The CZ P-10 C is a polymer-framed striker-fired pistol that first appeared in 2017. This pistol was designed for personal defense and the military. From our testing, it appears to fit both roles very well while carrying CZ’s history of excellence into the modern polymer-framed era.
CZ Firearms is a subsidiary of Ceska Zbrojovka Armament located in Uhersky Bred, Czechoslovakia. The company was originally founded in 1918 as Astro-Hungarian Artillery, and in 1936 CZ Firearms came into being as a branch of Ceska Zbrojovka. The company is probably best known for its iconic CZ 75 that was introduced in 1975, and the quality of the all-steel handgun continues to impress shooters even today. But the P-10 series of pistols blends that quality with modern technology.
Highlights
The P-10 C was very well received by worldwide markets when it was first introduced. This handgun was CZ’s answer to the venerable Glock 19. Both have similarities, though the Glock is still slightly lighter than the P-10 C.
First picking up the pistol, I realized it was a great fit in my hand. One of the major differences, at least in my mind, is the improved grip angle of the P-10 C compared to the Glock. For me, this enables quick target acquisition, a plus in concealed carry situations. In addition to the angle, the stippling on the front of the grip and the back straps is very aggressive. When you couple that with the nice treatment on the sides, it makes for an incredibly positive and “sticky” grip. You can also customize the grip with two additional backstraps.
The mag well is slightly flared to assist with quicker mag changes, and the trigger guard is squared off and sized to accept gloved hands. The trigger guard is also grooved and undercut at the grip to assist in obtaining a high grip for recoil management. An exaggerated beavertail-style treatment at the rear of the frame also aids in getting an extremely high grip. At the muzzle end of the frame, there is an especially useful accessory rail that allows for multiple types of accessory lights or lasers.
THINKING OF PICKING UP A P-10?
All the controls are well made and ample enough to make manipulation easy. The mag release is reversible and substantial enough so that there is minimal grip adjustment to drop the mag. Magazines also drop cleanly and crisply. The P-10 C comes with two additional 15 round magazines.
You can quickly and easily reload with the well-sized slide stop/release. It doesn’t take much effort to release the slide with your thumb, though I did find that it was much more difficult with an empty magazine. Taking the pistol apart is also made easier by the oversized takedown levers, which are larger than its Glock counterpart. There is also stippling next to the lever that makes it easier to manipulate.
Trigger pull is light for a factory pistol and comes in at about 4.5 pounds. The gun features the familiar Glock-style trigger safety, and the trigger pull is basically two stages, with a pull to the wall and then a short pull to release the striker. The reset is easily felt while also being short and smooth. This all adds to rapid and accurate follow-up shots.
The steel slide has an angled cut at the top and deep serrations at both the front and rear of the slide. This aids in slide manipulation from both the front and rear for those who perform slide checks. The exterior ejector has a red loaded chamber indicator.
Specific Specs
Unlike most factory Glocks, the P-10 C comes with metal, three-dot photoluminescent sights. They are quite bright after being charged by a light source. I like this configuration with the u-notched rear sight. This makes target reacquisition fast. I also like that the rear sight has a nice shoulder that is good for one-handed slide manipulation. The sights proved to be combat accurate right out of the box. I was able to shoot a 3-inch group at 25 yards. Not too bad for an old guy.
The barrel is cold hammer-forged steel with an adequate ramp. A captive recoil spring adds to the assist on recoil mitigation. I’ve listed some additional specs below:
- Caliber: 9mm
- Round Capacity: 15+1
- Frame: Fiber-reinforced polymer
- Barrel Length: 4.02 inches
- Height: 5.2 inches
- Width: 1.26 inches
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Overall Length: 7.3 inches
On the Range
On the range, we were shooting Sellier & Bellot 124-grain FMJ. I think the P-10 C especially liked this ammo simply because it is manufactured in the Czech Republic – a nice symbiotic relationship between gun and ammo. We were able to get consistent hits on steel with rapid follow-up shots. Recoil was light, and the P-10 C performed flawlessly after 300 rounds.
I would consider the P-10 C to be considered an excellent carry handgun with its overall weight and manageable size. We were using a Kydex Comp-Tac IWB holster and also tested a Blackhawk Serpa level 2 retention holster. The P-10 C has been around long enough to offer many holster options from various manufacturers.
We ran through a few combat scenarios with the P-10 C and were able to get great shots on steel with rapid follow-up shots. It was a respectable performance that lent a great deal of credit to an exceptional handgun.
In Conclusion
This handgun is a joy to shoot with numerous excellent qualities: grip, trigger pull, controls, size, and weight, to mention just a few. As far as concealed carry handguns go, it is a solid option. This pistol is a great addition to any arsenal but be careful. It just might replace your Glock 19 as your new everyday carry.