Sooner or later, all shooters who fell under the spell of competing in the IPSC will need a high performance weapon for remaining competitive in this adrenaline-fueled sport. With limited factory-supplied options on the market, this new offering from CZ will stand well above the rest.
Shooting in the IPSC can be a quite demanding activity for a firearm. It’s not only the competitions themselves, but also the intensive, long-term training that requires tens of thousands of shots per year. The pistol, among many other things, must perform with absolute reliability and deliver high accuracy at all times. Advancing to a higher level is unthinkable without making this investment.
Fortunately, it’s easy to see what the most successful shooters choose across the various divisions. For top-level wins, the pistol must be up to the rigors of training and competition. Using this method, you will quickly learn that one of the few companies that produce truly great sport pistols for IPSC is Ceska zbrojovka, a.s. (CZ).
Shared DNA
CZ is based in the city of Uhersky Brod, located in the southeast region of the Czech Republic. With a tradition of manufacturing firearms that dates back to 1936, a lengthy introduction of the company is not necessary. CZ has long been one of the largest and most important players in the firearms industry, with many globally renowned models produced for both civilians and the armed forces. Within its prestigious line-up is the timeless CZ 75 SA/DA pistol, which features an ingenious, and still unsurpassed, trigger mechanism designed by Frantisek Koucky.
CZ has been developing and producing special models for use in IPSC competitions since the early 1990s at its factory in Uhersky Brod, with the 75 pistol concept serving as the foundation for their construction. Over time, the production, design and technology of CZ sport pistols started to move away from this initial basis, but the heart of these weapons remains the same in terms of the locking system and trigger mechanism, thanks to which all pistols within the extensive CZ 75 family perform so well – and consistently hit on target. In fact, this also applies to the shape of the gun with a perfect ergonomic design of the grip, which was highly appreciated by Jeff Cooper in the original 75. Cooper is a famous pistol guru and one of the members of the Columbia Conference, which founded IPSC in 1976.
Of all CZ pistols produced in accordance with IPSC rules, the Shadow models have long been the most widely known and are intended for use in the popular Production Division. The Uhersky Brod-produced Shadows, especially when in the hands international CZ Shooting Team members, have clearly ruled within the IPSC for many years. A little less is generally known about other sport models from the Uhersky Brod factory – attesting to the fact that pistols designed for these other divisions are chiefly used in sport shooting. However, it is well known in relevant circles that CZ also produces limited production, high performance models for the Standard and Open divisions. Once again, just take a look at the firearms used at the highest levels of competition and you’ll find CZ dominant among the ranks.
The first generation
A step up from Production Division, the Standard Division only pistols with mechanical (open) sights and no compensator. Restrictions are also in place regarding dimensions of the weapon, which must fit into a box measuring 225 × 150 × 45 mm.
The single-action only CZ 75 Tactical Sports model (CZ 75 TS) has been produced for this division since 2005 at the Uhersky Brod factory, and was based on the previous sport, and commercially successful, CZ 75 Standard IPSC pistol from the second half of the 1990s. The TS model, which is offered in 9mm Luger and .40 S&W calibers, performed very well immediately upon its introduction. In 2007, Josef Rakusan and the CZ Shooting Team used it to win the European championship title, with a long list of additional successes coming soon afterwards.
In 2015, CZ expanded its Standard Division offerings with the CZ 75 TS Orange – an improved version with new, finely tuned characteristics. It was immediately put into use by shooters from the CZ factory team and remains in the CZ product line. The original TS model was discontinued in anticipation of a new generation model at the end of 2020.
A new era
To put things in perspective – the first generation of the CZ 75 TS pistol was, and still is, a fantastic firearm. Developed by top engineers with extensive experience in the design and manufacture of firearms, it was one of the best firearms available for use in Standard Division for many years.
But CZ has changed a lot over the years. Over the course of time, CZ itself has changed, undergoing a radical modernization of production equipment that began in 2006 and incorporated not only the latest in manufacturing technology, but an improvement in materials as well. Not a company to rest on past achievements, CZ’s research and development process has also seen many progressive and forward-thinking changes. The combination of these many factors has contributed to the extraordinary success of the latest generation of CZ weapons.
Members of the armed forces were the first to gain the benefits of this new approach, with a great leap forward regarding military and defensive firearms. CZ then turned its attention to sport shooters. The introduction of the CZ Shadow 2 model in 2018 confirmed that they were setting the bar higher in all respects. In fact, many thought that the CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow was the absolute pinnacle in the development of the classic all-steel SA/DA model from the 1970s. Then this second generation of the Shadow came along and shook the industry, owing to the fact that it was better in all essential areas – and was beautiful as well. The “2” in the name is a bit misleading, as the CZ Shadow 2 was developed as a completely new weapon, which combined the extensive experience of the CZ Shooting Team with the latest design and production processes.
The same tactic was subsequently applied to the pistol designed for the Standard Division. That’s right. Even the new CZ TS 2 has almost nothing in common with the first model (just the magazine and a few parts), although all characteristics of the first model’s successful operation were taken into account in its development. The external appearance of this model seems to show a distinct relationship to the CZ Shadow 2. The CZ TS 2, however, was built completely independently of the CZ Shadow. The similar features and elements are only the result of using a unified base of components, as well as application of the same technologies. The same goes for the design, which has proven itself to be very successful for both the CZ Shadow 2 and the CZ TS 2, as it is equally at home as a sports model and defensive weapon.
CZ Shadow 1
CZ Shadow 2
CZ Shadow 2 Orange
CZ TS
CZ TS Orange
A new level of refinement
The CZ TS 2 model is once again equipped with a single-action only trigger mechanism. The new TS features a sport trigger, with short trigger travel and quick reset – which will be greatly appreciated by more advanced shooters.
The pistol comes with a new frame, which is produced with modern CNC machines. The new manufacturing technologies used for the second generation CZ TS 2 allow for precise tolerances down to a hundredth of a millimeter for a much tighter parts fit that results in both increased shooting accuracy and an extended service life.
When creating the new frame, CZ designers collaborated with shooters to design a frame with advanced geometry that may not seem different upon visual inspection, but is instantly appreciated when in hand. The combination of a newly designed slide with two pairs of massive serrations contributes to easier, faster and more reliable handling – and ultimately – easier, faster and more reliable hits on target.
The improved ergonomics and intelligent distribution of mass result in refined operation, even when shooting quickly. There is minimum muzzle rise and return is prompt and natural. If you were satisfied with the first generation in this respect, you will definitely be excited about the CZ TS 2 – you will be able to shoot it faster and more accurately.
The front and back straps have new, more prominent checkering to ensure secure handling, regardless of whether your hand is sweaty or covered with mud. There are debates about the texturing of the gripping surfaces on the new CZ pistols, as users considered some checkering too aggressive; but with this new model, it seems that a compromise has been reached that is ideal for everyone.
The new mechanical sights can be seen as a success. They consist of a 1 mm red fiber optic front sight and a relatively high, adjustable metal rear sight. The hammer features the usual shape found on CZ’s new sport specials, with a slanting design and large relief hole. It is definitely worth mentioning the new machined magwell that guides the anodized duralumin magazine into place. The flat grips are also made of anodized duralumin.
The new generation TS has a highly durable finish, which protects the weapon against weather, sweat and scratches. But even though the latest CZ weapons are not completely indestructible (users are unpredictable in this respect), they come really close.
In addition to the base model of the CZ TS 2 series, CZ is introducing the Racing Green and Deep Bronze hand-fitted models with custom components for more advanced ISPC competitors. In the near future, you can look forward to the launch of even more CZ TS 2 models.
We would now like to take the opportunity to write about the base model, which is especially suitable for beginners and intermediate shooters in the IPSC Standard Division and USPSA. This model is also a good choice for hobby target shooting with a large-caliber pistol.
The base model features silver anodized grips with the series name written on each one: TACTICAL on the left grip and SPORTS on the right grip. At the bottom of each grip is a handwritten “2” in the style of the CZ Shadow 2. It has a fixed rear sight, i.e. only with the demanding possibility of moving it laterally in the dovetail; however, precise set-up from the factory makes this adjustment unnecessary.
Ambidextrous manual safeties with extended safety on the left side (flat on right side) come with the base model, as well as an adjustable, extended height magazine release for the 75-style magazine. The design of the slide stop also follows in the style of the 75, which allows more advanced shooters in the Standard Division, where tactical reloading is more common, to exchange it with a pin as part of the standard equipment. The firearm is delivered in an oversized carrying case and comes with three magazines as standard.
For the base model, and CZ TS 2 series in general, users will have a wide range of aftermarket components and customization options available.
More information is coming soon!
