Bucky Lawson reviews the CZ Shadow 2 Carry pistol with range training and more.

Have you ever considered a competition handgun for the concealed carry role? Perhaps so. After all, modern carry guns share some characteristics with their competitive counterparts, such as being optic-ready and quickly deployable. So, it seems natural that someone would expand a successful race gun line to include a carry variant. That’s what CZ did with the Shadow 2 Carry.

The Shadow 2 series is a quality competition pistol used by champions around the world. The Shadow 2 Carry combines those superior ergonomics and performance with a shorter, lighter handgun designed for the discerning concealed carrier. The result is a very nice pistol that I’d be proud to carry. Too bad I don’t get to keep this test gun because it would enter my rotation today.

But I shot it quite a bit and carried it at the range and around the house, so I’ve got a good feel for it. It helps that it’s a real pleasure to shoot and, despite a little extra weight, comfortable to wear with a decent holster. Let’s get to it.

The CZ Shadow 2 Carry’s Influences

Those familiar with CZ handguns will recognize a few of the Shadow 2 Carry’s features. The single/double action trigger, low-profile, tapered slide and interior slide rails show the iconic CZ-75’s influence on the current CZ handgun lineup. But the gun’s frame descends from the CZ P-01, from which the original SP-01 Shadow match pistol evolved via the SP-01 duty pistol. The Shadow 2 trimmed weight and streamlined the gun’s profile while also making the slide optic-ready. The slide has the slim Shield RMSc footprint and allows direct mounting. I like that since I can co-witness with the gun’s iron sights. I ran a Riton Optics MPRD-3 red dot on my test gun.

The Shadow 2 Carry was developed from the Shadow 2 Compact, with its 4-inch barrel and compact frame. The Shadow 2 Carry adds a forged 7075 aluminum alloy frame that makes it a full pound lighter than the Shadow 2. The Shadow 2 Carry and Shadow 2 Compact’s magazines are compatible with one another, and CZ-75 mags will work in both guns.

The three-slot Picatinny rail requires a slim light or laser. I ran a Nightstick TCM-5B Subcompact weapon light during testing.

Other Shadow 2 Carry Features

The Shadow 2 Carry diverges from the rest of the Shadow 2 line with its decocker, which is ambidextrous. Personally, I think all modern SA/DA carry guns should have decockers. The decocker allows me to safely disengage the hammer without manually lowering it on a live round. Decocking the Shadow 2 Carry puts the hammer in the half-cock position, enabling the best trigger manipulation and making the gun safe.

CZ Shadow 2 Carry Trigger

Speaking of the trigger, an SA/DA configuration requires practice, but it’s a skill that’s well-worth the effort. The Shadow 2 Carry’s long, fairly smooth DA pull breaks at 11 lbs. or just under. You can carry it that way, but I prefer the half-cock function, from which the trigger breaks at a much nicer 8 lbs., 1 oz. The half-cock position also provides a shorter, crisper initial pull with a more defined wall before the break. The SA trigger on follow-up shots breaks at an average of 4 lbs., 9 oz., though the take-up is a little longer than I generally prefer. I like the half-cock function since it gives me the best, most consistent pull while also being safe. It can be set manually or by using the decocker.

The low-profile hammer is textured to prevent your thumb from slipping. The gun also has a generous beavertail to prevent hammer bite. The Duralumin alloy grips are slim and comfortable. The texturing is positive without being abrasive. The slight palm swell is nice, and the Shadow 2 Carry fits in my hand better than most pistols.

The slide is serrated front and rear, but the low-profile means that running it effectively will require practice. Honestly, I used the optic to rack the slide because my big hands have trouble with that narrow, tapered slide. The luminescent night sights are windage adjustable.

Shooting the CZ Shadow 2 Carry

I said previously that the Shadow 2 Carry is a pleasure to shoot, and it is. I like SA/DA pistols, assuming the trigger is good like this one. The longer, heavier pull gives me options that lighter triggers don’t. By “options,” I mean that a tense, fluid scenario, like a self-defense situation, affects our fine motor skills, no matter how much we train. Adrenaline will do that.

I used to carry a very light-triggered sidearm. But experience made me reconsider once I learned how adrenaline affects me and everyone else. I want more control and less chance of prematurely pressing the trigger when I get that adrenaline dump. An SA/DA trigger gives me that because of the long pull combined with easier staging, like a revolver. I don’t always carry a DA gun, but my carry guns all have a longer trigger pull than what I used to have. SA/DA triggers require more practice, but I believe they are worth it.

The gun is very accurate. I shot it off the bench when zeroing the optic at 10 yards. Once I accomplished that, I held a single ragged hole in the target. Shooting freehand opened it up a bit, but once I learned the trigger, and where to stage it, I rang steel time after time and held 2-inch groups with no problem at 7 to 10 yards. I fired some double action, but most of my shots, outside of zeroing, started from the half-cock and then transitioned to single action.

We fired the following loads:

• 115-grain Blazer Brass FMJ
• 115-grain Federal American Eagle FMJ
• 124-grain PMC Bronze FMJ
• 124-grain Sellier & Bellot FMJ

I also fired 20 rounds of 124-grain Remington Golden Saber +P BJHP defensive loads. The gun functioned perfectly with no malfunctions.

Parting Shots

Being perfectly honest, I wish this gun was mine. I’d take it in a heartbeat. It’s smooth, reliable, comfortable, and it’s just cool. I get that the action isn’t for everyone. But even so, it’s a skill worth learning. I said that before but it bears repeating. It’s like learning to drive a truck with a Gen Z theft prevention package, otherwise known as a manual transmission. Good to know if you ever need it.

One thing, however, prevents me from owning a Shadow 2 Carry: the price. CZ’s MSRP is $1,599. I found it retail in the still-stiff $1,400 range. I get that competition guns are expensive, but I can’t justify that for a carry gun. I just can’t. Especially when I can get extremely capable carry guns, and trick them out with whatever accessories I want, for hundreds of dollars less than what this gun costs. So, that’s the Shadow 2 Carry’s only weak spot that I can see. But your mileage may vary, considering freelance gun writers aren’t exactly independently wealthy.

But expensive or not, the CZ Shadow 2 Carry is a super nice gun that runs the way I want it to. If the price isn’t an obstacle, this gun deserves a long hard look if you’re looking for a top-notch carry gun that is borderline BBQ gun nice.

CZ Shadow 2 Carry Specs

• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Capacity: 15+1
• Single Action/Double Action Trigger
• Hammer Fired
• Barrel length: 4 inches
• Overall Length: 7.5 inches
• Height: 5.4 inches
• Width: 1.5 inches
• Weight: 30.7 ounces
• Optic Ready (Shield RMSc Footprint)
• Forged 7075 Aluminum Alloy Frame