The Czech-made CZ-75 is the classic “Wonder Nine” from the 1970s, inspiring everything from shameless copies to designs that added their own innovations, like the Bren Ten. While the world moved on to polymer-frame, striker-fired “wonders”, original manufacturer Česká zbrojovka (CZ) not only kept the original design alive but continued to update it to conform to modern tastes, from adding features like optics-ready slides and Picatinny accessory rails, to even making polymer-frame versions. The company's latest edition is a modern bullseye competition pistol, the new-for-2025 Shadow 2 Target.
From its introduction, the CZ-75 platform has been a popular basis for building high-end custom pistols for competition. CZ introduced the Shadow 2 version of the venerable CZ-75 in 2016. Shadow 2 updates were focused on making the handgun ideal for practical pistol competition, including a higher beavertail tang, an undercut trigger guard, and checkering on both front and back straps. The Shadow 2 Target is focused towards bullseye competition.
Target accuracy starts with the barrel, and the Target is available with either a 4.89” or 5.89” cold hammer-forged barrel with a re-designed protective crown that is hand-fitted to the slide and backed by a lifetime warranty. The slide has deeper cocking serrations and is fitted with LPA sights—a fully adjustable rear and a front blade (each pistol is supplied with two blades of varying widths: 3.5 mm and 3 mm). Next is the trigger, which is single-action-only, with adjustable take-up, overtravel, and pull weight between 1.3 to 3.8 lbs. Additionally, the Target trigger shoe is adjustable over five positions to customize length of pull.
The Target’s steel frame has been redesigned to have a larger undercut on the trigger guard and more comfortable front and rear strap checkering. Its dustcover is drilled and tapped for adding frame weights, with the 5” model weighing 46.5 ozs. and the 6” version two ounces more. Controls have been re-designed for this specific model, including a new slide stop and a lower-profile magazine release. The safety lever is bilateral. Custom grips are made of G10 material. Magazine capacity is 17 rounds and three are supplied with each pistol.
The CZ Shadow 2 Target has an MSRP of $2,500 for the 5” version and $2,600 for the 6” model. For more information, see the company’s website.
