Guns: Wringing Out the RAMI

Here's another post from THR archives - an old review of the CZ RAMI pistol, back when I first got my CCW permit:

Wringing out the RAMI - Review & Range Report

My concealed weapons permit came in the mail yesterday and I picked up my 9mm RAMI from my FFL today. I took it out shooting (after my circuits exam, though ;p) at a local indoor range. I only had half an hour, so I could only run about 200 rounds through it before I had to clean up my brass and leave.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I bought the gun NIB for $490 after shipping and transfer fee. It came with a case, manual, 2 10-round mags, lock, snap caps, cleaning tools, and a mag loader. It's the first time I've ever bought a new handgun, so I was impressed with all the junk they give you.

Though the dimensions of the RAMI are close to a Glock 26 or XD subcompact, there's no denying this is a chunky gun. The slide is about the same width as my CZ-75, but the frame is noticeably thicker (CZ-75 on left):

The RAMI has an abbreviated barrel and grip when compared to the CZ-75. The shorter barrel makes sitting more comfortable, and the shrunken grip drastically reduces "bend-over" type printing when carrying IWB (at least for me).

Many parts of the gun strike me as overly wide - the hammer, the trigger guard, the beavertail, and the mag release. It handles much like a CZ-75, however, and the back and front of the frame have striations for added control. The CZ factory rubber grips that come with the RAMI are fairly thin and give you a good grip on the pistol. All in all, I was impressed with how well the gun pointed and came on target - basically as good as my full-size CZ-75.

DISASSEMBLY, INTANGIBLES, & DRY-FIRING

Disassembly is basically identical to the full-size CZ-75. The slide release is more difficult to knock out, though, but that may change with time. Fit and finish are typical CZ - the black polycoat makes the outside of the pistol uniform and businesslike, and the internals are somewhat rough.

The safety and slide release are very thin. It takes a little practice to consistently knock the safety off and on, but it's very positive and clicks into place audibly (one thing I've always liked about CZs). I recommend not using the slide release at all - better to slingshot the slide back, IMHO.

I was able to get a 2-1/2 finger grip on the gun:


The trigger was the one weakness of the RAMI from other reviews I have read. Either I got really lucky, or CZ is making the newer RAMIs differently, because my trigger is pretty good right out of the box. Single action has a lot of takeup on the first shot and a slight amount of creep inherent with the CZ action (the hammer goes back slightly when the trigger is pressed), but the break is about as light as my CZ-75 - no 9 pound trigger here. Double action is even better, since you don't notice the creep - just one smooth pull, but heavy enough to be completely safe, even at half cock. Both trigger pulls are more than good enough for a concealed carry piece.

AT THE RANGE - MAN, I HATE LOADING SUBCOMPACT MAGS

The 9mm RAMI mags hold 10 rounds, but the 9th and 10th rounds took some incredible cajoling to fit inside - my hand was actually hurting after the range session from loading the mags. Thankfully, the RAMI itself is a pussycat to shoot- it should be, since it's about the same weight as a Glock 17.

I ran a mix of Remington UMC 100-round bulk pack JHPs, Wolf FMJs, and Blazer Aluminum FMJs through the RAMI. Unfortunately, it failed to feed from the 10-round mags multiple times in the range session, and ejection was anemic. Hopefully this is just a "break-in" period, but I'm not taking any chances - in two weeks, I'll be able to take it to an outdoor range and shoot many, many more rounds through it.

A COUPLE WEEKS LATER...

I took the RAMI out yesterday along with my brand spanking new 642. I ran a total of 200 Wolf FMJs, 200 Blazer Aluminum FMJs, and 100 Magtech JHPs through it (not the best diet of rounds, but hey, this is supposed to be a challenge ). It became quite apparent, as Caliburn suggested, that one mag was feeding correctly and one was jamming a lot (not to mention I could only force 9 rounds in there).

It was educational shooting the snub next to the CZ. With the RAMI, recognizable 25 yard groups are doable, and even 50 yard shots land where you want them to. Rapid follow-up shots are simple, and reloads are fast. I really appreciate single-action autoloaders now. After the 200 Wolf FMJs, I stopped using the bad mag and started concentrating on the good one.

Unfortunately, the 175 rounds I fired through the snubby had taken their toll (not to mention loading 500 9mm rounds into those stiff and small RAMI mags). My hands were in bad shape. After 200 Blazers and 50 Magtechs with the good mag, I had a single fail-to-feed near the end of the day, but keep in mind that by this point the feedramp was very dirty and I was limpwristing/flinching badly, since I had blisters on my both my trigger finger and thumb and my hands were literally shaking from all the soreness.

The jury's still partially out, but I think I can trust my RAMI for now, as it passed the "200 round test" advocated by Preacherman and others even in the worst conditions (not so great ammo, shooter in bad shape, dirty). If you decide to buy one, make sure to test it thoroughly before you carry it, of course. As an aside, the grip screw worked itself out from the recoil (that's how bad I was limpwristing) and I lost it at the range, so I called Mike at CZ up this morning and he's sending a new one. He recommended using a thread-locker to keep them in.

AND STILL LATER... : K&D Holster Review

Today I picked up the K&D IWB Belt Defender I ordered for the RAMI (took about a month, which is not too bad).

It's a nice holster - on par with my HBE IWB I ordered last year.


The finish is shiny and new, and the holster has the typical stiffness of new leather. Retention is okay but not spectacular, but this is not critical for this type of holster, and I suspect the RAMI's shallow ejection port is much of the cause, as well. I sort of wish that the holster had a higher back like my HBE rig to protect the safety, but I'm sure you can get this as an option, and the safety on the RAMI is so slim that it's no big deal anyway.

The clips (My preference is for the over the belt style, but the J clips are less bulky) are quite adjustable so you can set your ride height at whatever you like. I'm going to try it as is for now - it rides slightly higher than I'd like but it still feels fine. The holster snaps onto my Wilderness Instructor's Belt with no problems.

The holster is of the smooth-side out, rough side in design. The HBE holster is the opposite. Frankly, the HBE holster looks worse, but works better. The rough material grabs on clothing (specifically your pants/shorts and your briefs/boxers) and helps the holster stay put when you draw. The K&D rig moves around a bit more, and is flatter and somewhat wider at the belt, making it less contoured to fit at the 4 o clock position, at least for my body. It's still a fine holster, but keep this stuff in mind when you order.