Updated August 2024: Complete re-write with all new info after testing and 1,000+ rounds through it.
CZ P10 C Pros & Cons
Pros
- Optics-ready versions available
- Good trigger for the price point
- Great ergonomics
- Proven track record
Cons
- Grip texture is very sharp and may be too aggressive for some.
- Front serrations are too shallow/short for some
- Slide catch tough to reach for smaller-handed shooters
The Bottom Line
The P10C is an excellent choice for those looking for a compact handgun, especially on a budget.
CZ P10C Specs & Features
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Capacity | 15+1 rounds |
| Overall Length | 7.3″ |
| Barrel Length | 4.02″ |
| Height | 5.2″ |
| Width | 1.26″ |
| Weight (empty) | 26oz |
CZ’s P10C checks many boxes for a do-all handgun. Now that it has hit its lowest street price since its initial release in 2017, it piqued our interest once more as a strong contender in the compact striker-fired space. Has this drastic price decrease earned the P10C a spot back in every gun owner’s arsenal?
We walk you through the specs and features and take it to the range to answer that question.
So, keep reading!
Table of Contents
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Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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How We Tested the CZ P10C
The Pew Pew Tactical team has shot around 1,500 rounds through the P10C since it’s been in our gun safe. While this may not be an exceptionally high round count for some, most handguns will show any fatal flaw in design or parts issues well below this number.
With the exception of one P10C with a loose extractor pin, the other P10Cs have performed flawlessly with no malfunctions.
For this review, I took the P10C out to the range and shot over 300 rounds of AAC 115g, Blazer 115g, Magtech 124g, Remington UMC 115g, and Federal HST 147g to test reliability and accuracy. The P10C ran all the ammo flawlessly.
We shot these groups with the optic-equipped P10C on a Ransom Tripod Rest to remove as much shooter error as possible. I also shot the iron-sight-only P10C at 10-yard intervals, with distances from 20 yards out to 50 yards.
9mm Ammo in Stock
CZ P10C Background
The CZ P10C was released in 2017 as CZ’s break into the modern striker-fired pistol market. At the time, the Glock 19 and M&P 2.0 Compact were the dominant go-to choices for a compact-sized striker-fired handgun.
CZ spent years evaluating the current market offerings at the time and introduced what they thought were improvements to the status quo. Improved grip ergonomics, a trigger with a clean break, an ambidextrous slide catch, and a reversible magazine catch were some of the touted selling points of the handgun.
Now, the initial P10C has evolved into the full-size P10F, subcompact P10-S, optic-ready, and several other versions.
Who Is It For?
The CZ P10C is the perfect option for those on a tight budget looking for a do-it-all handgun. It falls into the “compact” size range, typically a 4-ish inch barrel with about a 15-round magazine capacity and around 1.2 to 1.4 inches thick.
But why does this compact size reign as the do-it-all option? A compact handgun is what some may refer to as the “Goldilocks” of every gun owner’s arsenal, new and seasoned alike. These handguns check the most boxes — home defense, concealed carry, and competition/training, albeit there may be better specific options tailored towards each individual category.
For those looking to jump into all or some of these categories, the CZ P10C is an excellent choice, especially on a tighter budget.
Ergonomics: Fit & Feel
CZ’s advertised improved ergonomics of the P10C certainly is true in certain regards. The grip and beaver tail are the most prominent improvement over other striker-fired options.
Rather than having an extended beaver tail (think 1911), the P10C simply shifts the gun’s grip a tad deeper towards the muzzle end. The result? You easily establish and maintain a high firing grip with the dominant hand while avoiding the dreaded slide bite.
Some of my favorite handguns to shoot and carry have left me with a semi-permanent scar on my right thumb. The CZ P10C did not injure me this way, with no modification to my dominant firing hand grip.
Grip texture is subjective for each shooter, and manufacturers have to decide what will benefit the highest percentage of prospective buyers. CZ opted for an aggressive square/pyramid pattern on the front, back, and sides of the P10C’s grip.
I found the texturing did a good job of locking my dominant hand into the gun. That said, I experienced some moderate discomfort towards the end of the shooting session due to the sharp texture. However, I wish the texture extended higher on the left side of the grip, as the contact with the upper portion of my support hand had only bare plastic for friction.
This texture on the gun is most definitely not a reason to skip purchasing this gun, as it can be easily modified to fit the individual shooter’s preferences.
You can apply grip tape or specific grips made for the P10C from companies such as Talon Grips, Handleit Grips, and more for a non-permanent option. If you prefer something more permanent, send your frame off for a professional stippling job or DIY if you’re bold or skilled enough.
Trigger
The trigger is great for a stock striker-fired factory trigger.
Every striker-fired trigger has pre-travel and then reaches a defined wall of pressure. Past this wall, CZ’s trigger has the most minimal creep of any factory striker-fired trigger I have used.
Instead of a rolling break, where most shooters will not know exactly where in the creep the gun is going to go off, the P10C gives you around a 4 3/4 to 5-pound pressure to break, and then the gun goes off.
The benefit of this trigger design is that the shooter knows exactly when the gun will fire. This results in better shot accountability and higher accuracy with correctly applied shooting fundamentals.
Controls
I preface this knowing I am fully in the minority on my preferred mag release technique… but the P10C’s magazine release is one of my personal favorites.
As opposed to most shooters who use their thumb to release the magazine, I use the middle finger on my firing hand to release the magazine. This technique allows me to release the mag without breaking the grip on my dominant hand.
The P10C only makes this process easier for me with its long, somewhat rectangular magazine release that is beveled towards the muzzle end of the magazine release.
It’s extremely easy to use during speed reloads, and I never had issues with stuck mags or difficulties depressing the release button.
On the other hand, the slide catch had the opposite effect for me. This isn’t an inherent problem with the gun’s design, but rather my smaller hand size (medium size glove) not being able to actuate the slide catch as designed.
To lock the slide to the rear, I had to fully break my grip to gain enough leverage to hold the slide catch up. Even after breaking my grip, I did not have enough strength to depress the slide catch with just my thumb.
I have run into this issue with the majority of other handgun designs, so I have a deeply ingrained training habit of simply racking over the top of the slide with my support hand to load, reload, and clear malfunctions.
This technique proved to work well during my testing of the P10C, leading into the next category…slide serrations.
Slide
The slide serrations leave something to be desired. They worked just fine for manipulating the slide using the over-the-slide technique mentioned above, but my main concern is the design of the front-slide serrations.
The serrations are very short and shallow. They don’t reach high enough on the slide to be useful for many people. I don’t clear malfunctions by racking the front of the slide with my support hand, but if I wanted to, the front serrations are too slick to allow me to do so.
For example, if your hands are sweaty or weak, you may have an issue press-checking the gun using the front of the slide. This isn’t a deal-breaker for the gun by any stretch of the imagination, just a minor critique that many newer handgun designs have addressed since the release of the P10C.
How Does the CZ P10C Shoot?
Putting all of the gun’s features together, the shooting experience for me was quite good with the P10C.
During my testing, I shot AAC 115g, Blazer 115g, Magtech 124g, Remington UMC 115g, and Federal HST 147g to see how it would do with multiple ammo types. The P10C ran all the ammo flawlessly.
Of the ammunition tested, it showed the best groups at 7 yards with the Federal HST 147g. All of the groups were within 2.5 inches at 7 yards.
During the 300ish rounds I fired during the session, I felt very confident placing a first-round hit from the holster onto a reduced-sized c-zone steel out to 20 yards in under two seconds.
The aggressive texture allowed me to maintain my grip during longer strings of fire on multiple targets. I ran many drills, mostly from the appendix inside the waistband position, and found drawing the gun using the “claw” grip method to be exceptionally easy with the beaver tail and grip design of the P10C. Other guns can be very painful utilizing this method without modifying the length of the beaver tail, but the P10C out of the box was exceptionally easy to draw from the AIWB position.
Utilizing a proper strong support hand grip, I could easily maintain my shooting grip through drills and re-acquire my grip after reloads, resulting in positive hits post-reload.
During longer courses of fire shooting the 15-round magazines to empty, I maintained a 100% hit rate on steel at 15 to 25 yards, shooting relatively fast splits between shots. Even with the iron sights, I accomplished first-round hits out to 50 yards with the P10C.
Utilizing an optic on the P10C would only enhance the already amazing abilities of the gun.
CZ P10 Considerations
The P10 series offers multiple variations to suit the individual shooter.
CZ’s P10C is the original version of the P10, offering a compact-sized grip holding 15 rounds and a 4.02-inch barrel. Its closest competitor size-wise would be the Glock 19.
While the P10C grip is slightly longer with a magazine inserted than the Glock 19, the difference for concealed carry is minimal. If you can conceal a G19, you won’t have an issue concealing the P10C.
The P10C is offered in both the standard irons-only and optic-ready configurations for a small price bump.
The P10F is the P10C’s bigger brother, boasting a much larger 19+1 round capacity and 4.5-inch barrel in exchange for a significantly longer grip and barrel length. This version is more comparable to a Glock 17. It would fill the role of a full-size handgun for dedicated home defense or competitive shooting rather than the P10C, which can be concealed relatively easily.
CZ also offers the P10S, a concealed-carry-focused baby brother of the P10C that holds 12+1 rounds. This comes at the cost of three rounds of capacity and, for many shooters with larger hands, the sacrifice of a full firing grip offered by the P10C.
| Model | Overall Length | Height | Width | Barrel Length | Weight (Unloaded) | Magazine Capacity |
| CZ P10C | 7.3″ | 5.2″ | 1.26″ | 4.02″ | 26oz | 15+1 |
| CZ P10S | 6.6″ | 4.6″ | 1.26″ | 3.5″ | 24.4oz | 12+1 |
| CZ P10F | 8″ | 5.8″ | 1.34″ | 4.5″ | 31.7oz | 19+1 |
| Glock 17 | 7.95″ | 5.47″ | 1.26″ | 4.49″ | 25.06oz | 17+1 |
| Glock 19 | 7.36″ | 4.99″ | 1.26″ | 4.02″ | 23.65oz | 15+1 |
By The Numbers
Reliability: 5/5
All factory ammo functions flawlessly.
Ergonomics: 4/5
Grip texture is aggressive, but the shape feels great in the hand.
Accuracy: 4/5
This gun is going to be more accurate than the shooter.
Customization: 3/5
Not as many sight options as other guns.
Value: 5/5
Great gun at an even better price.
Overall: 4/5
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Upgrades & Accessories
We always suggest a red dot, and since the CZ P10C comes in a red dot-ready version, it makes sense to toss one on. The C&H Precision Comp Pistol Red Dot is what we ran for this review and we dug it.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Of course, we also have to suggest you grab some extra mags for range days, competition, or just to have.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Finally, a good pair of ear and eye protection is really important to keep your eyes and ears safe while shooting. Pew Pew Tactical started its own eye and ear protection company after years of testing others that weren’t super comfortable or had features we really wanted. So, of course, we’re going to suggest you check those out.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Final Verdict
The CZ P10C is untouchable in the price point segment in which it currently finds itself. The gun isn’t trading reliability, accuracy, and shootability as many other options in this price category do.
Even compared to the more expensive and popular options, the P10C is an excellent choice. The money saved from purchasing the P10C can then be used for ammunition for training, range fees, or even for a class from a professional instructor.
If you own a CZ P10C, what has your experience been with the gun? Love it? Hate it? Drop a comment down below and get the conversation going! Curious about the P10F Competition version? Check out our review.
41 Leave a Reply
I picked the p10s for its better concealment and for the $280 price point, i just had to. After 1500 rounds the great trigger is just butter smooth. A friend tried it out, said that it shot better and was the most accurate pistol he has ever shot cold, he likes it better than his FN509 and has bought a p10f.
Im saving up for a p10c OR.
I see that, once again, the proof-readers took 2024 off.
Whoever the editor is, perhaps they should go back to grammar school, yanno, the one for 1st through 6th graders.
No time. Too busy finger painting. ;) Thanks for the heads up. Mistakes happen, we're still human over here. Lol.
I'll add that the price is unbelievably low. The fact that a P320 Xcompact is another $200 is nothing short of ridiculous. And the 320's trigger isn't even close to the P10's.
I bought one earlier this year and I love it. I've never been able to shoot a handgun this accurately straight out of the box, except for maybe my Shadow 2. It's by far the best striker gun I've ever shot.
Excellent review. Clear, concise and complete. Looking forward to more reviews from Preston.
Far as aggressive grip texture on any polymer gun it is simple to reduce. The color goes all the way through so it doesn't show. I use course tool slips-stick sharpening stones. They are common and inexpensive. You simply file down the sharp points.
I bought a P-10C in 2017 when they first came out. Still have it, still love it. It has flawlessly run any ammo I've put through it. The only modification I've done is adding some Talon grips, otherwise completely stock. I'd highly recommend a P-10C, especially at this new price.
Good review, Preston, thanks and welcome.
This is hands down one of the best striker fired pistols ever made. I put nearly 1,000 rounds per month through mine for over 2 years. I haven’t done a thing to it other than cleaning and lubing. It’s a shooter. At this price I’ll get another and put it away.
That is NOT a compact pistol. Mid-size maybe.
I've never been a Glock fan-boy, and don't currently own one, mainly because I don't care for the grip angle. However, I was looking for a compact pistol, similar to the G19. When the P-10c came on the market, I monitored the reviews and comments, and purchased mine in Jan. 2018. I'm very glad I did and it's definitely a keeper. Unfortunately, I'm not a big guy and, at 72, I've even shrunk an inch to under 5'8". IWB just isn't comfortable for me, and OWB is difficult to conceal the P-10c. I bought the P-10s almost as soon as it came out and have carried it ever since, particularly in the winter months. I do carry the Hellcat Pro during the summer months, but I'll never sell my P-10's.
The grips are too sharp . I took a Dremel tool to mine. Shooting a handgun should not be painful. The slide lock/release or whatever its called needs to protude just a little, more like a glock. As I'm writing this I have decided to pack this gun away and get some better sights on my Glock 19. Also, a gun at this price is likely to be purachased by a new shooter and should be more user friendly. They've had a couple of versions of the non-OR gun.
I bought my first CZ P-10 C in October, 2017, have carried it 14+ hours/day for the last 5+ years and put 1000s of 124-gr. NATO rounds through it. It has been so ultra reliable and such a joy to shoot that I just ordered a new P-10 C OR yesterday because my old eyes are telling me it's time for a MRDS. I never once gave a thought to buying anything other than a CZ. As for the grip - that's the first thing everyone who's ever shot it notices but it's never bothered me and I like the idea that I will have a solid grip no matter what might be on my hands - soapy water, motor oil, blood, whatever.
I know this is an old review but I was curious about the different cuts on the OR plate between the two. The unreliable version had what looks like more of a universal cut. Were they different factories or serial number series? They are obviously different which might explain the reliability issues
I just ordered a CZ P10C - does anyone know where to buy a plate for the Leupold DeltaPoint Pro? Is there any red dot that will fit the P10C without a plate?
Hi Kat, I wonder what you think of the USA made barrel that is not honed like the barrel in my 75b. Is it as accurate as the Czech guns? Does it clean up spotlessly with a minimum of work? A major part of my loyalty to CZ is their high quality barrels. I own a 527 varmint in 223 that still shoots mostly 1/2" groups at my 150 yard range even though it is well over a thousand rounds.
I've never been a huge striker-fired fan (even though I've owned a number of them P320s, M&Ps, etc), but the P-10C has definitely won me over and is my favorite polymer striker gun I've used, hands down. It has the best out-of-the-box trigger I've felt on a striker gun, combined with those unbeatable CZ ergonomics. I have no issues with the grip texture - in fact, I really like it. And I've had zero issues with the gun in general.
You gave it 5/5 Reliability when 1 of 2 samples had extraction issues? Also, you claim "I do believe the failure of the first gun was a rare fluke." Why? Because the 2nd gun didn't have the same issues? You could have just as easily claimed "I do believe the non-failure of the second gun was a rare fluke."
I still have and carry my P10c from the 1st batch released in the US. Aside from the mag release stiffness, I’ve had 0 issues with an uncountable about of reloads and a ton of factory Gold Dots and Federal HST 124grn. I’m ready to jump on the optic train, but am holding out hoping CZ makes this in FDE at least. Anyone got any info in the possibility/probability on this?
Use your support hand for better recoil control. In the first video it looks like you're barely holding on to the thing!
I picked up my OR p10c a few months ago and can only say it handles great and is stupid accurate. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
I bought my suppressor ready P10C around the holidays and after the 3rd mag the trigger failed to reset. After 6 weeks back at CZ-USA it’s now a dream to shoot.
CZ P10C is better than the Glock 19, period. Very comfortable to shoot, accurate, reliable and concealable. Best concealed carry pistol available today! I carry it everywhere and it even easily and comfortably conceals under most shirts alone with an IWB holster. I’ve never had one jam or misfire of the 2,000+ rounds I’ve put through it to boot! Now I just need to get an OR slide!!!
Liked your article, I have a CZP10C without the OR capability. How or where can I get the OR slide for my gun?
Picked up a P10C Gen 2 (primary difference to gen 1 is swappable mag release vs ambi, better trigger) last weekend. It's a really sweet shooter and while the grip egos are fantastic the texture, while really effective, isn't comfortable to me. I've got Talon Grips on other pistols and put them on the P!)C as soon as they arrived. Really wonderful improvement.
I own a CZ P10C and I love the weapon, my only complaint is after approximately 800 rounds of 115 and 124 grain FMJ ammo the set screw on my recoil spring came loose and was slightly bent so I replaced it with an after market recoil spring and guide rod. I plan on contacting CZ USA and see if they can help me with the defective part.
I own the CZ P 10 F OR and absolutely love it. The ergonomics, trigger, and sites are far better than what came on my Glock 19 Gen 4. That said, my Glock did come with 3 mags and the CZ only came with 2. No deal breaker but the price tag is almost 50 bucks for each additional mag. As others have stated the aftermarket is pretty tight on CZ parts. Eventually others will see the quality and there will be more choices.
Nice review on the Optics Ready version of the CZ P10c. Sadly, months after its announcement, it still seems to be nowhere to be found in stock... :/
I wanted to buy a CZ-10 but I also disliked the grip. Plus, no range nearby rents out these pistols. I want to try before I buy.
One seller told me people cover the grips (because of the stippling) and some file down the stippling.
I bought the czp10c when it first came out and have put 3000 rounds through it with one failure to feed and that's it. I find it to be extremely accurate what I was at the dealership picking up my gun we checked the trigger pull and it was four point 5 pounds I checked it a 2500 rounds it was 3.5 pounds and we measured it 6 times I love this God it would lay my life on the line with it extremely accurate and extremely reliable. It also seems to fit a Glock holsters although I had a custom holster made for mine.
Dude,after a long range session;I asked my girlfriend if the grip bothered her and her answer was no.I had heard of others complaining.I didn't get this from handling my pistol,not has anyone else that has shot it.I find it to be just right.As for aftermarket and accessories,just go to CZ USA,Cajun Gunwerks,CZ Customs,Apex tactical,or HB industries.The aftermarket support is more than ample for this pistol at the moment,as there are others that do magwells,floorplates,barrels,and many other options.I agree that this is a very accurate pistol and is and should be my favorite for years to come.I do hope that these pistols get the credit that they deserve,as I find them far superior to a Glock in almost everyday other than aftermarket support.Great review by the way!
I got to try a T&E copy a couple years ago and bought the first one available in the area. Never regretted the purchase. I've found it to be accurate and reliable.
QVO Tactical has made plates for the OR CZ lineup. Pretty nice.
I purchased a CZP10C. The trigger was rough and not as smooth as the display case model.
400 to 500 live fire and dry fire combined trigger usage, found that the trigger was still rough.
Felt like there were parts rubbing and there was a pitted or rough surface at the end of the
path as the firing pin was released. Looked at the trigger and saw that one side of the pin
on the top back of the trigger was more to the right side. Used a punch to move the pin to the left. This smoothed the trigger release some but not to what I expect it to be.
I wonder if I should send it back in for a qualified gun smith to look for rub points and polish/
file the trigger action. I do not want a "hair" trigger. Want to have a smooth, crisp, surprise
when I pull the trigger. Other than that I am pleased with the pistol. The grip texture does
not bother me. Became use to it.
Traded a problematic Glock in for a first gen p10c. Upgraded the sights and consistently hit steel targets at 100 yards. My next purchase will be another Cz.
My duty gun is a Glock 22. Great gun and I shoot it very well. I can shoot my czp10c better and it's not due to the fact that the Glock is a 40 caliber, the CZ is just a better gun. I shoot the CZ better than my Glock 19 as well. Love the Glocks but the CZ is just a little bit better.
I have a few older CZ's and really like them and find them very reliable so I would imagine these to be the same way. Enjoyed the article! The price point on these dont seem too bad either
I have the P-10C and the P-10S OR. Love them both. They run with any ammo and under any condition. The reason I prefer them is they fit my hand better than any other similar handguns (I have treid G19, M&P 2.0, G43, G45, P320, P320 X-carry, and they all fall short of the P-10. Still have the G19). I run my P-10 s with a Vortex Venom (CZ custom has plates available for most optics now). I love them! Get a P-10!
I find it strange that you gave it a 5/5 on reliability when the first gun failed. 5/5 on the second one and 0/5 on the first. That's a 50% failure rate
I was thinking the same thing!