CZ P-10 C Review: When “Good Enough” Isn’t

Striker-fired actions didn’t catch on because they were good.

They caught on because they were cheap. Fewer parts. Less machining. Throw in a low-rent frame made from sleezy section-8 polymer… now you can slang that sh!t for 30% less and make a 70% profit margin.

It’s the firearms equivalent of cutting coke with baking soda.

And while this formula made Gaston Glock a billionaire, it made triggers… suck. Let’s be honest: the squishy, half-cocked feel of a Glock trigger is truly the best of no worlds.

But you know what?

It’s good enough. And “good enough” is exactly what we’ve come to expect from modern, mass-produced striker-fired pistols.

Which brings us to the P-10 C.

What makes the CZ P-10 C hipster worthy?

While it embraces Glock’s fundamental formula, the P-10 platform offers remarkably intuitive shooting dynamics that far exceed what we expect from similar pistols.

The P-10 C is an exercise in tactile nuance.

Nothing feels entirely unique. But everything feels entirely… good.

Refined.

Precise.

Cohesive.

Your palm melds seamlessly with the grip contours. The web of your hand effortlessly snugs up to the frame’s rear overhang. The trigger invites your fingertip—where it finds a definitive wall beneath a thin veneer of slack.

And the break…

BANG!

Decisively crisp. Like a freshly deployed Cheeto on a cool Autumn evening.

Plus, it looks cool. The gun’s aesthetics seem to echo its refined inputs. It’s a handsome pistol. Clean lines. Balanced proportions. All enrobed in a luxuriously rich nitride finish that’s reminiscent of actual bluing.

It’s strange, though…

In terms of the overall experience, running a P-10 feels decidedly Glock-like. It comes through in the intangible things. The heft. The overall balance. The way the slide racks. Even certain aspects of the trigger (which we’ll get into) feel Glock-ish. And, like a Glock, I’ve found the P-10 to be perfectly reliable.

But those similarities—I think—serve to put the P-10’s distinctive merits in clearer perspective.

Another way to put it…

The P-10 out-Glocks a Glock. But in a good way. In a way that evolves and elevates the definitive elements of the category that Glock created, back in the ‘80s.

But before we get ahead of ourselves…

We need to establish some context.

*Even Zoolander would be jealous of this pose*

Revolution or Renaissance?

The P-10 C isn’t the first striker-fired pistol to challenge Glock with a more refined shooting experience. The Walther P99 did that back in 1997. The PPQ did it again in the 2010s. Hell, the Luger did it back in 1908. Moreover, HK’s VP9 and the Arsenal/Archon platform also predate the P-10 C.

In fact, the P-10 has only been with us since 2017.

But I find the P-10 platform interesting because (in my opinion) it more faithfully follows Glock’s original formula for a pragmatic, mass-market pistol. Right outta’ the gate, CZ made no illusions about its intent with the P-10:

It was designed to do Glock things, in a Glock way, at a Glock price.

But it was designed to do it better.

The Price is Wrong, B!tch

If there’s one thing the gun industry has learned over the past 30 years, it’s this:

You can’t beat Glock purely on price.

A lot of companies tried. Colt’s infamously chintzy 2000 All American comes to mind. S&W had their sketchy Sigma series. FN had the Forty-Nine series. Sig had the P250.

And CZ had their very own G-funk ghetto blaster, way back in 1996:

The CZ-100.

*Polymer, DAO and sadness (Photo: Wikipedia)*

Like the others mentioned above, the CZ-100 prioritized simplicity and economy at the expense of quality and shootability. The slide sat directly on polymer rails and the trigger was an unadulterated DAO/striker-fired cringe-fest.

Not surprisingly, the CZ-100 kinda flopped. Because, at the end of day, people don’t want cheap guns with sh!tty triggers. They want quality guns…

With at least mediocre triggers.

And Glock delivered—at a price everyone could live with.

Shoot to Win

So…

If you can’t beat Glock on price. Or reliability. Or durability.

You’ve gotta beat Glock on shootability. While offering all of the above, at parity.

CZ certainly knows how to make nice-shooting pistols—especially in terms of ergonomics. If you’ve held any CZ-75 derivative, you know what I mean. And in 2007, CZ managed to “transmigrate” some of the CZ-75’s innate shootability into a modern polymer-framed form:

The P-07. It’s lanky sibling, the P-09, followed a few years later.

The P-07 and P-09 became an instant hits with DA/SA loyalists (ahem, “hipsters”) seeking a pragmatic alternative to Sigs and Berettas. I owned a P-07. It’s a damn-good pistol.

But…

The 07/09 platform is still hammer fired. Compared to striker-fired systems, that means more parts. More manufacturing overhead. And a more complex manual of arms that certain users—both professional and civilian—just don’t wanna _uck with.

So, in that, the P-07 doesn’t really compete with Glock.

Thus, the question remains:

Could CZ translate its signature recipe for “ergonomically elevated shootability” into a striker-fired pistol that echoed Glock’s form, function and price point?

Well…

“Yeah, bro.” Otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this review.

Da Glock Killa’

Beginning in 2014, CZ began a rigorous program to develop a genre-redefining striker-fired pistol. They called it the “P-10”… because…

Well, it came after the P-09.

James Reeves has an excellent interview with one of the key project managers for the P-10 line, Dalibor Krupica. Honestly, that was a key piece of what inspired me to buy a P-10. I mean, sh!t—if you’re reading this, you’ve probably watched it. But if you haven’t… link, bro.

In that interview, Dalibor talks about how hard they worked to achieve not only class-leading reliability, but also shootability. He mentions the trigger. He mentions the ergos. He mentions a few other things… all of which you’d probably expect him to say.

In short: “yeah.” Compared to a Glock, the thing has a better trigger and better ergonomics. That shouldn’t surprise you. What should surprise you…

…is just how _uckin awesome the P-10 C feels. To hold. To shoot. To do anything that involves tactile interaction.

Ergo-Lepathy

Looking at the P-10 C’s grip, you’re inclined to think: “Well, that looks like a handgun grip.” And “yes,” it does. But as your fingers close around its gracefully curvaceous silhouette…

You just.

Know.

You know you can shoot this thing. Because it speaks to you—in the arcane language of curves, contours, angles and proportions.

And it says exactly what your hand wants to hear.

The grip angle hits just right: it kicks back just enough to engage the heel of the hand, without requiring you to cock your wrist (talking to you, Gaston). The backstrap’s subtle curve fills the palm, while gently coaxing your grip upward… so the rear overhang anchors firmly in the web of the hand.

The gun feels like it’s an extension of your strong hand. And when you add your support hand…

It feels like an extension of your soul.

The subtle bulge on the sidewall provides a raised point of contact, allowing you to impart more consistent, more decisive pressure. This adds a dimension of lateral stability to your grip, creating a reassuringly snug, locked-in feeling.

As you push out toward your target, you can almost hear CZ’s engineering team discussing every last detail of the P-10’s ergonomic equation.

Then…

You reach for the trigger.

And it’s right where the _uck it should be. Even if you have the hands of a malnourished teenager (like me).

Shooty-Feely

BANG!

Yeah. That was a bullseye.

But it’s not like you didn’t expect it. Because the P-10 C shoots like it feels.

In other words, the gun’s ergos accurately translate tactile context to the shooting experience. So… if it feels like you’ve got everything lined up right… chances are, you’re gonna make an accurate hit. In my experience, not all pistols are so “1-to-1” in terms of how the ergonomics inform shot placement. In a way, the P-10 is to striker-fired pistols what the Browning Hi Power is to hammer-fired pistols.

BANG! BANG!

And then there’s the recoil impulse.

It’s low, linear and direct. Yet never sharp or unpleasant. The energy flows straight back, coursing through those curves and contours. Into your hands. Into your senses. Into your instincts.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

There’s a certain buoyancy to the impulse. A “linear bounce,” if you will. It doesn’t snap, buck or flip—it seems to flow. From one shot to the next. Keeping you connected. Keeping you engaged. Keeping your sense of shot placement intact.

At the end of the day…

Shooting this thing. Just. Feels. Good.

So, with all that said, now you probably wanna know about the trigger. Cuz I feel like everyone talks about it.

Snap Attack

Yeah, I know. I compared the trigger to a Cheeto earlier. And I stand by that.

Because the P-10’s trigger break is legendarily crisp. It’s satisfyingly crisp. It’s cathartically crisp. Let me explain…

After a short stretch of empty slack, you encounter a decisively taut wall. As you impart pressure, it stands firm. You begin to crave the impending climax. And then…

Ahhh…

*The trigger reach feels perfect—even for my small paws*

The ensuing SNAP! reverberates through the gun. Through your body. Filling suppressed voids in whatever part of your soul yearns for bubble wrap, slap bracelets and clickable pens. And of course, Cheetos.

Yet, for all its snap-tastic glory, the break feels composed. It feels stable and even-keeled. It contributes to your sense of control, as opposed to undermining it.

And I guess that’s no surprise. Because, like the 1911 and the original CZ-75, the P-10 uses a dual-sided trigger bar—which imparts pressure more evenly from the trigger to the fire-control parts. By contrast, most modern service pistols (Glock included) use a single-sided linkage.

But here’s the thing: The P-10’s trigger still kinda feels like a Glock trigger.

More specifically, it feels like Glock trigger that’s nipped, tucked and tightened in all the right places. There’s less squish leading up to the break. There’s more “haptic response” (aka, “snap”) at the release. There’s more “oomph” to the reset. And thanks to the dual-sided trigger-bar, the whole experience feels more solid, stable and reassuring.

Overall, it’s just better.

Nevertheless…

It is what it is

It’s important to put this in the proper context.

The P-10’s trigger—while “good” in every sense of the word—still can’t compete with well-executed hammer-fired triggers. Nor can it compete with Walther PPQs, PDPs and HK VP9s… all of which use fully cocked strikers, as opposed the partially cocked setup found in the P-10 (and Glocks).

Anything that’s 100% pre-cocked before you pull the trigger—be it a hammer or a striker—is going to be more forgiving and more intuitive. That’s just physics. But it also means your trigger is much more sensitive to inadvertent inputs: PDPs and VP9s are essentially single-action only (SAO) guns…

…which don’t offer manual safeties. I’ll let you do the math on that one.

At the end of the day, the P-10 isn’t meant to replace your favorite hammer-fired gun, or your bougie SAO striker-fired gun.

It’s meant to replace your Glock. With something more refined. More intuitive. More shootable. And just as practical.

Oh… and it’s Reliable, too

This can be a short section: I haven’t had any malfunctions in ~500ish rounds.

I’ve shot various brands of factory ammo, quite a bit of sketchy reman and I haven’t cleaned it yet. Though I did dab some extra oil on the rails after the longer stints between range trips.

Perusing forums and YouTube, you really don’t see any complaints about the P-10’s reliability. Also, the Czech army now issues the P-10 F (the full-sized version). That should tell you something.

All that said…

There were a few “questions” with the P-10’s firing-pin block, early on in its lifecycle. Allegedly, it didn’t always work—but I think that’s since been rectified. Other than that, I’ve never encountered anything to suggest the P-10 isn’t rock-solid in terms of reliability.

Again, if you haven’t, check out James Reeves’ interview with the P-10 project manager (mentioned earlier). They cover some interesting factoids on the P-10s rigorous reliability testing.

Wish-Fors & Nitpicks

So…

The P-10’s trigger is about as good as a partially cocked striker-fired trigger can be. But, of course, it’s still a half-cocked striker-fired trigger. If I’m being completely honestly, the SA pull on any garden-variety Beretta 92 or Sig P200-series pistol will—in my opinion—win in the trigger department. And (again) so will a Walther PPQ.

I can only imagine pairing the P-10’s sublime ergonomics with a legit single action only striker system—like you find on a Walther PPQ or PDP. Of course, if I can’t have a manual safety (or a P99-style decocker), I wouldn’t personally carry a P-10 with a trigger like that. YMMV. But, from a pure shootability standpoint…

The uniquely intuitive feel of the P-10 really begs for some kinda super-duper trigger. Though, again, that’s not to say that the stock trigger isn’t good, as is.

Also…

I hate the aggressive texture on the front/backstrap. The points on the front/back are much sharper than what’s on the sides of the grip. And, in my experience, overly aggressive textures on gun-plastic deliver little benefit in terms of traction, at a much higher cost in comfort. YMMV.

*The nubs on the backstrap are sharper vs. the sides*

I put skateboard tape on the front/backstrap. Feels way less sharp and pokey and offers far better purchase.

Really, that is my only legit gripe about the P-10. The gun does so many things so well and it truly masters its intended role.

In fact, you might call it…

The Mid-Size Master

People ascribe a certain magic to the Glock 19’s form factor: it’s big enough to feel like a service pistol, but still concealable enough in most situations. Well, if there is any magic to the Glock 19’s dimensional equation, the P-10 C has it too.

Because it’s the same damn size, bro.

Okay, okay… the P-10 is slightly bigger than a Glock 19. Like, we’re talking tenths of an inch, here and there. Honestly, the P-10 C fits between the G19 and the G17 as far as overall size. But it’s close enough to the G19 that I can’t see it making much of a difference in terms of the carry experience.

In fact…

One of the P-10 C’s initial selling points was holster compatibility with the Glock 19. The guns are that close in size. Well, I haven’t tried any G19 holsters with this P-10 C—I have a 17, not a 19. And I don’t have specialized holsters for Glocks, because I don’t carry Glocks.

Nevertheless…

It probably will fit a lot of the G19 holsters out there. Unfortunately, I can’t give you specifics on which ones.

At the end of the day, the P-10 C is gonna fill that mid-sized, do-all “carryable service pistol” niche that is so sought after for so many people.

If you’re looking for a striker-fired option in that vein… I can’t of a better choice than the P-10 C. On the other hand, if you want a hammer-fired gun to fill that same niche, check out the CZ P-07 or the Beretta PX4 Compact. Or a Sig P229, if you’re feelin’ a little more… metal.

*Size wise, the P-10 C fits between a G19 & G17*

Conclusion

Yeah. I talk sh!t about Glocks.

So, am I “Glock hater”?

I’m not gonna sit here and tell you Glocks are bad guns. They’re reliable. They’re well made. They’re affordable. There’s a reason they’re the most popular handguns ever made (though brilliant marketing is part of that reason).

Glocks are also plenty accurate. I can’t say they’re not.

If I do my part, my Glock 17 puts holes in the 10-ring about as well as any other service pistol. But here’s the thing:

I never feel like the gun is helping me, per se. I’m just kinda on my own. Navigating a strange grip angle, blocky ergos and a squishy trigger. To me, nothing feels inherently intuitive or instinctive about shooting a Glock.

It’s functional. It’s transactional. It’s just pressing a squishy-feeling button to make a machine do a thing.

Can you practice it? Yeah.

Can you master it? Sure.

Can you outshoot me with it? Of course.

But that doesn’t mean the CZ P-10 isn’t a better design. All things being equal, I think just about anyone will find that the P-10 feels more natural, more engaging and easier to shoot well than a Glock… and many other comparable striker-fired pistols.

And therein lies the magic of the P-10 platform: It makes the fundamental merits of Gaston Glock’s ingenious concept more accessible… through a host of brilliantly executed human inputs.

It makes practical feel special. It makes accuracy feel instinctive. It makes “good enough” feel like something you shouldn’t have to settle for.

Props, CZ.

Thank you so much for reading.

What are your thoughts on the CZ P-10 C? Experiences? Opinions? Scathing condemnations on my review? Feel free to share below…

#hiptac