Are we at the point where you can say things about Glock without a legion of fanboys coming after you? This article won’t be me crapping on Glocks, and I’ll fully say Glocks are great guns. They are reliable, have decent triggers, and they are used around the world for a reason. Are they the absolute best in their class? Maybe, at least for you, but I’ve long been a fan of the criminally underrated CZ series of pistols. This article is my opinion and if you disagree let me know why, and I mean legitimately why.
Not just the CZ 75, which is an entirely different beast. Comparing the CZ 75 to the Glock 17 is like comparing an SUV to a classic car. Both are great, but the comparison simply isn’t there. Instead, I’d like to focus on the CZ P09/P07 firearms compared to the Glock family of guns. The P09 is particular is one of my favorite guns. It exemplifies what I love about the CZ series, with a modern polymer frame.
Sights
Stock Glock sights suck. They are plastic, easily broken and often replaced very quickly. They really do nothing well, and at this point, Glock should just include real sights. We are on the 5th Generation of Glock pistols and these cruddy sights still haunt us. Another issue seems to be that Glock knows this, and hardly takes the time to put them on right. My first Glock featured sights pushed so far to the right they were nearly hanging off. The owner of my local gun store and I went through half a dozen Gen 4 models, and the 3 Gen 5 models he had and every single sight was pushed too far to the right or left.
The CZ P series comes with three dot metal sights. They are quite functional, robust, and installed correctly. They aren’t fancy, but you don’t have to replace them. Glock seems to short themselves when it comes to sight radius as well. Glock shaves off about a quarter of an inch by placing the rear sight so far forward. They could easily set the sights more rearward because they do it on the Glock MOS series. The CZ P09 sights sit as far back as they can.
Trigger
The trigger is all preference, but since this article is my opinion, I will say I like DA/SA trigger more than Striker fired triggers. Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to both systems. We can dive into that on a different article, instead what I want to talk about is the actual physical trigger.
The bottom of the trigger on the Glock is sharp as is the little finger safety, and the compact models have this odd texturing to them. Quite a few folks, including me, experience discomfort after an extended range day with a stock Glock trigger. The second upgrade most Glock owners make is the trigger. I swapped my trigger with a Suarez Face Shooter as soon as I could.
The CZ trigger comes made of metal and is stable and smooth. Not uncomfortable sharpness or odd texturing to it. One thing the Glock trigger does is amazingly well is reset, and it did set the bar high for a short, audible, and tactile reset.
Slide
The Glock slide is quite plain, and they don’t seem to care than a lot of their customers want forward slide serrations. The 17FS models were big news, and there is an entire aftermarket making or adapting Glock slides with forward serrations. CZ serrated both the front and rear of their slides.
Speaking of slides Glock is smart enough to come out with the MOS system that allows shooters to install red dots without sending their guns off for work. I will give them that. However, CZ is smart enough to produce the Kadet kits for the P09 which convert it to a 22 for cheaper training. There are 22 LR conversions for Glocks, but they aren’t OEM kits and cost significantly more than the Kadet kits.
Ergonomics
The CZ P09 is an ergonomics god. I can use every control on the gun without moving my grip. With the Glock, I have to shift my grip to reach and touch the magazine release and slide lock. That’s not an issue with the CZ P09.
Grip angle is subjective, and so is the finger groove thing so that I won’t mention that. Some people love them, and some don’t but Glock has acknowledged this and made the Gen 5’s groove free.
One last note is the CZ P09’s beavertail keeps my hand from getting slide bite.
I like an excellent high grip, and with the Glock 17, I have to deal with slide bite or those awkward grip modules.
Also, the high undercut on the trigger guard lets me keep a high grip with the P09.
The Price
The price difference is significant. The Gen 5 is priced considerably more than the CZ P09. Roughly $120 bucks more. Even Gen 3 models are priced 40 dollars more than the P09. For 50 bucks less I can get a CZ P09 with suppressor height night sights, and a threaded barrel on a special gray frame.
Aftermarket
On the aftermarket, the Popularity of Glocks guns has made them reign supreme. You can upgrade nearly any part, or even build your own from an 80 percent lower. This isn’t even a contest, from holsters to barrels and triggers Glock wins here.
Glock Vs CZ
CZ USA seems to exemplify doing things the right way, especially the little things. The grip is aggressively textured, the grip modules blend in effortlessly. The lines of the gun are immaculate. Hell, even the box is custom cut for the weapon with a place cut for the grip modules, extra magazine.
Glocks work, and they work well, but at the end of the day, I think Glock is complacent. They’ve gotten a little cocky from sitting at the top of the mountain for so long. Their roads to improvement are often long, and when a new generation is revealed the upgrades are rarely what everyone wanted. CZ isn’t the only company fighting for market share, and plenty of up and comers are leaving Glock in the dust through innovation. Glock needs to get hungry again, and they need to refine, rebuild, and look at what people want.
