Gun of the Week: CZ Shadow 2 Carry

by
posted on April 3, 2026
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

From its vaunted CZ 75 to modern competition and concealed-carry guns, CZ USA has offered a range of designs to suit the needs of today's handgun enthusiasts. One of the latest models to hit the consumer market is the company's Shadow 2 Carry. Watch our "Gun of the Week" episode above to see the details of this carry-oriented design.

"Now the Shadow 2 is a name that we're pretty familiar with, and if you're in the competition circuit, you're very familiar with it because it is a stellar line of competition-oriented handguns," American Rifleman Executive Editor Evan Brune said. "And there are a number of features in those guns that people loved so much that they were like, “Can we put this into a carry variant?” and CZ answered the call with this particular model."

The CZ Shadow 2 Carry is a hammer-fired, double-action/single-action design chambered in 9 mm that accepts 15-round box magazines. Guns are outfitted with textured aluminum grip panels and have a slide cut to accept Shield RMSc-footprint red-dot optics. Unlike the all-steel competition guns, the Shadow 2 Carry is built on an aluminum frame with a Picatinny-railed dustcover for accessories.

"Weight-wise, unloaded, you're coming in at about 30 ounces with this," Brune said. "Still quite a bit heavier than your polymer-framed nines, but, if you want something that is absolutely solid and still is carryable, this is your platform."

Control-wise, on either side of the frame, there is a bilateral decocker that allows for easy use by left- and right-handed shooters, along with a single-sided push-button magazine release and slide-stop lever on the left side of the frame.

"So, all in all, you know, CZ, they're answering the consumer call for a carry version of the popular Shadow 2," Brune said. "And this is still a great shooter on the range as well as something that you can carry every day."

For more details, visit cz-usa.com.

Latest

6 Reasons Gunsmith 1 F
6 Reasons Gunsmith 1 F

6 Reasons Why You Should Have a Good Gunsmith

Not every gunsmithing job needs to or should be a DIY job, and it pays to get to know a good gunsmith and develop a relationship with that person. Here are six reasons why.

New for 2026: Breda's Victoria Over-Under Shotguns

While it's a historic Italian firearm brand, Breda guns have long been elusive in the United States. This year, Breda America is adding to its lineup of shotguns with the Victoria family of over-unders.

I Carry: A Look at Today's Latest Duty Holsters

Duty holsters have their place, particularly in law-enforcement and security circles, and they do provide some benefits to civilian users, too.

Political Report | Oregon’s Hunting, Fishing, and Agricultural Gambit Accelerates the End Game

Gun control activists have become increasingly emboldened. The shift from targeting the margins to challenging the mainstream signals nothing is off-limits. Gun bans are being aimed at the most popular firearms in America. Now, even hunting—which survives in countries that ban defensive gun use—is being targeted.

ACGG Creates Doug Turnbull Firearms Restoration Arts Grant

The American Custom Gunmakers Guild Foundation announced the introduction of its new "Doug Turnbull Firearms Restoration Arts Grant," which is an expansion on the foundation's mission to support gunsmithing education in the United States.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.