CZ-75 First Edition, from the 'Gunsmith Cats' manga.
Background[]
- The CZ-75 is a semi-automatic, short-recoil operated handgun produced by Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod in the Czech Republic, was first manufactured in 1975. It fires the 9mm Luger (9x19 mm) cartridge. Originally designed for use by Warsaw Pact nations during the Cold War, this short-recoiled operated 9mm semi-automatic pistol has since become known as one of the first "wonder-nines".
- The unique feature of the CZ-75 was at that time the combination of a high capacity magazine with a double-action trigger which lets the user choose to carry the gun "cocked-and-locked" like a Colt M1911 or in "condition-two" with a round in the chamber but with a de-cocked hammer.
- The particular model Rally uses is the first edition of the line, which is known for the durable metal and excellent craftmanship, which makes it the rarest and most sought-after CZ-75 model.
- The one issue Rally has with her gun is of the plastic grips the CZ-75 has and would much prefer ones of black walnut. Rally would later correct this one issue with the Werner Mummert wooden grips given to her by Jeena at the very end of the original manga run.
- Rally ends up using as many as four of these extremely rare pistols throughout the original Gunsmith Cats manga run. Her first CZ-75 is destroyed early on by Bonnie when Bonnie attempted to garotte Rally, which wound up cutting the muzzle of the gun off instead. The second CZ-75 is originally used by the kidnapper Buskie, and later given to Rally by the Chicago P.D. (presumably by Roy, whom earlier agreed to give her first dibs on the first such gun confiscated). The third CZ-75 is purchased by May for Rally while they were in New York attempting to sabotage Bean Bandit's kerosine deal. The last CZ-75 is used by Mister V, who was Rally's father, and later by Rally after she frees Mister V from Goldie's mind control.
- It would appear as though most of her CZ-75s were produced in 1978, as indicated by the "78" stamp behind the breech. In the anime, the opening credits feature a "75" stamp, which would make it one of the absolute rarest of the CZ-75s, as only 54 examples were produced that year. By comparison, 1978 saw 6,047 produced, with most of those going to Africa to serve in the Rhodesian Civil War. 1980 was the last model year of the original short-rail CZ-75s.