Rittmeister
Member
I though I'd give everyone my opinion on these two already-overly-reviewed pistols 
Disclaimer - I have never been a striker-fired-gun guy. Typically I find the trigger pulls spongy/springy/gritty etc. In the case of Glocks I also dislike the grip angle. I'm not a hater, I just don't personally care for them. I also have always preferred a gun that either has a manual safety or a long DA first trigger pull. However, I've always been interested in striker guns' simplicity (no mainspring etc in the frame, et al) and over the years have tried Glock, M&P (1.0 that is), VP9, P320, and the XD series. None have stayed with me long, if at all.
I did not like the aesthetics of the original Canik pistols though they got good reviews and clearly the company is interested both in expanding their product lines as well as listening to customer feedback. When the Elite came out it piqued my interest, and then they added the Elite S with its interesting trigger-guard-mounted safety (more on that later). I kept an eye on local listings and picked one up recently for a good price.
In between, I rented a CZ P10c, and despite my misgivings I liked it.
Last week I took the Elite S to the range for the first time, and I tried the P10c alongside it back-to-back. I put a couple hundred rounds through each. At long last, here are some of my thoughts:
-Workmanship seems to be a wash. I didn't disassemble for a fit-and-finish inspection as I've never bothered much with that sort of thing. Both were completely reliable with a mix of ammo (PPU, Blazer Brass, Remington FMJ). All brands were 115gr round nose target ammo. I was concerned the Elite S would hang up, as some early examples were oversprung for that load, but I had zero problems. The CZ was a range rental gun and was dirty as hell, but also had no jams or issues at all.
-The triggers on both are... quite good. Surprisingly good. I like the longish takeup and crisp letoff that both seem to have. Honestly they feel much like the single action pull on a regular CZ. I think manufacturers are reading the writing on the wall about striker-fired triggers and are working to improve them. As a result, accuracy (for me) was a draw; I was shooting at 10 yards, not working too hard to shoot small groups, doing some double-taps, and putting all my rounds in about a 6" circle. Minute-of-bad-guy if you will... I believe that with diligent fundamentals I could shoot considerably smaller groups with either gun.
-Both guns have ambidextrous controls, and the CZ also has an ambi mag release. I like the shape of the Canik's slide release better but it makes the gun fatter; the flattened design on the CZ would be better for carry IMO and worked just fine when I was handling the gun.
-I think the CZ has better ergonomics FOR ME. Maybe I should say it fits my hand better, and balances and points better for me than does the Canik. It's slightly thinner through the whole grip but especially in the beavertail area; the Canik is fat enough there that I can't get my usual high, thumbs-forward grip on it without it rubbing the joint at the base of my strong-hand's thumb. The CZ sits lower, is more comfortable, has a higher cut under the trigger guard, and as a bonus has a slightly lower bore axis. The Canik wins on texturing though; the raised squares of the texturing on the CZ actually left marks on my hand after shooting a few magazines through it.
-I like the CZ sights better. They're a traditional 3-dot setup. Canik has made a big deal out of using Warren Tactical sights; the front is a post with fiber-optic insert and the rear is a U-notch with no dots or outlines. It works, but I like a square rear notch better and 3-dots best.
-The Canik has a striker-cocking indicator. I liked it, though some will complain that it's a spot for ingress of foreign material. It's nice to know the gun is ready to go bang.
-Finally, a word about that safety on the Canik. For those unfamiliar with it, it's mounted on the trigger guard at the rear, right where HK and others mount their mag release (the Canik has a normal push-button release). It is built in such a way that it physically blocks the trigger itself from moving, and thus does not affect the lockwork or striker at all. It has very positive on/off action, to the point of stiffness. It would never flop around, especially in a good holster. That said, I think it's useless for carry; the best ways to deactivate it seem to be with the trigger finger (placing said finger near the trigger, maybe not a great idea) or with the off-hand thumb. It attracts me for home defense - an added layer of security on the night stand, or with children, etc. Also, if you're at the range and for some reason need to set the gun down while the range is still hot, you can snap this safety on, again for an added layer of security when the gun is on the table.
That's kinda it. I don't hate the Canik (to be honest I like it) but I may not keep it long-term. Not sure if I'll spring for a P10c or not either; I really enjoyed shooting it but it's got no manual safety and for me that's a significant issue.
Hope this helps some folks. This is all strictly my opinion and isn't meant as a value judgement on anyone else's choice. Just my $.02...
Disclaimer - I have never been a striker-fired-gun guy. Typically I find the trigger pulls spongy/springy/gritty etc. In the case of Glocks I also dislike the grip angle. I'm not a hater, I just don't personally care for them. I also have always preferred a gun that either has a manual safety or a long DA first trigger pull. However, I've always been interested in striker guns' simplicity (no mainspring etc in the frame, et al) and over the years have tried Glock, M&P (1.0 that is), VP9, P320, and the XD series. None have stayed with me long, if at all.
I did not like the aesthetics of the original Canik pistols though they got good reviews and clearly the company is interested both in expanding their product lines as well as listening to customer feedback. When the Elite came out it piqued my interest, and then they added the Elite S with its interesting trigger-guard-mounted safety (more on that later). I kept an eye on local listings and picked one up recently for a good price.
In between, I rented a CZ P10c, and despite my misgivings I liked it.
Last week I took the Elite S to the range for the first time, and I tried the P10c alongside it back-to-back. I put a couple hundred rounds through each. At long last, here are some of my thoughts:
-Workmanship seems to be a wash. I didn't disassemble for a fit-and-finish inspection as I've never bothered much with that sort of thing. Both were completely reliable with a mix of ammo (PPU, Blazer Brass, Remington FMJ). All brands were 115gr round nose target ammo. I was concerned the Elite S would hang up, as some early examples were oversprung for that load, but I had zero problems. The CZ was a range rental gun and was dirty as hell, but also had no jams or issues at all.
-The triggers on both are... quite good. Surprisingly good. I like the longish takeup and crisp letoff that both seem to have. Honestly they feel much like the single action pull on a regular CZ. I think manufacturers are reading the writing on the wall about striker-fired triggers and are working to improve them. As a result, accuracy (for me) was a draw; I was shooting at 10 yards, not working too hard to shoot small groups, doing some double-taps, and putting all my rounds in about a 6" circle. Minute-of-bad-guy if you will... I believe that with diligent fundamentals I could shoot considerably smaller groups with either gun.
-Both guns have ambidextrous controls, and the CZ also has an ambi mag release. I like the shape of the Canik's slide release better but it makes the gun fatter; the flattened design on the CZ would be better for carry IMO and worked just fine when I was handling the gun.
-I think the CZ has better ergonomics FOR ME. Maybe I should say it fits my hand better, and balances and points better for me than does the Canik. It's slightly thinner through the whole grip but especially in the beavertail area; the Canik is fat enough there that I can't get my usual high, thumbs-forward grip on it without it rubbing the joint at the base of my strong-hand's thumb. The CZ sits lower, is more comfortable, has a higher cut under the trigger guard, and as a bonus has a slightly lower bore axis. The Canik wins on texturing though; the raised squares of the texturing on the CZ actually left marks on my hand after shooting a few magazines through it.
-I like the CZ sights better. They're a traditional 3-dot setup. Canik has made a big deal out of using Warren Tactical sights; the front is a post with fiber-optic insert and the rear is a U-notch with no dots or outlines. It works, but I like a square rear notch better and 3-dots best.
-The Canik has a striker-cocking indicator. I liked it, though some will complain that it's a spot for ingress of foreign material. It's nice to know the gun is ready to go bang.
-Finally, a word about that safety on the Canik. For those unfamiliar with it, it's mounted on the trigger guard at the rear, right where HK and others mount their mag release (the Canik has a normal push-button release). It is built in such a way that it physically blocks the trigger itself from moving, and thus does not affect the lockwork or striker at all. It has very positive on/off action, to the point of stiffness. It would never flop around, especially in a good holster. That said, I think it's useless for carry; the best ways to deactivate it seem to be with the trigger finger (placing said finger near the trigger, maybe not a great idea) or with the off-hand thumb. It attracts me for home defense - an added layer of security on the night stand, or with children, etc. Also, if you're at the range and for some reason need to set the gun down while the range is still hot, you can snap this safety on, again for an added layer of security when the gun is on the table.
That's kinda it. I don't hate the Canik (to be honest I like it) but I may not keep it long-term. Not sure if I'll spring for a P10c or not either; I really enjoyed shooting it but it's got no manual safety and for me that's a significant issue.
Hope this helps some folks. This is all strictly my opinion and isn't meant as a value judgement on anyone else's choice. Just my $.02...
