CZ's Ultimate Carry Pistol, The Pro-Tek I

I have to be honest; I have coveted the pistol that I now hold in my hands for several years and now that I have one I don’t think the descriptor “exquisite” is too much praise for this handgun turned out by the wizards at the CZ Custom Shop.  The instant that you wrap your hand around the grip you know that this pistol was built for speed.  This is the Ferrari (or substitute whatever luxury speedster you prefer) of handguns.

The Pro-Tek 1 began life as a CZ 75 Compact D PCR pistol.  Once it is turned over to the custom shop in Mesa, Arizona the transformation begins!  They completely de-horn the pistol.  They chuck the standard, but excellent, rubber panels and blend a set of textured aluminum grips into the frame so that the fit of the grips is perfect.  This lessens the width of the pistol from 1.34 inches in its original PCR configuration to 1.14 inches in the Pro-Tek version.  The slimmer grip frame seems to accentuate the curve of the backstrap as it melts into your hand and forces you to calculate if you can make it to the range before they close.

The slide is given an octagonal cut with a flat top and this completely changes the lines of the pistol giving it a streamlined appearance.  This pistol also has three-dot night sights (Heinie Straight 8 sights are now available as well).  The rear sight is a low profile wedge type that is adjustable for elevation by means of a large screw atop the sight.  

There is no manual correction dial for changing the horizontal point of impact but don’t worry, the Pro-Tek will shoot dead center for you.  The decocker has been cut back to make it less obtrusive without sacrificing its function or ease of manipulation by the shooter.  CZ’s competition hammer is also installed on the Pro-Tek models.  The slide is given a glossy polycoat finish and the aluminum frame is anodized in a Bronze/Gold color and all in all it is a very attractive pistol.  The Bronze/Gold used to be the only option for the frame color but the Pro-Tek is also being offered with a black frame and SHOT Show scuttlebutt reports that the CZ Custom Shop is looking at other colors for the frame such as gray.  I look forward to seeing what colors are ultimate determined.

A short reset trigger has been added and the trigger has been worked over giving it perhaps the best pull I have ever experienced.  My Pro-Tek breaks cleanly at 3.3 pounds in the single action mode and 7.2 pounds when fired double action.  The firing pin block has been left intact but has been smoothed and polished.  Whether it is the trigger, hammer or slide to frame fit I dare say you will have a hard time finding a smoother operating pistol.

All of the controls (decocker, slide stop lever and magazine release) on the pistol are in easy reach of your right thumb.  The magazine release button is slightly extended but smooth and deburred; when it is activated the magazines fall free.  The magazine well has been beveled to augment the process of recharging the pistol with a fresh magazine.  All in all there is very little they didn’t think of to attain their goal of making the Pro-Tek the ultimate carry pistol. 

As wonderful as this pistol is to hold and look at, the best experience comes once you hit the shooting range.  Whether I was shooting standard or +P loads the Pro-Tek handles recoil beautifully.  The grip frame spreads the recoil evenly across the web of your hand and between the textured grip panels and the beavertail the pistol stays centered in your grasp.  Between the recoil handling aspects of the pistols and the short reset trigger making accurate follow-up shots is far from difficult. 

As far as accuracy goes, if you like all of your rounds to produce one gapping hole in the target then you will like firing the Pro-Tek.  I fired 200 rounds of American Eagle 115-grain full metal jacket ammo and 50 rounds of PMC 115-grain ball ammo with no feeding or ejecting issues.  This was also my experience with defensive ammo including 124-grain Speer Gold Dot Hollow Points, Federal Premium 124-grain Hydra Shok ammo and 105-grain Federal Guard Dog cartridges.

 14 rounds of American Eagle 115 grain FMJ ammo fired at 30 feet.

5 rounds of Speer 124 grain Gold Dot Hollow Point ammo fired at 30 feet.

5 rounds of Federal Premium 124 grain Hydra Shok Hollow Point Ammo

10 rounds of Federal Guard Dog 105 grain ammo fired at 30 feet.

It is difficult to find any fault with the CZ Custom Shop’s Pro-Tek 1.  This is what a custom pistol should be; the design is well thought out, the execution in crafting the pistol is first-rate, and handling the end result is an absolute joy.  As I described it at the beginning, the Pro-Tek is “exquisite”.  These pistols are not easy to come by but be persistent with your dealer, be patient and yours too will arrive.