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CZ P09 vs P10

If you’re a CZ fan and you want something a little more modern and polymer, then you’re likely looking at either the CZ P09 or the CZ P10. Both of these full-size guns have a lot to offer, and they are definitely CZs through and through. Which gun will you choose in the CZ P09 vs P10 debate?

CZ P09 vs P10 X

We’re going to compare the CZ P09 vs P10 today to see which is the better handgun for you and your needs. For starters, one of these guns is striker-fired while the other one is hammer-fired, but there are also a bunch of other differences.

They may not make one gun better than the other, but it might make the difference for you.

Size

MetricsCZ P09CZ P10F
Weight w/ no mag (Oz)26.925.6
Weight w/ empty mag (Oz)30.329.1
Weight w/ full mag (Oz)38.637.4
Height (top of slide to bottom of magazine baseplate) (Inches)5.685.73
Length (Inches)8.007.62
Width of grip (Inches)1.151.12
Width of slide (Inches)1.071.02
Width across controls (Inches)1.471.21

CZ P09 vs P10 Concealed Carry

Both of these guns are definitely a little bit large and most people will be using them for competition or general range use. They’d also make great home defense weapons, but if you plan to carry them, then the size difference may become a little bit more important.

Both of these guns are quite heavy. They’re light for their size, but they’re still heavy if you want to carry without a belt. I don’t think it’s practical to carry either without a belt.

When carrying these guns concealed, one of the most important dimensions is going to be the height of the gun. These guns are very close to identical. In fact, the CZ P10 F is only one-twentieth of an inch taller than the CZ P09. On a gun of this size, that’s not enough of a percentage difference to matter.

Depending on the clothing you’re wearing, and if you’re carrying at four to five o’clock, the shape of the grip could matter. 

CZ P10F

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In this case, the CZ P10 F is more likely to conceal than the grip on the CZ P09. The P-09 has a blockier, more squared-off grip, and that would be more likely to print than CZ P10 F.

That said, the chances of that happening are very slim.

Both of these guns have fairly large grips that are going to print for most people.

If you wear a large enough shirt to conceal them, the guns will likely conceal just as well as one another.

Ergonomics Overall

Despite what you may think, the ergonomics on these guns are actually quite different. The CZ P10 F takes its ergonomics from the CZ 75 design. While the CZ P09 is somewhat of an original. CZ took the ergonomics from the P-07 and applied them to the CZ P09. Those ergonomics are somewhat new for CZ as a company. We’ll go over them below.

CZ P09 vs P10 Grips

Frame

Both of the frames on these guns have modularity built into them. They both have the ability to remove the backstraps and replace them with smaller or larger backstraps.

There are three different sizes of backstraps: small, medium, and large. 

All of these backstraps do not allow you to change the trigger reach on the guns. This is somewhat of a downside (especially if somebody has larger hands), and it would be nice if both of these guns had the ability to adjust your reach. That also means there is no difference in that aspect of the CZ P09 vs P10.

Grip

The feel of the grips is quite different.

The CZ P09 has more of a blocky feel. Frankly, it doesn’t feel like a Glock, but it reminds me of one in a lot of ways. The gun is much more rounded on the front edges and the rear edges, so it does feel good in the hand, but something at the front of the grip just feels blocky and out of place. It’s like it doesn’t completely fill my hand as it should.

The CZ P10 F, on the other hand, feels like a polymer version of a CZ 75 without side panels. The grip just completely fills my hand up and feels really good in the hand. It’s a very natural feeling and I’m also able to get a high grip on both of these guns. I do seem to have to work just slightly harder to do so on the CZ P09, though. 

CZ P09

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If you have absolutely enormous hands, you may want to take into account the length of the grip.

I don’t think this is going to apply to 99.5% of shooters. These grips are absolutely massive, and most people will be able to get all of their hands on the grip of the gun. 

But if you’re in that very small percentage of the population that has absolutely massive hands, then the CZ P10 C is going to offer you just a little bit of extra grip length, but not much. It’s probably going to be a similar dimension to that twentieth of an inch that we mentioned earlier.

Texture

CZ P09 vs P10 Backstraps

The texture is one of the most apparent differences between these guns.

The texture on the CZ P09 is horizontal lines on the front and backstraps of the firearm. These lines are a little more aggressive on the front strap and not very aggressive on the back. They do a decent job of keeping the hand in place, but they are somewhat slick.

If you had really sweaty hands or slick hands, the gun could definitely slip around. The texturing on the side panels of the CZ P09 feels like higher-grit sandpaper. It’s a decent texture, but again, it’s nothing spectacular. It’s pretty standard.

CZ P09 vs P10 frontstraps

The CZ P10 F, on the other hand, has some of the most amazing texturing I’ve ever seen on a pistol. In fact, I think it may be the best factory texturing on a striker-fired handgun. The texture on the CZ P10 F has these small squares on the front strap and the backstrap that really dig and bite into the hand. 

They really do a good job keeping the gun in place, but when you remove your hand, they don’t cause any pain or discomfort for a variety of hand types. Again, the side panels of the CZ P10 F grip just have normal checkering on them. It’s small squares that are not nearly as aggressive as the texture on the front or the backstrap. If you’re carrying this gun inside the waistband or close to the body, you don’t have to worry about the sides of the gun irritating your skin.

Slide

The slides of these guns have an overall similar profile, but the serrations are quite different. The CZ P10 F has very sharp serrations located both on the front side of the slide and on the rear. The serrations on the rear work very well, but the serrations on the front of the gun are too short to really have that much effect. They worked fine for press checking, but if you really want to go in and manipulate the gun, I’d like to see that those serrations extend to the bevel on the top of the slide.

CZ P09 vs P10 Slides

The CZ P09 on the other hand, has serrations on the slide’s bevel at the front, as well serrations at the rear. The serrations at the rear of the P-09 are very short, just like the serrations on the front of the P10 F.

This makes it harder to rack the slide.

In short, if you’re racking the slide at the rear of the gun, then it’s easier to rack the slide on the CZ P10 F. But if you’re racking the slide using the front serrations, it’s easier to rack the slide on the CZ P09.

Sights

CZ P09 vs P10 Sights

Both of these guns are offered with a variety of sighting options, so it’s not that easy to say one is better when you’re comparing the CZ P09 vs. the P10 F. You can get both of these guns with factory CZ night sights, which aren’t that great.

They tend to have a relatively dull-looking front, and the rear sight also doesn’t have the greatest sight picture. These sights are, frankly, a little bit outdated. You can also get them with standard three-dot luminescent sights, but these sights, again, are nothing inspiring. They’re just your regular standard three-dot sights.

CZ P09 vs P10 CZ P09 Sight Picture

The CZ P10 F OR, on the other hand, comes with an orange front sight that has a green tritium vial in the middle. That sight is fairly high contrast and works pretty well. It’s still not as good as most of your aftermarket sights, but again, it does work pretty well. The rear sight is also blacked out, which is a very nice feature. The CZ P10 F OR actually has some of my favorite stock sights.

CZ P10F

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CZ P09 vs P10 Sight Picture

Aftermarket

There are aftermarket sight options for both of these guns. That said, there are a lot more aftermarket options for the CZ P10. It’s just a more popular gun and there are a greater number of aftermarket sight manufacturers.

The more guns on the market, the more room for aftermarket providers to make money. So that’s where they’re going to put their time and resources.

Red-Dot Optics

From the factory, only the P10 comes cut for a red-dot. You can get the P10 cut for the red-dot, or you can get it to where it will not accept a red-dot.

If you get the P10 cut with the dot, you’re going to have to buy your own plate to install the red-dot of your choice.

Shoot Better With Mini Red Dots

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CZ does not ship the gun with any mounting plates to cut costs on the firearm. The CZ P09, on the other hand, does not come set up for an optic and it is not a factory option. There are a variety of aftermarket shops that will mill your CZ P09 for an optic.

Controls

When it comes to controls these guns are completely different, though mostly as it relates to the trigger systems. The CZ P09 has CZ’s Omega trigger system while the CZ P10 F is a striker-fired handgun.

Safety

There is no safety or external safety on the CZ P10 F. It does have the trigger safety common on most striker-fired pistols, but I don’t really consider that a safety. When I say safety, I’m talking about thumb safety, the CZ P09 has the option to add a thumb safety to it. 

CZ P09 vs P10 Decocker

The gun ships with a decocker mounted on it. But the Omega system allows you to take the decocker off and replace it with thumb safety. This thumb safety is placed in a position similar to a 1911. And it’s very easy for you to ride it with your thumb when you’re shooting. It’s a very well-designed safety and that’s all I can really say about it. It’s fairly low profile, but still has enough meat for you to easily disengage it.

Trigger

The triggers on these guns are obviously drastically different. The CZ P09 is a double-action, single-action-style gun.

While the CZ P10 is a striker-fired gun. Let’s take a look at these guns individually.

CZ P09 Trigger 

The double-action trigger on the CZ P09 has a light bit of take-up that you’re going to feel immediately before the springy trigger build and then a rolling break. The trigger is definitely a decent double-action trigger, but it’s not spectacular. Overall, it feels fairly light for a double-action — probably somewhere in the eight-pound range.

I don’t like weighing triggers because when you weigh a trigger, it can often be deceiving. Oftentimes how smooth the trigger is has a lot more to do with the perceived weight than the actual weight of the gun.

CZ P09 vs P10 CZ P09 Trigger

If you’re shooting the gun in single-action, you’re going to feel light take-up again, and it’s going to be very springy. From there, you’re going to get to a part where it feels a little bit harder and start feeling some creep.After that, you’re going to get a very nice rolling break. I’m actually really impressed with the SA trigger on this. It’s nothing like you’re going to think about a single-action trigger on a 1911, but it is quite good.

CZ P09

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The trigger reset on the CZ P09 is also halfway decent, although it might not be what you’re thinking. The trigger will let out slowly and go forward before you hear a click.

From that point, you’re going to have some loose take-up as you go back to that position where you can feel that trigger break. I’m very impressed with the trigger on the CZ P09.

CZ P10F Trigger 

The trigger on the CZ P10 is a standard striker-fired trigger, so it’s going to be a lot easier to describe. You’re going to feel your initial take-up as you take the slack in the trigger safety, and from there, you’re going to feel just the slightest bit of creep.

Then the trigger will break. This trigger is more hard break than rolling, but that being said, it’s still a very good trigger. The CZ P10 F trigger is one of my favorite striker-fired options. From the reset, you’re going to feel the gun reset with the very audible click that’s going to reset right at the wall point in front of where the trigger breaks. It’s a very short reset and this is a very shootable trigger. 

CZ P09 vs P10 Trigger

If you’re looking for an answer on what’s the better trigger when you’re comparing the CZ P09 vs P10, it’s not an easy answer. Are you looking for the features that you find in a double-action/single-action trigger or the features that you find in a striker-fired firearm? You will need to answer that before you can decide which gun has the better option for you.

CZ P10F

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Slide Lock

The slide locks on these guns are also pretty darn different. The slide lock on the CZ-09 is located on the left side of the firearm, and it is in front of the decocker or thumb safety. I can just barely reach this slide lock with my thumb due to it being blocked by the decocker. It’s large and fairly easy to reach and use, but you’re going to more than likely have to break your grip on the gun to reach it.

I find this slide release works better when you’re using your support hand thumb to drop the slide. If you’re a left-handed user, unfortunately, this will not work for you.

CZ P09 vs P10 Slide Stops

The CZ P10 F, on the other hand, has an ambidextrous slide stop. The slide stop design is different from most other guns in that it indexes off the center of the slot itself and takes equal pressure to drop the slide from either the right side of the gun or the left side. Most guns are easier to drop from the left side of the gun than the right due to how they index the slide.

The actual slide stop itself is very sharp on the top and there’s not a lot to grab onto. If you were going to take a class and do 20 or 30 slide lock reloads, you’d find that this design likely wears your thumb out. It’s very sharp and very low-profile as well, so there is not a lot to grab onto.

I personally prefer the design on the CZ P09 (although if I were left-handed, I couldn’t say).

Magazine Release

CZ P09 vs P10 Magazine Releases

The magazine release on these guns is nearly identical. They’re both easy to reach whether you have large or small hands, and it’s a very short distance for your thumb to drop down and reach. The CZ P10 F has serrations on the magazine release while the P-09 has vertical lines, but otherwise there really is no difference between the release on these two guns. Both of them are reversible so you could switch them out to the right side for a left-handed user.

Magazine Well

The magazine well is also near-identical on both of these guns. It’s very easy to load the magazine of both these guns, although make sure you hit the reload right as there isn’t much of a bubble in the interior.

CZ P09 vs P10 Magwells

Quality

Quality-wise, these guns are pretty much on par. The polymer on the CZ P09 seems a little bit better in my opinion (as well as the slide), but I think that’s probably my head talking. It might just be the surface finish they’re using on those molds.

Both guns overall are identical in quality.

Aftermarket

You’re going to have a much larger aftermarket for the CZ P10. It’s the more common gun and a lot more popular. You’re going to have more sight options, magazine releases, slide stops, trigger kits, and so on than you can imagine.

Aesthetics

CZ P09 vs P10 Square

Aesthetically, I prefer the CZ P09 vs. the CZ P10 F. It just seems like a more proportionate gun. The grip on the CZ P10 has a large hump at the rear and the shape of the beavertail kind of throws things off. It’s a slightly odd-looking gun whereas the CZ P09 has a more traditional look and is proportioned very well.

Shooting

When shooting these guns, I was somewhat surprised that the CZ P09 had a lot more muzzle flip than I was expecting. It’s still a fairly soft-shooting gun, but the muzzle rise is more than I expected. 

On the other hand, the CZ P10 F actually has less muzzle rise than the CZ P09 and the ergonomics of the P10 really come into their own here to force you to get a good, high grip on the gun. The texturing also does a really good job of helping you control the recoil of the gun.

The CZ P10 F just shoots extremely flat and is incredibly intuitive. The CZ P09 requires a little more concentration and skill. It’s also hard to settle and keep a consistent grip on the gun.

CZ P09

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Everyone is going to have a different opinion, but I personally prefer the striker P10 vs. the CZ P09. I’ll admit that I have a preference for striker-fired pistols and that that has something to do with my decision. But if the CZ P09 had the P10 ergonomics, it would make the choice much harder since the trigger in the P-09 is very good.

Overall, I don’t think you can go wrong with either gun. It really comes down to whether you want a CZ P09 with a double-action single action hammer system or do you want a CZ P10 with a striker-fired trigger.

Price/Value

CZ P09 vs P10 T

MSRP on the P-09 is $555 and $579 for the P10. In my opinion, there isn’t enough of a difference for the price to be a deciding factor.

CZ P10F

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Pros/Cons

CZ P09 Pros

  • DA/SA trigger system
  • Optional thumb safety
  • Omega trigger
  • Slide serrations

CZ P09 Cons

  • Ergonomics
  • Sight options

P10 F Pros

  • Trigger
  • Texturing
  • Sight options
  • Ergonomics

P10 F Cons

  • Less trigger options
  • Slide serrations

We also took a look at the CZ P09 vs P07 and the CZ P07 vs P10C.

One Reply to “CZ P09 vs P10”

  1. David A. Lockhart says:

    Excellent review. I’m a new P09 owner, and, while I like it, I wish I’d compared it with the P10F more carefully. I was seduced by the decocker and aggressive beavertail more I should have been. (I didn’t think I’d do this, but I’m considering swapping the decocker out for the safety, to see if that makes things more comfortable for my shooting thumb.) I agree that the P09’s grip can get slick quickly, and racking the slide from the rear can be tough. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not “stuck” with the P09, but if you’re comparing these two pistols, take your time.

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