I’ll try to put this delicately.

Shooting a P-01 is the firearms equivalent of blow!ng lines off a Czech str!pper’s as$. It’s arousing. It’s engaging. It’s empowering. And it’s just as addictive as anything you can snort, smoke or pay for by the hour.

Plus, it’s cheaper than an 8-ball. Probably. And whatever Czech str!ppers charge for… that.

Shop for a CZ P-01 on Guns.com

So then, my fellow gun hipsters…

Do you want a pistol that makes your heart race and your loins quiver? Do you want a pistol that ravages your dopamine pathways with shot after shot of pure ballistic ecstasy?

Of course you do. You fiend.

Let’s talk about how the P-01 can give you the fix you’re looking for.

What makes the CZ 75 P-01 hipster worthy?

With sensuous ergonomics that elevate tactile feedback, the P-01 translates recoil into an addictively satisfying sensation that dares you to push it harder.

There are handguns I shoot as well as the P-01. Maybe better. There are handguns that match or exceed the P-01 in terms of having “exceptional” shooting characteristics—like the Beretta PX4, the Archon Type-B or the HK P9S.

But none of them please, pacify and placate my tactical pleasure centers quite like the P-01.

The ergos don’t just feel good—they connect you to the gun. And that through that tactile connection, you experience…

BANG!

…a taste of kinetic coca!ne.

The truncated slide delivers a pointed pulse of energy. It’s brisk and bracing. But also responsive. Almost like it reacts to your inputs. When it pushes—through the grip frame’s shapely curves and contours—you wanna push back.

BANGBANGBANGBANG!

Until you’ve literally OD’d on ammo.

But CZ’s tactical wonder drug wasn’t just cooked up in some back alley with baking soda and h00kers. Like all CZ 75 derivatives, the P-01 traces its lineage back to a common ancestor that’s renowned for quality, precision and unprecedented accuracy.

And I ain’t talking about the Browning Hi Power.

The People’s P210

By the 1970s, the Soviet bloc’s postwar economic boom was grinding to a halt. They’d planned and repressed their way to relative prosperity for the past 25 years, and now… they needed some pocket change.

So, they decided to sell sh!t to the west. Sh!t like…

Guns.

Specifically, they wanted an advanced 9x19mm service pistol that could compete with the most popular handgun used in Western Europe: The Browning Hi Power. And since the Czechs had a history of making world-class weapons—especially handguns—they turned to CZ.

But Czechs don’t pander to the lowest common denominator when it comes to guns.

So, instead of making a Hi Power clone (like FEG in Hungary and Arcus in Bulgaria), lead engineer František Koucký took inspiration from—arguably—finest service pistol ever made, up to that point:

The Swiss SIG P210.

Now, the CZ 75 isn’t a clone of the P210. But when you consider the distinctive mechanical elements that make the P210 unique, you find pretty much the same setup in the CZ 75:

Inverted Slide/Frame Rails. This reduces play in the slide-frame fit, which helps ensure a more a more consistent lockup of the key components.
Closed-Slot Barrel Cam. Instead of using the Hi Power’s “open slot” barrel cam, CZ employed the P210’s fully enclosed cam slot, which also contributes to a tighter lockup.
Angled “Stirrup Style” Trigger Bar. As on the P210, the CZ 75’s trigger bar pushes on the sear—instead of pulling—via a stirrup-style linkage that angles up from the back of the trigger shoe.

If you want more info on the original, full-size CZ 75 and how it’s similar to the P210, I have a YouTube video on it:

Proper Pedigree

The CZ 75 descends from handgun royalty, bringing an elite pedigree of reliability, accuracy and shootability…

To the people.

Including gun hipsters, like you and me.

But…

Having fairly extensive trigger time with both the P210A (SIG USA version) and various iterations of the CZ 75, I can tell you this:

While you can feel a little bit of P210 in the CZ 75—in terms of the push-style trigger bar and the “weighty wallop” of the slide under recoil.

A CZ 75 is no substitute for a P210. And vice versa.

The CZ 75 eschews the reserved, tempered character of the P210 for a more visceral response. And “no”—a factory CZ 75 can’t match a factory P210/P210A in terms of mechanical precision. Nor is the SA trigger nearly as refined.

Nevertheless, the CZ 75 is more engaging. It feels faster, racier, edgier. And, if I’m being honest, it’s more satisfying to shoot. At least in a primal, subconscious way.

Let me explain.

Real Guns Have Curves

It all starts with those currrrrvy ergos.

Buxom palm swells. Swoopy backstrap. All leading up to a chiseled beavertail that gets your hand high, tight and oh-so right.

If Sofia Vergara was a handgun, she’d be a P-01.

As your strong hand cups those posterior curves, your support hand finds plenty of “meat” to push against from the side. Grip pressure stabilizes the gun from all angles, building a unique sense of ergonomic connection.

In SA, the trigger reach isn’t exactly short—but it’s not too long either. The grip’s rearward arc keeps your hand from sneaking too far forward, imposing a “finger-tip-centric” kinda relationship with the trigger. At least for me.

There’s some take-up. Then a firm wall. Which slides through a patch of fairly inoffensive creep…

BANG!

…into a satisfying—if not impeccably clean—break.

Shoot to Feel

The recoil surges through those ergo-luptuous curves. Into your hands. Into your psyche. Into your soul. It’s flat. It’s fast. It’s not the kinda recoil you take home to meet your elderly mom. But if you’re a shooter…

BANG! BANG!

Dayyyumm.

It’s like the thing wants to be shot. Even… tamed. And thus, you find yourself seeking that rush of “ergonomically refined” recoil. Again and again and again.

BANGBANGBANG!

The grip’s rounded contours ensure more consistent hand-to-gun contact on all sides. This helps disperse not only the force of the recoil, but the feel it provides.

In other words, the curves transmit context to the shooter. Which increases your sense of connection to the pistol, and—therefore—your ability to place shots precisely.

To me, the CZ 75 design offers the most shooting feel, generally speaking, of any conventional tilt-barrel pistol. But instead of having fancy recoil mechanics—like rotating barrels and roller-delay systems—the 75 does it all with good old-fashioned ergos.

And, I’m inclined to say the P-01 (and it’s sibling, the PCR) does it the best of all CZ 75.

P-01 Perfection

With the P-01’s compact grip dimensions, the inherently responsive feel of the 75 platform comes across in a more concentrated, more direct way. To me, the compact form factor makes the naturally engaging dynamics of the CZ design… more so.

Plus, the P-01 has a higher, more upswept cut on the beavertail, compared to a standard CZ 75 (as do the SP-01 and the PCR). And that does make a difference. The beavertail on the OG 75 has a more downward angle, which pokes into my hand a little.

Not ideal.

So… in addition to being a better size / weight for carry…

I find the P-01 more exciting, more comfortable and simply more fun to shoot compared to the full-size CZ 75. And while the P-01 seems to cycle quicker than the full size, I don’t perceive a huge difference in felt recoil. That surprised me. Considering the full-size has a longer slide + an all-steel frame.

And that… my esteemed CZ fanbois… brings us to what I see as the major caveat with the CZ 75 platform.

Punchy Performance

These things are a little bit “rowdy” in the recoil department.

As with the SIG P210, the CZ 75 gives you a tangible “wallop” as the slide bottoms out under recoil—but it’s faster, harder and more percussive in the 75. Even the OG 75 has more punch that you’d expect from a full-size, steel-framed pistol.

But that’s not necessarily a negative. The combination of recoil energy + elevated ergos makes the CZ 75 what it is. And that’s why we like it.

Yet, compared to comparable DA/SA platforms from Beretta, Sig Sauer or Smith & Wesson, it’s hard to argue that these things are “soft” shooters. No, it’s not painful. No, it’s not overwhelming or even unpleasant, really.

But without proper traction on the grip frame, I find it takes a very deliberate effort to keep the gun stable enough for consistently precise groups. The “thump" kinda breaks my support hand away—and that goes for both the full-size and the compact.

The easy answer is G10 grips.

Preferably with palm swells, which retain the curvy goodness described above. In fact, I’d say G10 is pretty much a must-have if you want to get the most out of the CZ 75’s racy, responsive shooting dynamics. Or skateboard tape, if you’re cheap.

I have LOK’s G10 palm-swells on my P-01. I chose the aggressive “bogie” texture—but honestly, any texture will probably work wonders to stabilize the pistol as you’re pounding through rounds. Gratuitously. Gloriously. Glamorously.

Of course, elevated ergonomics—and awesome alliteration—will only get you so far in life.

I guess we need to talk about the trigger.

Doable DA/SA

In single action, the break itself is really nice: crisp, concise, responsive. But—as with all CZ 75 variants I’ve tried (even the Shadow 2)—it sliiiiiiiides into the break. In other words, it creeps. Like TLC in the ‘90s.

Now, I’ve never found that to be a big barrier to shootability, but… it’s there.

In double action, it’s about what you’d expect for a factory DA/SA trigger in a service pistol: heavy and kinda rough. But no disproportionate stacking or obnoxious over travel. I will also say the reach in DA can be a challenge for the small-pawed—but it’s not meaningfully longer than other DA/SA service pistols.

So, “no,” the trigger in this thing isn’t going to win you any competitions. But for a factory DA/SA setup in a carry-sized gun… it’s more than fine.

Speaking of carry…

P-01 in Your Pants

The P-01 ain’t exactly thin. It’s kind of a chonk.

The frame—which is wider than the slide, since it contains the slide—is actually wider that it is on a full-size CZ 75. I guess they beefed up the frame when they went to alloy.

But Ima’ tell ya…

The P-01 rides soooo nicely in the AIWB position. In fact, it feels a little more comfortable in the pants than comparably sized guns. Which is kinda surprising.

To that point, I noticed something:

On CZ 75s, the slide doesn’t jut back as far compared to other pistols. In other words, you’ve got more of an “overhang” on the back of most other pistols. An overhang that tends to poke me in the spare tire.

That’s a feeling I don’t experience as much, with the P-01. Plus, the P-01 is pretty light for an all-metal gun and the grip is short enough to fully conceal in most situations. Overall, it carries a little smaller than my SIG P229.

As you can see in the pics, I also found some old-school 14-round mags, which give you a completely flush fit. Now that doesn’t make a huge difference—but I like my guns cleeeean on the bottom.

And since we’re talking about a compact, carry-oriented, DA/SA CZ 75, you might be asking yourself…

What about the Shadow 2 Carry?

Shadow of a Doubt?

“So, it’s a _uck!ng $1,400 P-01?” I said to myself, upon learning of the Shadow 2 Carry’s forthcoming existence.

It’s compact. It’s got an alloy frame. It’s got a decocker and FP block.

That’s what a P-01 IS. Right?? Well…

That was before I actually owned a Shadow 2 (full size, not the Carry). So, based on that, I can tell you that the S2 platform really is a different animal from “normal” CZ 75s.

Without getting into too much detail:

S2 slides are thicker/heavier toward the base of the slide. So, you’ve got more weight, with a lower center of gravity.
The S2 Carry / S2 Compact have longer slides vs. the P-01. Again, more weight.
The S2s have a higher cut under the beavertail and a straighter backstrap. This brings the trigger closer to the hand and fundamentally changes the ergos.

Granted, I’ve got the full-size S2. But… based on the above… what can we infer about the S2 Carry?

For starters—like I said—the ergos are apples and oranges. With the leaner cut of the S2’s grip, you don’t quite have that curvy, hand-filling feel you get on a P-01. But, then again, the trigger reach is shorter.

And while the S2 Carry / S2 Compact don’t have the crazy ~50oz weight of the full-size S2, the heavier slide on the S2 Carry / S2 Compact IS going to change the feel of the recoil impulse. Though not as much as the full-size S2.

Another thing…

From what I’ve read, the trigger system on the S2 Carry is more or less a lift from the P-01. So, you’re NOT gonna get the insanely light trigger that comes in the non-decockable S2s.

Nevertheless, I think the takeaway is this:

The S2 Carry is gonna feel like a different gun compared to the P-01. Though it’s trigger won’t be as good as the other S2s. If/when I get to shoot an S2 Carry, I’ll make a video about it and link it here.

Anyway…

Before we wrap this review, there’s one more important thing we need to cover.

Reliability Czech

I’ll put this as simply as I can: I’ve had more reliability issues with CZ 75 pistols than other makes.

RAMI. PCR. CZ 75 BD. P-01. They each had some kind of an issue within the first few boxes of ammo. Mainly failures to feed.

You mad?

Breathe. Relax. Let’s talk.

All the aforementioned guns were brand new—tight tolerances, tight springs, etc. And, often, it was sh!tty, low-power reman that caused the issue. Maybe the slide wasn’t getting back far enough to properly strip a round? Though my 75 BD did have an issue with S&B 115 in the first 100 rounds. It never happened again.

So, yeah. I’m thinkin’ break in period.

I know, I know. Break-in periods are for pu$$ies, flat-earthers and communists. But, in a brand-new European gun designed for NATO sh!t, I don’t think it’s unreasonable. Especially if you’re using creampuff reloads.

Nevertheless, one thing IS irrefutably true about the CZ 75 design:

They have shorter chambers than other makes. CZ acknowledges this. So, sometimes, longer bullets will stop on the rifling lands before the round fully chambers.

I experienced exactly this issue with this P-01.

Now, this isn’t a failure to feed, per se; the round feeds, but the slide stops just short of battery. This only happened with one brand of JHP (PPU 124gr). And, as I got more rounds through the gun, it actually started running that stuff fine.

At the end of the day, I don’t worry about reliability with my CZ 75s. Especially this P-01—it has around 1,000 rounds through it, with zero issues beyond those PPU JHPs.

But I’ll say, this: if you buy a CZ 75, give it a few hundred rounds before you carry it. And vet your carry ammo.

All right, you ready for a poignant conclusion? Me too.

The Path to Acceptance

I miss my P-01 when I don’t shoot it for a while.

Is that a sign of addiction?

Maybe. And if it is… call me a junkie. Call me an addict. Call me a fiend. Because if shooting a CZ P-01 is wrong, I don’t wanna be right.

*If I get any more literal, I’ll get arrested*

The P-01 may not be—objectively—a “match grade” pistol. But chances are, you’d never know it. Because the P-01’s courageously curvaceous ergonomics make every shot you take more intuitive and more predictable.

And, at the end of day, that elevates its practical utility as a handgun.

Long Story Short: The P-01 is a pistol you’ll shoot well—because you’ll freakin’ love shooting it.

As long you put some G10 grips on that b!tch.

Thank you so much for reading.

What are your thoughts on the CZ P-01? Experiences? Opinions? Scathing condemnations on my review? Feel free to share below…

#hiptac

CZ P-01 Review: Tactical Dopamine