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CZ P-07 Duty Pistol Review

Èeská Zbrojovka (CZ) has manufactured firearms since 1936 and operates the largest small arms factory in the world. The company is frequently known for the famous CZ-75 pistol, of which they have made more than 1,000,000 examples.

The CZ P-07 Duty Pistol is in many ways a modern version of the famous CZ-75 hangun. According to CZ, a decision was made during the design of the P-07 to maintain the basic feel of the CZ-75. 

Consequently, the grip size and angle are very similar to the CZ-75 pistol.

The P-07 is a polymer framed gun. Unlike many of the modern polymer guns, the pistol is not striker fired.  Rather, it uses a proprietary system called the Omega trigger system in conjunction with a traditional hammer. 

The Omega trigger system allows the gun to be configured by the shooter to run the gun in one of two ways. The first way is double action on the first shot, and single action on subsequent shots (DA/SA).  Alternatively, the pistol can be set up as a single action (SA) pistol. When set up as a SA gun, the decocker becomes a safety and the pistol can be carried “cocked and locked.”

While I have heard very good things about the Omega trigger, I found the double action trigger pull was stiff and not nearly as pleasant as I had hoped.  A DA pull on a SIG SAUER pistol is far superior, as are the striker fired trigger pulls on the Glock and Smith & Wesson M&P line of pistols. The DA pull averaged 9 pounds, 12 ounces on 10 pulls on my Lyman electronic trigger pull gauge.

The SA pull was much lighter than the DA stroke. However, there was quite a bit of take up on the SA pull, and there was a touch of grittiness to the feel of it. The SA pull averaged a weight of 4 pounds, 5 ounces.

The 9mm version of the P-07 holds 16+1 rounds, while the .40 S&W chambered version carries 12+1.  Both versions ship with two magazines standard.

The P-07 has a 3.8” barrel length, which is typically shorter than standard “duty pistols” used by uniformed law enforcement officers. A barrel shorter than 4” is frequently used for concealed carry. So don’t let the name “Duty” fool you – the size of this gun is quite good for concealed carry.

The unloaded weight is about 27 ounces. The slide is fully machined from a single piece of bar stock, which CZ states is to help reduce overall weight of the pistol.  Unloaded, the gun is noticeably top-heavy.  With a loaded magazine, however, the weight is more evenly balanced. 

Sights on the P-07 use a white dot on the front post with a white box outline for the rear. The rear sight is adjustable for windage.

This CZ pistol has a Picatinny-style accessory rail forward of the trigger guard.

Range Time

I enjoyed shooting the P-07, and found it to be 100% reliable. I ran a mix of standard pressure, +P, +P+, FMJ and JHP rounds through the gun.  Everything worked flawlessly, without stoppages of any kind.

Accuracy at 15 yards was acceptable with all loads, meaning I was able to put all rounds into a chest-sized target from an unsupported position while shooting double action.

The P-07 had relatively little recoil and was pleasant to shoot. I found the sights to be visible in varying lighting conditions from bright sunlight to mixed amounts of shade.

I shot the CZ pistol on a hot Florida day at an outdoor range. The heat and humidity are not ideal for comfort, but they do allow me to get an idea of how well the gun will stay in the hand in adverse conditions. 

The polymer frame of the P-07 is aggressively textured on the backstrap, front and sides of the grip area. This texture made it very easy to hold onto the pistol no matter how sweaty my hands got.

Additionally, the controls were easy to operate. The slide release and the decocker are flatter than what may be found on other pistols, but are fairly large in size. I had no problems working either.

I found the overall size of the grip to be a very good fit for my small to medium sized hands. The grip area where the shooting hand’s thumb and trigger finger contact the pistol is slightly recessed, allowing me to easily access the trigger without shifting my grip. Also, I was able to very easily actuate the decocker without breaking my grip on the gun.

Final Thoughts

The CZ P-07 proved to be a capable pistol that I was completely reliable. The ergonomics of the pistol were extremely good, and I thought it fits my hand exceptionally well.

My main complaint about the P-07 is the rather stiff DA trigger pull. Single action was better than double action, but even the SA trigger had its less-than-desirable traits (long take up, grittiness). 

Even with the trigger faults, I found the gun to be more than adequate for self-defense. With an MSRP of $467, I suggest you consider this pistol if you are in the market for a quality, yet inexpensive, concealed carry or home protection handgun.