New CZ P-09 Nocturne Pistol: Bright Review

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Ever since Gaston Glock introduced his polymer-frame striker-fired pistol to the United States in the mid-1980s, handgun designs have progressively moved away from double-action/single-action semiauto pistols. Today, the vast majority of semiauto 9mm guns on dealers’ shelves are striker-fired, but this doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t a place for DA/SA 9mm pistols.

At least that’s what CZ is betting. The company recently unveiled the Nocturne series of semiauto DA/SA pistols, which are updated versions of its P-09/P-07 pistols. The new Nocturne guns are available in two versions. There’s the C (compact) model with a 3.74-inch barrel and 15-round capacity as well as an F (full size) pistol with a 4.53-inch barrel and a whopping 19-round capacity. Both are priced at $549.

I tested the F model. My scale put its unloaded weight at 30.4 ounces, slightly more than the 29.2 ounces listed on the CZ website. Listed height is 5.9 inches—measured from the top of the sights to the base of the magazine—and overall length is 8.2 inches. Width across the controls is 1.5 inches.

Many of the features found on the original P-07/P-09 guns remain on the new Nocturne series. For starters, both have fiberglass-reinforced polymer frames with three interchangeable backstrap inserts for improved fit and control. Barrels are cold-hammer-forged steel, and the steel slides are cut for optics.

Safety and Trigger System

The guns ship with an ambidextrous decocker installed; pressing it lowers the hammer to the safety notch. CZ also supplies a manual safety, and you can replace the decocker with this safety without tools. The manual safety is reversible for lefties, and when it’s engaged the sear is blocked and the slide locked.

There’s a firing-pin block safety as well. The big exterior extractor also incorporates a small loaded-chamber indicator you can see and feel.

The Nocturne features CZ’s DA/SA Omega trigger system. It’s a different design than what you’ll find on guns like its CZ Shadow, but the setup is not bad and works well with the DA/SA design.

The first trigger pull has substantial weight and a noticeable wall, but on average the trigger broke at just under 11 pounds in double-action mode. The single-action break averaged four pounds.

Uptake and Travel

While it’s relatively smooth for a DA/SA, there’s a lot of uptake and travel in double action. There’s still considerable travel in single action, but the break weight is so light you can shoot this gun very accurately. Reset is short for a DA/SA pistol.

The big difference between the Nocturne and it predecessors centers around ergonomics. The grip texturing has been changed—for the better. The old P-09 had textured panels on the sides of the grip and boxy industrial-looking texturing on the frontstrap. The new gun features more texturing that extends farther around the grip itself so the majority of the grip is covered.

Theoretically this will offer better comfort and control, but the Nocturne definitely looks more modern and less dated. The new pistol still features the slab-sided grip frame, so if you like the rounded contours of most 1911 grips, you may not appreciate the feel.

There’s a lanyard anchor hook on the base of the grip, and three backstrap inserts are included. But because the pin that must be removed to swap them also secures the mainspring plug and the compressed mainspring, the owner’s manual recommends having a gunsmith swap backstraps.

Front Slide Serrations

The Nocturne’s front slide serrations have also been improved over the first-gen P-09 pistols. The original P-09 had industrial-looking front serrations that seemed to be a design afterthought. The new Nocturnes have far more aggressive serrations that wrap around the top of the slide.

That’s more than just a cosmetic upgrade, too; it’s a practical improvement that makes this gun appreciably better. Ever try to do an overhand, thumbs-down press check on an original P-09 with the hammer down? You needed every ounce of purchase available to you, and the original serrations just didn’t cut it. The new design makes it much easier to operate the pistol effectively and safely.

The sights are also upgraded compared to the original P-09/P-07 pistols, but they aren’t perfect. The front and rear are dovetailed, and both sights are sturdy. The rear sight is drift adjustable and offers plenty of vertical surface area for cycling the gun one-handed.

The green three-dot sight layout isn’t bad, but this gun would be better served with night sights. Sure, that would up the $549 price point, but I think the only thing missing to make the Nocturne a real duty-worthy pistol is tritium lamps in the sights.

Optics Footprint

Of course, you aren’t stuck with just the irons. CZ has made it simple to mount Holosun K/Shield RMS footprint sights to the gun after removing the cover plate. A word of warning: The cover plate screws are held in place with locking compound, and those on the two test pistols were extremely tight. Take your time when you remove them.

Like the P-09/07 guns and the CZ 75 before them, the P-09 Nocturne features a black nitride steel slide that rides inside the frame rails instead of outside like a 1911 slide. The CZ’s inside-the-rails slide design is purportedly more accurate because it offers better support, and guns like the CZ 75 and the SIG Sauer P210 (another inside-the-rails pistol) have great reputations for accuracy.

The downside of the design, many claim, is the limited slide real estate available for operating the gun. The average 1911 slide sits about an inch above the frame while the Nocturne’s slide projects about 0.7 inch. The average new shooter likely won’t realize a difference between the two, but the experienced shooter might notice.

The slide stop and decocker designs have been changed, too. The original slide stop featured two horizontal lines, but the new design is wider at the top and, quite frankly, an improvement. The decocker has also been redesigned to be easier to access and operate. There’s also a bit of frame texturing up front that serves as an index point for your non-shooting thumb.

High Capacity

Now, we come to capacity. The P-09 Nocturne F model I tested holds 19 rounds in the metal magazine. The magazine design is quite good—although you’d better have some serious thumb strength to cram number 19 inside the mag. Magazines fall free of the gun at the press of the release button.

There’s a slight indent on the bottom of the grip frame that matches a flare on the base plate of the magazine, and this offers good purchase should you need to manually strip a mag.

The original P-09 was an accurate gun, and the Nocturne hasn’t lost a step. Groups at 25 yards routinely went under two inches, fired single action with a Holosun red dot installed. Results are shown in the accompanying chart.

The pistol was equally exceptional off the bench. At 10 yards offhand the Nocturne produced very good groups, and I would certainly classify this as better-than-average accuracy.

Accuracy

I used a red-dot sight for the bulk of the testing, but I also took shots with the iron sights and found that they were very close to spot-on. There was a windage adjustment required, but that’s easily handled. If you want to change elevation, though, you’ll need to swap the front sights.

The new decocker design works great. I remember the old P-09 and P-07 well, and I thought their controls could use a bit more real estate, especially if you were in a dangerous situation. CZ got the message, and the slide stop/decocker are well-designed yet still sit close enough to the pistol to prevent snagging.

I’ve often lamented about the teeny controls placed on modern carry guns, and to my mind the Nocturne pistols have the answer—especially in stressful situations. But you don’t have to be in a life-or-death situation to appreciate the simplicity of the design. If you elect to shoot a few IDPA matches, you’ll appreciate never having to search for your controls.

I did shoot some slow-fire drills in double action. The trigger has a long travel and plenty of weight, but it’s fairly predictable. And with the hammer cocked the gun is, naturally, much easier to control. While the single-action trigger travel is quite long, it’s manageable.

Reliability

The P-09 Nocturne is a flat-shooting pistol that stays put during rapid firing. Its well-proportioned grip promotes a high handhold, and the gun’s just-right weight and balance make this a smooth shooter. It’s a gun that begs to be shot quickly, and it’s far easier to control than the micro 9mms.

With Fiocchi’s 147-grain Range Dynamics load clocking in under 1,000 fps, you can absolutely rip with this gun, and, very importantly, there were no feeding, extraction or ejection issues. The internals are clean and free of marks, and the feed ramp is properly angled and smooth.

The CZ Nocturne F’s size makes it big for a carry pistol, but it’s not so large that it’s impossible to carry. Nor is this gun too heavy. Thirty ounces unloaded is only slightly heavier than many polymer-frame carry guns, and you simply can’t beat the standard 19-round capacity. Plus, it’s nice to have the manual safety/decocker option. Of course, if you’re willing to trade less surface area for reduced size there’s also the compact version.

The polymer frame features a three-slot rail on the dust cover, which allows you to install a variety of lights and other accessories. I mounted a Nightstick TWM-30-T weapon light on the pistol, and with the activation paddles extending just past the front of the trigger guard I still had plenty of room to access the trigger. Couple the ability of mounting a light with the Nocturne’s prodigious magazine capacity, and you have the recipe for a nightstand home-defense gun—especially with a red-dot sight in place.

Fond Memories

I’d forgotten just how much fun a good DA/SA pistol is to shoot, but the CZ P-09 Nocturne F reminded me that there’s still a place for these pistols. I remember the P-09 and P-07 well, and I liked them both. This gun is, quite frankly, a bit better. And with a suggested retail price of $549, I must say it’s also a good bargain.

CZ P-09 Nocturne F Specs

• Type: DA/SA semiauto centerfire
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Capacity: 19+1; 2 mags supplied
• Barrel: 4.53 in.; cold hammer forged, 1:16 twist
• OAL/Height/Width: 8.2/5.9/1.5 in.
• Weight: 30.4 oz. (as measured)
• Construction: black nitride slide, fiberglass-reinforced polymer frame
• Trigger: DA pull, 11 lb.; SA pull, 4 lb. (measured)
• Sights: luminescent green three-dot; drift-adjustable rear; slide cut for Holosun K/Shield RMS footprint
• MSRP: $549
• Manufacturer: CZ, cz-usa.com

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