Most of what we sell goes to deer camp or the duck blind, and a 9mm service pistol has a place there too: in the truck, at camp, and at home the other eleven months. CZ's new DUTY 4.0 is a good one to pair with a hunting rifle. It is striker-fired, 9x19mm, with a fiberglass-reinforced polymer frame over a serialized modular chassis, a 4-inch unthreaded barrel and fixed sights. The slide takes a red dot by direct mount, and the SFDA trigger is rated at 5.6 pounds with a 4 mm reset.

Hunters in Tyler, San Angelo and Beaumont, in Albany and Dothan, over in Jonesboro, Hutchinson and Kearney can choose the DUTY 4.0 C compact (15+1, 27.2 ounces) or the F full-size (17+1, 27.5 ounces). Each comes with or without a manual thumb safety; the MS models add that lever to the firing pin block, trigger safety and trigger bar safety. MSRP is $729.

CZ built the DUTY around a registered chassis that the polymer polymer grip wraps around, the same idea that lets a shooter change frame size without buying a new registered gun. The trigger is a refined SFDA striker unit, 25 ± 4 N (5.6 ± 0.9 lbs) pull, 0.16 in (4 mm) reset, 9 ± 1 mm (0.4 ± 0.04 in) travel. The slide takes optics by direct mounting; CZ's product photos show Holosun, Aimpoint and Shield units in place. Sights are fixed, the four-inch barrel is not threaded.

This is the shorter grip of the two DUTY frames: 5.3 in (135 mm) from the top of the slide to the base plate, 27.2 oz (770 g) empty, 15+1 rounds standard and 17+1 with the extended plate. The slide and four-inch barrel are the same as the service-size gun, so it shoots like one.

There is no manual thumb safety on this model. Drop safety comes from the firing pin block, the trigger safety and the drawbar safety, the way most modern striker-action pistols are set up. If you want a thumb safety lever, the MS version has one.

The CZ DUTY 4.0 C suits anyone who wants a modern optics-ready 9mm with CZ's grip and a trigger that is better than the class average: daily carry, a bedside gun that also rides along, and new shooters who want one pistol for everything.

Tell us at checkout which licensed dealer in your state should receive the DUTY 4.0, and it ships there for the background check; that dealer applies your state's handgun rules at pickup and can answer questions about them. Our state guide covers rifle seasons, not handgun purchases, so ask your dealer if you are unsure. Stock and price are re-checked against the distributor the moment you order.

Questions buyers ask: Can I use the DUTY 4.0 for deer hunting? It is a 9mm service pistol, not a hunting handgun. Check your state's handgun hunting rules; most hunters carry it as a sidearm and shoot deer with the rifle. What is the extended base plate? A magazine base that adds two rounds: 17+1 on the C and 19+1 on the F. Does the CZ DUTY 4.0 C take CZ P-10 magazines? CZ lists the DUTY with its own 15-round magazine and an longer base plate for 17+1. P-10 magazine fit is not confirmed, so plan on DUTY magazines.