit a small round metal disc inside thus making this system “permanently fixed”, and boy were they not joking, this system cannot be disassembled. Ever. They further told me that I was required to superglue it into place. This completely ruined my rifle, as I stupidly complied, and GLUED MY MAG RELEASE INTO PLACE the glue seeped into my lower and glued my mag released shut. My mag release now wont even open when I drop the upper receiver. The magazine that is in that rifle now simply can’t be removed without a hammer. I have to hammer my mag release and my lower receiver to drop a magazine. The only redeeming feature of this kit was the price, which was about $20, and I use “redeeming” very loosely. This kit simply isn’t an option. Never buy a kit even remotely similar to this one if you want to have a functional rifle. Spend the few extra bucks and buy a quality one.

Something much better is the option on my buddies AR (pictured below)

vastly better system, with far fewer flaws and easier use

This system comes with only one part modification: the rear take-down pin, this example of a much less archaic system came out several months later. The spring-loaded pin can simply be pressed which cracks open the upper receiver just maybe a centimeter, which allows you to drop the magazine with the standard mag release, then just slap the upper back down (the system catches the upper on its own without any manipulation of the pin) and you’re ready to go. This kit costs about $60 (The Hellfighter Mod kit) but similar systems will be around the same price. I personally will probably get a similar kit to this one for my next build (stay tuned for that). The only complaints that I have heard or personally experienced with this kit, are that the spring and button can come loose, and potentially ping right off the rifle. My buddy and I spent a good 10 minutes rummaging though range scrap and spent steel cartridges searching for the little spring and button, eventually finding it. Just check it occasionally to make sure its still tight and you should be okay. Similar, but more modern kits have addressed this problem, and curb the issue, but don’t entirely solve it. All-in-all, I personally think this is the best option to stay compliant if you’re willing to sacrifice the mag release for a half second extra work, if not, see below.

Modified Grips for AR-15s

Grip modifications are the other common option for AR’s in California, From Kydex Grip wraps, to Thordsen stocks; there is a whole host of options to explore. I personally own a rifle that uses the Thordsen stock (image below)

The Thordsen Stock on my AR chambered in 7.62×39
Fitment of the Stock on the rifle
Full 7.62×39 Rifle with the Thordsen stock.

The Thordsen Stock is probably the best I-dont-want-to-modify-my-guns-functionality option. All of the mechanical components on this rifle are exactly the same as a standard non-ban state AR-15, the only difference is the grip/stock combination. Simply because the grip angle is that of a bolt rifle, or a standard “hunting” rifle, and because the stock and grip are one assembly that it is not connected to the buffer tube. It can be a little awkward to get used to, and can irritate the webbing of your hand as it rubs against the point where the lower meets the stock. The bolt holding the whole thing to the lower also can and will get loose after a day of shooting. Locktite or superglue it into place if you wish, but as is evident from my past experiences, glue and guns don’t work well for me. The magazine tube also starts to wiggle itself loose after a day of shooting, but simply hand tighten it and you should be fine, in my experience at least. I can’t really complain too much about this kit, other than those things. It was a little pricey (about $125 when I purchased it) but I can easily say its my favorite compliance option that allows me to use my standard mag release, and there is something really nice about dropping my magazine with no worries, it is also really nice for clearing jams, which is more than I can say about some of the mag-lock kits which make it much more complicated.

Grip wraps, angled grips and the rest

Honestly, I don’t have much to say about them, they are perfectly fine if you are okay with not holding your rifle in a familiar manner. Grip wraps are designed to not allow your thumb to wrap around a standard pistol grip and make for a strange firing grip. Much stranger than a Thordsen stock in my opinion. The same goes for the other angled grips. They all have the common feature of stopping your thumb from wrapping around the grip, and come in a whole host of difference shapes, designs and sizes. However, they can be cheap, like really cheap compared to other options. I have seen Grip wraps cost as little as $10 and boom, you are compliant. This holds true for other grip options as well, especially on sale. Buyer beware though, they are cheap for a reason, and most people in today’s environment go with options that I covered more in depth above. I personally would rather spend a little extra and go with the longer standing more proven systems, but honestly can’t blame someone for going cheap with these options. In fact, my Extreme Budget Build rifle (build coming soon) will probably incorporate a grip wrap.

Welcome to CAloaded

We are a California based gun blog aiming to keep all Californian’s informed and up-to-date with all Firearm legislation, current laws, reviews of firearms/associated products as well recommended products from an average Joe. We will discuss and share products both inexpensive and high-end to suit everyone for concealed carry, home defense, casual plinking, custom builds, rifles, shotguns and much, much more! 

 

Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm: A Concealed Carry Classic

The Smith and Wesson M&P shield has been around for around six years now, and has since release been an extremely popular concealed carry choice across the nation, but with the Glock 43 being widely available to the majority of the rest of the country the M&P has stiff competition among the CCW market for those searching for a striker-fired, polymer framed, single stack handgun. However, for those of us limited in options in our restricted state we have significantly less to work with within the “on roster” market. When originally searching for a carry gun I went through several options: Springfield XD, Bersa Firestorm, Glock 26, and even the Glock 19 until I ultimately really got to handle the Shield.  

I was immediately drawn by the thin comfortable frame, solid weight and smooth, crisp, very limited uptake trigger-pull, a clean break and decent reset, all features one would find desirable for any firearm, however lets dig deeper into the perks the Shield offers to the California concealed carry market. 

Flush (right handed) controls. Left to right: disassembly take down pin, slide release, safety magazine release underneath  

The Shield has near flush features all being hardly noticeable and wont get caught on clothing if a situation were to arise where you may need to pull it from concealment quickly, the 2 part hinged trigger serves as a nice touch in my opinion, an extra, albeit small safety precaution. 

The Shield is also very thin, the slide being the thickest part is still thinner than the diameter of a quarter, and the magazine fitting flush and comfortably with a full four finger grip quite easy and comfortable for a medium sized hand, while on this picture, the loaded chamber indicator is a common complaint among a lot of Californian handgun owners, though I would agree its an unnecessary feature, I haven’t experienced any issues with it with well over 1000 rounds through the gun. 

  The shield does have a few quirks that I have experienced, although I’ve never had any issues with aluminum or brass cased ammunition, It has proved picky about some steel cased ammo, interestingly enough only failure to extract conditions. Cases have gotten stuck in the chamber several times with some steel case ammunition which I would have to drive out with a pen from the hot side of the barrel, I would say its possible that this is isolated to my Shield specifically, However I have seen this happen to two other shields personally, to me that that point it’s more of a pattern than anything else. 

lets discuss the disassembly, by far my least favorite feature of the Shield.   

Take notice of the small bare metal rod in the center of the mag-well

the picture above illustrates a small bare metal rod in the center of the mag-well, this rod needs to be pressed up flat against the mag-well for the slide to be released, so I personally put in an empty magazine until it almost clicks into place, this depresses the “take-down rod” which then allows you to go about the disassembly the way you normally would. Its a small Inconvenience, but to me personally an incredibly annoying one. 

All in all, I would highly recommend the Shield, I have enjoyed both plinking and carrying it for about a year now, its comfortable to carry and comfortable to shoot, for most anyone of any size, if you can overcome the minor quirks, I would personally recommend the Shield over any other Concealed Carry option in California.