SHOT Show 2023 was a strong year for CZ USA in the competition pistol market. Their big drops were two new competition-minded pistols along with Dan Wesson starting to ship the DWX out to dealers now. We recently posted up a review of the Dan Wesson DWX so if you missed it, be sure to check it out at the link here. CZ unveiled a new orange variant of their TS2 as well as a CZ Custom shop gun called the A01 series. Let’s take a closer look at the CZ TS2 Orange and AO1 series of pistols.
CZ TS2 Orange
Probably the biggest unveil for CZ USA was the new TS2 Orange variant dropping onto the market. The Orange variant has a number of differences from the standard TS2 just like the Shadow 2 Orange variant. The first noticeable difference is the match-grade bull barrel upgraded from the standard barrel. This bull barrel not only makes the TS2 more accurate but also prolongs the overall service life of the pistol and helps with recoil management.
Another big improvement on the TS2 Orange is the barrel to slide and slide to frame being all hand fitted to keep the tightest tolerances possible. Modified guide rod, higher safety levers, slide serrations and sight upgrades are all new on this version as well taking the TS2 line to the next level. CZ USA says these are great pistol options for IPSC standard division shooters or USPSA Limited division shooters. MSRP on the TS2 Orange is set at 2,199.99 and it should start shipping in the next couple of months.
CZ Custom Shop AO1-LD and AO1-SD OR
The AO1 series is originally from the Shadow line of pistols from CZ. The Custom Shop has taken the AO1 to the next level with an all-new hammer-forged billet frame. This includes a full dustcover which adds significant weight out front killing any recoil and making the gun shoot extremely flat. Add in a pinned trigger and hammer, Slide serrations and higher capacity magazines and you have yourself a completely different gun than before.
With a capacity of 19+1, the AO1 series comes with a number of upgrades perfect for competition or range use. The SD has the short dust cover making it look more like a standard 75 but has all the same upgrades as the full dust cover version. Both are optics-ready and can take a number of different red dots. MSRP on these starts at $2,599-2,699 and they should be hitting the market in the next couple of months.
