February 1999
Team CZ-USA competitive shooter Ted Bonnet, two time IPSC Standard Division World Champion, has staked his reputation on the legendary quality of CZ pistols. Bonnet, who has won numerous major titles with the CZ 75B says that the gun·s “out-of-the-box” accuracy, reliability and economical price make it a perfect choice for competitive shooters.
“The all-steel CZ handgun provides shooters with a smooth trigger, low profile slide and high quality barrel that is so crucial in today·s competitive arena,” said Bonnet. “I depend on CZ·s quality and reputation every time I come to the firing line in a competition.”
Bonnet gives personal testament to the versatility and reliability of CZ quality handguns.
“The gun that I used to win the 1997 Hellweg World Challenge Stock Auto Division was declared illegal for the shoot-offs portion of the match. I had to change frames and slides to 9mm (from 40 caliber), and then won the Shoot-offs in the Stock Auto Division. It was a true testament to CZ·s interchangeability of parts.”
Bonnet, who has been shooting for Team CZ-USA since 1997, began shooting competitively in 1987 at the San Antonio Self Defense Club. Greg Ferris, his present Gunsmith, managed the gun club. Ferris still does all of the “personalization” on Bonnet·s CZ guns.
Bonnets titles include: 1998 Steel Challenge IDPA Enhanced Pistol Division, 1998 Carter Martin Memorial; 1998 3rd Overall Texas State Limited Champion; 1998 8th Overall Standard Division at North American Championships; 1997 Hellweg World Challenge Stock Division World Champion; 1997 World Shoot-offs Stock Division World Champion; 1996 IPSC Standard Division World Champion; 1995 World Shoot-offs Stock Division World Champion; 1993 World Speed Shooting Stock Division World Champion; 1993 IPSC Standard Division World Champion; 1992 USPSA
Limited Division National Champion; 1994 USPSA Area 3 Limited Division Champion; 1992 and 1993 USPSA Area 4 Limited Division Champion; 1993, 1994 and 1995 Texas State Limited Champion; 1992, 1993 and 1994 Texas Riviera Limited Division Champion; 1992 Texas Riviera Champion (HOA); 1994, 1995 and 1996 Space City Challenge Limited Division Champion,; 1993 and 1994 Texas State NRA Iron Sight Champion; 1992 Texas Challenge, High Overall; 1990 Texas Steel Challenge, High Overall; 1993 USPSA Limited Nationals, 7th Overall; 1996 World Shoot-offs Championship, 2nd Overall.
Bonnet first became interested in shooting as a boy spending time with his father who was an avid hunter and shooter. He would help his father reload and went hunting with him whenever possible. He began shooting pistols at the age of seven.
Currently, Bonnet works as a corporate pilot for the law firm of Shaddox, Compere, Walraven and Good when not participating in competitions. His firearm credentials include being a NRA Certified Handgun Instructor (BFJ7664H) specializing in Basic Firearms, Home Safety, Personal Protection, a Texas Certified Concealed Handgun Instructor (00004968) and a USPSA Grandmaster.
In 1999, Ted Bonnet will be competing with the new CZ 75 ST with modifications. He was instrumental in designing this gun for competitive shooters. This limited production race gun is a combination of the CZ 97B and the CZ 75B and will give shooters higher capacity and greater accuracy.
The CZ 75 ST features a skeletonized hammer, a lengthened beavertail, an enlarged magazine well, thinned front sights and oversized ambidextrous thumb safeties and magazine release buttons. CZ has added a longer slide and a full-length dust cover to add weight to the front end, which further tames recoil. The resulting increased slide to frame fit adds inherent accuracy to the CZ 75 ST.
“With its heftier frame, longer slide, full length dust cover and lengthened sight radius, the new CZ 75 ST,is a much more competitive pistol for IPSC matches,” said Bonnet. “I·m looking forward to shooting it for the 1999 shooting season.”