The most tactical double-action first-shot carry gun in the world? The new CZ P 09 Nocturne just might be.

by Bob Campbell

When CZ recently introduced a new version of the proven P 09 handgun, I gave the introduction the usual due diligence of an interested handgunner. Then I looked some more and obtained a pistol for testing. Intrigued and inspired, I ended up composing extended symphonies of brass cases as they pinged across the concrete range pad.

Such is music to my ears.

The P 09 C (“C” for compact…a full-size “F” version is also available) is a trusted defense pistol. Why should anyone choose the P 09? Double-action first-shot handguns are far from dead, but they are not as popular as they once were. The new P 09 C Nocturne is the best modern example of an efficient DA first-shot pistol I have tested. These pistols are still popular for police and service use in Europe, and CZ’s reputation for reliability and longevity will carry the pistol far in sales. In America, quite a few armed citizens will find the Nocturne a formidable defensive handgun.

What is a nocturne? According to my old Random House Dictionary, it is a musical composition “1. …appropriate to the night or evening; 2. An instrumental composition of a dreamy or pensive character.”

Been there, done that. Felt the worn handle that was comforting on long shifts and patrols, and later during long travels in unfamiliar territory. I prefer an experience to an adventure in the field, and a good handgun will keep things steady.

Let’s take a close look at the CZ P 09 and the Omega SA/DA trigger system.

An Interesting Action

The Omega is even more robust than the original CZ 75 9mm action while the system simplifies maintenance with an interlocking design that is easy to disassemble. The default set up is a double-action first shot and the manual of arms is simple. Lock the slide to the rear and insert a loaded magazine. Drop the slide. A handy frame-mounted decocker is manipulated to lower the hammer safely without touching the hammer. To fire, the trigger is pressed to the rear. The trigger both cocks and drops the hammer by means of a drawbar attached to the hammer, hence the term double-action. The pistol fires and the slide recoils, cocking the hammer for subsequent single-action shots. An optional safety lever is supplied to convert the pistol to a manual safety. In this configuration, to lower the hammer, the trigger must be pressed while the hammer is thumbed downward. You may imagine why institutional users do not prefer this set up; however, this type of action — the original CZ 75 set up — has advantages.

With the decocker, if you are engaged in tactical movement and desire to quickly make the pistol safe, it must be decocked. As for the manual safety, once the pistol is fired and it is in the single-action mode, you need only move the lever to safe to make the pistol safe during movement. Alternately, the pistol may be carried cocked and locked, hammer to the rear and the safety on. If you adopt that type of carry, the CZ will give a cocked and locked 1911 9mm or Hi-Power type at least a run for its money and arguably do so with less expense and while delivering excellent reliability. I think most of us will keep the pistol ready with the hammer down. Whether you deploy the pistol with a decocker or a manual safety is your choice — and an uncommon choice made possible by the Omega action. I recommend always using a holster, but the P 09 may be carried in the waistband without a holster with greater safety than a striker-fired type. It is also safer if kept lying beside the bed, tucked under a mattress, or even beneath a pillow.

And More…

While the Nocturne illustrated here is a compact version, the pistol is also available as a full-size service model. I would imagine recoil is a little less, and perhaps practical accuracy is greater with the full-size pistol. On the other hand, the average CZ P 01 is more accurate than the full-size CZ 75!

The Nocturne offers considerable improvements over the original P 09. The cocking serrations are improved, and you can grasp the rear serrations easily. All controls are large enough for rapid manipulation but do not snag in concealed carry mode. Sights are also improved, and the grip treatment is enhanced with a superior balance of adhesion and abrasion. The new version also features changeable grip inserts.

The pistol is optics-ready — an option I have not explored but many shooters will. Disassembly is simple enough and the fit of the CZ high-grade barrel is excellent. The gun features a frame rail to accommodate a light. Magazine capacity is 15 rounds.

On the Range

Before testing, the pistol received ample lubrication. I lube more lightly for carry when only a few cartridges might be fired. Range work is another matter.

In this phase, I loaded the magazines with Remington 115-grain FMJ training ammunition. I fired more than 100 cartridges for the initial range work. I have fired several hundred additional cartridges during subsequent weeks without a single failure to feed, chamber, fire, or eject.

Pulling through the double-action trigger and getting solid center hits is possible to about ten yards. The technique I use is to draw and begin the press as I am coming to the target and then break the shot. Drawing, getting on target, and then pressing the trigger is a familiar sequence that also provides good results.

The Omega action is sharp and tight, breaking at about twelve pounds. This action is viable on many counts. The CZ P 09’s heft, balance, and handling make for an effective home defense or carry gun, yet it will not win any action-shooting competitions.

Practice is essential, as this isn’t a pistol you can leave in the drawer and then expect to shoot it well. Once the double-action first shot breaks, you have a crisp single-action trigger. This trigger is controllable and features a sharp reset — one of the advantages of the DA/SA type trigger. No striker-fired trigger action can be as crisp as a true single-action trigger. In the single-action mode, the pistol is quite capable. From 10 to 20 yards, the gun comes on target quickly and follow up hits are well centered. Recoil isn’t a consideration. The 9mm Luger doesn’t kick much in a 25-ounce handgun. The grip design coupled with the low bore axis ensures good control and limited muzzle rise.

A double-action first-shot trigger requires the finger to swing down and back while the single-action trigger requires a straight-to-the-rear trigger compression. The double-action trigger is a safety feature that works well for armed citizens. I would not fault anyone who switches the Omega system to a manual safety, but I am leaving my Nocturne in the decocker mode. While other pistols may shoot better and are easier to learn, the combination of safety features and simplicity of the CZ Omega trigger have much merit.

Accuracy Results

The final test — and I would say the least important in the critical defense sense — was benchrest accuracy testing. I chose three proven loads, fired from a solid benchrest firing position courtesy of an MTM Case-Gard’s K-Zone shooting rest. The sequence included 5-shot groups at 15 yards. Results as follows:

Remington 115-grain JHP – 1.75 in.
Black Hills 124-grain JHP – 1.65 in.
Federal 147-grain HST – 1.6 in.

Accuracy is good and consistent. Recoil is modest, with quick sight reacquisition. The CZ P 09 Nocturne is a thoroughly modern design that makes the most of the double-action/single-action design. This gun is a credible performer and among the most interesting introductions of the past few years.

Holsters

I have a DeSantis Vengeance on hand I often carry with the Glock M45 9mm and a mounted light. The Nocturne doesn’t fit most Glock 19 holsters, but this one accommodated the CZ well. I am not a fan of mismatched applications; however, this one worked. Speed is good.

What I Like

The grip is slimmer than most polymer frame handguns and the grip texture is quite good. Cocking serrations are substantially improved. Fit, finish, and reliability are world class — as expected from a CZ pistol. Accuracy is also good.

What I Don’t Like

The pistol should have a tritium option.

What I Would Change

Within the specifications of a double-action first-shot pistol, there is little to nothing I would change.

Compare To

The pistol’s grip is thinner than most and feels better in the hand than the Glock, although the S&W Military & Police is also a good-feeling grip. There really isn’t another DA first-shot handgun of this type in my experience for comparison. It is at least as accurate as the metal-frame P 01, and that says a lot. As for reliability, CZ doesn’t let anything out the door without extensive testing. The pistol may stand on its own merits compared to any 9mm handgun.