Striker Fired Wunder Nine: CZ P-10F

This week, my CZ striker experience finally got to come full circle. I got my hands on a P10-F optics ready, the latest and greatest in CZ’s polymer striker-fired line. Which is fitting, since the P10-C was one of the first reviews I ever did for GunsAmerica Digest, a little over 3 years ago.

I was fully prepared not to like the P-10C because it felt a little goofy in my hand. I had just come from the competition world, which meant I shot one pistol exclusively for like 5 years. But, at the range, it absolutely changed my mind. The C model was a lead slinger, the kind of gun that made it both hard to miss, and hard to go slow. It wanted to RUUUUUUN!

I also thought it a bit odd that CZ went with the C model first in production. I generally prefer to test the full-size model, but CZ didn’t even make one back then. Given the market’s preferences, it probably does make more sense to build in that order. The P-10C is also one of the few guns I have sent back to the manufacturer and then kicked myself for years for not asking for an invoice instead. It was that good. So when the P-10F came up for review, I jumped right on it.

The P-10 series of weapons and this makes even more sense in the full size, was built to fill a gap for the CZ-75 fans. The CZ-75 is an absolutely fantastic weapon, even winning over such die hard 1911 fans as Jeff Cooper. Yes, that Jeff Cooper. The “wonder 9” has won world championships and seen service with armies and police forces across the world. It is one of the smoothest shooting guns you will ever hold, and I recommend it highly. But it does have drawbacks. Mostly one drawback.

The CZ-75, with its all-steel frame, is heavy. Extremely heavy, like 2.5 pounds heavy. This is one of the things that makes it extremely shootable, but it does have consequences in a belt holster. In a world of super lightweight plastic fantastic guns, you can see where that loses some appeal. If you have to carry one all day every day, eventually that weight will start to matter.

So CZ’s engineering department looked at what could be done. First, could they retain the absolutely unique ergonomics of the CZ-75? This is more important than most people think. The 75 has a certain feel to it, unlike anything else but a Bren 10. (Not an accident by the way.) Not only do users get a preference for a certain feel, but it matters in use. Mostly on a snapshot from the holster, but it does matter. If you shoot a CZ-75 at matches on the weekend, you want something that points the same from the draw in a duty gun. Or CCW gun, or tactical, or whatever. And the P-10F managed to do exactly that. It feels like a polymer 75 when you hold it, which is awesome.

The second thing CZ had to do with the P-10 family was keep the trigger snobs happy. One of the advantages of a 75 is the single-action trigger, which is absolutely fantastic. If you are going to build a striker-fired substitute, the trigger can’t suck. This was also critical, in my opinion, for CZ to be able to muscle into the overcrowded striker/polymer market space. Building a reliable gun that holds a bunch of 9mm? Yawn. You and 25 other companies. But make one that has a good trigger, out of the box? Now you will have peoples attention.

And in this regard, the P-10 mostly delivers. The gun comes with a 4.5-pound trigger, in a market space where most competitors advertise 5.5 and deliver 6. And I will say, the F model is actually improved over the C model. I actually complained a bit about the C model trigger, with its pronounced creep. It was one of those weird situations though, where you didn’t notice at the range. Out of the box, yes. But not in actual use.

The F model feels better than the C did, though it still has a tiny bit of trigger creep. It is absolutely better than most out of the box, and once again performs admirably at the range. It is not quite the magic of a single action though. Next I would like a unicorn and a golden egg laying goose, while we are wishing.

The F model features an ambidextrous slide lock, with a reversible magazine release. This is new for all P-10 models and a huge help to you lefties. In the modern market, it’s pretty much a necessity, and it’s nice to see CZ step up.

SEE ALSO: CZ-USA P-10 F OR Unboxed at the Gun Counter

An item we have to talk about is the capacity, which is my one complaint about the gun. It has a 19 round flush fit magazine in 9mm, which makes it a class leader. Which briefs well. And in the modern era, capacity has become kind of the arms race of double stacks, even if it really doesn’t matter. My complaint with CZ on the P-10F, is how they got it. The grip is a half-inch longer than most competitors, so of course, 2 more rounds fit. It isn’t a huge negative, as the extra length is just like a hammer with an overly long handle. It doesn’t affect where you hold it, it just looks a little weird. And maybe it feels like you are shooting dad’s pistol for the first time. On a positive note, even those with huge hands will be able to get a grip on the F.

A nice gain for the new model is the sights. The front is now a single lamp tritium, with a dazzlingly bright orange outer ring. It is plenty for daylight shooting, easily comparable to fiber optic fronts. With the advantage of being night ready out of the box. The rear is flat black, the combination I prefer. Both are steel and ready for hard use.

Our test model is optics ready, which comes with a blank plate filler screwed down on the slide. Kudos to CZ for making one precut for red dots, also a necessity in the modern world. In a cost-saving move, you don’t get any plates in the box. But, you only have to buy the one you need for the optic you choose. Overall, this should save you money. Plates are $38.95, and available for most popular optics.

During range time, the P-10F was an absolute joy. Like its smaller brother, the F model will blaze well out of proportion to its cost. The trigger is forgiving, and the sights need nothing improved. The gun as a whole manages recoil well by design, which keeps you on the target. The accuracy is in keeping with CZ tradition, which is to say excellent.

If you have a CZ-75, a P-10 absolutely belongs in your arsenal. And if you have been curious, the striker-fired variant absolutely delivers. With an MSRP of $590, the P-10F is competitively priced. This is one we can highly recommend.

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