CZ P-09; 9mm double stack 18+1 capacity, DA/SA hammer fired. Weight 1 pound 11 ounces unloaded, 2 pounds 6 ounces loaded. 4.5" barrel.
The CZ P-09 has been called many things. The Glock killer, the most underrated handgun for sale, and some truly hilarious mispronunciations of Ceska Zbrojovka. What I think the P-09 is is a nearly perfect (if not outright perfect) home defense pistol. The gun is reliable, accurate, low recoiling, high capacity, and with few if any flaws.
Let's address the capacity. CZ claims 19+1 for the 9mm. I have yet to cram 19 rounds in any of my three CZ magazines (neither the two included with the gun, nor the extra.) 18 rounds fits comfortably and locks up in the gun with the slide closed, so call this an 18+1 in my book. Still, 18 9mm defensive rounds presents a convincing argument to a home intruder in my book.
Most full size 9mm handguns can be expected to have very little recoil. Thank a long slide, more weight, and the inherently easy going 9mm Luger round for that quality. The P-09 seems to have taken this to a different level. Rapid shooting causes the front sight to become lost and found with slide movement very quickly, muzzle flip is very limited, and the front post comes back to target almost immediately and naturally. This gun allows someone with a novice level of training to put a lot of lead on target very quickly.
I hate to use flippant gun writer terms like "laser accurate", but it fits. If you put the front dot on target and do your part, the P-09 can be expected to rain lead in that exact spot at reasonable ranges. And reliability is everything the brand's reputation would infer. My gun was unflappable shooting factory ammo or my reloads, never daring once to malfunction.
If I have criticisms of the gun they are few. The DA/SA trigger will take getting used to (I know, I'm still getting used to it). If it bothers you, CZ includes the parts to swap from a safety to a decocker to suit your preference, and the SA trigger pull is excellent for a factory gun. The grips are slim for a double stack, but those with small hands may still not be comfortable. The slide is, in typical CZ fashion, very short and can present some difficulty grabbing.Also troubling is how hot the slide stop becomes after multiple magazines, something that can present trouble when running classes or during extended periods of firing.
All that said, this gun is my official zombie apocalypse, go to war, protect life and liberty handgun. In spite of its flaws, I warmed up to it quickly and my confidence grows with every range trip. If anyone is wanting a full size duty gun but wants to step off the well worn path of striker fired Glocks and M&P's, find a dealer that will order you a P-09 (or its little brother, the P-07) and get to know one of the most underrated handguns in the firearm world. - Phil Rabalais