We Tested the CZ Shadow 2 Carry, Your Next EDC Gun

This year CZ-USA released its all-new CZ Shadow 2 Carry, a down-sized version of the classic model CZ-75 that has established itself as an excellent concealed-carry gun. The CZ-75 has been praised for its accuracy, ergonomics, and shootability, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed shooting competition models like the TS 2 Racing Green and hybrid models such as the Dan Wesson/CZ DWX. The new Shadow 2 Carry embodies what we like about the CZ-75 — the sleek ergonomics, low bore axis, and great accuracy — but checks key boxes that the modern and informed carry gun user demands.

CZ Shadow 2 Carry Specs

• Caliber: 9mm
• Capacity: 15+1
• Action: Double-action/Single-action, hammer-fired
• Barrel: 4 inches, cold hammer forged
• Dimensions: 7.5 inches (L) x 5.4 inches (H) x 1.5 inches (W)
• Weight: 28.5 ounces (with empty 15-round magazine and Shield AMS red dot, tester weighed)
• Frame: Aluminum
• Optics: RMSc direct-mounting footprint
• Controls: Right-handed slide stop and magazine catch, ambidextrous decocker
• Finish: Black
• Grip: Duralumin grip scales
• Sights: Three-dot, luminescent 
• Trigger: Curved shoe, 4 pounds 5 ounces (single-action), 8 pounds 12 ounces (half-cock double-action) (tester measured)
• MSRP: $1,488

The CZ Shadow 2 Carry is Compact and Accurate

Concealed-carry guns haven’t always been known for their accuracy. That’s changing. Competition bullseye-pistol accuracy isn’t necessary for practical self-defense scenarios, but precision inspires confidence and everyone appreciates a pistol they can shoot more accurately. I tested the CZ Shadow 2 Carry on paper with Staccato Match 136-grain OTM ammunition, which has become our standard for evaluating 9mm pistol accuracy. It’s good, consistent ammo that shoots well in a lot of guns — making it a great control. I recorded five-shot groups according to our handgun standards: at 15 yards from a standing position, resting on a bagged tripod. The average five-shot group size at 15 yards is 1.34 inches (across five groups).

With our test ammo, compact 9mm pistols that can average less than 1.5-inch groups at 15 yards using our protocol are considered very accurate. Since adopting this test method, only one pistol, the Staccato CS, has averaged less than an inch.

In total, I fired more than 600 rounds through the pistol in practical shooting, running Bill drills, plate racks, practicing target transitions, quick reloads, and offhand shooting at extended distances. I tested most common styles and grain weights of ammunition, including 115-, 124-, and 147-grain FMJ, as well as 115-, 124-, 135-, 136-, and 147-grain jacketed hollow-point defensive ammunition — a minimum of 50 rounds of each. Some of the range-grade FMJ ammo was not as accurate, but that’s to be expected. I had no malfunctions during testing.

The Shadow 2 Carry Is Easy to Shoot Accurately

Test groups are one thing, but the best value to the shooter or, worst case, someone who has to use the gun in self defense, is shootability. “Shootability” can be a vague term; I use it to describe the features and ergonomics that make the gun easy or hard to shoot accurately. A poorly-designed grip and gritty trigger would detract from a pistol’s shootability.

The classic CZ-75 ergonomics help make the CZ Shadow 2 Carry easy to shoot well. It’s streamlined, but well-textured grip, fits a variety of hand sizes well, and the high-grip design combined with a long beavertail and low bore axis make the recoil cycle feel softer than many other compact pistols, which can have snappy recoil with a lot of muzzle flip. It has a good trigger, but the cantilever design does have more movement than a finely-tuned 1911 sliding-style trigger. I didn’t find it difficult to master.

This gun’s heft — weighing around 2 pounds, 6 ounces fully loaded — also helps with recoil management and stability. The aluminum frame of the Shadow 2 Carry adds some weight compared to many polymer-framed pistols — about half a pound heavier than a standard Glock G19 — which softens felt recoil and aids stability. Despite the popularity of micro-compact carry guns like the Sig P365, many still prefer slightly larger compact guns with metal frames because they are easier to handle and shoot. Some pistols are too heavy and cumbersome for a lot of concealed-carry applications, but this one is just right. 

I was able to shoot quickly and track onto targets easily with the Shadow 2 Carry, and could reliably make quick hits on a ⅔-size IPSC steel plate at 75 yards — a big ask for many carry guns.

What Makes the CZ Shadow 2 Carry an Excellent EDC Pistol?

In addition to the CZ-75 ergonomic features like aggressive grip scales, a deep bevel above the trigger, and roomy trigger guard, there is a lot of thought that went into making this well-executed carry gun. Here are some highlights:

• RMSc direct-mount optic cut
• Low-profile luminescent iron sights that can co-witness through optic
• Flat, ribbed top of slide
• Decocker, no manual safety
• Three-slot accessory rail

Low-Profile Optic Cut

A good pistol red-dot sight is one of the best accessories to help you improve speed and accuracy, and optic cuts have become an expectation for carry pistols. They’re not all created equal though, and I’m pleased to see the CZ Shadow 2 carry use a low-sitting direct-mount cut. It is machined with an RMSc footprint, which is common for compact red dots, giving you several good options. The best part is that this low cut allows you to co-witness the snag-free iron sights through your optic in the event it loses power.

For this pistol, I chose the Shield AMS — short for Advanced Mini Sight. It’s a sight designed specifically with a lower window for co-witnessing sights, and to get the sight window as close to the bore axis as possible. That, in turn, helps you maintain a better sight picture during the recoil cycle. Sights that sit higher move more as the slide is driven backward and returns, making it more difficult to keep the dot in the field of view.

The AMS is ruggedly constructed and sealed, featuring an enclosed emitter. Mine has a standard dot reticle, but I’d recommend getting the version where you can select a halo reticle around a center dot. For a concealed-carry gun, these reticles can help you line up more quickly on target. Battery access is on the right side of the sight and intuitive plus/minus controls are on the left. 

Frame and Slide Carry Features

Though it maintains the appealing ergonomics of larger CZ-75 models, the CZ Shadow 2 Carry incorporates features specific to concealed carry. The front and rear straps of the grip have raised checkering, but it’s not as sharp or aggressive as full-sized models. The checkering on the front strap is slightly narrower and the frame is beveled nicely to allow fingers to slide around the grip more easily when drawing from concealment. The more aggressive texturing on race guns can hang up on clothing and make it more difficult to secure a good grip on the pistol to draw from the waistband. The non-metal grip scales also help with this. They offer a secure grip, but it’s not as sharp or grabby as the aluminum grip scales on other models.

The front of the dust cover features a three-slot rail for attaching a variety of compact weapon lights/lasers, and the slide has snag-free bevels and a flat, serrated top rib to aid sight picture and reduce glare. To prevent snagging while drawing, the rear of the slide is nicely beveled, and topped with low-profile luminescent-painted three-dot sights. The rear sight isn’t adjustable for elevation, but can be drifted for windage with a sight tool.

Decocker

The CZ Shadow 2 Carry doesn’t come equipped with a manual safety but, instead, uses a decocking lever and firing pin block that prevents the firing pin from moving forward until the trigger is moved to the rear. It allows the shooter to drop the hammer to a safe half-cock position without pulling the trigger, then operate the pistol in DA/SA mode for concealed-carry. When holstered at half-cock, the trigger can be pulled (at a much heavier weight) to retract then drop the hammer in double-action mode. Subsequent shots are fired in single-action mode with a lighter trigger pull. This mode of operation has long been used by pistols like the Beretta 92 family and PX4 Storm.

This style of pistol presents a couple challenges to shooters. Most significantly, breaking an accurate and quick shot is more difficult than with most striker-fired and single-action hammer-fired pistols. With purposeful practice it can be mastered, though. After a couple hundred rounds, I could draw and successfully run through my Birchwood Casey plate rack or center multiple quick rounds on an IPSC target at 10 to 15 yards with little issue. At common self-defence distances, it’s even less of a concern. The other quirk that demanded some retraining from me was that, because I’m used to carrying a 2011 and riding my thumb atop the safety lever while shooting, I accidentally de-cocked the pistol while actively firing. Some practice keeping my strong-hand thumb beneath the decocking lever was an easy fix.

Final Thoughts on the CZ Shadow 2 Carry

We have, in recent years, seen a big push towards sub-compact and micro-sized 9mm pistols that maximize capacity. But the market’s appetite for slightly larger, compact-sized, pistols remains strong. The biggest benefit of these is that they are still a good size for concealment and everyday carry, but they are heftier and, usually, much more manageable under recoil. The value of a pistol that is easy to shoot accurately cannot be overstated.

The CZ Shadow 2 Carry does a great job at retaining the ergonomic features that makes its larger siblings so appealing to shooters, while employing smart, practical carry gun attributes. It has purposeful contours and beveling, light compatibility, an optimized, low-sitting optic cut, and a safe operating design. In other words, it checks all the boxes.