In case you can’t read my handwriting there, the ammo I grabbed for accuracy testing was PMC Bronze 115 grain (top left targets), Aguila 124 grain (top right targets), and American Eagle 147 grain (center targets).
Shooting Impressions
The SDP has a bit less muzzle flip and felt recoil, probably due to the heavier slide as well as the aluminum upper frame. I shot it more accurately and originally credited most of that to my preference for its sights, but after doing the accuracy testing above it’s clear that the SDP is actually more accurate than the P-07.
Enjoyment factor was about the same. As mentioned, I do prefer the feel of the trigger on the CZ, however the grip on the SPHINX is freaking amazing. That said, it’s a bit “slippery when wet.”
I wouldn’t hesitate to toss the CZ around, get it dirty, “run and gun,” draw it and holster it a zillion times, and otherwise treat it like a real tool. I think that, irrespective of price, there’s something in the look and feel of the SPHINX that makes me want to baby it a little. Maybe it’s the smoother finish and the large, flat areas on the upper frame that I wouldn’t want to scratch up.
Final Note
I’m actually not a huge fan of this compact/duty size for a pistol. It’s too big for me to CCW in normal attire and it’s too small for me to shoot well in competition. For instance, I absolutely prefer shooting the P-09 to the P-07.
I mention this because my go-to pistol — my gun — has been a CZ SP-01 for many years. Nothing has ever come along that made me consider replacing it with a different pistol. It’s my favorite gun to shoot on the range and it’s my favorite gun to shoot in competition. But… if I were to replace it with something else, it would require a shootout between the full-size SPHINX with steel frame and a version of the CZ Accu-Shadow.