Czech-Made CZ TT45 Among Newer .45 ACP Pistols
by Larry S. Sterett
Contributing Editor
When “Heck was a pup,” or more realistically, when fireworks were legal, and this shooter was still using torpedoes and cap guns, about the only readily available .45 ACP chambered handgun was the Colt-manufactured M1911 or the M1911A1. (Not so today.) The M1911 was and is an autoloading single-action design, time tested, with the basic design (1905) now a century old.
Among the newer pistols chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge is the CZ TT45, manufactured in the Czech Republic by CZ Strojirna, s.r.o., CZ-386 01 Straksonice. Imported by ADCO Sales Inc. (4 Draper St., Dept. GWK, Woburn, MA 01801; phone: 800-775-3687; on-line: www.adcosales.com), the TT45 features a polymer frame with steel slide assembly, barrel, recoil spring, guide rod, magazine body, hammer, trigger spring, and rear sight. (The slide on the test gun featured a large port on the topside, just to the rear of the front sight, but the barrel was not ported.)
The polymer frame is well designed, with an adequate tang to protect the web of the hand from hammer bite, plus slight thumb rests on each side, checkering and stepped ridges on the frontstrap, backstrap, and sides of the well-shaped grip to reduce slippage, and a slight forward sweep on the toe of the grip.
Raised panels reinforce the upper frame surfaces, but are contoured to insure a pleasing appearance. (The steel slide rides on rails on the inside of the polymer frame, rather than on the outside of the frame as on the M1911. A number of other pistol designs function in the same manner.)
Weighing in at 26 ounces, empty, the TT45 measured 7-9/16 inches overall, with a barrel length of 3&Mac186; inches. The maximum height measured is 5&Mac186; inches, and the width is 1-7/16 inches.
Sights on the TT45 consist of an integral 0.145-inch wide white dot front blade, and a square notch 0.117-inch rear, drift-adjustable for windage; a white-dot graced each side of the notch. Sight radius on the test pistol measured 5-7/8 inches.
With a round in the chamber, the TT45 may be fired double-action (D/A) or single-action (S/A) for the first shot. (The trigger measured 0.325-inch wide, with a smooth, slightly convex face.) The let-off on the test pistol measured 13&Mac186; pounds for the double-action, and 4&Mac186; pounds for the single-action.
When in the completely forward position, the burr hammer on the TT45 proved to be a bit difficult to cock. This was partially due to the squared-off breech of the slide partially enclosing the hammer, leaving only a small portion of the burr to thumb. However, either thumbing back or pulling through on the trigger until the second “click” is heard moves the hammer to a position where it can easily be thumbed to the full cock position if desired.
Safety
The frame-mounted safety, located on the upper portion of the grip, left side, is similar in shape to safeties on the CZ 75, 85, and 97 pistols. When in the lower position, parallel to the barrel, a small red-colored dot is exposed above the upper edge of the safety, indicating the pistol is in the firing mode.
If the safety is pushed upward at an angle of approximately 30 degrees, the red dot is covered, and the pistol is in the “safe” mode. (The safety blocks the hammer in all three positions—fully down, half-cock, and full-cock—and prevents the trigger from being pulled through.) The safety is within easy reach of the right thumb, and pushing it down places the pistol in a “firing” mode.
Slide Stop
The slide stop is located forward of the safety and functions in the same manner as on the M1911. The thumb pad is serrated, as is the pad on the safety, but is just beyond easy thumb reach, at least for this shooter.
The extractor is the external type, located on the right side of the slide in the three o-clock position facing forward. (The ejector is located in approximately the 8:30 o’clock position facing forward.) Fired cases landed from one to two paces to the right and slightly to the rear of the firing point, depending on the load being used.
Markings on the test pistol included the CZ logo and “TT45” on the left side of the slide, with “ADCO Woburn MA” and the serial number on the right side forward of the ejection port. The right side of the barrel breech was marked “Cal .45 ACP” along with a proofmark and the serial number.
The right side of the frame was marked “CZECH REPUBLIC” and “READ WARNINGS BEFORE USING GUNS.” The serial number on a steel plate is located on the left side of the frame, just below the safety lever. Both sides of the grip feature the CZ logo, just above the base.
Double-Stack Mags
The magazine on the TT45 is a double-stack, single-feed design, with a black steel body, black synthetic floorplate and a bright orange-colored synthetic follower. Magazine capacity is listed as 10 rounds. However, nine rounds were much easier to load. The magazine is a drop-free version with the release button in the same location as on the M1911; it’s easy to access with the right thumb.
Checking the TT45 for functioning and accuracy was done from the bench at 25 yards. Using a two-hand hold with the wrists resting on a sandbag, 3-shot groups were fired using a variety of loads and brands of .45 ACP ammunition. (Brands included: American Eagle; Cor-Bon; CCI Blazer; Federal; Hornady; MagTech; PMC; Remington; Samson, and Winchester.)
Magazine Fed
All rounds were fed from the magazine, which was loaded with nine rounds, fired three per group. The majority of the groups, regardless of the brand or bullet weight, measured between 3 and 4 inches in diameter, with only a couple going over 4 inches. The smallest group fired measured 1&Mac251; inches center-to-center, and was shot using the PMC 200-grain full jacketed semi-wadcutter. Remington’s Golden Saber produced one group measuring 2-11/16 inches, but as mentioned, the majority of the groups measured over 3 inches center-to-center.
No feeding problems were encountered with any of the cartridges fired. Extraction and ejection were flawless, with the fired cases landing to the right and some three paces to the rear. No handloads, or commercial lead bullet loads were checked. Such loads should not make any difference in the operation of the TT45, but could, just as might other jacketed bullet forms. (Bullet types included full jacket round nose, hollowpoints, semi-wadcutters, and truncated designs.)
Fit and finish on the TT45 was excellent, as expected on any Czech-manufactured small arm, be it handgun, rifle or shotgun. The edges of all surfaces on the polymer frame are rounded and the fore and aft surfaces on the upper portion of the steel slide are beveled; no snagging here. The black matte finish on the slide matches the black polymer frame and the polished “white” barrel adds a bit of contrast. (The magazines has a highly polished finish which resembles black chrome.)
The TT45 tested had good sights, showed excellent craftsmanship, and was reasonably accurate. All exterior surfaces were snag-free, including the beavertail on the frame tang. If the pistol was just a bit smaller, it would make a handy pocket pistol. (The frames on most .45 ACP pistols are a bit too thick or wide to easily conceal in a pocket, but it can and has been done.) As is, the TT45 is a well-crafted comfortable holster gun with a larger magazine capacity than the M1911.
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