Competition Ready Pistol ZEV OZ9

ZEV OZ9 Competition, Shooting Zev's OZ9 proved telling, as the pistol can flat out move.

ZEV OZ9 Competition, Not simply a Glock knockoff, the OZ9 is built to compete.

Slide cuts, internal enhancements and loads of upgrades mark the OZ9.

When ZEV decided to create its very first pistol earlier this year I kind of brushed it off as another custom Glock. That was until I wrapped my hands around the OZ9 and pulled the trigger. This was not just another custom Glock. This was something pretty incredible. A ZEV pistol, with everything built entirely from the ground up by ZEV. An entirely different pistol that at the time screamed competition. However, competition shooters needed a bit more.

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ZEV OZ9 Competition

Now we have the ZEV OZ9 in a competition model that is approved for both USPSA Carry Optics and Production divisions (with the magwell removed). Designed in collaboration with five-time World Speed Shooting Champion and ZEV Technologies Shooting Team Captain, KC Eusebio, the Competition Model OZ9 features an exclusive KC Signature G34 length slide, coated in Titanium Gray and cut for a Bushnell Red Dot First Strike 2.0 Reflex Sight, which is included in the package. Making this new competition model actually ready to compete directly out of the box.

The Build

ZEV designed and created the OZ9 for balance. It’s one of the first things you notice when holding this pistol. Balance equates to what every shooter is looking for; a more controllable pistol with less felt recoil and less muzzle flip. The addition of the longer slide with the unique detents and designs cut into it definitely aids in faster follow-up shots due to the lack of muzzle flip. The slide has a very alien look to it as well, which gives you a very unique custom-looking pistol you can grip anywhere to rack. KC Eusebio knows a little bit about fast shooting, and it shows in this signature slide he helped create.

At the heart of the OZ9 is a ZEV Steel Receiver. This solid steel frame is unique to ZEV. It runs the length of the entire pistol, allowing the locking block to be fully integrated. The extended rails in the steel receiver help provide more than double the surface area of contact to the slide. ZEV says that having a singular component for the slide to travel along minimizes vibration and recoil energy by dispersing it along the receiver through the custom grip. A single take-down pin conveniently located at the front of the trigger guard locks the removable grip to the steel receiver.

Range Time

The trigger is also housed in the steel receiver, allowing for future grip upgrades without completely breaking down the pistol. ZEVs grips have steeper angles, and forward hand position that is extremely comfortable for pretty much any shooter. The grip angle combined with the long G34 slide on the Competition model made for an incredible shooting experience.

I got a little bit of trigger time at the Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous and loaded up five rounds in the first magazine just to get the feel for it. I fired the first round at a plate of steel about 15 yards out from me. Immediately I was regretting only loading 5 rounds because I didn’t want to stop shooting. The gun performed flawlessly. About 10 yards away was a dueling tree. I loaded up a full magazine this time and flipped the dueling tree twice. I missed 1 out of 17 shots.

This was my first experience with the gun and the Bushnell Red Dot First Strike 2.0 Reflex Sight. I am a decent pistol shooter but have never ran a competition before. After handling this new ZEV OZ9 Competition model I felt like I was ready to go shoot my first match with it. The perfect example of innovation and technology. You can truly tell this gun was designed by shooters for shooters.