TFB Review: The New CZ Shadow 2 Carry

Welcome back to another TFB review, with tonight's selection being the new CZ Shadow 2 Carry. I looked at CZ’s first offering which was the Shadow 2 Compact back in November of 2023. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to give it a quick read. Although the Shadow 2 Compact and Shadow 2 Carry are similar, there are a number of stark differences between the two models. Let's take a closer look at the new CZ Shadow 2 Carry.

Specs

When it comes to the Shadow 2 Carry, CZ wanted to make a handgun with all the features of a Shadow 2 Compact while having a safe trigger for the challenges of everyday life. When looking at the numbers, the Shadow 2 Carry has the exact same weight and configuration as the Shadow 2 Compact. They both have a 7075 aluminum frame with the same configuration for a slide as well. The Shadow 2 Carry has an optics cut standard from the factory with the rear sight that’ll stay attached to the slide allowing you to use your irons as a backup to the red dot. The main difference between the Shadow 2 Carry compared to its brother the Shadow 2 Compact is the fact that the Carry has an ambidextrous decocker instead of a traditional safety as well as night sights as a standard factory choice.

Both guns have roughly a 10.5lbs double-action trigger pull, with the Carry having a 3.75lbs single-action trigger, which is about a half pound more than my Shadow 2 example I have. The Carry also has a firing pin blocker, which ensures the Shadow 2 Carry is 100% safe even when dropped or abused, if you happen to put the gun under abuse in a self-defense situation. Other features include a 4” cold hammer forged barrel, two 15-round magazines and a hard case as standard. The Shadow 2 Carry has an MSRP of $1,599.99 and is currently shipping to dealers.

Range Time

I have just shy of 800 rounds through this guy thus far. For the Shadow 2 Compact review, I believe I had 700 through that handgun before writing up the review so they are fairly similar in round count. For the most part, I love how this gun shoots. The trigger is certainly different since it's more of a defensive style trigger over a competition trigger with the firing pin block but it's an excellent defensive trigger. The single action reset is slightly longer than other models like the Compact, but that's expected since they are different systems. It's important to note there are slight differences between the two models, and the Carry is becoming one of my favorite carry guns just because it really does feel like a full-blown race gun just dialed down enough to be safe and reliable, where some competition triggers can be picky.

There are no crazy colors on it like other Shadow 2 variants and the double-action trigger, although it's just over 10lbs, is clean with a crisp break. The single action has a buttery smooth pull with a short but defined wall. The reset has a defined point but there is a bit of takeup before hitting the wall again. Under rapid fire, the Shadow 2 Carry is easy to shoot quickly, oftentimes throwing deliberate double tabs without having to think much. With a little practice, it really is this awesome mash-up of defensive handgun meets competitive handgun. I would compare this as a similar shooting gun to my SIG P229 Legion with a lower bore axis making the recoil impulse flatter than the SIG. As a compact-size metal-framed handgun, this does a fantastic job of shooting like a full-size handgun while being almost the same size as a Glock 19. Not all will be a fan of the metal frame but I personally prefer that in a defensive handgun. When it comes to shooting the Shadow 2 Carry, it certainly shines and the decocker really makes it a better carry gun than the Shadow 2 Compact.

Reliability and Accuracy

For the accuracy portion of the testing process, I took three different ammo types and backed up to 25 yards. I decided to shoot 5 rounds for each group with three separate groups for a total of 15 shots for all ammo types. The first ammo I used was Federal 147gr Sytech training match ammo. This ammo had an average group of 1.22” at 25 yards. My second ammo choice was 115 gr Federal American Eagle, which had an average group of 1.35” at 25 yards. The third ammo type was my trusty Federal HST 124gr+Pwhich performed the best with a 1.17” group.

In terms of reliability, the Shadow 2 Carry was completely fine and ran 100% reliably, even with no initial cleaning or lubrication straight out of the box. The vast majority of the time, with modern technology and metallurgy, it's really hard to have a poor-performing handgun at this price range. The overall fit and finish were really high with quality aluminium grips, aggressive texturing on the slide with a slight squaring for easy racking, along with front and rear checking on the frame for easy grip points. They aren't too aggressive either which can be a problem with some modern guns but this was a very comfortable firearm to shoot all day long.

Carry Vs Compact

The number one question I get when it comes to the Shadow 2 Carry is the difference between this gun and the Shadow 2 Compact. There are clearly differences but I think it's important to make it clear that these two guns have drastically different purposes. The Shadow 2 Carry is a really strong carry gun option that offers a number of upgrades compared to something like a P01 or similar-sized pistol. The Optics Ready system allows people to throw their favorite carry optic on and have a really capable defensive handgun.

The Shadow 2 Compact is really a competitive-driven handgun. This is a great range blaster and if you have a female shooter with smaller hands, this allows you to still use a red dot and have all the features of a competition handgun without the extra weight and size of a full-size handgun. If you have a son or daughter who is interested in competing but just isn't quite right for a full-size gun, the Shadow 2 Compact is a perfect gun to let your kids learn how to shoot and compete without having to lug around a full-size metal-framed handgun. You could have run the Shadow 2 Compact as a defensive gun before the Carry came out, but now that CZ released the Shadow 2 Carry and I don't really see a reason to carry the Shadow 2 Compact as a self-defense gun with the Carry out now.

Overall Thoughts

For the majority of my reviews, I try to look at where the firearms shine and what they do well. There are also those rare times that a handgun creeps into my brain and I get excited to hit the range and shoot a particular firearm more than others. This CZ Shadow 2 Carry is one of those guns that I just find myself enjoying shooting as well as carrying. It may not be the lightest option on the market but with a solid IWB holster, it's certainly doable to carry this gun all day comfortably.

What do you guys think of the CZ Shadow 2 Carry? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. If you have questions about the Shadow 2 Carry or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram  @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you in the next review.

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