CZ P-09 Urban Grey 9mm Review

 

With the increasing transition from .40 S&W to 9mm by law enforcement agencies and civilians alike, we are seeing a number of duty sized 9mm handguns coming to market and gaining popularity. Building on their solid reputation for double action / single action (DA/SA) semi-automatics, CZ has released some feature loaded, polymer framed pistols. Lets look at some specifications for the P-09 Urban Grey version.

• 5.15″ cold hammer forged, threaded barrel
• 32.2 OZ weight, unloaded
• Magazine capacity is 21+1 for Urban Grey version, 19+1 for standard P-09
• 3 dot tritium suppressor height sights
• Ships with decocker, but can be converted to a manual safety, ambidextrous
• Trigger pull in DA is 10.8 lbs
• Trigger pull in SA is 3.2 lbs
• MSRP from CZ is listed as $629

 

The first thing I noticed when I picked up the gun was its size. This is a large handgun. Full length grip, full length slide and barrel, AND the Urban Grey version ships with a +2 baseplate on both magazines. CZ does send standard baseplates for the magazines, limiting you to 19 rounds if you so choose, however, I have not changed mine out. On a gun this large, the extra length on base of magazines doesn’t really bother me, as concealment is simply not a priority (or option, in my opinion!) with this gun. Without a standard P-09 to compare it too, I turned to the internet to see what the differences are between the standard and the Urban Grey. Here is what I could gather:

• Color- the Urban Grey has an FDE/ grey polymer frame, the standard is black
• Sights- Urban Grey comes standard with tritium suppressor height sights, standard has standard height white dots
• Weight- the Urban Grey is 1.2 OZ heavier
• Barrel- Standard version has a 4.54 ” non-threaded barrel
• Magazine capacity- 19+1 for standard, 21+1 for Urban Grey
• Price- Standard is listed as $530 on CZ’s site

So, as CZ states on their website, the Urban Grey series is built to be suppressor ready from the box, and it only takes a few minutes online to figure out that if you are planning on running a suppressor, it makes more financial sense to get the Urban Grey than to try to retrofit a standard p-09 for the task. The cost of a new barrel alone would quickly eat up the price difference, let alone Tritium, suppressor sights.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I have had this gun for about eight months. I have put approximately 1,000-1,200 rounds through it. It is not simply a range toy for me, but is, in fact, my go-to home defense gun. So this is not a typical review by any means.

 

CZ P-09 Urban Grey with a Streamlight TLR-1 HL, a viable home defense choice.

In the 1000+ rounds I have put through the P-09 Urban Grey, I experienced zero malfunctions of any kind. Zero. Not one failure. Ammunition has been a mix of Speer Gold Dot 124 gr hollow point ammunition, Tula Steel cased “budget ammo” and standard Federal and Remington 115 gr brass cased ball ammo. None of these gave the gun any issues. While not an extensive torture test, by any means, it is impressive. Shooting the P-09 is where the real fun starts, though. With the slide riding inside the frame, as opposed to outside, as with most semi- automatic handguns, the bore axis is pretty low and close to the shooter’s hand. The benefit here is that muzzle flip is greatly reduced, also due to the barrel length of the gun. The double action trigger pull is not bad at all, and I can consistently keep “center mass” sized groups firing double action only at 25 yards. The single action trigger is truly remarkable. Crisp, light, and with a fairly tactile reset, it makes shooting the gun a dream. My target picture below is truly a testimony to the gun’s accuracy, especially when considering I am only a mediocre pistol shot.

Out to 25 yards, I have zero doubts concerning the P-09’s abilities to consistently put rounds where you want them.

The sights on the pistol are fantastic. They are non-adjustable, steel sights with tritium inserts with enough height to clear most suppressors on the market. I found them to be quick to acquire when presenting the gun, and clear enough to make good shots at distance. The tritium glows the brightest of any tritium sights I have had. Actually, when I first got the gun, I read a page of a book with nothing but the rear tritium dots. I’m not sure if CZ makes the sights themselves, or if another company supplies them, but they are fantastic.

I cannot say enough about how much I love these sights.

In other corners of the internet, debates rage on about the best choice for home defense, and whether that’s the quintessential 12 Gauge shotgun, a modern sporting rifle like the AR-15, or a handgun. Personally, I buy into the option that a home defense choice is not a one size fits all decision. I think it depends on many factors such as the number and age of any children in the home, the layout of the home, and your own family’s home defense plan. Yes, you should have a home defense plan, and I will be writing a separate piece on that soon. For me, with young children and an infant, as well as residing on the opposite side of the house, there is the chance I may have to “herd” my kids and open doors in the event of a home defense situation. Hence why I have chosen a handgun as my go-to at this point. With 21+1 rounds of quality self defense ammunition, bright night sights, enough rail space to mount a full size, 800 lumen light, and the capability to mount a suppressor, the choice was clear for me, especially when I consider the accuracy this pistol is capable of.

As with all my reviews, I am not receiving compensation, monetary or otherwise, to give these reviews. If I give a good review, it’s because I hold the gun in high regard. Please let me know what you think, like and follow us on Facebook- The Hungry Handgunner, and stay safe! Thanks for reading.

http://www.cz-usa.com

http://www.blackrhinoconcealment.com

Black Rhino Concealment Holster for the P-09 Urban Grey