Picking a pistol for carry is a pretty subjective thing and may not be easy to do for yourself, let alone someone else. I?ve been into handguns for over 30 years. Only in the last 3 years have I really honed in on what I really like and want in a carry pistol. I have found the P07 and the Beretta Px4 compact to be very closely matched, when set up right, in meeting, my desires in a compact carry pistol.
My desires and preferences may be nowhere near what your wife would like.
What I like about each:
- size comparable to a Glock 19 (mid size, not too small to control, not too big to conceal). In the Beretta to get overall width down, required factory optional low profile slide release and decocker levers.
- DA/SA trigger system with decocker that has a manageable trigger. Beretta is smoother, CZ has more positive reset.
- a grip that fit my hand and allowed some adjustability to get me good trigger reach. Both are about equal. CZ has better factory grip texture, but I?m not above stippling or adding some adhesive traction products. I like grippy.
- good capacity- both are standard with 15 rnd mags in 9mm.
- good control under recoil. Both are highly manageable and once again about equal when I run drills on my timer, and see negligible difference in my shot to shot split times. Px4 accomplishes some of this with their rotating and non tilting barrel design. CZ seems to get it with slide mass and bore axis.
-good sights available. I really like the Ameriglo night sights with the orange surrounded tritium front and blacked out rear that Beretta offers for the Px4. Really wish Ameriglo would do an identical set for the CZs.
-above all other factors reliability, reliability, reliability. I?ve been running a log book on both pistols. Each ran through 1,000 rounds without cleaning, using multiple brands, types and weights of loads. They have since, run through well over 1,000 rounds trouble free with routine cleanings. (Open honesty here, I was worried on my first outing with my Px4 because it choked on multiple rounds of IMI 124 gr FMJ, as well as Magtech. I ended up,finding a thicker rim on those cartridges. This led me to look at my extractor to find a burr on the extractor hook. I took a polishing stone and removed the burr, and haven?t had a problem since.)
Other findings are that the finish on the CZ holds up better to holster wear and carry than the finish on the Beretta. The Beretta has a smoother trigger out of the box. The CZ factory trigger, though it seems rougher, didn?t seem to hinder me from getting good hits on targets during drills. Both triggers can be upgraded. Beretta offers some good parts through their own online store, so warranties can still be honored. CZ has a couple of good after market companies that offer good upgrades.
Shooting both pistols side by side for well over a year now and I still like both of them a lot. I think the CZ is probably a bit more suited to carry out of the box, based on grip texture, and a more durable finish that will put up with exposure during carry. Also the slide in frame design tends to make me feel more comfortable about garbage not getting into the pistol while carrying. The Beretta is a bit more comfortable after putting the low profile controls on it, and the curved rear of the slide is more comfortable.
But out of these two pistols, after 30 years of handgunning I?m hard pressed to rule either one out of carry.
Your wife may not give a single care for any one of the criteria I used in landing on these pistols (other than the reliability factor). Each person has to decide what they want in a pistol, and then find what fits those criteria. I wish it could be easier.
I guess it is, when some folks hit it just right the first time.
